8.26.15 – (LAA/LUS) – Dues Balance Forgiveness Referendum/October Vex Days/Mexico Int’l Per Diem/Jetnet Mobile Web News

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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Dues Balance Forgiveness Constitutional Referendum
October Vex Days
Mexico International Per Diem
Jetnet Mobile Web News

Dues Balance Forgiveness Constitutional Referendum – LAA/LUS

In response to questions APFA has received about the Constitutional referendum currently out for a membership vote, below is additional information and background.

Prior to January 8, 2010, APFA members on unpaid status were not required to pay membership dues. In November of 2009, the APFA Board of Directors passed a resolution proposing to change the Constitution to impose a dues obligation on members on unpaid status. Click here for the text of the Board resolution, which explains the reasoning behind the proposal. In a referendum, the membership voted to adopt the change and, effective January 8, 2010, members on unpaid status were required to pay dues.

In March of 2014, the Board of Directors proposed, and the membership voted, to amend the Constitution to return to the pre-January 2010 rule, under which members on unpaid status are not obligated to pay dues. The change became effective on June 18, 2014.

As a result, the only period during which APFA members on unpaid status were obligated to pay dues was between January 8, 2010 and the June 18, 2014.

In May 2015, the Board of Directors proposed forgiving the dues balances owed for any time within that period. Click here for the text of the Board resolution, which explains the reasoning behind the proposal. For Q&A’s about the referendum, click here.

Dues Balance Forgiveness – Voting Closes September 10

The APFA National Ballot Committee (NBC) would like to inform all Flight Attendants that the Dues Balance Forgiveness Ballot was mailed Tuesday, August 11, 2015. If you have not received your ballot, please contact the NBC at [email protected] or 817-540-0108 ext. 8311, and a 16-digit activation code will be issued to you. Please remember that in order for your vote to count, you must be dues current by Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at 5:00 PM CT. If you have any questions about your dues, please contact the Dues Department at [email protected] or 817-540-0108 ext. 8151. If you have any questions concerning the Dues Balance Forgiveness, please email them to [email protected].

You may cast your vote by phone, 800-698-3789 or on the Internet, https://www.ballotpoint.com/apfa. All votes must be cast by 10:00 am CT on Thursday, September 10, 2015.

October VEX Days – LUS

Submit Vacation Extension (VEX) requests for the October bid month from now until Thursday, September 3 by completing this form. The window to submit VEX requests for October vacations has been extended to September 3rd, to accommodate other programming changes.

Vacation Extension Timeline, Rules and Useful Tips – Revised 8-20-2015

Carry-In Conflict Bids: You cannot obtain VEX days that conflicts with a pairing already in your line of flying. If you want a VEX days in the first seven days of a bid month you must take into consideration the impact of carry-in pairings and its possible effect on your request. In many cases, a carry-in pairing can diminish your ability to obtain certain VEX day choices.

Therefore, consider the following:

Preventing a Conflict Bid: First consider if a carry-in pairing could impact your vacation period. Depending on your seniority, you may want to submit the VEX day(s) form 2 ½ months out to avoid a trip award conflicting with your vacation plans. Once VEX days are entered into the system a carry-in pairing cannot be awarded on those days in PBS. Protecting a Conflict Example: You want VEX days on OCT 01 – OCT 04 attached to a OCT 05 – OCT 11 vacation.

Bidding in PBS for October closes September 16th; therefore, your request for OCT 01 – OCT 04 VEX Days (depending on seniority) should be submitted by July 31st to ensure your September PBS award does not include a carry–in pairing.

If accomplished in this manner the VEX days for OCT 01 – OCT 04 would be added to your October bid month as a Planned Absence prior to the September PBS closing.

Mexico International Per Diem – LAA

Effective September 3rd, all LAA Flight Attendants with a sequence that includes a Mexico segment, will be paid international per diem for the entire sequence. This includes all Mexico sequences that are currently published on the Domestic bid sheet. The programming to pay International per diem for the NIPD segment only, has not yet begun. Once additional programming is completed, International per diem will be paid for NIPD segments only.

Jetnet Mobile Web News – LAA/LUS

American Airlines has launched a new way to access Jetnet News for employees this week, via a web app created for smart phones. Visit newjetnet.aa.com/mobile via your phone’s browser and save the link to your home screen. (Please note: If you are accessing this Hotline via Facebook, you won’t be able to save the link to your home screen from within the FB app.) The mobile app will be pushed to Flight Attendants’ tablets beginning today.

Brian Clark
APFA National Communications Interim Chair
[email protected]