9.18.14 – (LAA/LUS) IDF Bids/Position 13, EC Meeting, Hotel Update, Benefits, Flu Vaccine, etc

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APFA Hotline – IDF Bids/Position 13, EC Meeting, Hotel Update, Benefits, Flu Vaccine, etc… September 18, 2014

 

The contents of this APFA Hotline was approved by APFA.

LAA
IMPORTANT: IDF Flight Attendants Bidding Position 13 – [email protected]
Due to FOS limitations, the bidding system may not recognize a bid for position 13 on selections 5054 through 5064. Consequently a change to the master bid sheet has been posted. Selections 5054 through 5064 will now be for bid positions 1-12. Selections 5177-5187 have been added for position 13. This problem will be corrected for next month’s bid run. Please make sure and add the new selections to your bid ballot if you desire position 13. Bids close at 0001 on the 20^th.
 
LAA/LUS
APFA Quarterly Executive Committee (EC) Meeting
The APFA Quarterly EC Meeting will take place next week in Washington, D.C. Provided we reach a Tentative Agreement (T/A), the entire APFA leadership will also be attending a “page-turn” to review the final details of the T/A. Per the APFA Constitution, the EC will then vote to accept or reject the T/A. If the T/A is accepted by the EC, it will be submitted to the membership for a ratification vote.
 
The page-turn is scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 23, 2014. Once that concludes, the regular EC Meeting will likely begin on Wednesday. All members in good standing are invited and welcome to attend the open portion of the regular EC Meeting next week on Wednesday, September 24th, which will take place at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.
 
LAA
Reserves Scheduled for November and December – [email protected]
For Flight Attendants scheduled to serve Reserve in October, don’t forget that it’s entirely possible that a senior Flight Attendant could bump you from your Reserve rotation. In order to avoid being pulled onto Reserve in November and December, one option is to bid onto Reserve in October.
 
If you are near the bottom of the Reserve list, it’s always a good idea to back yourself up with some regular bids. If you are bumped off Reserve, you are subject to Reserve the following month (seniority requiring). Please review Article 10.S.2 for the contractual language.
 
If you are considering bidding onto Reserve, you must indicate as much on your bid ballot as well as actually bidding Reserve selections. Simply bidding Reserve selections is not enough. Also, as a reminder: bidding onto Reserve in a month with a known planned absence (vacation or bid leave) will not satisfy your Reserve obligation.
 
LAA
Hotel Update – [email protected]
Remember to check the monthly allocations section of the Hotel Page while bidding for the cities in which we have more than two hotels. The assignments are posted each month as soon as APFA receives these assignments from the Company.
 
If you are looking for the Hotel/Transportation debrief forms, they can be found by clicking here.
 
LAA
Benefits Sign-Up and Flu Vaccinations – [email protected]
The LAA 2015 Benefits Enrollment period will be 11/3/14-11/14/14. For more information go to my.aa.com. Enrollment information will be mailed to Flight Attendants’ homes in late September, 2014.
 
Flying and the Flu Vaccine – [email protected]
AA Medical is offering free flu vaccinations to all AA employees, and their spouses or domestic partners. Crew members are no longer required to wait 12 hours from the time they receive a vaccine until they report for assignment. AA Medical asks that Flight Attendants allow 20 minutes following a vaccination to ensure there is no adverse reaction. Please contact your local Medical Office for hours of operation.
 
LAA
What’s a Reassignment? – [email protected]
A reassignment occurs when Crew Schedule/Tracking removes you from a trip or leg for which you are legal and available and then assigns you to another trip or leg you are obligated to fly. You are pay protected for the greater sequence total of the time lost or flown. You are credited with the actual sequence. See page 19 of the ODCG for more information.
 
LAA/LUS
Inadvertent Slide Deployment (ISD) Events – [email protected]
We continue to see an increase in reports of inadvertent slide deployment (ISD) events on both our LAA and LUS flights. Please remember to always put safety before service and follow the standard operating procedures for door arming/disarming and all call/cross check procedures in order to reduce the risk of being involved in an ISD. If you find yourself involved in an ISD, APFA Safety recommends you report the incident immediately to Cabin ASAP. Questions regarding LAA Cabin ASAP may be sent directly to [email protected]. For our LUS Flight Attendants, please continue to follow current protocol and contact your base safety representatives regarding Cabin ASAP and ISD events.
 
LAA/LUS
Norwegian Air International and Midterm Elections – [email protected]
This week APFA representatives met with members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to offer our support in their upcoming Congressional races: Representative Nick Rahall (D-WV), the current ranking member, and Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR). Rep. DeFazio sponsored legislation to block the approval of Norwegian Air International, an important effort in our campaign against NAI’s plan to undermine European labor laws. Both Congressmen have been long-standing supporters of Flight Attendants and we are happy to support their reelection efforts through your voluntary contributions to the APFA PAC.
 
With just 47 days left until the midterm elections, remember your voice is your vote.  Follow this link to find out everything you need to know about early voting, absentee voting, and confirm your current registration.  www.vote411.org
 
LAA/LUS
Medicare vs COBRA – [email protected]
COBRA continuation coverage and Medicare do not play well together. If your active employee medical insurance coverage ends either because you have left the company or because you have exhausted your one year of subsidized insurance while out unpaid, you will be offered COBRA. COBRA allows you to pay full price ($$$) for your medical insurance and continue coverage for 18/36 months.  This can be a good option UNLESS you are eligible for Medicare. You can be eligible for Medicare because of your age (65+) or because you have received a Social Security Disability award. If you are eligible for Medicare, then COBRA pays secondary to Medicare. This means that you will be paying a very high premium for very little coverage.
 
Important Note #1: you do not have to actually be signed up for Medicare for COBRA to become secondary, you just have to be eligible.  If you are eligible for Medicare and did not sign up for coverage, you will have to pay the Medicare portion out of your pocket, COBRA will not cover that portion.
 
Important Note #2: If you are age 65+, you are eligible for Medicare, even if you are not yet retired. You just have to have reached the end of your employer-provided insurance (you will know you have reached that end because you will be offered COBRA continuation coverage) and you are eligible for Medicare. If you are age 65+ and out on long term sick leave or IOD, check carefully before you start COBRA coverage.
 
LAA/LUS
Eating Disorders – [email protected]
Chances are you probably know someone who suffers from an eating disorder. If you or someone you know is preoccupied with too much or too little food intake that has been harmful to their health, an eating disorder may be involved. You can’t tell if someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them. It can impact anyone at any age and it isn’t about trying to be thin for vanity. If you believe that you or someone you know has an eating disorder or has disordered eating patterns, call your APFA EAP department for confidential assistance. We can be reached at 817-540-0108 ext. 8701 or email us at [email protected].

AmericanAirlines + US Airways 
“On Our Way”

Leslie Mayo
APFA National Communications Chair