• Benefits for Recalled FA's
• MEC Election Results
• Accessing The Hub
• AFA Local Numbers

Benefits for Recalled Flight Attendants

If you are a recalled flight attendant you must contact the benefits center no later than June 30, 2006 to sign up for your benefit package. The telephone number is 1-800-872-4780.  If you do not call the benefits center by June 30, 2006, you will not have health insurance until January 1, 2007!  An enrollment kit has been mailed out by US Airways this week with all choices for health insurance, life insurance, etc.

Thank you,

Paul Frishkorn
MEC Benefits Chair

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MEC Election Results

Results for the Elections held in Pittsburgh at MEC June Meeting are listed below. We thank all of you that sent in resumes and applied for the positions.

Thank You,

Your MEC.

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MEC GRIEVANCE DEPARTMENT UPDATE

The last Grievance update to our members was a while ago when we reported to you about MEC Grievance # 2005-090-30-99-02:

VFLR UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

The Company via their third party vendor, UTCA, was informing several state unemployment compensation agencies that several VFLR participants had quit rather than accepted a furlough. This was in disagreement with our contract language that required the Company not to contest unemployment for VFLR participants. After several weeks of unsuccessfully meetings with the Company to stop the practice we filed for arbitration. The Company wanted to try to come to an agreement prior to the grievance being heard. We were able to come to an agreement in our favor without the Arbitrator, James Conway. Mr. Conway got the day off, with pay.

On May 10, 2006 I filed seven (7) MEC Grievances on behalf of the membership. 

-- MEC Grievance # 2006-026-30-99-02 UNION PASS TRAVEL

We asked for an investigation and hearing based on the Company's unilateral action in changing the procedures, relating to positive space travel for authorized Association Representatives, when fulfilling the Association's statutory obligations in representing it's members, in violation of a very long and established practice between the parties, without bargaining for or giving notice of this change during the last round of negotiations.

-- MEC Grievance # 2006-027-30-99-02 HOTEL/LODGING

We requested an investigation and hearing based on the Company's failure to provide suitable lodging to flight attendants, and failure to provide notice to the Association so that it may inspect and make recommendations prior to the Company entering into a hotel contract, in violation of Section 4. B and all related sections of our agreement. The most recent violations occurred in Boston (BOS) and Chicago (ORD)


-- MEC Grievance # 2006-028-30-99-02 EQUIPMENT SUBSTITUTION

We requested an investigation and hearing based on the Company's failure to pay flight attendants the pay value of the flight attendants' originally awarded or assigned pairing, when substituting smaller equipment in violation of Section 9 H.3 and all related sections of the agreement. 

-- MEC Grievance # 2006-029-30-99-02 NOTIFICATION OF NEW EQUIPMENT AND NEW ROUTES

We requested an investigation and hearing based on the Company's failure to notify the Association of new routes and new equipment in violation of Section 30 C.1 and 2 and all related sections of the parties' agreement given, when the Company failed to give the Association timely and meaningful notification of the purchase date and finalization of the design specifications of the EMB-190, and timely and meaningful notification of the new International Routes to Portugal (Lisbon), Italy (Milan), and Sweden (Stockholm). These failures constitute unilateral changes by the Company, for which the Company did not bargain, and did not notify the Association during the last round of bargaining of its intent. These changes are neither consistent with the Agreement nor past practice.


-- MEC Grievance # 2006-030-30-99-02 BEREAVEMENT LEAVE 

The Association requested an investigation and hearing based on the Company's failure to provide bereavement leave as outlined in Section 20 F of the Agreement. The Company has now unilaterally imposed a new requirement of only granting the leave on the basis of the funeral date, which is neither consistent with the parties' agreement, nor past practice.

-- MEC Grievance # 2006-031-30-99-02 REPAYMENT AGREEMTNT(PE-91)

The Association requested an investigation and hearing based on the Company's violation of Section 5, and all related sections of the agreement, by requiring flight attendants to sign the memorandum of understanding (PE-91), a repayment agreement requiring a flight attendant to repay a prorated portion of his/her relocation expenses in the event the flight attendant terminates his/her employment within a year of relocation. This new requirement is a result of a unilateral action by the Company and it is not consistent with the either agreement nor supported by past practice.

THIS GRIEVANCE HAS BEEN SETTLED AND THE COMPANY WILL NOT REQUIRE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO BE SUBJECT TO THIS POLICY. AS SOON AS THE COMPANY FORMALIZES THIS IN WRITING THE GRIEVANCE WILL BE WITHDRAWN. 

-- MEC Grievance # 2006-032-30-99-02 CHANGE IN GRIEVANCE PROCESS

We requested an investigation and hearing based on the Company's failure to comply with it's obligation to make it's best efforts to resolve grievances, in violation of Article X.C. of the Transition Agreement and page 20 (Grievances) of the 2004 Transformation Plan Term Sheet and all related sections of the parties agreement. Such failures includes, but is not limited to, unilaterally changing the practice of scheduling arbitrations, unilaterally changing the procedures/practice of providing positive space travel to grievant and witnesses, and all other unilateral actions with effect of delaying the processing of grievances.

*Note that since this grievance alleges a violation of the Transition Agreement, it is therefore subject to the provisions of Article IX of the transition Agreement.

I will update you as to the status and resolution of these and other MEC Grievances as we receive them. Thank you for your hard work on the line. Fly Safe!

Thank you.

Aida L. Marski, MEC Grievance Chair
Association of Flight Attendants - CWA. AFL-CIO

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Accessing The Hub:

http://thehub.usairways.com 
Logging in the first time your user name is u0(zero) and your five digit employee number. Your initial password is the first five digits of your social security number. Questions about the Hub? Please contact the EDS Help Desk at 336-744-6000 for assistance. More information can also be found HERE.

AFA Local Numbers

Council 40 PIT 724-695-3329
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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Association of Flight Attendants
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