1.02.12 – (LAA) – Bankruptcy Update, Bankruptcy Info Base Visits, National Officer Election Ballots Mailed

Hotline Update

January 2, 2012

Friday’s Bankruptcy Update ended with the following message – “the value of the Flight Attendants’ morale is priceless.” We all know it’s true but surprisingly, so may American. In a motion seeking authority to pay pre-petition wages and benefits the company supported its request by stating the following,

• “The Employees are vital to the continued operation of the Debtors” business and to their successful reorganization. Any delay in paying Pre-petition Employee Obligations will adversely impact the Debtors’ relationship with their Employees and could irreparably impair the Employees’ morale, dedication, confidence, and cooperation. Because many of the Employees interact with the Debtors’ customers, on whose continued support and loyalty the Debtors rely, the Employees’ support for the Debtors’ reorganization efforts is critical to the success of those efforts. At this early stage, the Debtors simply cannot risk the substantial damage to their business that would inevitably attend any decline in their Employees’ morale attributable to the Debtors’ failure to pay wages, salaries, benefits and other similar items.î
• “Absent an order granting the relief requested, the Employees also will suffer undue hardship and, in many instances, serious financial difficulties, as the amounts in question are needed to enable certain of the Employees to meet their own personal financial obligations. Without the requested relief, the stability of the Debtors will be undermined, perhaps irreparably, by the possibility that otherwise loyal Employees will seek other employment alternatives.”

 

Apparently, American appreciates that any delay in paying the wages of its employees would cause the airline to suffer irreparable harm. Similarly, it should understand that trying to yet again reduce our wages and benefits will have exactly the same effect.

Nonetheless, about a week after making these statements indicating its sensitivity to the fragility of employee morale, one of American’s advisers was so brazen as to claim that our Defined Benefit Pension Plan had to be replaced by a defined contribution plan. What we cannot fathom is if the company understands that not paying our wages on time would have such severe repercussions, why it does not realize that tampering with the Flight Attendants’ pension – a benefit we have repeatedly fought to improve and preserve & would have nothing less than a catastrophic impact on our “dedication, confidence and cooperation”. Throughout this bankruptcy we would advise American that it should never lose sight of this simple truth – the value of the Flight Attendants’ morale is priceless.

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Below are the Bankruptcy Information Base Visits currently scheduled:

Tuesday, January 3 – DFW
Yandry Center
DFW Airport, Terminal C
1100-1400
(Retirees, please use your Retiree ID Card for Security Checkpoint access. You may also obtain a Gate Pass from the AA Ticket Counter.)

Monday, January 9 – MIA
Miami International Airport Hotel (Hotel MIA)
Outside Terminal E Security Checkpoint
1100-1400

Monday, January 16 – LAX
Ayres Hotel Manhattan Beach/Hawthorne
14400 Hindry Ave.
Hawthorne, CA 90250
Renaissance Ballroom
1100-1400

Meetings are open to all members in good standing. Retirees wishing to attend one of the Base Meetings, and were dues current at the time of retirement, please send an e-mail to [email protected] so that eligibility can be verified in advance. Only Retired Flight Attendants need to contact APFA prior to the meeting.

During these meetings, we will share what we know now and what to expect; we will address your concerns and answer your questions. Iíll be joining members of the APFA Negotiating Team, Retirement Department, Legal Counsel and your Local Base Leadership. As some of the bankruptcy proceedings may be scheduled suddenly and we can expect last minute changes, additional Bankruptcy Information Base Visits will most likely be announced on short notice.

In unity,
Laura Glading

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FROM THE BALLOT COMMITTEE
[email protected]

Ballots for the APFA National Officer Election have been mailed to all Flight Attendants. Balloting opened 10:00am CST on Monday December 19, 2011 and all ballots must be cast by 10:00am CST on Wednesday January 18, 2012.

Should you have any questions, please contact the National Ballot Committee at 817-540-0108 ext 8311 or via email – [email protected].

You must be dues current by 5:00 p.m. CST on January 13, 2012, and any dues promissory note/payment plan must have been active by December 19, 2011 in order to have your vote counted for the APFA National Officer election ballot count on January 18, 2012.

For any questions concerning your dues status, please contact the APFA Dues Department at 817-540-0108 ext 8151 or email – [email protected].

APFA National Ballot Committee.