VF6
AFA was extremely
disappointed with the latest Voluntary
Furlough offered by
the Company. Not only were the
benefits offered less
than in the previous voluntary
furlough programs,
the Company only opened the bid
window for the VF6
for a very short period of time.
Initially, after the
VF5 was awarded and the number
of flight attendants
being furloughed had increased
over what the Company
had originally announced, AFA
contacted the Company
and insisted that the Company
was required by last
summer's restructuring agreement
to offer another
voluntary furlough program, prior
to furloughing any
flight attendants. The Company did
not agree and kept
dragging their feet. Then they decided
to offer VF6, opening
it on April 24 and closing it
on April 30. We tried
to convince the Company that
this would
disadvantage many flight attendants who
had either completed
their flying for the month of
April or who may be
on vacation. The Company didn't
care.
AFA tried very hard
to get the Company to expand the
bid window for this
latest voluntary furlough. We have
filed a grievance
because we do not believe the Company
honored the contract
by offering this latest voluntary
furlough. We will
advise you as this case progresses.
Perry L. Hayes
US Airways MEC
President
phayes@afausairways.org
Advice From
Benefits Chair Concerning LTD Benefits
Flight Attendants who
are utilizing sick time for chronic
medical conditions
are advised they should see his/her
treating physician in
the office if there is a possibility
of an extended
absence. What has occurred recently
is that flight
attendants are contacting their Dr's
for medical excuses
and then waiting for 1-2 months
before an office
visit. What happens is the flight
attendant delays the
countdown of 120 days for LTD
benefits. The reason
for this is the company uses the
chart notes from the
Dr. appointment to determine the
date of disability.
If there is not a record of diagnosis/treatment/prognosis,
disability benefits
are not applicable.
Julie Tierney MEC
Benefits Chair
jtierney@afausairways.org
Displacements Not
Yet Available
Inflight is still
processing the displacements that
closed on Monday. As
soon as we receive the list we
will post it.
