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May 7, 2004 UPDATE
On May 6, the AFA MEC (Each LEC President and the MEC Officers) International President, Pat Friend, AFA General Counsel David Borer, AFA Staff Attorney Josie Bautista AFA Manager of Collective Bargaining, Clare Burt, met with US Airways management to hear the "plan". Please keep in mind that we were bound by our confidentiality agreements due to the marketing strategies and financial information.
As some background information, the MEC in February requested several items from management:
-- Detailed version of their plan
-- Management concessions
-- What is expected of the flight attendants
We heard management's "transformation plan". We learned the financial position the company is in and the deadlines that loom over us.
Their strategy is a sound idea. It has growth, it has foresight, it has potential, and you would want to work for a company with such ideas. But, and there is always a but, they have not told us what it will cost each and every one of you. I believe the cost to us will be high.
My question is what happened to their last plan. Why did it not succeed? Why should we trust this new plan? Management will tell you their revenue projections were wrong, their ideas were flawed. You will hear this from them over the next few weeks.
During the week of May 10 management is supposed to provide AFA with the concessions they are seeking from us. Once that is done the MEC will discuss our actions. During this meeting we will address the issue of a survey or ballot of the membership.
What we are faced with once again are deadlines and hard decisions. I wish I had more to tell you. As soon as possible I will let you know what position the MEC has taken.
The following is the newsletter that was in your mailbox on May 3.
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Dear Council 41 Member:
I have been asked many times since the resignation ($4.5 million resignation) of Dave Siegel what I think about the new CEO Bruce Lakefield. Regardless of who is sitting in that seat the Company (with the direction of the Board of Directors) will still seek concessions from the employees. What maybe different is the approach Bruce Lakefield may take but the end result is the same.
The MEC met Mr. Lakefield on March 1 during our meeting with David Bronner, Chairman of the Board. While he is more personable than Dave I am reserving my
judgment about his capabilities and management style until the dust settles.
Once Mr. Lakefield was appointed, Dr. Bronner convened a conference call with the labor leaders. The message was clear: we will restructure the airline with you or without you. What does "without you" mean? In my opinion, this statement means bankruptcy or at least the threat of bankruptcy. Be prepared to relive the summer of 2002. Remember, management is comparing us to America West and Airtran. Both of these contracts can be found on the AFA website at
www.afanet.org.
The MEC will hear the "plan" on May 6th. On May 7th, we will conduct a meeting to discuss the plan and determine if we are going to participate in negotiations if that is part of the "plan". The MEC (each LEC President) will also discuss the possibility of a poll or survey of the membership, we will let you know more about that when the decision is final.
Will they sell off assets? Will they downsize the airline? Will they grow the airline? There is no way to answer those questions at this time. Avoid the rumor mill, there has been no discussion of flight attendant concessions as of today.
In Solidarity,
Bob Kenia
"THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT SO EASY"
Recently your local officers put a letter in your mailbox addressed to the TSA Administrator regarding flight attendant security training. We would like to thank those who took the time to sign the letter and return it to Alin Boswell.
One member wrote "thank you for making it so easy". We wish we could do this for every issue that effects our lives and careers however it is cost prohibitive. What you can do is sign up for the E-Activist newsletter through AFA. When an issue needs to be addressed to members of Congress or other levels of government a letter is sent to you that you can sign as is or rewrite and then just click your computer and off it goes. It is easy, quick and very effective. Sign up at
www.afanet.org.
"RESERVES NEED REPRESENTATION"
Also written on the TSA letter was this statement above with no signature (please have the courage to sign your name, we do). The sentiment implies that the reserves are not being represented. Your local officers represent all members from the bottom of the list to the top. If you have questions or concerns then you need to address them directly to us.
Many reserves are saying, "the system needs to be fixed". Fixed and changed are two very different things. The system is working to the specification that the company had intended however the flight attendants have taken a huge pay cut. To change the system would require negotiations. Negotiations is defined as "to deal with (some matter or affair that requires ability for its successful handling): MANAGE b: to arrange for or bring about through conference, discussion, and compromise". Compromise may be in our future. We will continue to work on improvements to the best of our ability.
It has also been said, "how could anyone have voted for that agreement (winter 2002)". Remember we were faced with liquidation. It was not about the reserve system or preferential bidding or any other component it was about keeping a job. I don't think there is anyone that will agree this is a fair and equitable system. We may be faced with more of the same concessions very soon.
VOLUNTARY FURLOUGH? FURLOUGH? VISP?
As of this writing the 250 flight attendants returning June 1 are being absorbed into the system therefore there will not be a voluntary furlough or VISP offered at this time.
SEARCHED
It has been reported that flight attendants personal belongings have been searched in PHL. The story is true that Inflight, Corporate Security, and Customs searched crewmembers belongings after arriving from an international destination. This was done under the guise of a customs search however we all know better. Customs does have the ability to search all bags arriving from an international destination.
This newsletter was sent via e-mail and placed in all flight attendant mailboxes.
Sign up HERE
or www.afausairways.org
and Click on the Washington page.
Bob Kenia, LEC President
703-690-6859 office
703-690-9350 Fax
bkenia@afasuairways.org
Alin Boswell, LEC VP
703-212-8090 office
703-212-8089 fax
alin@afausairways.org
Katie Whitney, LEC Secretary
703-719-6940 office
703-719-6935 fax
kwhitney@afausiarways.org
COUNCIL 41
Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO
Committee List
GRIEVANCE
Bob Kenia - Alin Boswell
EAP (PRIVATE, CONFIDENTIAL NUMBERS)
Annette Hill & Kathy Vieweg
703-212-0580 540-687-3737
ahill@afausairways.org
kvieweg@afausairways.org
SAFETY
Christine Stout Denise Beaudoin
703-262-0905
dbeaudoin@afausairways.org
PLEASE LEAVE ALL SAFETY WRITE-UPS IN CHRISTINE'S MAILBOX
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
Alin Boswell Lori Vitto
202-297-3610
lvitto@afausairways.org
CREW ACCOMMODATIONS
Rick Poloway Please place all Hotel write-up in Rick's
rpoloway@afausairways.org
202-364-9943
UNIFORM
Scott Haskell
shaskell@afausairways.org
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