• Annual Benefits Enrollment Less Than 7 Days Left

• Negotiation Update Meeting Notice Reminder

• Postcards from the FAA!

• 'WELCOME ABOARD TOXIC AIRLINES'

• Take the Challenge

Dear fellow Council 82 Flight Attendants,

Annual Benefits Enrollment Less Than 7 Days Left

Just a reminder that the Annual Benefits Enrollment period closes in 7 days at 8 pm EDT/5 pm PST on October 30, 2008. With the exception of any qualifying life event changes, this will be your ONLY opportunity to enroll or make changes in your benefits for 2009. Simply visit the eBenefits website @ (www.eBenefitsUS.com) to enroll or make changes.

Negotiation Update Meeting Notice Reminder

Just as a reminder the Merged Negotiation Update Meeting will be held on October 27, 2008 in LGA Airport. The meeting will be held in the US Airways Express Terminal in the Group Meeting room located between Gates 3 and 4. Mike Flores, MEC President and a member of the Merged Negotiations Committee will be available to answer your questions regarding the ongoing Merged Negotiations. I urge everyone to attend if possible since it is difficult to schedule these meetings between sessions of the Joint Negotiations Committee. Please come with your questions and concerns!!! Mike will be available from 1 pm-4 pm. Hopefully these times will provide some flexibility for those flying morning and afternoon schedules. We hope to see you there.

Postcards from the FAA!
Certificate Updates / Fatigue Study

The FAA's Civil Aviation Registry is responsible for the database of flight attendant certificates. They are currently updating/verifying their database records for approximately 60,000 randomly selected flight attendants. If you receive a postcard from the FAA - Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, please complete the card and return it immediately. Do not throw it away.

Of the 60,000 flight attendants that receive the postcard the FAA Flight Attendant Certificate Registry will then be used to randomly select 30,000 flight attendants to participate in the upcoming Flight Attendant Fatigue Survey.

AFA-CWA has been very active in the funding and development of the survey to address flight attendant fatigue. This flight attendant fatigue survey is one part of our important ongoing efforts to improve duty and rest provisions for all flight attendants and enhance safety.

Even if you have not received the postcard, you can update your information electronically at:
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/airmen_services/

Thank you for your participation in our ongoing effort to fight fatigue and improve aviation safety.

Feature Documentary:  'WELCOME ABOARD TOXIC AIRLINES' (www.welcomeaboardtoxicairlines.com)

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIER – TORONTO, OCTOBER 26, 2008

Award winning Fact Not Fiction Films 2008 ground breaking documentary, ‘Welcome Aboard Toxic Airlines’ is set to undertake its North American premier at the prestigious Planet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival in Toronto, October  26, 2008 at 1PM.

Judith Murawski, an Industrial Hygienist with the Association of Flight Attendants will introduce the film and undertake a Q&A. The feature documentary unravels the long hidden issue of aircraft contaminated air. It is said to be “The documentary you need to watch before you next fly told by the aviation industry's biggest whistle blower!”

Brief Synopsis: Welcome Aboard Toxic Airlines tells the story of what some airline crews claim is the biggest cover up in aviation history. Passengers and crews for nearly fifty years have been supplied with unfiltered air to breath, taken directly from the engines, even though this air supply is known to become contaminated with engine oils containing neurotoxins, carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals.

The unique documentary film reveals an issue many call the asbestos of the aviation industry, revealing how passengers and crews are known to be exposed to these fumes leaking directly into the aircraft air supply with the airline industry failing to inform the traveling public of the problems.

With unique access into the aviation industry, the film maker, a former UK airline captain, reveals for the first time the serious exposure consequences on flight safety, and the serious health effects of those who have and continue to be unknowingly exposed. In 2006, after six years of research, the producer whose own health had also been affected by fumes in the cockpit of a Boeing 757, was ill health retired.

Based upon what the filmmaker and former pilot has revealed in the documentary, and research he is leading on the issue, a Public Inquiry supported by the 3 major opposition parties has been called for in the UK. While research and inquiries are underway at International Government level in the US, UK and Australia, the documentary is the only way to see the real facts behind this 5 decade old continuing issue.

The film looks at the history, the politics, and the effects of contaminated air on aircraft and tells the viewer exactly what the airlines forget to mention in the pre flight safety briefing.

Planet in Focus International Environmental Film & Video Festival, runs October 22 through October 26 in Toronto with over 80 of the world's best films on a wide range of environmental themes and subjects by Canadian and international filmmakers. For more information call 416-531-4689 or visit www.planetinfocus.org 

The extensive media interest can be found at: http://www.aopis.org/PressArticles.html

Take the Challenge

Five months of primaries, three Presidential debates, three 24-7 cable news networks, and two candidates.

There has been an historic amount of press coverage and political rhetoric during the 2008 Presidential election. But as November 4th approaches, there are still many Americans with questions about where the candidates stand on important issues like the economy, jobs and trade, retirement security and health care.

We have created a game to test your knowledge on the issues that matter in 2008. See if you can match up policy statements with the candidate. Play CWA’s Candidate Quiz Challenge now:

With all of the political rhetoric that gets thrown around during a Presidential campaign, it’s easy to get confused about where the candidates really stand.  But one thing is clear: on issue after issue, Barack Obama is willing to stand up for the rights of working families, while John McCain’s policies favor the big corporations and millionaires.

The next four years represent a crucial turning point in our country. With a looming economic crisis, skyrocketing health care costs, and dwindling numbers of Americans enjoying the benefits of a union job, we just can’t afford to make the wrong choice on November 4.

That’s why it is so important to educate yourself and others on these issues and vote for the candidate who will stand up for you and your family. Across the board, we believe that candidate is Barack Obama.

But you don’t have to take our word for it.

See for yourself - check out the CWA Candidate Quiz Challenge today:

www.cwavotes.org/candidate-challenge

Sincerely,

CWA e-Activist Network

P.S. Once you’ve taken the CWA Candidate Challenge, be sure to forward it on to your friends and family to make sure they know where Obama and McCain stand on these important issues.

Rob Wessinger
LEC President
Council 82 / LGA
315-736-3483 OFFICE
315-404-5257 CELL
315-736-7577 FAX
rwessinger@afausairways.org
 

Rob Wessinger
LEC President
Council 82-LGA
Association of Flight Attendants - AFL-CIO