• On-line T/A Summary Coming
• Notes from the US Airways Negotiating Committee Conditions on $900 Million Loan Guarantee
• Keeping Scope Protections
• Tentative Agreement Summary Books
• AFA Roadshows
• CLT Informational Session
• Have you updated your profile yet?

The E-Line of July 8 promised a Tentative Agreement Fact Sheet, to accompany Karen Lascoli's letter which appeared in the E-Line of July 9. However, the finalization of the charts and other T/A information took longer than anticipated - please accept our apologies.

By the middle of next week we should be able to post on-line not just a fact sheet, but an entire T/A summary - with the details on the costs and different options available in the tentative agreement's health plan and charts showing and pay rate and vacation changes through the term of the agreement.

Conditions on $900 Million Loan Guarantee

The federal Air Transportation Stabilization Board has granted US AIrways CONDITIONAL approval for the $900 million loan guarantee management has applied for. Obtaining this loan guarantee is critical to the ability of our carrier to survive its financial crisis.

US Airways will NOT get the loan unless the two conditions are met. The first condition, that the government be given more of a stake in the carrier, is being worked out now. 

The second condition is that all labor cost-saving agreements must be finalized prior to the loan guarantee being granted and US Airways receiving the actual $900 million in loans. By finalized, the government means ratified by consent of the work groups, or through forced changes with the help of a bankruptcy judge.

AFA has negotiated a tentative agreement with management that provides the cost savings the airline says it needs to meet the conditions of the loan guarantee. The flight attendants will vote on that agreement in the coming weeks. If that agreement is ratified, we have done what was needed to help this airline survive. Our agreement contains a provision that, if our deal is ratified, and the airline still seeks bankruptcy protection to get other work groups or creditors to agree to acceptable terms, management won't ask for more cuts from us. 

If some labor groups fail to reach or ratify agreements (including us), management has said that it will likely be forced to seek bankruptcy protection and ask a bankruptcy judge to take concessions from the workers. If our deal fails to ratify, and management seeks bankruptcy, the company has made it clear that it will ask the bankruptcy judge for much deeper cuts from our contract than we have negotiated in our tentative agreement.

Our carrier's ability to meet the conditions of the loan guarantee and actually get the $900 million in financing will only happen after the carrier has met the conditions described above. We still have to finish our part before that loan guarantee will be granted.

A provision in our tentative agreement alters the language in our contract that currently prevents the airline from furloughing flight attendants. The board that oversees the loan guarantee process required the alteration because if the airline were to fly fewer planes, it's not a sound business practice to pay employees for sitting at home. And our 'No Furlough' language in its current form would have forced the airline to keep all flight attendants, no matter how many planes, and pay them their monthly minimum.

In questions we have been receiving, some flight attendants are asking if our alteration of the 'No Furlough' language takes away our protections if the airline is purchased by another carrier or an investor.

The alterations to the 'No Furlough' clause do two things: 

1. They set a minimum number of aircraft in our fleet, to ensure that the airline doesn't shrink too much if it needs to shrink at all

2. They attempt to limit the involuntary furloughs if furloughs are needed (through the offering of a Voluntary Separation Incentive Package and voluntary furlough similar to the one offered after 9-11), while providing jobs when openings become available at MidAtlantic, for any flight attendants that are involuntarily furloughed.

All of the 'Scope', 'Successorship', and 'Labor Protective Provisions' (including protections in the event of a partial transaction) that are in our current contract will remain in full force and effect.

We even have language in our tentative agreement that says in the event of a change in control of the airline (someone buys the carrier), our wage rates will snap back to their original levels which were in effect before any cuts took place. This language is meant to get any potential new owner to come to the table to negotiate with AFA prior to finalizing their purchase.

The Negotiating Committee is preparing the Tentative Summary Books for mailing. They will be mailed to your homes during the week of July 15. Look for them in your mail at home. 

Keep flying, send questions and keep up to date with the Hotline - 800-654-3143, Website - www.afausairways.org, E-Line or Negotiations Info Hotline - 800-531-3242.

The AFA US Airways Negotiating Committee, financial advisors and attorneys will be in your domicile to explain the Tentative Agreement reached with management.

Come get your questions answered.

AFA - US Airways Tentative Agreement Roadshow Schedule
 

Saturday, July 20 - BOS 9:30 am - 1:30 pm  Hilton Boston Logan Airport 85 Terminal Road  Boston, MA 02128  (617) 568-6700	Saturday, July 20 - PHL 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm  Marriott Philadelphia Airport Philadelphia Airport Philadelphia, PA 19153 (215) 492-9000
Sunday, July 21 - PIT 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm  Crown Plaza Pittsburgh Int'l Airport 1160 Thorn Run Road Coraopolis, PA 15108 (412) 262-2400	Monday, July 22 - DCA 10:00 am - 2:00 pm  Hampton Inn Alexandria Old Town 5821 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22303 (703) 329-1400
Monday, July 22 - LGA 5:00p - 8:00 pm  Crown Plaza LaGuardia Airport 104-04 Ditmars Blvd. East Elmhurst, NY 11369 (718) 457-6300	Tuesday, July 23 - CLT 1:30 pm - 6:30 pm  Embassy Suites Hotel Charlotte 4800 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28217 (704) 527-8400
Wednesday, July 24 - PIT 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm  Crown Plaza Pittsburgh Int'l Airport 1160 Thorn Run Road Coraopolis, PA 15108 (412) 262-2400	Thursday, July 25 - PHL 10:00 am - 3:00 pm  Holiday Inn Philadelphia Stadium 10th & Packer Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19148 (215) 755-9500
Thursday, July 25 - BOS 6:00 - 9:00 pm  Hilton Boston Logan Airport 85 Terminal Road  Boston, MA 02128  (617) 568-6700	Friday, July 26 - CLT 10:00 am - 2:00 pm  Embassy Suites Hotel Charlotte 4800 South Tryon Street Charlotte, NC 28217 (704) 527-8400
Saturday, July 27 - LGA 9:30 am - 12:00 pm  Crown Plaza LaGuardia Airport 104-04 Ditmars Blvd. East Elmhurst, NY 11369 (718) 457-6300	Saturday, July 27 - DCA 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm  Hampton Inn Alexandria Old Town 5821 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22303 (703) 329-1400

Council 89 Charlotte Officers will conduct informational sessions (prior to the road shows) to discuss the tentative agreement. 

CLT Informational Sessions

Where: Charlotte Airport Auditorium (Above The Food Court) 
When: Wednesday, July 17, Thursday, July 18, And Friday, July 19 
Times: 10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00, 18:00-20:00.

CLT Flight Attendant's: if you have questions about these sessions or about the tentative agreement please contact your local Council 89 office at 704-527-0325 or 1-800-453-2232. 
 
 

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