9.28.15 – (LAA/LUS) – Daily Operations/WBT Deadline Wednesday/Constitution Committee Memo/Changes to the LAA Pension Plan/Training Meal Cards to be Discontinued

---

APFA LAA Members	Subscribe to the APFA Hotline
APFA LUS Members	Subscribe to the APFA Hotline
Non-Members	Subscribe to the APFA Hotline
Press	Subscribe to APFA’s Press Release

---

 

Monday, September 28, 2015

 

• Flight Service Daily Operations – LAA/LUS
• WBT Deadline Wednesday – LAA/LUS
• A Memo from the 1990 Constitution Committee – LAA/LUS
• Changes to the LAA Pension Plan for Former Flight Attendants with Small Pensions – LAA
• Training Meal Cards to be Discontinued – LAA

 

Flight Service Daily Operations 
 
Flight Service Daily Operations (Daily Ops) has moved into the new Integrated Operations Center (IOC) next to the Flight Academy in Fort Worth, TX. 
 
For 24/7 Flight Attendant support and assistance from home or base, or while in mid-sequence or on layover, call 682-315-7070 – or toll free at 1-888-222-4737. Daily Ops are available to support you outside local base management hours. Should you require medical attention while on a layover, need emergency travel, assistance with an AMR Event report or require a mini-manual, we are here to help. Scheduling related issues need to continue to be brought to the Crew Scheduling department. 
 
Calling from an international location? Use the AT&T country codes and dialing instructions guide, or obtain assistance from hotel operator. Need help with link? AT&T country code and dialing instructions:
http://www.att.com/media/att/2012/support/pdf/USADirectTravel-AccessCodes.pdf

WBT Deadline Wednesday
 
As a reminder, two separate required Web-Based Training (WBT) modules must be completed by Wednesday, September 30, 2015. You will receive $25 training pay for each completed module. To access the lessons:
 
LAA Flight Attendants:  In the Online Learning Center, on Jetnet, click “Launch” next to the course title in “My In-Progress Learning.” Verify completion of the lesson by going to “My Learning / My Transcripts.”
 
LUS Flight Attendants: Click Here

A Memo from the 1990 Constitution Committee – Officer Recall Processes

Yesterday, the members of the 1990 APFA Constitution Committee submitted a memo to the APFA membership, Board of Directors, Leadership, and other parties of interest. The memo discusses the Board’s authority to authorize a ballot to remove a National Officer.

According to the Committee: “…absent a sustainable charge under Article VII brought by another APFA member, officer, of representative against and officer or representative, or an unlawful act… or the threshold for petition from the membership, the Board of Directors does not have authority to invoke, through resolution, the provisions of Article VIII, removal balloting, without such cause.”

 Complete Summary – Historical and Language Intent by Constitution Committee

 Morris Award – March 13, 1985

Changes to the LAA Pension Plan for Former Flight Attendants with Small Pensions

We are pleased to announce that we have worked with the Company on changes to the Legacy American Airlines Defined Benefit Pension Plan for Flight Attendants, aimed at insuring that more of the plan’s assets go to paying benefits rather than paying for administrative and plan expenses. These changes provide additional payment options for some of our former Flight Attendants, and are an important step in maintaining the long-term health of our frozen pension plan.
 
1. The first change is to increase the Involuntary Lump-Sum Payout Distribution from $1,000 to $5,000. What this means is that on termination of employment, any eligible member who has a lump sum benefit of $5,000 or less will be paid out as a lump sum, either to the member or as a rollover to an IRA account outside of the plan.  This will be an ongoing feature of the plan.
 
2. The second change is a limited-time lump sum payment option for former Legacy American Flight Attendants who terminated service prior to January 1, 2015 and surviving spouses, who have not yet commenced their pension benefit and the lump sum value of their benefit is between $5,000 and $50,000. These members will be given a voluntary limited-time opportunity to choose to take their pension benefit now as a lump sum or an annuity, or wait until they are otherwise eligible to start their pension as an annuity. 
 
In the next few days, the Company will contact members who are eligible for either of these distribution options by mail. Eligible members will receive communication materials and election kits that will describe the options available to them and the necessary forms to complete should they decide to choose an immediate payment option.
 
These changes affect members no longer employed by the Company with smaller accrued benefits. The administrative and plan expenses for these members with smaller accrued benefits are high relative to the size of their benefit. The changes to the plan will allow these smaller benefits to be paid out now and reduce overall administrative and plan expenses going forward.
 
The terms of the pension plan and IRS requirements do not allow members that are currently active employees to commence their benefit while still actively employed. Therefore, these options are not  available to members that are currently active employees.
 
Training Meal Cards to be Discontinued
 
Training will discontinue meal cards for all programs after January 1, 2016, including for those attending overwater ditching training and Airbus/777 training. New hire classes will continue to receive meal cards.
 
Dolce, the food vendor, will provide a 20% discount for food and beverages at Flagship University (FSU) in the Royal Coachman cafeteria for all Flight Attendants beginning today. By presenting their AA/US crew badge to the cashier, Flight Attendants will received the 20% discount automatically.