• Pay Protection Mexico
• May 2009 Benefits Update
• Accessing The Hub

• AFA Local Numbers

Dear Members,

Friday May 8th 2009 the company put out a CBS message outlining pay protection for reduction of flying in and out of Mexico. The union review the company's proposal before it was published, and found it inadequate pay protection for the loss of flight hour and the financial impact to the flight attendants. AFA MEC had a conference call with Cindi Simone Director of Labor Relations, Stephen Kingsley Managing Director of In-flight Operations, and Paul Kinsey Director of Planning and Administration to address the pay protection issue for those flight attendants loosing time due to the company decision to reduce flights to and from Mexico. A proposal was submitted to the company that the Union believed reflected the past practice regarding how this type of situation was previously addressed. The company rejected that proposal. Below is what the union proposed to the company:

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US Airways
In-Flight Services
4000 Sky Harbor Boulevard
Phoenix AZ 85034

Re: Proposed Relief for Reduced Flights to Mexico and Pre-Planned Cancellations

The following will summarize special relief for flight attendants who experienced cancelled trips due to US Airways deciding to temporarily reduce the number of flights operating to and from Mexico beginning May 10 and extending through July 1, due to weak demand. Affected pairings have been cancelled entirely or specific flight segments have been removed and the pairings have been repaired. Flight attendants with cancelled segments or pairings affected will be provided pay protection as follows:

Because these cancellations become effective after the beginning of the May Bid Month, the following conditions shall apply to flight attendants who wish to receive pay protection under this agreement:

-- Any flight attendant who has a trip(s) that was cancelled during the May/June Bid Month will be pay protected for such trip(s) provided the flight attendant attempts to trip improve in accordance with Section 9-15 2 by remaining available for the same calendar day(s) that the cancelled trip was scheduled to operate, and show that reasonable effort was made to pick up time to protect the block value for the month.

-- If a flight attendant makes him /herself available as described above for the trips cancelled in advance of the June Bid Month for the remainder of the month, the pay protection shall apply for all trips during June.

-- Flight Attendants may reduce their flying obligation by the amount of the lost time without being considered a low block

-- However, if a flight attendant declines to make him/herself available as described above, either by not placing him/herself on the A/I List or by passing a trip that meets the parameters, ("like trip") then he/she would forfeit pay protection for the entire month and would receive the greater of his/her applicable minimum monthly guarantee or actual time.

-- Flight Attendants utilizing the ETB will have time paid above the monthly guarantee.

-- The provisions of this letter are intended to protect a flight attendant's affected trips, on a trip-by-trip basis. In no event will the provisions of this letter result in pay protection exceeding the flight attendant's original block value.

-- Should the Company find it necessary to cancel flights operating to and from Mexico due to weak demand in subsequent bids months beyond July 2009 the above pay protection provisions will remain in effect.

-- Any time flown on days other than the days originally scheduled in a flight attendant's block will be paid in addition to the above pay protection and such time flown will not be used to offset the above pay protection.

-- The provisions of Section 9.G.5 (Last Trip/ Series of Trip(s) in the Bid Month Pay and Credit) shall remain in full force and effect along with all other provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that may be applicable.


US Airways MEC.

Buddy Brannon
MEC Vice-President
US Airways
Master Executive Council AFA-CWA

~~~~~

MAY 2009 BENEFITS UPDATE

1. LIFE INSURANCE BENEFICIARY - Please check at www.ebenefitsus.com to see if you have a beneficiary designated on your life insurance policy. The Director of Benefits informed me that many of our flight attendants do not have any person designated. You can designate a beneficiary on your life insurance at any time.

2. MAY, 2009 VOLUNTARY FURLOUGH RETURNEES - If you returned from the 8 month voluntary furlough in May, 2009 you must sign up for your health insurance benefits no later than May 31, 2009. If you do not sign up for them by then, you will have NO health insurance for the remainder of 2009 and not obtain health insurance until 2010. This is a federal law so please sing up today at www.ebenfitsus.com.

3. WORKERS COMP ON THE VAN - Occasionally we have crew who are involved in a traffic accident while riding on the van to/from the hotel. If your seat belt is not fastened workers compensation does not want to pay as you were not incompliance with the fasten seatbelt laws in most states. So please when you get into a hotel van, buckle up as long as there is a seat belt in the van/limo/bus.

4. COBRA AND THE HCTC -The Economic Recovery Act has put some new rules and regulations in place regarding COBRA and the HCTC program. If you are receiving your PBGC pension and COBRA reimbursement through the HCTC you will now have the HCTC program pay 80% of your premium. This will occur through December 31, 2010. While the new law speaks to this benefit being for life, unfortunately the law sunsets on December 31, 2010. If c\Congress does not renew the 80% payment it will revert to 65% on January 1, 2011.

5. WHERE IS MY CHECK FOR $660? By now you should have received your letter from US Airways regarding the ability to roll over about $660 to a Roth IRA. In 2003, during the first bankruptcy, flight attendants received stock in US Airways. At that time you paid taxes on that stock when you filed your taxes for the year. In 2004, during the second bankruptcy, that stock was dissolved. In 2008 Congress decided that if an employee received stock as part of income, but that stock was lost in a bankruptcy, you could take the value of that stock and put it into a Roth IRA with penalty for late deposit or if you have a Roth IRA and maxed out your contribution, you could add this without penalty. You will not be getting a check from US Airways. If you want to participate in this program you must go into your saving account, checking account or cookie jar and get the money out yourself. If you are interested in participating in this program see your tax accountant or investment counselor for more details. Take note the time limit on this expires soon.

6. WHAT DOES THE BENEFITS CHAIRPERSON COVER? There have been several questions on the areas that the Benefit Chairperson covers, so here is a list of what to e-mail or call me about:

A. PBGC Pension
B. 401K Program
C. Defined Contribution Program
D. Health Insurance
E. Caremark Prescription Program
F. Dental Insurance
G. Vision Insurance
H. Workers Compensation (OJI)
I. FMLA/PCL
J. Maternity Benefits
K. Unemployment Compensation
L. Health insurance under 65 -HCTC
M. Health Insurance over 65 - VEBA

In Solidarity

Paul H. Frishkorn
MEC Benefits Chairperson

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

AFA US Airways Website

www.afausairways.org

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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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