6.14.13b – (LAA) – AA’s New Leadership Team, APFA President Town Hall Visits, Uniform Update, 2012 Flex Spending Account, Reciprocal Agreements, Reserve Assignments, Purser Proffer, AM/PM Update, EX Meeting, BOD Meetings, 408 AA FAs

 

APFA Hotline – June 14, 2013

 

AA’S NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM
This week in some exciting merger news, AA’s future CEO Doug Parker announced his new senior leadership team including a lot of changes at the top. The following is a list of Doug Parker’s direct reports.

• Doug Parker: Chief Executive Officer (original US Airways)

• Scott Kirby: President (planning, marketing, sales, alliances, pricing/yield management and operation) (original US Airways)

• Elise Eberwein: Executive Vice President, People and Communications (human resources, media relations, internal communications, social media and public affairs) (original US Airways)

• Robert Isom: Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer of US Airways, Inc. (post-close) (customer service, flight operations, maintenance, regional carrier management, cargo, safety and security) (original US Airways)

• Steve Johnson: Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs (corporate and legal affairs, government and regulatory affairs, labor relations, and real estate) (original US Airways)

• Derek Kerr: Chief Financial Officer (financial planning and analysis, corporate finance and treasury functions, purchasing, controller and audit functions and investor relations) (original US Airways)

• Bev Goulet: Chief Integration Officer (the integration process of merging American Airlines and US Airways into one airline) (original AA)

• Maya Leibman: Chief Information Officer (all information technology systems, including systems development, infrastructure and planning) (original AA)

• Will Ris: Senior Vice President, Government Affairs (all federal and international government and regulatory affairs and public policy) (original AA)

The remaining management team members will be announced in the coming weeks and months.

APFA PRESIDENT LAURA GLADING’S TOWN HALL VISITS
Laura has been invited to speak at future Town Hall meetings over the next several weeks. On June 26, Laura will speak at LGA’s meeting beginning at 12:30 and the JFK Town Hall starting at 3:00. Also, on July 10, Laura will be speaking at the Chicago Town Hall meeting beginning at 1:00. Specific locations will be announced in the near future.

UNIFORM UPDATE
Today, the results of the uniform survey were revealed. Not surprisingly, most employees indicated the current uniform was not one that employees liked and there was a lot of room for improvement to say the least. Fit, comfort and quality were the features most employees said they were looking for in the new uniform. Committees from all work groups that are set to receive new uniforms are participating in the design process. APFA is well represented in this process with members system wide participating in regular meetings. Now that the survey results are in and have been provided to Kaufman/Franco, the real work begins. APFA looks forward to participating in the process that will provide Flight Attendants with a new wardrobe for the first time in decades!

2012 FLEX SPENDING ACCOUNT – LAST CHANCE!
There is still time to access remaining funds in your 2012 Healthcare FSA account. Any unfiled claims for eligible expenses dated January 1, 2012 – March 15, 2013, can be applied to an unused FSA balance from 2012. The claim filing deadline for 2012 eligible expenses is June 15, 2013. There is a direct link to PayFlex, AA’s FSA vendor, on the Benefits page of Jetnet. The telephone number for the PayFlex FSA division is (800) 284-4885.

RECIPROCAL AGREEMENTS
This week two more reciprocal cabin seat agreements were announced, this time with Allegiant and Great Lakes Airlines. To read more about these agreements, visit APFA’s web site at www.www.apfa.org.

RESERVE ASSIGNMENTS
As a reminder, Reserves have the ability to confirm next-day assignments at 1700 local base time. However, when calling the tape for your next day assignment you are not considered released for same day coverage until 1900 in the event that you receive a next-day confirmed assignment. Also, If Crew Scheduling calls after 1900 – and you answer the call – you are obligated for any assignment they may give you even if you have already confirmed your next day’s assignment.

PURSER PROFFER – IMA
Based on continued growth at IMA, a shortage of Pursers at the base, and in an effort to reduce bid denials, APFA and the Company have agreed to an IMA proffer that includes the need for a Purser qual.

The proffer will be open to FAs at all bases. FAs will not be required to meet any of the selection criteria specified in Art. 34, B.1., 2. & 3. including the minimum Occupational Seniority requirement. This means new hire FAs will be eligible for this proffer provided they are not serving an international lock-in at another base and are on payroll at the time the proffer closes. All other provisions of the Purser Program in Article 34 would be applicable to FAs awarded this proffer. Click here and here for the relevant documents.
 
FAs interested in this proffer must ensure their IMA proffer preference is indicated in their 3* and must complete a web ballot located on the Purser page of the Flight Service website. This proffer will close at 1200 Central time on Monday, June 24 and be effective August 1. Purser training will be accomplished in July.
 
This agreement will allow Purser’s who have recently resigned their Purser qual at IMA to re-enter the program. FAs who have recently resigned the Purser program at IMA may be interested to know that the service level on Caribbean and short-haul LFS is being streamlined and will require fewer steps to complete. In addition, the company recently announced another reconfiguration to the 737 that will result in the return of the 4th FA. The timeline for the reconfiguration and addition of the 4th FA has yet to be determined.

AM/PM UPDATE
Meetings with the company continued this week as we work toward an interim agreement for AM/PM reserves. Because of programming limitations this will be a manual process for Crew Scheduling, limited to four bases for the initial implementation, and will contain some differences from the AM/PM contractual agreement of Article 10.J. Start date for the initial four bases is set for July 1.

AA’s computer system is limited to only releasing a reserve once pre day so AM/PM shifts will need to be split within the calendar day (0000-2359) rather than the agreed to 15-hour shifts split over 25 hours. This week we have attempted to work out specific hours for the AM/PM shifts with the company along with a method determining how Reserve FAs will bid or elect AM or PM, and how AM/PM will be designated from the received requests, in seniority order.

The interim agreement is taking shape, and as soon as it is final, APFA will provide details. Meetings with AA are scheduled at least once a week this month, and will continue until the process is complete.

APFA’S QUARTERLY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING AND SPECIAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
The Quarterly EC Meeting will be held at the Hilton DFW Lakes on June 19, immediately followed by a Special Board of Directors Meeting. All members in good standing are welcome to attend the open portions of the meeting.

408 AA Flight Attendants
Over the past week, APFA’s Contract, Scheduling, Retirement, EAP, Communications, Safety, Cabin ASAP and Health desks have helped more than 400 AA Flight Attendants who either called or emailed APFA Headquarters with questions. If you have questions about any of the above topics, you can email the above departments separately, or call (817) 540-0108.

AmericanAirlines + US Airways 
“On Our Way”

Leslie Mayo
APFA National Communications Coordinator