3.08.13 – (LAA) – No Knives in the Cabin

 

APFA Hotline – No Knives in the Cabin 3.8.13  

 

SIGN THE PETITION

No Knives in the Cabin
On Tuesday, March 5, 2013, the Transportation Security Administration announced that passengers will soon be allowed to carry previously banned items onto airplanes in the United States including: pocket knives of a certain size, two golf clubs, lacrosse sticks, novelty baseball bats, and hockey sticks. Flight Attendants fully support the periodic review of the list of prohibited belongings and we understand the risk-based assessment TSA employs to determine what should be allowed in the cabin, but this policy reversal is both dangerous and irresponsible. Had agency officials consulted with Flight Attendants, they likely would have come to a different conclusion regarding these items.

The APFA, along with the entire Coalition of Flight Attendants representing 90,000 Flight Attendants in the US, is speaking out against this announcement by the TSA. The Coalition issued a press release jointly and APFA also issued one independently calling for the TSA to reevaluate this decision. We have also published a petition online calling for signatures.

We need your help. Get involved. Email, Tweet, Facebook, publish our petition link everywhere you can to counter this decision by the TSA. Visit APFA’s website and share the page addressing this new development by the TSA.

Sign-in is required by the White House petition to prevent multiple click-throughs and to protect the integrity of the petition. Once a certain number of signatures is reached, the White House is forced to respond. We urge you to exercise the one signature opportunity you have to register your voice against the TSA’s decision.

Spread the word and help build pressure on the White House to make this right. Keep Knives Off the Plane.
 

APFA Board of Directors Meeting 

Last weekend, the APFA Leadership met in Ft. Lauderdale for the 20th Annual APFA Board of Directors Convention. Below is an excerpt from APFA President Laura Glading’s opening comments on Sunday morning:

“As bad as this has been, and as much as we have sacrificed, we managed to create a better outcome than in any other bankruptcy we know of. Past bankruptcies in this industry have thrown labor into the back seat, if not under the wheels. But this time, not only did labor drive the coming merger, we did so inside the bankruptcy process – a first in this industry. It has taken our counterparts at other carriers years to make any gains after the severe concessions they were forced to take in bankruptcy. Again, I know it has been very hard and people are still struggling. But you don’t have to look very hard to see that it could have been far worse.

Let’s be clear, though. This isn’t done. Our members will continue to live with some uncertainty for the coming year. But unlike those who trod this path before us, we have secured the promise of an industry-rate contract. We have ensured we will not be relegated to the bottom rung. We will never again be underestimated. We have made the American Airlines Flight Attendants true players in the game, not to be ignored.

As the new American takes shape we will continue to push for real change. Our membership entrusted this Union, this Board, with their futures like never before. We will meet our responsibilities to them without wavering.

We must remain committed to seeing this merger through in the months to come. Gaining a seat for APFA at the table brings with it tremendous responsibility – and just the start of the process of profoundly influencing and defining labor-management relations in the new American. In doing so, our presence on the UCC during bankruptcy will not become just a footnote in the history of our Union. Rather it will mark the dawn of a new era, one of enduring respect for our Institution and its members. With the change in leadership at American, I am confident that we will see a long needed change in culture. There will be a change in tone, message and approach. There will surely be confrontations along the way; there will be disagreements great and small. But with the proven vigilance, wisdom and forward-thinking of this Board, we are up to the task.”

(Laura recognized and thanked the outgoing and incoming (newly-elected) base reps following the most recent election.)

We say goodbye, at least for now, to:
Abby Alconcher (IOR)
Meghan Corrigan (BOS)
Jay Fuller (STL)
Justin Wildish (LAX-I)
Kelli Harrington (LAX-I)
Eric Hodgson (LGA)
Kevin Johnson (IMA)
Michael Medeiros (BOS-I)
Brian O’Connell (STL)
Monty Purdom (STL)
Peggy Turley (RDU)

Laura also thanked the entire APFA Negotiating Team for their stamina and dedication over the course of five years of ‘bargaining’ with management.
Negotiations Table Team:
Clinton Breen
Becky Kroll
Anne Loew
Jaimie McNeice
Mario St. Michel
Along with:
Ray Baylis
Diana Dunn
Steven Ellis
Sam Morales

And we would like to welcome:
Bill Denmark
Matthew Faust
Todd McJunkin
David Ransom
Forest Blake
Philip Clifton
Brian Pinkowski
Heidi Sakacs

Members in good standing may read Laura’s comments in their entirety by clicking here.

We were joined by several guest speakers at both the banquet and our Board Meeting the following day. Our keynote address was delivered by Holly Hegeman (read Holly’s summary of the evening), a champion for the merger with US Airways from day 1, and a huge supporter of the AA Flight Attendants. We also heard from Ken Kaufman and Isaac Franco, our designers for the new uniforms. Ken and Isaac could not have been happier to meet with AA Flight Attendants and listen to what we want to see for our next “wardrobe” as they called it. APFA invited US Airways President Scott Kirby. He is the first member of management to attend an APFA Banquet. Tommy O’Neill of O’Neill and Associates, APFA’s lobby firm, joined us and introduced Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, (D-FL), who received the Edward M. Kennedy Award for Public Service by APFA. And finally, former APFA Vice President Jeff Bott and Becky Kroll introduced APFA’s Martha W. Griffiths Award winner – the Union’s highest award – to Martha (Marti) O’Rourke posthumously, and presented to her husband, Paul Railsback.

House and Senate Hearings

On Thursday, March 14, 2013, The House Subcommittee on Transportation Security will discuss: “TSA’s Efforts to Advance Risk-Based Security.” Member are welcome and encouraged to attend. The Hearing will be held at 311 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C., beginning at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time.

On Tuesday, March 19, 2013, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights will hold a hearing on the proposed merger of American Airlines and US Airways. FAs are welcome and invited to attend. Please wear your uniform. The hearing begins at 10:00 a.m.

Scheduling

ATTN: Flight Attendants Serving Reserve in March
Sunday, March 10th, we “Spring forward” and those Flight Attendants on Reserve, and who have a Duty-Free Period block that ends on March 10th, will see that their Duty-Free Period extends by one (1) hour into the 11th of March. In the past, there have been Flight Attendants that have inadvertently read their schedule wrong and believed they had the entire day off. Flight Attendants that are off on the 10th, and have Reserve on the 11th, will become available at 0101, Monday, March 11.
 
Reserve Preferences
The Reserve system does read Reserve Preferences when assigning Flight Attendants to Stand-by. The two (2) preferences that we have found to be most beneficial for Flight Attendants who are assigned Stand-by are Co-Terminal and Departure Time.
 
Update on Split Sick Bank
Under the terms of the LBFO, the company intended to create a split sick bank [long term and short term]. However, in a recent meeting with the company, it was determined that implementing this provision no longer made sense, since we fully anticipate the Bridge Agreement [CLA] will come into effective later this year. The current pay for sick leave of absence will continue, unchanged.
 
AM/PM for Reserves
The company’s IT department has been in the process of programming for AM/PM Reserves as outlined in the LBFO, and provided for in the Bridge Agreement [CLA]. This is a top priority for us to be programmed and implemented. APFA plans to meet with AA’s IT departmen and will you please continue to keep you updated.

Retirement Briefings

IDF Flight Attendant and APFA Retirement Rep Patrick Hancock has scheduled upcoming Retirement Briefings.

March 13, 2013
Chicago
Mezzanine Conference Room before you pass security
(family and friends welcome)
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm

March 14, 2013
Chicago
Terminal K Operations Flight Service Conference Room
11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Employees only

March 26, 2013
DCA
Ramp Conference Room
3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Employees only

Don’t forget to bring your pension estimate along with your questions.
 

AmericanAirlines + US Airways
“On Our Way”

Leslie Mayo
APFA National Communications Coordinator