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Dear Members,

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

Before reporting on last week's negotiations session, there is a need to address rumors that have been forwarded to me regarding the negotiation of single agreement.

If there were three words I could strike from the English language, they would be:

"I heard that…"

Rumor #1 - The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) has agreed to a 10 dollar an hour "across the board" pay raise in exchange for giving up all types of premium pay (International, Senior, Aft, etc).

Fact: With one exception, the JNC has not entered into any discussion regarding compensation with the Company. The one exception is the JNC has proposed that International premium pay is include both Transoceanic (TI) and Non-Transoceanic International (NTI) flying. The JNC has not proposed a specific dollar amount for the International premium at this time. The JNC has no plans to accept a proposal that does not include, at the minimum, all the other premiums that are currently paid. Future JNC proposals will include additional premiums, (e.g. Senior Premium for the E190) and increased Premium rates.

Rumor #2 - The decision to separate from the pilots is a "done deal".

Fact: The JNC has not reached a decision to separate from the pilots and no decision will be made without a thorough review. As stated in a previous Eline, the Company made the proposal to separate from the pilots because of their belief the pilots may not reach a single agreement for some time.

Here is the link to the previous Eline:

http://www.afausairways.org/Eline/aug03_09.htm

The JNC may entertain the Company's proposals with a counterproposal because the JNC feels this could create a huge cost benefit to our contract. If we don't like the cards the company deals we will no longer continue to discuss this as part of our negotiations. If the committee and the Company can agree to specific rescheduling language, duty rigs, flight time limitations and increased rest requirements the committee may agree to send the proposal to the MEC for their consideration. If the MEC chooses to send this out for a vote, then YOU will decide whether or not we remain with the pilots. Only the MEC-not the JNC- has the authority to send out a Tentative Agreement for a vote.

Rumor #3 - The FAA is going to decrease pilot duty time and increase rest regulations.

The FAA is going to rewrite pilot duty time Federal Air Regulations in the near future. The FAA has been tasked to rewrite the regulations as result of several recent accidents. A panel of airline managers and pilot labor representatives has been meeting to determine the new regulations.

FAA Administrator, Randy Babbitt, has stated in numerous media interviews, that no matter what the panel determines, the FAA will rewrite the regulations. No one knows what the new regulations will be at this time.

Therefore, it would not be advisable for the JNC to move forward with a decision on a separation from the pilot until the new regulations are published.

Rumor #4 - The JNC is in a "rush" to get a contract finished because we are trying to help the Company out or because there is a merger on the horizon that the JNC knows about.

Fact: The JNC is not in a rush for any reason. We certainly want to negotiate a contract that improves the lives of our members but have no intention of rushing the process to help out the Company. The JNC has not been made aware of any merger plans and is not basing the pace of negotiations on any type of "inside information".

Rumor #5 - We can simply wait until our contract becomes amendable in 2012 and we will receive snapbacks in hourly rates of pay, duty rigs, sick pay and vacation.

Fact: There are no snapback provisions in our contract regarding hourly rates of pay, duty rigs, sick pay or vacation. There are "snapback" provisions for senior premiums to "snapback" to pre-2005 contract rates in 2012.

Rumor #6 - The duration of the single agreement contract is going to be 10-12 years.

Fact: Contract duration is one of the last Sections negotiated. Any speculation the negotiation of contract duration is premature and should be ignored.

Rumor #7 - A buy-out has been negotiated.

Fact: The negotiation of a buy-out will be part of the negotiations process, but no buy-out terms have been negotiated at this time.

Rumor # 8 - The Company has offered a nine dollar per our pay raise if we separate from the pilots.

Fact: The Company and the Union have not exchanged any proposals regarding compensation. We have no intention of "trading" anything in any section.

It is clear to the JNC there are some very important decisions and contractual provisions to be negotiated. The JNC met with the Company to discuss the Scheduling Session but nothing has been settled at this time.

Nonetheless, other work must go on, therefore, The (JNC) and the Company reached agreement and closed out five additional contract sections during last week's negotiation session.

The five additional closed sections are:

• Moving Expenses
• Seniority
• Grievance Procedure
• Safety, Air Security and Health
• Missing, Internment, Prisoner or Hostage Benefits

Following is a brief synopsis of each Section:

MOVING EXPENSES

This Section contains the existing East contract language with several important improvements. The Section now contains a provision that the 3 year period for relocation will be frozen for anyone on a leave of absence or in an inactive status. Time spent on a leave or inactive status will not be counted for the three year period. In addition, the Company will provide on positive space roundtrip pass for the Flight Attendant, spouse/domestic partner and children for the purpose of a house finding visit for those qualifying for moving expenses.

SENIORITY

Seniority was tabled due to the pass travel arbitrations. The pass travel arbitrations have been settled in favor of the former East practice that pass travel is determined by "true" date of hire.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

This Section remained open for several reasons. The Union sought to simplify the grievance procedure and the Company finally agreed to the Union's process. The process will save the Union and the member's time and money.

In addition, West contract language allowed the Company to maintain disciplinary or derogatory letters in a Flight Attendants file for 36 months. The JNC maintained the East language of retaining such documents for 12 months was the only standard we would agree to. The Company finally agreed.

SAFETY, AIR SECURITY AND HEALTH

In the East contract Safety is only a one and a half page section. The JNC and the Company have reached agreement on a much more expansive section. We have maintained the current contract language but have agreed to improved contract language with regard to what happens in the aftermath of a "serious incident". In all previous East agreements the following language was not present and each circumstance was dealt with on an individual basis. The following language will be included in a single agreement:

Serious Incident: An incident with Flight Attendants on board a Company aircraft involving any of the following: Agreed

i. Serious injury to a Flight Attendant, or any incident where medical personnel are called to an aircraft to assess a Flight Attendant; Agreed.
ii. Actual evacuation or cabin preparation for an evacuation; Agreed.
iii. Fire and smoke on board resulting in injuries; Agreed.
iv. Physical assault of a Flight Attendant by a passenger(s); Agreed.
v. Aircraft decompression; Agreed.
vi. Turbulence resulting in injuries to crew members or passengers; Agreed
vii. Bomb threats; Agreed.
viii. Death on board; or Agreed.
ix. Any specific terrorist threat assessment issued and permitted to be released by any government agency. Agreed

Following any aircraft accident, hijacking or terrorist incident, or serious incident, the Company shall release the involved Flight Attendant(s) from further duty if the Flight Attendant informs the Company she/he is unable to continue to perform her/his duties for the remainder of their trip, or for two (2) duty periods days, if trips are back to back, whichever is greater, with full pay and credit. The Company may extend the number of days off in catastrophic or extreme situations. A Flight Attendant will not be responsible for making up any time lost pursuant to this Paragraph. AGREED

A Flight Attendant who is not able to return to the back to back trip(s) after the time period stated above may claim sick time for the balance of the trip(s). Subsequent sick leave usage will be pursuant to Section _____, Sick Leave. A Flight Attendant who elects to be relieved in accordance with the above will not have that sick call recorded in her/his sick time totals for disciplinary purposes. AGREED

Missing, Internment, Prisoner or Hostage Benefits

The language follows the language in the East Contract (Side Letter L-20). The letter has been updated to pay a Flight Attendant involved the greater of the monthly maximum or the Flight Attendant's six month pay average.

The JNC is scheduled to meet with the Company again September 9-11 in Phoenix.

Thank you,

Mike Flores, President
The US Airways Master Executive Council
AFA-CWA

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AFA Local Numbers
 
Council 41 DCA 703-212-8090
Council 69 BOS 781-289-8454
Council 70 PHL 215-492-0840
Council 82 LGA 315-736-3483
Council 89 CLT 704-527-0325

New Hotline Number Toll Free: 866-USA-AFA2
US AIRWAYS Benefits Information 800-872-4780

Reply to Inflight: askinflight@usairways.com

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