In This E-Line US Airways Flight Attendants Set Conditions for New Negotiations

Don't pass rumors. Get the facts. Stay informed. If you have questions or suggestions for the MEC or LEC Officers, use this FORM.

For Immediate Release: December 3, 2002
Contact: Jeff Zack, 202-712-9740

US Airways Flight Attendants Set Conditions for New Negotiations

Pittsburgh, PA - US Airways flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO, on Monday established conditions that must be met by airline management if flight attendants are going to sit and negotiate over further contract concessions, including changes in work rules (productivity) requested by airline management last week.

The AFA US Airways Master Executive Council passed a motion today that said management must first extend the management salary/benefit reductions for the same time frame that concessions are in place for flight attendants. The motion also stated that AFA will not negotiate until the Company has concluded negotiations with the other labor groups at US Airways.

Flight attendants ratified a package of changes to their contract in August that will save US Airways $492.7 million over 6.5 years. As part of the concessionary deal, management agreed that if future negotiations over productivity enhancements yield additional cost savings, the additional savings will be returned to the flight attendants in the form of wage increases during the term of the contract.

"Management cuts must be extended through the same period worker cuts are in place and additional cost saving deals with the airline's other employee groups must be concluded before flight attendants will talk," said AFA US Airways MEC President Perry Hayes. "If we talk and if we reach an agreement that provides management with additional savings, those savings must be returned to the flight attendants in the form of wage increases - as management agreed to in our recently concluded negotiations.

"Of course, any new agreement must also be voted on and ratified by the US Airways flight attendants before it gets implemented," Hayes said.

More than 50,000 flight attendants at 26 airlines, including 7,000 at US Airways, join together to form AFA, the world's largest flight attendant union. Visit us @ www.afanet.org.