• NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
• COMMUTER POLICY - UNABLE TO COMMUTE
• ABILITY FOR RESERVES TO PICK UP THEIR TRIP ON THE FIRST LIVE LEG
• Accessing The Hub

• AFA Local Numbers

Dear Members,

• NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

The Joint Negotiations Committee (JNC) met with the Company in Phoenix the week of March 9, 2009. The Committee and the Company have traded several proposals regarding Scheduling (Section 9) of the East Flight Attendant Agreement and Section 7 of the West Flight Attendant Agreement. The two sections differ in numerous areas, however, the JNC was able to craft a Scheduling proposal that we believe meets the needs of all Flight Attendants. We passed that counter proposal to the Company on December 17, 2008. The Company gave the JNC a counter proposal on February 24, 2009. The Company proposal fell woefully short in addressing your needs.

The JNC made it clear to the Company during our last meeting their proposal did not even come close to addressing those needs. The JNC believes that the Company's counter would be concessionary in nature. We are not in concessionary bargaining and made the Company aware of that fact.

The JNC and the Company will meet this week in CLT and continue negotiations, but, we will not engage in any type of bargaining that does not produce a Scheduling Section that meets the needs of our members.
 

• COMMUTER POLICY - UNABLE TO COMMUTE

When the Commuter Policy that went into effect after the December 2002 Restructuring Agreement was modified in the January 2005 Contract, the Company unilaterally began using a "rolling year" to track Unable to Commute incidents. The 2004 Contract never changed the Restructuring Agreement language that Unable to Commute incidents were to be tracked on a "calendar year" basis.

The Company has informed all of the Base Directors and Supervisors that Unable to Commute events are to be tracked on a "calendar year" basis. The same "calendar year" tracking also applies to Personal Days.

The first two qualifying Unable to Commute incidents in a "calendar year" will not be treated as dependability infractions. Any subsequent incidents, absent mitigating circumstances, may result in a dependability infraction. Please refer to Section 30.I copied below and found on pages 30-8 and 30-9 in the 2004 Flight Attendant Agreement.

I. Commuter Policy
The rules concerning flight attendants who live in other cities and commute to his/her assigned domicile on US Airways will be as follows:

1. The rules set forth in this Agreement apply only to Flight Attendants who designate themselves as commuters with Inflight Services via theHub and list an airport served by US Airways, US Airways Express and/or MidAtlantic.
2. The commuting flight attendant must make all reasonable efforts to arrive in domicile at least one hour prior to scheduled check-in.
3. If the flight attendant's first scheduled commuting flight cancels as a result of weather, mechanical, or Company convenience, and the subsequent scheduled flight for which he/she is listed for travel cancels as a result of weather, mechanical, Company convenience, or the flight is significantly delayed (flight posted at least 30 minutes late), or the flight is full, the flight attendant shall notify Crew Scheduling as soon as possible prior to his/her scheduled check in, and Crew Scheduling will have the option of assigning the commuter to any one of the following:

a. Split the flight attendant back on his/her original pairing;
b. Assign the flight attendant to any comparable pairing (i.e., same duty days);
c. Release the flight attendant from his/her duty and drop his/her original pairing. The flight attendant will be responsible to make up time lost if possible.

4. The first two Unable To Commute incidents of the nature described in Paragraph 3 above will not be treated as dependability infractions so long as the Flight Attendant provides the required supporting documentation from Sabre to his/her supervisor within seven (7) days of the Unable To Commute incidents.

Examples:

• ABILITY FOR RESERVES TO PICK UP THEIR TRIP ON THE FIRST LIVE LEG

Beginning on April 1, 2009, the Company has agreed to extend the same opportunity to Reserves afforded to lineholders the ability to pick up their trip in the city where the "First Live Leg" originates. Reserves that have been released from duty will not have to fly a deadhead segment that originates a pairing.

This will apply to Reserves who have been released from duty until check-in upon pairing award or assignment. If a Reserve has not been released from duty, the Reserve will have to report for the deadhead flight that originates the trip.

EXAMPLE:

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU ARE RELEASED FROM DUTY AND INTEND TO ORIGINATE THE TRIP IN THE CITY WHERE THE FIRST LIVE LEG OCCURS YOU MUST CONTACT SCHEDULING PRIOR TO YOUR CHECK-IN TIME AND ADVISE SCHEDULING OF YOUR INTENTION.

Thank you,

Mike Flores, President
The US Airways Master Executive Council
AFA-CWA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AFA US Airways Website

www.afausairways.org

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 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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