3.18.16 – Meetings with the Company/Trip Construction/Crew Meals/Retirement Seminar

Friday, March 18, 2016

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• Meetings with the Company
• Trip Construction
• Crew Meals
• Retirement Seminar
• CLT Crew News Yesterday

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Meetings with the Company

It is not your imagination. There has been an increase in Flight Attendant Coaching, Counseling, and Mandatory Meetings due to “Infractions” often including the Human Resources Department. We are fortunate to have an experienced Flight Service Team in DCA but they too must answer to higher up. Having said that, every official communication from your Supervisor states that Union representation is offered. 

Section 30.11.7 – “When a Flight Attendant is required by Inflight Service to attend a meeting that may result in discipline, the FA shall be advised of the nature of the meeting and of the right to have Union representatives of the FA’s choice present as a witness.”
 
I sometimes hear from Flight Attendants that they “wished they would have contacted the Union earlier.” Ultimately it is your call, but better safe than sorry.

Trip Construction

In addition to monitoring the Pairing Percentages such as April’s figures, we relay your concerns about the actual trips themselves.

Here are some examples from DCA FAs that are presented to Crew Planning. 

1. “We have more trips with longer days and shorter nights.
2. “There is an increase of non-commutable pairings.”
3. “Bring back ODANS.” 
4. “Why is there a decrease of 2 Days?”

 This department also makes the decisions about Reserve Head Count based on “Historical Data.” Our position is that the formula was often applied using Pre-PBS figures. 

Crew Meals

Speaking of longer duty days, there is now a rash of missing Flight Attendant Crew Meals, which is especially problematic in destinations such as Mexico where it is impossible to deplane. I met with the Managing Director of Flight Service yesterday to express our frustrations with this issue who assures me the Co. is aware and working on solutions.
 
This is a contractual violation of Section 4-2-2 which states: “Crew Meals will be provided when the flight time (block hours) is scheduled to exceed eight (8) hours. The meals will be appropriately selected for the time of day relative to the length of the duty period.”

Flight Attendant Monthly Crew Meal Schedules is located on Wings under the heading
Home > Workgroups > Flight Service > Bidding

On Friday, September 19, 2014, Flight Service issued the following:

Question: What can I do when I don’t receive a scheduled crew meal?

Answer: Should you not receive a meal, you should contact Flight Service Daily Operations at 888-222-4737 (available 24 hours a day). They will take the key information such as date, flight number, city pair and crew member information. This team will then coordinate with the local catering department to arrange a meal at the scheduled or a downline station.

In a case where you are not provided with a scheduled crew meal and Flight Service is not able to arrange one, you are permitted to secure food from an alternative food provider (airport vendor) and submit along with a receipt for actual reasonable expenses. 

It appears Pilot Crew meals often make it onboard with ease…. Please continue to write this up and include your Base Leadership as it helps to have examples for Notice of Distributes. (NODS)

Retirement Seminar

The APFA Retirement Briefing in on the road again. All Flight Attendants are invited to attend.
 
LUS Flight Attendants with a PBGC pension can request a copy of your pension estimate from http://mypba.pbgc.gov/ (account registration required) or call 800-400-7242.

All Flight Attendants can download their latest 401(k) Statement from www.netbenefits.com/aa, the Fidelity website.

This popular and informative retirement briefing by APFA Retirement Specialist Patrick Hancock, and DFW Flight Attendant Ron Harris, will cover many of the topics that will help Flight Attendants make the most of your retirement planning. 

Friday, March 25, 2016 – 1100-1400 – Conference Room in Terminal B. 

For questions contact APFA Retirement Specialist, Patrick Hancock at [email protected]

CLT Crew News Yesterday

CEO Doug Parker spoke to Flight Attendants yesterday during the CLT Crew News. I found a few of his answers perplexing especially when asked about the massive changes for the former LUS Flight Attendants including:

• Closures of the CLT and PHX Training Centers
• Loss of Seniority when Traveling
• Company Blunders
• Extremely Low Morale

Until employees feel confident that their concerns are truly being addressed and that accountability is a two-way street, Delta Airline’s CEO Richard Anderson’s Statement will hold true – “American Airlines will never close the gap with Delta simply because they aren’t willing to invest in their employees.” 
  
In Unity and Strength ~
 
Di

Dianne Britton
APFA DCA-LUS Base President
[email protected]
 

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