September 26, 2003
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IMPORTANT READ: This is the PHL News-Line 70 from Mollie McCarthy LECP. If you would like to respond to Mollie, please use this email address mmccarthy@afausairways.org. Subscribe to News-Line 70 at http://www.afausairways.org/PHL/phlemailform.html
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Dear Council 70 Flying Partners;
Permanent Defense Fund
Preparing for the Future
The name "Permanent Defense Fund" is exactly what you have always know of as our "Strike Fund" or what I like to call our "Battle Fund." It is NOT an increase in dues nor is it money that will go into the general AFA budget.
Recently you received a packet from the AFA International office, which included voting instructions regarding the ballot for our "Permanent Defense Fund." You received the info from them because it is one of their jobs to conduct ballots, but make no mistake this is strictly a vote for U FA's.
On December 31, 2008 our Contract becomes amendable and we will go into Section 6 Negotiations. This will be our ONLY opportunity to get back all that has been taken from us under the threats of Bankruptcy and Liquidation since Siegel and his team came to US Airways. We need to start preparing now for what will surely be one hell of a fight!
If you recall back to 2000 and our CHAOS campaign, you should remember that we established a "Strike Fund" that "strike Fund" still exists today. All of the money we contributed back then or made through bake sales etc., is still there waiting to help our folks should we ever be pushed to strike.
If passed, the ONCE-A-YEAR, $10.00 increases to our already existing "Strike Fund" will put us on a more level playing field during our next round of Section 6 Negotiations. A healthy "strike Fund" would allow us to employ CHAOS, if necessary, without causing UNDUE FINANCIAL hardship on the flight attendants who volunteer to put themselves at risk by striking a flight. This fund is for the express purpose of paying for your travel home, overnight hotel expenses associated with a job action, as well as any "flight pay loss" to cover the rest of your trip. It can NOT be used by AFA or by any other airline represented by AFA. It is NOT for the use of the MEC or your Local.
Just the very existence of this fund and the fact that we are serious enough to feed it (beef it up) every year will send the message to management that they had better prepare to be in a 'Giving Mood' come December 31, 2008! If we have a healthy "Strike Fund" backing a possible CHAOS campaign we become a viable force to be reckoned with! Believe it or not, the existence of a healthy strike fund now may actually help protect us from being pushed to a strike/job action situation later. It should also make the negotiation process move more quickly because every year the company drags their feet will mean our 'war chest' becomes financially much stronger to fight them with.
If you vote yes today, you will be sending several messages to this management. First, you will be telling them that you have had enough of their abusing our contract. Even with all the cuts in pay we have suffered at their hands, we are willing to dig into our pockets to be prepared for battle if they do not start REPENTING TODAY! Secondly, you are telling them that they will not have the luxury of stalling negotiations over 4-years like they did the last round. Every year they stall our 'war chest' will only serve to make us an even more potent force to deal with. They will know that before negotiations even commence we will be "Geared Up To Strike" if necessary and that we will already have the necessary funds on hand to protect ourselves with. Finally, this fund will allow us to be PRO-active rather than RE-active, something we have not been in our resent past.
As a GROUP, we have never lacked for strength or courage. We are admired by all of the other labor unions for our willingness to fight the good fight along with our willingness to support our fellow employees. What we have always lacked is the "Bucks to Back our Buck Rogers!" This Fund would allow us to strengthen our defenses NOW, to prepare for the future now...OUR FUTURES!
Do not be conned into using this vote as a means to send a message to your union leadership. If you don't like your present leadership, CHANGE IT but this is NOT the vote that will change either the union officers or our union sponsor. THIS vote is for YOU and YOUR future. Remember, as long as Management believes we are divided they will continue their efforts to strip us of everything we have. This fund and the message it sends is VITALE to our future and our ability to negotiate from a position of strength.
One last thing, did I mention that this $10 fee is only ONCE-A-YEAR? That means you are spending only an approximate 2-cents per day to protect your contract and your futures. Which is a significant difference from the hundreds/thousands a month we give this new management to supplement their poorly constructed restructuring "Plan." If you think things are bad now, imagine what they will be if this new management learns you could not give 2-cents to protect your contract or your futures?
My friends, it is solidarity of labor we want. We do not want to find fault with each other, but to solidify our forces and say to each other: "We must be together, our masters are joined together and we must do the same thing". --- Mother Jones
"Labor is PRIOR to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is SUPERIOR to capital and deservers much the higher consideration."
That was said by Abraham Lincoln (16th President of these United States). It is too bad our management doesn't understand what allows them to make money. When we speak or act as one we are a force. When we gripe and grouse and point fingers we are just noise. Whether you are happy with your Union or not, it is currently the only voice we have as a group. If we lose that voice, the outcome will make our situation today look like a walk in the park.
Wear those green ribbons as a visual message to this new management that we will take our issues to the streets and to the media if the abuses to our contracts do not stop. We will never get what we deserve until we are as prepared as the other side is and so far we are lagging behind.
Make no mistake, war has been declared on the employees of U, it is time we face that fact and get onto the field of battle. We can continue to point fingers at each other and do the 'Jump Seat Moan and Groan' which has done nothing for us so far, or we can band together in solidarity prepared to fight for our contract and our futures. Please VOTE. Once you think this through, it should be the easiest vote of your lives. Please VOTE NOW! Do not wait!
Important Numbers in case you did not receive your packet:
If you did not receive the info needed for either casting your vote electronically or by phone, call 1-800-424-2401 ask for James, Irell or Paul McKinnon to help you get the information needed to vote.
All Ballots must be cast by 12:30 October 17, in order to be counted. To vote by telephone dial 1-877-232-8683 you will need to know your AFA number which is 120 followed by you payroll number and you will also need to know your assigned PIN Number which is included in your packet or you can call the 1-800 number above and someone there will look it up for you.
Please print or pass this message along to those who do not have a computer. If you encounter any problems accessing the electronic voting process, please contact AFA International 1-800-424-2401, hit Prompt "0" and ask for the appropriate balloting department. Voting polls open on September 25 and end October 17, 2003.
Take Care and Fly Safe,
In Solidarity and "Wearing the Green,"
Mollie McCarthy
LEC President
Council 70 - PHL/PHW
Protected Holidays... Section 9,...shall include January 1st, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, December 24th, 25th and December 31st.