• Recalled Flight Attendant/Uniforms
• Flight Attendant Fatigue
• FLIGHT ATTENDANT FATIGUE
• BOS LEC Representatives - Contact Information

Dear Members,

Recalled Flight Attendant/Uniforms

If you are a recalled flight attendant and have not received your uniform order you are NOT required to go out shopping to purchase a white shirt and/or blue pants/skirt. If your order has not been received and you cannot be accommodated by the base uniform allocation, you will be held out of service by scheduling until such time as your uniform is in your possession. You are encouraged to communicate with scheduling of your availability should you receive your uniform pieces. Your guarantee will NOT be adjusted for the days you wait for the delivery of your uniform pieces from Cintas Uniform Company. Please contact your In-flight department to see if uniform pieces - shirt/pants/skirt/dress are available - Should anyone advise you to go out shopping, for any piece of clothing, please contact your LEC President immediately.

We will NOT violate F/A Agreement SEC 6-2 D

Flight Attendant Fatigue

We each received a postcard in the mail regarding flight attendant fatigue. Please take the time to sign it, stamp it, and mail it. A 'Sleep In' will be held at FAA Headquarters on June 7th starting at 3:00pm ending at 8:00am. AFA-CWA will be providing van transportation between the AFA-CWA offices and the FAA Headquarters for those who wish to participate. Metro Service directions to the AFA-CWA offices are the following:

Take Metro take the Yellow line towards Mt. Vernon Sq./Convention Center. Exit the train at the Gallery Place/Chinatown stop. You will transfer to the Red line in the direction of Glenmont. Go ONE stop. Exit at Judiciary Square, exit in the direction of 4thStreet- US and DC Courthouses. As you come up the escalator, you will basically make a U turn and head toward E Street. Go right, AFA-CWA is on the corner of 3rd and E. A good landmark is "Jacks" deli which is in our building. Metro will cost $1.65 during peak hours and$1.35 off-peak. Additional information about metro, specifically the Judiciary Square

FLIGHT ATTENDANT FATIGUE

Some air carriers are taking advantage of a "reduced rest" provision in the Federal Aviation Administration's Flight Attendant Duty Time and Rest Regulations which allows the minimum rest of nine hours to be reduced to eight. The exception has become the rule and flight attendants are so exhausted they have informed their union representatives that they have forgotten to arm their doors and have fallen asleep on their jumpseats. Flight attendant, as well as passenger safety is being jeopardized.

Flight Attendant Duty Time and Rest Rule:
According to the Federal Air Regulations (FAR's), flight attendants must have a minimum rest period of at least nine hours following any duty period of less than 14 hours. The nine-hour period can be reduced to as little as eight hours, if the employer schedules a 10-hour rest period following the next duty period.

"Rest Period" Defined:
"Rest period" is misleading because much more must be done during this period than sleep. The "rest period" begins fifteen minutes after an aircraft pulls into the gate and continues until one hour prior to their next departure. It includes travel to the hotel, checking-in, possibly eating a meal, getting prepared for bed, getting dressed for work the next morning, travel back to the airport and last, but certainly not least, sleep time.

"Reduced Rest" On A Routine Basis Is Unacceptable.
Multiple studies have shown that reaction time and performance diminishes with extreme fatigue - an unacceptable situation for safety-sensitive employees. Flight attendants are on board to assist in case an aircraft emergency evacuation is necessary. In addition, they are inflight first responders who are trained to handle inflight fires, medical emergencies including CPR, emergency births and security problems. An inability to function jeopardizes the traveling public and other crewmembers.

The Exception Has Become The Rule.
The industry practice has been to schedule as little as nine hours of rest. Reduced rest is meant to accommodate scheduling when carriers encounter delays out of the carriers' control such as bad weather or air traffic control delays, but FAA regulations are not so specific. The FAA has given carriers the go-ahead to schedule layovers for less than 9 hours.

Flight Attendants Dare Not Call In Fatigued.
While pilot regulations allow them to notify their carrier that they are too fatigued to fly, flight attendant rules are less clear. A flight attendant's option is to call in sick and as few as three absences due to illness in one year sets a flight attendant on the path for termination at some carriers. 

For more information, please contact: Shane Larson, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), 202-712-9738 - Copyright © 2001-2005 Association of Flight Attendants-CWA 

Lynne Caramello
LECP Council/69/BOS
LCaramello@afausairways.org

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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