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34TH ANNUAL ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING RECAP

The 34th annual Association of Flight Attendants Board of Directors (BOD) meeting concluded shortly after 9 pm Thursday. The AFA BOD is comprised of all of the Local Executive Council Presidents from all AFA represented carriers.

The BOD is the highest governing body of the Union and all decisions of the BOD are then carried out by the Union. The BOD considers Advanced Agenda Items and Late Agenda Items (submitted at the meeting) that seek to change or modify both the AFA Constitution and the AFA Policy Manual. Items that seek to change the Constitution require a 2/3 vote of the BOD and Policy Manual changes require a simple majority.

The most pressing matter before this year’s BOD meeting was Agenda Item #1- the decision to either finalize the merger between AFA and CWA or opt out of the merger. As detailed in last week’s Eline, the BOD was presented with four possible scenarios regarding the merger agreement with CWA. A link to that Eline is posted below for your reference:

http://www.afausairways.org/Eline/oct10_07.htm

After three days of debate and deliberation the AFA BOD adopted Agenda Item #1 as written, thus deciding not to exercise the opt out provision of the AFA-CWA merger agreement. The BOD overwhelmingly concluded the benefits of remaining with CWA far outweighed the alternatives that were available. The BOD was charged with determining if remaining with CWA would allow AFA to provide the best representation possible for our members. The BOD concluded that AFA would remain financially strong and secure, that AFA would remain autonomous within the CWA umbrella and that AFA would be in control of our financial resources and be able to allocate those resources to meet the needs of our members in a manner of our choosing.

Four years ago the members of the Union voted to merge with CWA. The merger agreement called for a four year period during which our dues would remain at $39.00 and CWA would provide the necessary financing to allow AFA to continue to provide our members with the necessary support as carrier after carrier entered bankruptcy in an effort to gut our contracts and ruin our profession. Although steep cuts in our wages, termination of pensions and retiree medical benefits and degradations of our work rules occurred as a result of bankruptcy, the results would have been far worse without the backing of CWA.

We are now entering into an era of recovery. The industry is recovering and it is now time to reclaim what we lost and restore dignity and unity to our profession. Airlines are unwilling to share the spoils of that recovery so that recovery will not come without a fight and a price. The approved merger will provide AFA with the financial, legislative and professional clout to win that fight.

No one wants to increase dues but the reality is that if we are to win the fight our dues must increase.

The merger agreement required that after the four year period of no dues increase was over the dues must equal the CWA average-currently $43.00. The BOD was also faced with a decision of whether to consider a flat rate or “sliding dues scale”. Agenda Item #2 considered a sliding scale of between $39.00 and $45.00 based on either hourly rates of pay or W-2 income. The BOD debated this choice quite extensively and deliberately but in the end decided that a flat rate of $43.00 was the most equitable way of assessing dues. The BOD believes that each member should pay the same rate for the same representation and contribute equally and is therefore charged with implementing the first dues increase in 14 years.

The dues will increase to the current CWA average of $43.00 on June 1, 2008. From that point forward the dues will be set at the CWA average each June.

Below is a summary of the other Agenda Items that were adopted by the BOD either as written or amended.

#1- AFA-CWA MERGER AGREEMENT

THE BOD FINALIZED THE MERGER AGREEMENT WITH CWA

#2- DUES STRUCTURE

CREATES A FLAT RATE DUES STRUCTURE WITH THE CWA AVERAGE-CURRENTLY $43.00 WITH AN IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF JUNE 1, 2008

#3- LEC, MEC, MOBILIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL OFFICE BUDGETS

THE FUNDING FORMULAS FOR THE LEC AND MEC BUDGETS WILL INCREASE WITH THE JUNE 1, 2008 BUDGET. THE DUES INCREASE WILL BE ALLOCATED SO THAT THE LOCAL COUNCILS WILL RECEIVE APPROXIMATELY 60%; THE MASTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE APPROXIMATELY 30% AND THE INTERNATIONAL OFFICE APPROXIMATELY 10% OF ANY AVAILABLE DUES INCREASE REVENUE.

#5- ELECTING CWA CONVENTION DELEGATES

CREATES A PROCESS FOR ELECTING LOCAL COUNCIL OFFICERS AS CWA DELEGATES TO THE CWA CONVENTION AND A LOCAL ELECTION PROCESS SHOULD THE LOCAL COUNCIL SUPPORT A GREATER NUMBER OF DELEGATES THAN THE LOCAL COUNCIL OFFICERS.

#9- TELEPHONE ALLOWANCE

THIS ITEM ELIMINATES AN OLD PROVISION THAT ALLOCATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO COUNCILS FACED WITH HIGHER THAN AVERAGE PHONE CHARGES. NOW THAT PHONE CHARGES ARE STANDARDIZED AND THE USE OF CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION IS UTILIZED THIS PROVISION WAS UNNECESSARY.

#10- LOCAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL VOTING

WHEN A CONSENSUS CANNOT BE REACHED ON A MATTER PERTAINING TO THE LOCAL COUNCIL, THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE FINAL DECISION.

#11- COMMITMENTS TO SERVE

TELEPHONE OR EMAIL CONTACT WITH A CANDIDATE WHO HAS NOT SUBMITTED A WILLINGNESS TO SERVE STATEMENT RATHER THAN MAILGRAM.

#12- NOTIFICATIONS OF ELECTION RESULTS

PROVIDES A MORE STREAMLINED METHOD OF NOTIFICATION TO SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES

#13- LEC DUTIES

ENCOURAGES THE LEC PRESIDENT TO CONSULT AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS OF THE OTHER COUNCIL OFFICERS.

#14-AFA PROPERTY

STRENGTHENS THE ACCOUNTING PROCESS FOR AFA PROPERTY AND TRANSITION OF AFA PROPERTY TO NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS

#15- BOD MEETING DATES

ALIGNS THE BOD MEETING DATES AND ELECTION OF AFA INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS WITH THE CWA BUDGET YEAR. THIS WILL PROVIDE THE BOD WITH A BETTER ABILITY TO OVERSEE THE BUDGET PROCESS.

#16- VACATION PAY BACK

RESTORES VACATION PAY OR DAYS TO A REPRESENTATIVE OR VOLUNTEER WHO IS UNABLE TO TAKE SCHEDULED VACATION DUE TO EXTREME SITUATIONS (NEGOTIATIONS, MEC MEETINGS, ETC)

#18- MUTUAL RESPECT POLICY

CREATES A WORKING ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS BASED ON DIGNITY AND MUTUAL RESPECT.

#19- SAFETY AWARDS

ESTABLISHES THE “C.B. LANSING MEMORIAL AWARD FOR HEROISM” TO BE BESTOWED ON A MEMBER WHO DEMONSTRATES HEROISM BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.

#20- HPV VACCINE

MANDATES THAT AFA ENTER INTO DISCUSSIONS WITH EACH CARRIER THE NEED FOR PROVIDING INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS (HPV) THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF CERVICAL CANCER.

#21-OPPOSITION TO COMMISSION-BASED INCOME

SEVERAL ULTRA LOW COST CARRIERS HAVE STARTED PROGRAMS WHERE HOURLY RATES ARE VERY LOW AND COMMISSION IS USED TO SUPPLEMENT THOSE LOW RATES. THE AFA BOD WILL FIGHT ANY SUCH ATTEMPTS AT AFA REPRESENTED CARRIERS

#23- AFA-CWA ELECTION 2008 ELECTION

CREATES A PLAN TO SUPPORT VOTER REGISTRATION AND FOR SUPPORTING CANDIDATES THAT SUPPORT AFA.

#24- LOCAL COUNCIL OFFICER RECALL

A RECALL PROCESS WILL NOT STOP IF AN OFFICER ANNOUNCES A RESIGNATION. AN OFFICER CHOOSING TO RESIGN MUST DO SO IMMEDIATELY OR AT THE END OF THE MONTH BUT THE RECALL PROCESS WILL NOT IMMEDIATELY CEASE.

#25- REPRESENTATION AT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

ALLOWS AN EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER TO ASSIGN PROXY TO ANOTHER EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER IF DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR CONTROL THE MEMBER IS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING OR HAVE ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT AIRLINE ATTEND THE MEETING. THE CURRENT PRACTICE ONLY ALLOWS FOR A PROXY TO BE ASSIGNED IN PERSON ONCE AT THE MEETING.

#26- MEC DUES INITIATION FEE CREDITS

UPON RECEIPT OF THE FEES REQUIRES THE INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURE TO CREDIT THE MEC BUDGET.

#28- FEASIBILITY OF UNION OVERSEEN RETIREMENT PLANS

AFA WILL INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A UNION OVERSEEN MULTI-EMPLOYER PENSION PLAN. THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE 2008 BOD MEETING.

#31- OFFICER AND ADMINISTRATION TRANSITION

PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR TRANSITION OF FILES, PROPERTY BUDGET INFORMATION AND COMPANY CONTACTS TO NEWLY ELECTED LOCAL OFFICERS.

Thank you,

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

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AFA Local Numbers

Council 40 PIT 412-245-1214
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

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