• Contract Available/BOS In-flight
• Local Meeting Update
• Benefits Information
• Int'l Pay - Caribbean (NTI) - ALPA Grievance Clarification
• April Lines Published over Monthly MAX 
• Split Trips on the AIL
• Local Crew Accommodations Representative
• Sick Leave Accrual
• BOS LEC Representatives - Contact Information

Dear Members,

Please grab your favorite beverage, sit down, relax and read on.

Contract Available/BOS In-Flight/ Local Meeting Update

By now each one of you has been notified that the 2004 F/A Agreements have been delivered to BOS In-flight and you may drop by to receive your copy. Please keep your copy with you at all times when working. This is an opportunity to review the language that has changed and review the language that has remained. You may want to take the time to review the ALPA Settlement side letter beginning on Section L45 -1. In the month of April, we will be having (2) meetings that will mainly focus on a review of contract language. As noted in the BOSTON QUICK NOTES delivered to your mail file, the dates of these meetings are Friday, April 7th and Monday, April 24th. The exact start/end times and complete agenda of these meetings will be provided at a later date. The location will be at the IAM HALL, 830 Saratoga Street, E Boston. Meeting notices with the completed times/agendas will also be posted on the AFA Board in the crew room and in the glass case near the mail files. The decision for having the meetings in April is to allow one to try and bid the time off around one of the meeting dates and to allow for your own review of the 2004 F/A Agreement. It is expected that we will be living under this language for, at the very least, another year.

Benefits Information

It has come to our attention that no employee will receive a 2006 Benefits Summary Description Booklet unless the employee requests one from the Benefits department. It has been stated that the reason behind this decision is that benefits have not changed; just that there have been cost increases. To me, this is change enough and we should automatically receive a 2006 Benefits Summary Description Booklet. I have been told by the Benefits department that one can review these cost changes on the HUB. In my review of benefits via the HUB, it was discovered that the booklet shown is dated May 2003. When this was brought to the attention of the Benefits department, I was advised that the coverage selection pages referencing 100%/ 90%/80% did have the correct cost information. I encouraged the Benefits department, to review their information posted to ensure that indeed this information was correct and recommended they update the booklet posted on the HUB to reflect 2006 information. Prior to hanging up, I requested a hard copy of the 2006 Benefits Summary Description Booklet. The phone number for making this request is 1 800 872 4780. My wait time was 33 minutes, which of course is ridiculous. The MECP/MECVP and the MEC Benefits Chair have been made aware of this information/situation and further investigation is in the works.

Int'l Pay Caribbean (NTI) - ALPA Grievance Clarification

ALPA does not have a grievance filed regarding receiving International Pay for flying Caribbean (NTI) trips. ALPA lost the ability to receive International Pay as part of their concessionary agreement the same as AFA. Letter 93/ALPA offers an explanation of this loss in International Pay. In questioning this with the ALPA MEC Grievance Department, I was also advised that approximately 7 or 8 months ago ALPA went to the company to question the 1:30 check in times for these Caribbean trips. The company advised due to the difficulties in PHL of Caribbean (NTI) departures and even though BOS does not face these same difficulties, the company wants the check in times to remain consistent on all Caribbean (NTI) departures and would not agree to change the check in times. Also consider that when an arrival from a Caribbean trip requires that the crew go through customs, it takes longer than 15 minutes to finish this process. If the company were to ever consider agreeing to ALPA's or AFA's request to change the check in time to the domestic 1 hour prior to departure, the company would also change the off duty time to equal the domestic 15 minutes after arrival instead of the 30 minutes currently. 

April Lines Published over Monthly MAX

If a flight attendant bids and is awarded a line of flying in April that is published over the monthly option MAX of 85:00 as designated by the Director of Crew Scheduling, Michael Finn, the f/a has a couple of choices: the f/a may drop via SAP or contact scheduling to drop a trip. Please remember that if a f/a holds a line over the monthly option MAX of 85:00, drops a trip via SAP and tries to pick up another trip that would bring the f/a over 85:00, SAP will not allow this transaction as SAP MAX WILL STILL REMAIN AT 85:00. Also, if the f/a uses SAP to drop below the originally awarded line, on a non precedent setting basis for April, the obligation would be 80:00-85:00 and the f/a could not, post SAP, use the AIL to capture time up to the originally awarded published line over 85:00. If the f/a does not SAP or does not drop a trip via crew scheduling, naturally the line value would remain the same and the f/a will have the ability to utilize the AIL to trip improve for better trips up to the originally awarded line value (over 85:00) without receiving a high block notation.

Example: f/a awarded a line valued at 89:00 / f/a drops via SAP 10:00 / f/as obligation would be 80:00-85:00 post SAP (non precedent setting basis April) f/a awarded a line valued at 89:00 / f/a does not SAP/post SAP 89:00/f/a may use the AIL to trip improve/meet obligation of 89:00 (2 under/3 over) and will not receive a high block notation.

Of course, if the f/a uses the ETB at any time during the month to drop a trip, the f/as obligation will change/be reduced and the f/a will not be able to capture the time up to the originally awarded line value off the AIL.

Split Trips on the AIL

A one day trip that appears on the AIL for less time than 5:00 is a split trip and the value will remain as posted. Please review SEC 10-13 Q 2004 F/A Agreement. There seems to be some confusion regarding the recalculation of rigs/ALPA Settlement and that splits trips will be paid according to this settlement. Not the case. Again, 2004 F/A Agreement L45/page 1-7 references the Duty Rigs VM Pay for DH Issue and is in accordance to the ALPA Settlement.

Crew Accommodations Local Representative / BOS

Sue Burnett will be the new Crew Accommodations Local Representative/BOS, vacated by Paul Foran and will be receiving copies, of all of the OF310s submitted by BOS f/as either from the AFA Website or the HUB. Currently all copies go to the Company, MEC Crew Accommodations Chairperson and the Local President/BOS. The only change will be that Sue Burnett will be receiving these copies instead of the Local President/BOS. Sue's contact information is sburnett@afausairways.org (1 978 270 8670) should you have any hotel/transportation issues you may continue to submit OF310s - ( an this is recommended), contact Sue or contact one of your local officers. The LECP/BOS will temporarily continue to receive copies of OF310s via both venues until Sue is set up through the assistance of the MEC Communications Chair and the HUB Administrator is contacted with Sue's e-mail information.

Sick Leave Accrual

A few f/as have called and questioned the Sick Leave policy and their concern that if they have a line of flying that has 14 one day trips, are they still going to accrue sick time? A f/a in active status is available to the company the entire month (30/31 days). A f/a returning from any kind of leave in the middle of the month is not available to the company for the entire month. Depending on the return date of the leave in that month/ back to active status for the f/a, will determine if the f/a qualifies for the monthly accrual. There is another disqualifying event to prevent accrual and that is how much time is in f/a's sick bank when a f/a calls in sick during that month. Please reference S EC 8-2 C 1 a/b/c/d 2 and 3, 2004 F/A Agreement and you will find answers and the sick bank chart.

An added note: an implementation date for the 1st sick occurrence, up to a maximum of 4 consecutive calendar days, paid at 100% ( example: 1 (4/day) 4 consecutive (1/days) etc) has not been provide by the company but must be implemented no later than March 31, 2006. You may reference SEC 8-1 A. - Sick Pay and Credit - 2004 F/A Agreement for additional information. The MEC is expecting notification/confirmation of the implementation date by month's end.

Lastly, and I know I am repeating myself, please take the time to review the 2004 F/A Agreement and make your suitcase its new home.

Lynne Caramello
LECP Council/69/BOS

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Council 69/BOS LEC Representatives - Contact Information

Sherri Baker - Reserve Representative - sbaker@afausairways.org
Karen Delutis - Professional Standards - kdelutis@afausairways.org  1 508 279 4999

FYI - Do you have the MedLink number to program in your cell phone - 1-602 239-3627 / program it in now.  Should you find yourself or another crewmember needing Medlink on a layover you can call this number.

-- Do you have the Flightline questions number?  - 1 800 659 9859

-- Check out the DELL Computer/Employee discount program at the bottom of the page on the AFA website www.afausairways.org  DELL has some great deals on computers!

Council69@afausairways.org