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US
Airways Flight Attendants,
Links
to the articles and presentations on the Revised Restructuring Agreement were
listed throughout this E-Line. We want you to read all of the information to be
informed. The complete Revised Restructuring Agreement is too large to send via
the E-Line, so a link was given instead. And the just the highlights were sent
out. Each article and and presentation is listed below.
Restructuring
Agreement Highlights Summary
Complete
Revision to AFA Restructuring Agreement
USAirways
Scheduling Provisions Letter (Adobe Acrobat File - Get the Free Acrobat
Reader Here)
Health
and Dental Premium Contributions Charts
Health
& Welfare Benefit Changes PowerPoint
Presentation
Ballot
Letter with Instructions on Voting Online
Question
and Answer Form for the Restructuring Agreement
Thank
You,
Your
MEC
Ballot
Instructions Below
December 20, 2002
Dear US Airways Flight
Attendant,
Your AFA Master Executive
Council is bringing you this final proposal for ratification after difficult
discussions between your negotiators and advisors, and US Airways management.
The talks were conducted after
management threatened that it will shut down the airline and liquidate under
Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code unless all of the labor groups agree to
additional cuts in our contract. All of the other labor groups have had
talks with management and are voting on additional cuts (the pilots and flight
dispatchers have already ratified additional cuts).
After
repeated attempts to negotiate a fair and just agreement, management insisted
that its final proposal be presented to you for a vote. Faced with the threat of
the loss of all flight attendant jobs if management were to shut down and
liquidate, your MEC voted to send this proposal to the membership for a vote,
with a recommendation by a majority of the MEC that flight attendants vote
“FOR” this agreement.
In
Solidarity,
The
US Airways MEC
HIGHLIGHTS
OF THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT
-
2% lump sum payment on 3/1/2007 and 2% lump
sum payment on 3/1/2008;
-
Modify Variable Minimum Day to 5+00 hours with
no floor and no ceiling and change day and night rigs (Me-Too with ALPA)
-
Modification to claiming sick leave;
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Minor change to rescheduling;
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Major changes to Reserve system;
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Increase in Reserve Inviolable Days to 8 days;
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Automatic release after trip assignment for
Reserves (with exceptions);
-
Preferential Bid System;
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Maintain the Bid Sheet;
-
AA Eagle wages, work rules and benefits for
Mid-Atlantic; US Airways seniority and longevity for pay purposes;
-
Changes in Medical/Dental (same as all other
employee groups with the exception of ALPA and senior management - higher
costs for ALPA and senior management);
-
Enhanced profit sharing;
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Additional equity participation;
-
War Contingency -- 5% salary deferral (also
applies to management);
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Changes to LTD and Workers' Compensation;
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NO CHANGES TO FLIGHT ATTENDANT PENSION PLAN.
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
December 24, 2002
Dear US Airways Flight
Attendant:
US Airways management came to all of
the labor groups on the property and told us that it is not meeting the
profitability targets that were set in its application to the Air Transportation
Stabilization Board for a loan guarantee. Management said that in order
for the airline to continue to have access to the financing it has been provided
during the bankruptcy process, and for the airline to receive the loan guarantee
that will enable it to emerge from bankruptcy sometime in the Spring of 2003, it
needed to cut labor costs further, or management would recommend the airline be
shut down and liquidated.
Under the threat of the closure
of the airline and loss of all jobs, the unions at US Airways began negotiations
with management over additional contract cuts. All of the labor
groups, including your AFA US Airways Master Executive Council, have reached
agreements with management on the additional cuts. The pilots (ALPA) and
flight dispatchers (TWU) have already ratified their additional cuts. Machinists
and fleet service (IAM), and customer service and passengers agents (CWA) are
voting on their new concessions.
Before agreeing to sit down and talk
about further cuts to your contract, your MEC told management it must show some
leadership and extend the cuts taken by management and executives (which were
scheduled to end in 2003) through the entire 6 1/2 year term that flight
attendant cuts were in effect, and that management must get agreements with all
the other labor groups.
Management met those conditions.
Based upon management meeting those conditions, and the company's threat that it
would shut down and liquidate the airline, your MEC tentatively agreed to a
proposal of cuts that management says meets its cost-cutting targets.
The package of additional cuts in
benefits and work rules totals about $26 million a year. Your MEC truly
agonized over providing management with the additional cuts. Because of
their courage in the face of the extreme threat by management of closing and
liquidating the airline, your MEC was able to secure some modest returns for the
additional cuts. In addition, AFA did not agree to the cuts in the pension
plan that were proposed by management (summary of the tentative is enclosed).
After securing agreements with all
of the unions, management filed a reorganization plan with the bankruptcy court
that enables the airline to emerge from the restructuring process in the Spring
of 2003. Management's filing maintains the threat that if all of the
agreements are not ratified by the workers, it will amend the plan and shut down
and liquidate the airline.
Since the stakes are so high, please
take the time to vote as soon as you familiarize yourself with the terms of the
tentative agreement that are enclosed. If you have questions, you can
email answers@afausairways.org,
visit www.afausairways.org or call your Local Council.
As a flight attendant and union
leader, I don't approve of the way US Airways management has used threats to get
further cuts. However, I believe that US Airways management is serious in
its threat to close the airline for good if these concessions are not approved.
That's why I recommend, along with a majority of your MEC, that you vote
"FOR" this tentative. A vote "FOR" does everything in
your power to keep US Airways flying.
All US Airways Flight Attendants who
are active AFA Members in good standing on the count date and who have cast
their ballot will have their vote counted. Approval by a simple majority
of valid ballots cast by Members eligible to vote on the count date will
determine if the agreement is ratified.
IMPORTANT
Ballot Instructions
This ratification ballot is being
conducted electronically. You may vote either by telephone or the
Internet. In order for your vote to count, you must follow these instructions.
To use the electronic ballot system, you must enter an identification number
and a PIN number.
Your Identification # and PIN have
been mailed to your home address. If you do not receive this information
by January 2, 2003, please contact AFA at 1-800-424-2401, Extension 777.
Once you have logged into the ballot
system, you will be prompted to change your AFA assigned PIN number to ensure
the privacy of your vote. Be sure to remember your new PIN as you will
need it if you wish to access the ballot system again.
To vote via the Internet, log onto https://www.ballotpoint.com/afa/
or access the link from Http://www.afausairways.org/restructure/ta_main.htm.
-
Click the link to (https://www.ballotpoint.com/afa/)
the Electronic Balloting site.
-
Enter your Identification
Number and PIN and click “Login.” Next change your PIN
as instructed and remember your new pin number.
-
Click on logout, then login
using your new pin number.
-
From the menu on the left side
of the screen, select, “View Ballots”. Then, click, “Request
Ballot.” You will see the Statement of the Question.
-
Mark your vote by clicking on
the bullet adjacent to your selection; then click, "Cast
Ballot."
You will be given a confirmation
number, be sure to write this # down, then click, "Logout."
Your vote has now been cast.
To vote via telephone, access the
system by dialing 1-877-AFA-VOTE (1-877-232-8683). All US Airways Flight
Attendants may use this number to reach the voting phone line if calling from a
city within the United States or Canada. Once you reach the voting phone
line, you will be prompted for your identification number and PIN. Use the
touch tone keypad on your telephone to enter your responses. The
system will guide you through the process of changing your PIN, selecting the
ballot, and casting your vote. Once completed, the system will
give you a confirmation number; be sure to write this down.
After you have voted, you may change
your vote if you choose through either the Internet or the telephone method.
You must remember your new PIN to access the system. Only the last ballot
cast will be counted. If you experience any problems with the voting
system, call the AFA Membership Services Department at 1-800-424-2401, Extension
777, between, 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, in Washington, DC.
The polls for voting will open at
12:00 NOON Eastern Standard Time on December 27, 2002. The polls will
close at 12:30 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 10, 2003. The
ballots will be tallied after the close of polling on January 10, 2003. Due to
the urgency of this decision, please vote promptly.
The statement of question is:
-
I am FOR this final proposal
that keeps US Airways flying.
-
I am AGAINST this final proposal
and understand if ratification fails, management says it will shut down and
liquidate US Airways.
This is about the future of your
airline and your job. Don’t let others decide whether or not the airline
will survive. Make your voice heard – vote.
Sincerely,
Patricia
A. Friend
International President
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Revision
Questions
A
new input form is being used for any questions you may have on this Revision to
the Restructuring Agreement. Please contact your LEC Officer with any questions
you may have as well as utilizing this input form. The form is located at http://www.afausairways.org/EForms/prop_input.html.
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