5.09.14 – (LAA) – Hot Topics, JNC, Appointed Reps, Bid Line Guarantee, Equipment Training, Caracas Audit, OSTD vs LTD, Hotels

Hot Topics, JNC, Appointed Reps, Bid Line Guarantee, Equipment Training, Caracas Audit, OSTD vs LTD, Hotels – May 9, 2014

 

HOT TOPICS – A321T Galley Pay, Early Boarding, Hot Aircraft
APFA continues discussions with the company regarding galley pay on the A321T transcontinental 3-class aircraft. If this issue cannot be resolved, APFA will be filing a Presidential Grievance. Stay tuned to this hotline for updates.

We continue to hear from Flight Attendants about being asked/required to board flights early. APFA is in discussions with the company on this issue. Please continue to document and report issues relating to early boarding to your local base representatives.

With the summer approaching we know boarding hot aircraft is a major concern for Flight Attendants. APFA has had discussions with Flight Service about implementing the same to the procedures used in Phoenix during the warmest months.

Joint Negotiating Committee Update – [email protected]
The JNC, including APFA President Laura Glading and AFA MEC President Roger Holmin, continued to visit Flight Attendant Operations throughout the system this week.
 
The next base visit will be in Miami on May 12, 2014, with JNC Members Rick Knuth and Randy Trautman. The JNC will continue visiting AA/US Flight Attendant bases throughout the negotiations process.
 
On April 24, 2014, the JNC presented the Company with our opening proposal. The next step in the negotiations process is for the JNC to meet with the Company on Tuesday May 13, 2014, to receive the Company’s response.

During our Flight Attendant base visits, many of you asked about the process of negotiations. In March, we sent out a JNC update explaining the process of our current negotiations. Below is a repeat of that update. It is very important that you understand the process and we ask that you share this update with your flying partners.
 
Path to a Joint Contract: An Update on the Process
AFA, APFA, and New American management entered into a Negotiating Protocol Agreement (NPA) that governs talks for a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) for US Airways and American Airlines Flight Attendants at the New American. The collective bargaining process governed by Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act (RLA), otherwise known as “Section 6 bargaining”, is the method of bargaining we are most familiar with in this industry. These joint negotiations do not fall under Section 6 bargaining.
 
The NPA governs the current bargaining process for the JCBA and contains a number of unique terms distinguishable from the RLA. First, the NPA provides for an “adopt and go” process. “Adopt and go” means that, to the extent possible, the goal of the parties will be to adopt entire contractual sections/articles. In order to facilitate the “adopt and go” process, the JNC has been meeting together in Dallas every week. During these meetings, the JNC has been poring over the existing contracts at American Airlines and at US Airways, and will continue to do so. The purpose is to identify the best provision of either contract, to adopt that provision, and go with that provision in proposing a Joint Agreement to the Company. The JNC made significant progress in comparing and identifying which section/article went into the proposal.  The Company has agreed to utilize the “adopt and go” methodology but is not obligated to accept all the provisions we have adopted in our opening proposal. 
 
Second, the NPA allows for 150 days of negotiations, providing an end time for bargaining. This five month period gives us ample time to bargain through our differences and to reach a tentative agreement. Negotiations began on April 24, 2014, and end on or about September 26, 2014.  
 
Third, the NPA provides that if an agreement is not reached and/or ratified, a panel of arbitrators will decide the outstanding disputes. Fourth, the arbitration must begin 90 days after the disputes are submitted to the panel and an award must be issued no later than 30 days after the first day of the hearing. Finally, the arbitrators’ decision must provide a Joint Contract that is (1) “market based in the aggregate”; with the “market” defined as United, Continental and Delta; and (2) greater in aggregate value than the existing AA Agreement as applied to pre-merger American Flight Attendants and greater than the US Agreement as applied to pre-merger US Airways Flight Attendants.
 
Although your JNC is at the forefront of the process, this is a contract for all 24,000 Flight Attendants at the New American. It should be important enough that you read the APFA Hotlines, and access information at APFA.org. We will provide updates as circumstances allow. If you are not already accessing this information, we strongly urge you to do so.
 
From the National Secretary’s Department – [email protected]
The following National Coordinator and Division Representative appointments were confirmed by the Executive Committee for a two-year term beginning in May:
 
National Coordinators – Appointments made by the President and confirmed by the Executive Committee
Communications – Leslie Mayo (LAX-I)
Contract – Brent Peterson (JFK)
Health – Catherine Sharp (IDF)
Hotel – Kelly Gambello (IMA)
Safety and Security – Kelly Skyles (IMA)
Scheduling – Jaimie McNeice (SFO)
 
Division Representatives – Appointments made by the Vice President and confirmed by the Executive Committee
DR 1 – Debbie Dent (ORD), Representing STL, ORD and IOR
DR 2 – Liz Geiss (DFW), Representing DFW, IDF and DCA 
DR 3 – Beth Flannery (LAX-I), Representing LAX, LAX-I and SFO
DR 4 – Catt Napper (IMA), Representing MIA, IMA and RDU-I
DR 5 – Jennifer McCauley (BOS), Representing BOS, BOSI, JFK and LGA
 
The following appointments were also made by the APFA President:
Patty French (IOR) will continue as the APFA EAP Representative
Sally Prater (DFW) will continue as the APFA Historian
Julie Frederick (IDF) will continue as APFA Government Affairs Representative
Patrick Hancock (IDF) will continue as the APFA Retirement Specialist
 
The below committees were confirmed at the Annual Convention and will remain in place for a two-year term beginning April 1, 2014:
National Budget Committee
Todd Breckenridge (ORD)
Beth Flannery (LAX-I) 
Larry Salas (SFO)
 
National Balloting Committee
Cindy Horan – Chairperson (IMA)
Leatha Harding-Berry (IDF)
Kent McDougal (IMA)
Tim O’Connell (LAX)
Avis Rives (DFW)
 
National Scheduling Department – Flight Attendant Bid Line Guarantee – [email protected]
Each lineholder has an individual guarantee based on the monthly bid line held. To view your original and adjusted guarantee, enter 7X*/EmpNbr/Month. Your guarantee will be the value of your bid line, excluding carryover time, and including all Deadhead time and, if International, P-time.  All non-Reserve and non-Replacement Flight Attendants will be awarded a monthly bid of no less than 70-paid hours.
 
Replacement (RL and RP) Flight Attendants have a 75-hour guarantee that will increase to 80 hours once the Domestic/International operations are combined. 
 
Reserve guarantee remains at 75 hours. Reserve Flight Attendants are not entitled to any trip protection, including for Reserve supplemental flying. 
 
National Contract Department – Voluntary Equipment Training – [email protected]
Voluntary Training –  Do you desire an equipment qualification but have not proffered or triggered?  You can participate in Voluntary Training for 737, 757 or 777-200 when you come to Recurrent Training or on another DO in which Recurrent Training is offered.  In addition Voluntary Training is available for the Airbus or 777-300 (provided you already have the 777-200 and International qualifications) by utilizing any remaining class slots that exist after regular training has been plotted each month.  This training would need to be completed on days off.  However training pay would apply.  You can find more information regarding Voluntary Training and enrollment on each base bidsheet or on the Training page of the Flight Service website.  There is link for Voluntary Enrollment under the Training Links section of that page.
 
National Safety and Security Department – Caracas Safety Audit – [email protected]
The APFA Safety & Security Department along with other members of the Joint Security Committee (JSC) traveled to Venezuela this week to conduct a security audit in Caracas. The JSC met with officials from the US Embassy to discuss the current security climate in Venezuela, specifically Caracas and Maracaibo. The JSC also conducted a full security audit of the CCS layover hotel and the AA airport operations. A summary of the JSC security audit will be made available on the Crew Security web site.
 
National Health Department – Optional Short and Long Term Disability – [email protected]
Both OSTD and LTD are administered through MetLife.

• OSTD begins the later of: the eighth day of illness/disability or when sick pay is exhausted.
• OSTD application MUST be file within 6 months of the disability date.
• The benefit is paid out for 6 months if you also have LTD this benefit becomes payable after 4 months.
• OSTD benefits are not payable if you are disabled as a result of a work related accident or illness.
• If you are based in California or New York, you may be eligible for state disability benefits.
• LTD pays benefits after you have been disabled for four months and your sick time must be exhausted.
• LTD application MUST be filed within 12 months of the disability date.
• With LTD, the benefit is payable if you are disabled as a result of a personal or work related accident/illness.

You will find detailed information about these benefits on my.aa.com in Jetnet.
 
National Hotel Department – Hotels – [email protected]
Temporary Relocations are continuing in the RDU market. All long layovers are affected. Check the Temporary Relocation Page and your HIHTL for hotel assignment.
 
CUN – There have been reports of suspected mold  at the short layover hotel. This property is now being discussed with the AA Hotel Department team – please continue to send the APFA Hotel Dept. your reports including the arrival flight number, date, room number and specific complaint.
 
The APFA Hotel Page has been updated with the New Hotel information for MAD, MVD, HKG, PNS, and HOU. The POA market is still in progress. Stay tuned to this hotline for that update.
 
Site inspections were held this week in SJD, SJU, and ATL and recommendations will be sent to the company. A site inspection will be done next week in LAX.
 
Government Affairs – National Women’s History Museum Gains House Support – [email protected]
This week, with bi-partisan support, H.R. 863 passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a vote of 383-33. The legislation will form a Commission to study the creation of a National Women’s History Museum (NWHM). Former APFA Government Affairs representative Joan Wages left APFA in 2009 to serve as president and oversee the effort to build the NWHM.
The bipartisan legislation was co-sponsored by Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). It now heads to the Senate where Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) are leading the charge.

From Reps. Maloney and Blackburn: “This legislation takes an important step in our effort to recognize the accomplishments of women who have contributed to freedom and the promise of opportunity which we Americans cherish,” Blackburn said. “This museum is about bringing together women and remembering those visionaries who changed the course of American history. All this would be done through private donations, and not one dime of taxpayer money. It is only appropriate that during the same week we celebrate mothers around the country for their contributions to our families, that my colleagues in the House would come together in this bipartisan effort to honor our nation’s most influential women.”

EAP Specialist – DOT Test Wait Times Reminder – [email protected]
Should you be notified of a DOT Test, and the technician fails to arrive within the 45 minutes, you MUST fully comply with all required procedures to avoid being assumed to have refused the test, which are grounds for termination. Do NOT leave the testing site before being 100% sure you have fully complied with all required steps of this policy below.  For future reference, these may also be found on page 1.19 in the General Policies and Guidelines section of our inflight manual.
 
A Flight Attendant who reports as directed to the designated testing area for a random drug and/or alcohol test and who has waited forty-five (45) minutes from the time of notification indicated on the notification form for a drug testing collector or Breath Alcohol Technician (BAT) who has not arrived at the designated testing area to perform the test, MUST call his/her Manager on Duty (MOD) or Flight Service Daily Ops at 817-967-8409 and the appropriate contact listed on the test notification form to advise them of the failure of the collector or BAT to appear. The Flight Attendant  shall indicate on the notification form the date and time calls were made and the names of the persons with whom they spoke. The FA shall provide a copy of the notification form to her/his Flight Service Manager (FSM) within 5 business days. If you have problems or questions about  a random test please contact your APFA EAP department at 817-540-0108.

Retirement Specialist – VEOP-2 Jetnet Access – [email protected]
As a reminder to those Flight Attendants who left on May 2nd under VEOP-2,  it will take 7 to 10 days for your Jetnet access and non rev travel to be turned on. If you do not have non rev travel by the 12th of May, please contact the APFA Retirement Department, at 817-540-0108, ext. 8490.

National Communications Department – APFA and AA In The News – [email protected]
Flight Attendants En Route to Contract With the New American – Philly Enquirer – 5.07.14
http://mobile.philly.com/business/?wss=%2Fphilly%2Fbusiness%2Flabor_and_unions%2F&id=258193161
 
American Airlines Merger Leads to On-time Gains Says President Scott Kirby – The Street – 5.07.14
http://www.thestreet.mobi/story/12699356/1/american-airlines-had-its-best-operations-ever-in-april-says-president-scott-kirby.html
 
American Airlines Merger Pleases One Group: The Flight Attendants – The Street – 5.06.14
http://www.thestreet.com/story/12695582/1/american-airlines-merger-pleases-one-union-group-the-flight-attendants.html
 
US Airways, American Flight Attendants Work For Joint Contract – Charlotte Observer – 5.05.14
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/05/05/4888905/us-airways-american-flight-attendants.html#.U2u7n8fMvmc

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REMINDERS!

Vacation Trade Bulletin Board at APFA.org
If you would like to trade your 2014-2015 vacation, APFA offers an electronic bulletin board at www.apfa.org to post your trade requests. Click here and follow instructions to post your requested VC trades.

APFA “Flyer” iPhone App
APFA’s Flyer App, Version 5 is available for download from APFA’s website. To download the app, click here.

APFA Website Update
If you’re an APFA member / pre-merger AA Flight Attendant, and don’t yet have access to APFA’s website, go to www.www.apfa.org and click on “Create An Account” under the Log In Form from the main page. Once you fill out the form, a verification email will be sent to you. Click on the specified link within the email, and you will gain immediate access to the members-only portion of APFA.org. Get to know it!

Cell Phones In The Cabin: Call to Action!
HR 3676 prohibits the use of mobile devices for voice communications during the in-flight portion of any scheduled domestic commercial flight, exempting any on-duty members of the flight crew and Flight Attendants, or federal law enforcement personnel acting in an official capacity. There’s still time to contact your Congressperson today and ask them to support this important piece of legislation.

Staffing
Do you have a report concerning staffing-related issue and would like to submit data to APFA? Please email all details to [email protected]. This email is a no-response email. It is strictly used to collect data. If you have a scheduling or staffing question or issue, please email [email protected].

Share Your Photos
We continue to receive some great pictures from our members both on and off the plane. Please remember that in order for the photos to be useable, they must include the names and employee numbers of all Flight Attendants, as well as contact information (if available). Otherwise, the photos are unusable.

Photos may be incorporated in future APFA web and print projects, including upcoming issues of Skyword, press releases, our APFA New Hire guide and a welcome booklet for our future members from pre-merger US Airways. Please email your hi-res photos to: [email protected].

If you are emailing several high-resolution photos, please limit your photos to 3 per email as our server will block files over a certain size.

If you prefer to mail a hard copy, send to:
APFA Communications
1004 W. Euless Blvd.
Euless, TX, 76040

Photos must:

• Be the sole property of the sender. By sending in photos, you are giving APFA permission to use them in APFA communications.
• Contain the name(s), employee number(s) (if you can obtain your coworker’s employee number easily), email and phone number of each person in the photo in order to obtain permission to publish.
• Be tasteful in content.

AmericanAirlines + US Airways 
“On Our Way”

Leslie Mayo
APFA National Communications Coordinator