11.08.13 – (LAA) – Remember November, Merger Update, Equity Claim, Seniority Integration, Non-Rev Attire, Manual Audits, Benefits, Retirees and Roadshows

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 ACTION ALERT: Contact Congress: Support the Merger!

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APFA Hotline – Remember November, Merger Update, Equity Claim, Seniority Integration, Non-Rev Attire, Manual Audits, Benefits, Retirees and Roadshows

 

REMEMBER NOVEMBER
Twenty years ago, on November 18, 1993, the Flight Attendants of American Airlines went on Strike. Some of us walked off airplanes, others were stranded on layovers. Ultimately, we gathered at airports across the country and around the world, and we picketed in droves. We were willing to give up our benefits, our pay and the security that a full-time job provides because we knew we were worth more.
 
The American Airlines Strike was arguably the most successful Flight Attendant Strike in history. Intended as an 11-day action, it concluded after 4 1/2 days with the intervention of President Bill Clinton who convinced both sides to submit their outstanding issues to binding arbitration and conclude the job action. Interestingly, our Strike was the last time a flight attendant union was allowed to engage in “self-help.” 
 
Today, we are at a critical juncture at American Airlines. Our company has been in Chapter 11 for two years. Just like in 1993, the Flight Attendants at American are, today, changing the course of history. Twenty years ago, a successful strike gave us new hope. And now, with the prospects of a merger with US Airways, we’ve taken the necessary steps to not only preserve our careers but save our company as well. Each and everyone of us should be proud.
 
A week from Monday, we will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of that historic day. Your base representatives will be in operations on November 18th with videos from the Strike along with some takeaways. There will also be an opportunity to contact Congress in support of the merger and our future at the new American. Please stop by and say hi, and plan to spend a few minutes with us. Exact times will be posted next week. We look forward to seeing you then.
 
Merger Update
Witness depositions of fact (including APFA President Laura Glading’s testimony) are concluding this week, while expert witness depositions will proceed over the next two weeks in the DOJ trial preparation. Noteworthy is the fact that Laura Glading is the only labor representative to be identified as a witness. 
Also in this week’s merger news, Southwest airlines asked the court permission to file an amicus brief in support of the merger.
 
Amicus briefs are due next Friday, November 15, 2013, and we will include links to the briefs soon thereafter. Please review merger news below:

Top 3 reasons the DOJ should get out of the way of US Airways’ and American Airlines’ merger (The Daily Caller) – 11.08.13
Southwest Air can file brief in US Air-American Airlines case (Reuters) – 11.07.13
JPMorgan Downgrades AMR Corp as Odds of Merger Settlement Grow (Barron’s) – 11.06.13
What American Airlines and US Airways Have to Give Up to Merge (LinkedIn) – 11.05.13
DOJ Seeks Bigger Concessions from US Airways (LCC), AMR Corp (AAMRQ) (StreetInsider) – 11.04.14
Let’s Make a Deal: AMR Corp., US Airways Fly on DoJ Talks (Barron’s) – 11.04.13
How Serious Are the Airline Merger Talks With the DOJ? (The Motley Fool) – 11.02.13
DOJ: We don’t object any more to all the ‘friends’ in the American Airlines-US Airways case (Dallas Morning News) – 11.01.13
Florida AG Pam Bondi meets with American Airlines CEO Tom Horton, says they’re hopeful for ‘a timely resolution’ (Dallas Morning News) – 11.01.13
Former top DOT official praises American Airlines-US Airways merger, roasts DOJ for opposing it (Dallas Morning News) – 11.01.13
Report: Airlines proposing settlement in merger lawsuit (The Hill) – 11.01.13
Why American Airlines and US Airways Need to Merge to Survive (LinkedIn) 11.01.13
 
Equity Claim
We’ve been getting lots of questions about our equity claim. Click here for Q&As on APFA’s web site.
 
Seniority Integration
In line with last month’s APFA Board Resolution regarding seniority integration with US Airways, APFA has nearly finished preparing our seniority list to share with AFA in anticipation of the merger. As you will recall, it is APFA’s position that seniority integration will be accomplished based on occupational seniority date (at AA) and date of hire (at US Airways) with an adjustment only for the fact that AA Flight Attendants occupational seniority begins on the date the Flight Attendant is placed on the Company’s payroll in Flight Attendant status, while US Airways Flight Attendants’ date of hire is the first day of training. APFA will take all steps necessary to seek to have the weighted average of Flight Attendant training days from 1962 through 2012 added to the occupational seniority date of each American Airlines Flight Attendant hired prior to 2013. Flight Attendants hired from 2013 and beyond will seek to have their seniority integrated based on the actual start date of their training. Relative seniority will not change. 
 
Non-Rev Attire
This week, AA announced a change to non-rev rules. Passengers on both AA and Eagle flights will be allowed to wear jeans and tennis shoes in First Class. Non Revs in Main cabin will now be allowed to wear shorts and sandals. Also, employee children up to the age of 24 will be allowed to use their parent’s D1, D2 pass privileges regardless of whether they are attending school. Shorts and sandals will not be allowed in first class with shorts or sandals. Also, jumpseat attires remains as it is today. 
 
FAA Manual Audits
The FAA has announced they will conduct manual audits in New York next week. They will be at JFK Wednesday, November 20, and LGA on Thursday, November 21st. You know the drill!
 
APFA Roadshows Continue
Want to know more about APFA’s equity claim? Bid Line Pay Protection? Pre-funding refund status? Profit Sharing? Get those answers and more by attending a roadshow near you:
 
JFK—Tuesday, November 12
Hilton New York JFK Airport
144-02 135th Avenue
Jamaica, NY  11436
718/659-0200
Shuttle service to/from JFK Airport—Complimentary
Parking vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
MIA—Wednesday, November 13
Miami International Airport
Concourse D Auditorium —LEVEL 4 (located above the American Airlines Credit Union)
NW 20th Street & Le Jeune Road
Miami, FL  33122
305/871-4100
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
ORD—Tuesday, November 19
Hyatt Regency O’Hare
9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue
Rosemont, IL  60018
847/696-1234
Shuttle service to/from O’Hare Airport—Complimentary
Parking vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 
BOS—Wednesday, November 20
Embassy Suites Boston at Logan Airport
207 Porter Street
Boston, MA  02128
617/567-5000
Shuttle service to/from Boston Logan Airport—Complimentary
Parking vouchers will be provided as APFA will pay for parking
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  
ATTN: AA Retirees with AA Retiree Medical
APFA has received several calls this week from retirees who heard that AA Supplemental Medical was extended another year. Sup Med is the additional $500,000 of coverage in case you use up all your regular AA Retiree Medical.  Someone suggested that, under the new Affordable Care Act (ACA), there could be no “lifetime maximum” on the AA Retiree Medical meaning retirees would not need to pay for the AA Supplemental Medical back-up plan. Unfortunately, the ACA does not apply to medical insurance plans that only cover retirees. Therefore, AA’s Retiree Medical is allowed to have a “lifetime maximum.”  So, if you thought you wanted the “back up” coverage from the Supplemental Medical before, you probably still want to keep it for 2014.

If you have any questions, please contact the APFA Retirement Specialist, Patrick Hancock at ext. 8490.

Benefits Enrollment Closes One Week from Today!
Please go online and complete you enrollment no later than 23:59 Central Time on Friday, November 15, 2013. 

• Review the online enrollment guide at www.my.aa.com
• You can use the Benefits Cost Estimator to do a cost comparison of the Health Plans
• When you complete your enrollment please be aware of the following:
  • If you change to a different Health Plan, your dependents may not automatically transfer over, so make sure you add them to the new plan
  • If you elect a Healthcare or Dependent Daycare FSA, the deposit amount will not carry over from last year – you will need to enter a new deposit amount for 2014
  • Always print a copy of your election confirmation statement, even if you are not making any changes
  • If you do not complete an enrollment you will default into the same plan that you have for 2013 unless that option is no longer available.
  • Remember that if you have an alternate address on file with HR, that is the address that will be used to determine your preferred administrator

Extended Weekend Hours for HR Chat
HR Chat will be open this weekend in order to provide additional support for employees who have questions about Annual Benefits Enrollment.  
The extended hours for HR Chat this weekend are as follows:

• Saturday, Nov. 9 – Extended hours for chats from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., CST
• Sunday, Nov. 10 – Extended hours for chats only from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., CST

For all other days, HR Services will continue normal business hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., CST, Monday through Friday.

LTD Premium Holiday
Flight Attendant’s who currently have Long Term Disability coverage will receive a 2-month LTD premium “holiday” during the months of November and December 2013. If there is no LTD cost reflected when you view your current coverage for benefits enrollment, or if you do not see deductions for LTD on e-pays for Nov or Dec, this is not a computer glitch. If you currently have LTD coverage and the cost does not show up on your 2014 Enrollment Confirmation Statement, or you are prompted to complete a new Disability Enrollment Form, please contact HR.

AmericanAirlines + US Airways 
“MERGE!”

Leslie Mayo
APFA National Communications Coordinator