|
Dear PHL Flight Attendants,
Last week was a busy one for me and I thought I would let you know what is going on with the MEC and the Merger. On Tuesday the MEC met in a Special Meeting to elect the new MEC President. Mike Flores was elected by a majority vote. The voting was done as per the Constitution and By Laws by secret ballot. I would like to congratulate Mike and say that Council 70 looks forward to working with him.
Your MEC also met with Doug Parker, the CEO of America West and the CEO of the new US Airways. We had a 2-hour meeting with him in Tempe, Arizona at the America West Headquarters building. Mr. Parker was very animated and spoke to us freely. He let us ask questions about the merger and gave us some very interesting answers. I specifically asked what he was going to do about PHL and the problems we are having with delays, lost baggage, catering problems, etc. He told us that he knew that PHL was a huge problem and he was working diligently to fix it. I explained to him that we had heard that many, many times before and we were looking for solutions, not just rhetoric.
The other LEC Presidents asked questions about the time line for the merger. Mr. Parker said the FAA was governing the amount of time it will take to do a complete operational merger, but he thought in the 24 month range would be about right. He said that around the first of October, the two companies would become one in the first phase of the merger.
We discussed our respective contracts briefly and the fact that both AWA and US had low cost contracts. He told us that was why we were such a good fit. He also was asked about the price of fuel and how that possibly could affect the profitability of the combined company. Mr. Parker felt that the POR (Plan of Reorganization) was still going to be profitable in the high fuel market that may exist for many years to come. Mr. Parker told us that some airlines were starting to hedge fuel in the above $50 a barrel until the 2011.
Seniority integration was brought up, but Pat Friend (AFA International President) quickly reminded Mr. Parker that AFA would deal with that. Our Constitution and By Laws govern mergers by AFA carriers and it is very clear that Date Of Hire is the seniority date. I have copied Section X C.3.c from the AFA Constitution and By Laws below:
c. Within twenty (20) days following the meeting under Section C.3.b. above, the merger representatives will meet again and compile a merged seniority list. If all flight attendants on both seniority lists were subject to the same policy regarding seniority accrual for training days, the merged seniority list will be compiled based upon the seniority date of each flight attendant. In the event that this is not the case, the merger representatives will compile a merged seniority list based upon adjusted seniority date, the only adjustment to seniority date as defined in Section C.2.a. above, being reconciliation of differences in policies on the respective carriers relating to seniority accrual for training days so that each flight attendant on the merged seniority list receives credit for her/his training days. The merger representatives are empowered to compromise their differences over reconciliation of such training policies to the extent necessary to reach an agreement on a merged seniority list, provided that each flight attendant on the merged seniority list receives credit for her/his training days. In compiling the merged seniority list, whether by seniority date or adjusted seniority date, the relative position of the flight attendants on their respective seniority lists shall be maintained and the merger representatives shall not have the authority to alter the relative position of any flight attendant to others on her/his own list for any reason. For purposes of completing their functions, the merger representatives must list the names of all flight attendants in integrated order on a merged list.
We are still in the process of compiling the US Airways list. When the list is certified, then it will be ready to be merged as per policy. The certification takes about 45-60 days to complete and it hasn't been started yet. You will receive a notice in the mail from AFA to sign and return.
Mr. Parker said he has spent a lot of time traveling around our system, talking to our employees and he was impressed with our good attitudes in the face of all we have gone through. He said the employee group seemed willing to give there all and get this new airline off to a great start. He said he wanted to reach out to all of us because of the problems we have overcome in the past few years and that we were resilient as a group. I hope he can back up his words with actions. I am all for starting over, we all know that our management has abused us for years and just having a fresh team to take the helm isn't the answer.
We need a management that is willing to work with us and treat us as important pieces of the Company Pie. Now that the Internet is such an integral part of buying tickets, and the kiosk's are at all airports to get boarding passes and check in, the flight attendant group are the make it or break it for our customers. They spend more time with us than they do with anyone else in their airline experience. We need to be treated as such. We are the new company!
On Tuesday at 7:00 am the new livery will be in PHL at gate A17. I can't wait to see it and I'll be there. I loaned my old purple PSA uniform to Angela Pellachoud from inflight who will be wearing it as an ex PSA flight attendant.
There will be more news to come as we learn it. Everyone be safe and keep up the great job you are doing.
Laura
Albert
LEC President Council 70 PHL
|
