• NFL Day Letter of Agreement
• ETB Floor Reduced To 40 hours
• Long Term Solutions
• Negotiations Update
• Accessing The Hub
• AFA Local Numbers

Dear Members,

NFL Day Letter of Agreement

As you know the FAA interpretation of 24/7 as it applies to Reserve Flight Attendants has impacted both Reserves and Lineholders. The interpretation has forced the Union to look for short and long-term solutions. The interpretation has far reaching effects for both Reserves and Lineholders. Under our current contract the ETB was negotiated to replace the various flying options. The ETB also became a mechanism that allowed Reserves to increase their earning power and as a result of the FAA interpretation both have been compromised. In addition, the Company's initial reaction was to satisfy the 24/7 interpretation in a way that would further diminish a Reserve's ability to earn a living or schedule their lives.

The immediate concern of the Union was to address the Company's position regarding month-to-month transition periods and in month periods that would violate the 24/7 rule. The initial Company approach was to assign an NFL (Not FAR Legal) day to satisfy the FAR requirement of a 24 consecutive hour period within seven (7) consecutive calendar days. The NFL day was placed in a Reserves lines on a day of the Company's choosing and the Reserve was not permitted to work on the NFL day, even if otherwise legal.

The Union and the Company reached an agreement last week that will allow Reserves to work on the NFL day if the are legal to do so. The agreement further allows a Reserve to keep the NFL in place, ROC or split an available trip (under the INV rules) to preserve the NFL day. The agreement satisfies both the FAR and the Reserves' ability to fly when legal. The agreement was negotiated because the Company did not have the contractual right to restrict a Reserve from flying on a day he/she was otherwise legal just because the Company had inserted an NFL day in his/her line to satisfy the 24/7 rule. In short, the agreement codifies the fact that a Reserve is not illegal until they have been on call/on duty for more than 6 consecutive days.


ETB Floor Reduced to 40 Hours

The 24/7 FAA interpretation has eroded the value of the ETB for both Lineholders and Reserves. Lineholders can't drop trips to lower their obligation if no one is able to pick up the trips. Reserves can't pick up trips that create a 24/7 violation. In an effort to partially resolve this problem, the ETB floor has been lowered to forty- (40) hours. As a result of the FAA interpretation Reserves find it difficult to pick up trips other than 1, 2 and 3-day trips. The intent for lowering the ETB floor is to increase the number of 1,2 and 3-day trips available on the ETB for pick-up. The ETB is a zero-sum game for the Company and the Flight Attendants. If someone wants to pick up a trip that someone else does not want to fly- the transaction happens. The Union does not believe the ETB is a way to fix the Reserve system but if more "qualifying" trips are available on the ETB, the Union believes ALL Flight Attendants will benefit. The Union believes this may help restore some Reserve earning power until long-term solutions can be negotiated.

Long-Term Solutions

The Union believes the ultimate solutions to the 24/7 issue, the degradation of the ETB and the Reserve system in general are twofold. We believe the answer is to create more lines and negotiate a Reserve system that allows Reserves to earn a living without having to work their days off. The ability for Lineholders to lower their flying obligations has been diminished and that deserves our attention as well. We believe the two problems go hand in hand and the solutions we have proposed will benefit both Lineholders and Reserves.

As stated in previous Elines, the Union has proposed several ways for the Company to build more lines that will satisfy the Company and the members. We have proposed that Lineholders be allowed to reduce their obligation via SAP. This will allow more trips to be available to create more Secondary lines. More Secondary lines equal fewer Reserves. The Union has proposed the Secondary line floor be lowered from 75 hours to a mutually agreed to number in order for more Secondary lines to be built. More Secondary lines equal fewer Reserves. Fewer Reserves will mean those that do remain on Reserve under the current LTO system will rotate back to the top of the system faster and will fly more Company time. The Union has also proposed that time which cannot be packaged into Secondary lines be placed into some type of "partial" lines that include both Reserve duty and known flying activity.

We will be meeting with the Company the week of November 13th to discuss these proposals.

The negotiation of an improved Reserve System will take place during the merged contract negotiations. The LTO system we have is not working. Some Reserves want to return to a seniority system-some do not. Some Reserves believe a "rotating" Reserve system is the answer-some do not. Any type of Reserve system should not and will not be negotiated over night. Reserve system options will be explored and negotiated and then presented to the full MEC for approval and ultimately member ratification as part of the merged contract process.

Negotiations Update

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and MEC Reserve Chairperson Sherri Baker met with the Company last week last week in CLT to finalize the NFL Day Letter of Agreement. After those discussions were completed the JNC met with the Company to continue the merged contract negotiations. Proposals on Moving Expenses and LODO were exchanged and we believe those two sections will be closed out very soon. The next negotiating session is scheduled for November 1-3in PHX. We present counter proposals on the Training and Uniform Sections to the Company at that time.

Thank you,

Mike Flores, President
US Airways MEC
AFA-CWA

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AFA Local Numbers

Council 40 PIT 724-695-3329
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

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US AIRWAYS Benefits Information 800-872-4780

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