Message
From MEC President Perry Hayes
JUNE
5, 2003
NEGOTIATIONS
WITH COMPANY
The
AFA Negotiating Committee has been meeting with the
Company
during the past two weeks discussing the Reserve
System
that will be implemented as a result of last December's
negotiations.
There are many issues that have been discussed
and
as of yesterday, we are still a long way from reaching
agreement
over all the issues that relate to this system.
We
will again be meeting with the Company next week and
are
doing all we can to ensure that the system that will
be
implemented will address the needs of the flight attendants.
FYI:
The negotiating committee is made up of the following
flight
attendants: Perry Hayes, MEC President, Pam Hook,
MEC
Vice President, Mollie McCarthy, LEC President-PHL,
Carol
Austin, PHW Flight Attendant. Additionally, Clare
Burt,
Manager of Collective Bargaining is our bargaining
representative
from the AFA International Office.
SICK
POLICY
AFA
filed an MEC Grievance regarding the Company's implementation
of
the sick policy. ALPA has also filed a grievance and
we
will be awaiting the outcome of their grievance since
the
language that AFA agreed to in December is the same
as
the language ALPA agreed to. ALPA's interpretation
of
what was negotiated in December is the same as AFA.
In
other words, we both agree that what we negotiated
in
December was a simple five-hour penalty, not the abusive
interpretation
that the Company has implemented.
STAFFING
Contrary
to rumors that are circulating, the Company has
not
indicated there will be any additional staffing reductions
in
the foreseeable future. The Company will be reducing
the
schedule in September, as they did in April, due to
anticipated
reduction in demand. This will reduce the
flights
in the last banks in both PIT and CLT for the
month
of September but will not result in any additional
furloughs.
MEDICAL
PLAN
The
Summary Plan Document (SPD) of the new medical plan
has
been reviewed and analyzed by AFA's benefit attorney.
Her
comments regarding the plan have been submitted to
the
Company and she continues to work on this issue. AFA
is
the only employee group on the property that the Company
is
required to supply a copy of the SPD with for
review/suggestions/changes.
We
will update you as this process continues.
INFLIGHT
CAFE
By
now, many of you have seen the Company's press release
announcing
expansion of the Inflight Cafe - By on Board
program.
AFA has repeatedly insisted that the Company
implement
some sort of incentive program, much like the
duty-free
commission program. The Company has advised
us
that they are working on an incentive program for Inflight
Cafe.
EQUITY
PARTICIPATION - STOCK DISTRIBUTION
As
part of last summer's restructuring agreements with
the
employee groups, shares of the new US Airways Common
Stock
are to be distributed to employees. In December's
round
of negotiations, the vesting of those shares was
accelerated
with the first distribution to have been on
or
about June 1, 2003.
Since
the new stock for the Company has not yet been listed
on
any exchange, there are very limited ways whereby employees
who
receive this stock could elect to sell their shares.
Additionally,
as a result of the distribution, employees
who
receive the shares are liable for taxes on the date
of
issuance. Since there is no market for the shares at
this
time, the value that would have been placed on the
shares
would have been the value established for RSA shares
as
part of the Company's reorganization, approximately
$7.00
per share. Since that value is somewhat imaginary,
all
employees would have had to pay tax on the value of
$7.00
per share. As a result, all of the labor groups
agreed
to an extension while the Company and its financial
advisors
explore options that will make your shares marketable
when
you receive them. We will update you as more information
becomes
available.
Earn
Your College Degree
Through
AFA's unique partnership with the National Labor
College,
you can earn a bachelor's degree using your life
experience
toward college credits!
AFA
leaders and activists are invited to participate in
an
AFA-NLC Educational Planning course, June 11-12, in
Portland,
OR. For more information or to register, contact
Wanda
McCall at 800/424-2401 ext. 825. For more on AFA's
Leadership
Development program, visit http://www.afanet.org/leadership .
