1.27.12 – (LAA) – APFA Presidential Debate, AD Hoc WTS, FAA Reauthorization Bill, Make up HISEND, MIC, EC Meeting

Weekly Hotline

For the week ending Friday, January 27, 2012

BANKRUPTCY UPDATE

Boston Bankruptcy Information Base Visit

Tuesday January 31 – Boston
Embassy Suites Logan Airport
1100-1400

Over the coming weeks, we will visit the bases to provide you with information about bankruptcy. We will share what we know now and what to expect; we will address your concerns and answer your questions. We’ll be joining members of the APFA Negotiating Team, Retirement Department and Legal Counsel. As some of the bankruptcy proceedings may be scheduled suddenly and we can expect last minute changes, these Bankruptcy Informational Base Visits will most likely be announced on short notice.

Additional dates and cities will be announced as the schedule becomes available.

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APFA has been informed that next week the company will present a business plan and will begin discussions on proposed changes to our collective bargaining agreement. Based on this information the NMB has notified APFA and the Company that it will resume its oversight of our negotiations and will attend next week’s meeting.

Representing APFA at the meeting will be President Laura Glading, our Negotiating Table Team and legal counsel.

APFA PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
[email protected]

Earlier this week APFA sponsored the Presidential Debate between Liz Geiss and Laura Glading. APFA members may view the debate, in its entirety, by logging on to www.www.apfa.org.

The National Officer Run-off election ballots were mailed on January 26, 2012 and votes must be cast by 10:00 CT on February 24, 2012.

You must be dues current by 5:00 p.m. CST on February 21, 2012, and any dues promissory note/payment plan must have been active by January 26, 2012 in order to have your vote counted for the APFA National Officer Run-Off election ballot count on February 24, 2012.

To access the APFA BallotPoint Voting System by phone, call 1-800-698-3789 or 1-503-419-1145 or online at https://www.ballotpoint.com/apfa.

For questions concerning the Elections and Balloting, or to obtain a duplicate ballot, contact the Ballot Committee at 817.540.0108 x8311 or via e-mail at [email protected].

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

AD HOC WTS

The Willingness to Serve for Executive Committee Member Ad Hoc Place #5 can be found on the Elections and Balloting page of the APFA website. The term of office for this position will commence on April 1, 2012 and ends March 31, 2015. If interested, please return your WTS to the APFA Secretary, 1004 West Euless Blvd, Euless, TX 76040, anytime prior the Annual Convention that convenes on February 27, 2012.

FIRST RESPONDER WORKPLACE FAIRNESS ACT

While in Washington, APFA finalized the yearlong effort to introduce a Flight Attendant fatigue bill. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono (D-HI) filed the bill on Wednesday, HR 3824 – The Airline First Responder Workplace Fairness Act. APFA has worked closely with Ms. Hirono’s office in crafting the language of the bill. This is significant legislation because it continues to recognize the incredibly important role we play on board the aircraft as first responders. We expect widespread support and co-sponsorship after filing.

Click here to read the full press release.

FAA REAUTHORIZATION BILL

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants remains strongly committed to the passage of a clean FAA Reauthorization bill. A clean bill, by definition, would focus on the much-needed safety, security, and infrastructure enhancements to the nation’s aviation system and would not include language that rewrites seventy-five years of labor law.

APFA President Laura Glading said, “While we appreciate Majority Leader Reidís effort to pass a long-term reauthorization, we are disappointed that a compromise on this critical provision was made absent the input of organized labor.

The Railway Labor Act and the National Mediation Board responsible for upholding it represent aviation industry unions’ first, last, and only line of defense against unfair and exploitive business practices of airline management. We believe the FAA Reauthorization bill, as drafted, would gut the RLA and strip the NMB of its authority and as such, we cannot support it.”

In the coming days, APFA will be making its case to Senator Reid and the members of the conference committee.

FROM THE SCHEDULING DEPARTMENT
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MAKE UP HISEND

This is just another reminder that if you send a HISEND message for Make Up flying, please be specific. List sequence number if possible. Don’t get caught with a trip you do not want to fly. Also remember that trips awarded as a result of a HISEND message will be pre-plotted on your schedule prior to 1900 and considered confirmed. You will not receive a call from crew schedule. You will be responsible for checking your own schedule to see if you’ve been awarded a trip. If it is after 1900, crew schedule must call you. Remember that crew schedule will only call your ‘H’ or your ‘C’ number. They are not required to call any number listed in the ‘T’ field.

MISCONNECTION/ILLEGALITY/CANCELATION (MIC)

During the first twenty-five (25) days of the month, if you have a MIC at sequence origination, you are responsible for calling crew schedule. Article 9.p.2.d of the CBA states that crew schedule may hold you available for days originally scheduled to fly (DOSTF). Should crew schedule exercise this option, you have an obligation to call crew schedule on each day you were originally scheduled to fly. Know your call in window the Domestic call-in window is 0800-1200 and the International window is 1000-1200.

EC MEETING

The 2011 Fourth Quarter Meeting of the APFA Executive Committee has been rescheduled. The meeting will begin on Tuesday February 14, 2012 at the Holiday Inn DFW South. Time to be determined.

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Please remember there are currently 218 Members on furlough and awaiting recall.