Dear Council 70 Flying Partners,
As promised, below please find the latest update from Council 40-PIT, LEC Pres. Teddy Xidas and the latest E-Line from Council 89-CLT, LEC Pres. Mike Flores.
NOTE: I goofed. I am sure if you looked carefully at the Calendar I sent you yesterday you might have noticed that I mistakenly put TWO Tuesdays in one week. Sorry, all the dates are correct but one of the days is not. Anyway, it should read:
Thursday, December 16. NOT Tuesday.
(They both start with the same letter, does that count?)
NOTE: By COURT ORDER, the Company now has the right to increase a flight attendants monthly obligation by 5-10 hours
domestically or 1 trip for the ITD during months when Inflight determines that there is a staffing shortage. The Court Order does not allow the Company to go beyond 10 hours
domestically or 1-trip internationally. The Court Order remains in effect through February.
Please know that ALL flight attendants are still contractually entitled to 11 days off per month. There is no requirement for any flight attendant, lineholder or reserve, to give those day off up to meet the flex cap. Although Flight Attendants are required to make an effort to make the extra time, but are not obligated to do so on one of their 11-days off.
-- Read more about the COURT ordered increased flying obligation in the CLT E-Line included below.
-- We are receiving
support from other labor groups. Please read the
news article below.
-- Do not forget to vote FOR the
authorization to strike if our contract is abrogated.
-- Thank you and if you know an American Pilot, thank
him/her for all of us.
Allied
Pilots Association Expresses Support for Workers at
United Airlines and US Airways
(http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041202/25811_1.html)
And an additional
article worth reading.
Can
mergers keep airlines flying?
(http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041205/BIZ01/412050326)
Take Care and Fly Safe,
Mollie - 70
Please take the time to read all below.
UPDATE FROM PIT
LEC President, Teddy Xidas
December 6, 2004
Dear Members,
Please read below. There is another rally on December 14, 2004, in DCA that will be held at the Lafayette Plaza, across from the White House. There will be a march and a "candle light vigil". We are in the process of a "sign-up" to leave Pittsburgh From Parkway center in Greentree by Van Service. This is a different rally from the rally that is scheduled on the 16 at Alexandria, VA court house with the IAM and CWA.
We are in the process of renting vans. We need to know who is interested in going. We will leave Pittsburgh at 11:30 a.m. on the 14th and return home by 1:00 a.m. on the 15th.
Please call the local office at 724-695-3329 if you are interested in the 14th rally in DCA standing with American Airlines and AFA in support of our profession and draw the attention of Congress and the public of this crisis.
Teddy
Local 40
==============
To: AFA Executive Board/Board of Directors
From: Patricia A. Friend, International President
Re: March on Washington
On December 14, 2004 AFA is sponsoring an event in Washington DC. The March on Washington is intended to draw the attention of Congress and the flying public to the plight of airline workers in this country.
The March will be held at 5:15 PM and begin with a rally and press conference in Lafayette Plaza. We will then have a candlelight march to Freedom Park.
Our government needs to take a more active role in addressing the crisis workers in the airline industry in this country are facing. By taking positive action in the areas of legislation to protect our pensions and health care benefits and by instituting bankruptcy reform, much can be done to protect our members.
It is our intent to invite unions representing airline workers, and flight attendants, as well as other AFL-CIO affiliated unions to join us in our March. We hope to have as guests several other union leaders, members of Congress and other dignitaries. However, the most important participants we can have at this event are AFA leaders and AFA members.
I hope that you will make it a priority to come to Washington for this important activity. Please encourage as many of your members to come as well. Friends and family members are more than welcome to join us as we make our voice heard.
Should you require more information, please contact Kelly
Norton (kellynorton2@aol.com), or Debbie Golombek (legislative@unitedafa.org).
I look forward to seeing you in Washington on the 14th.
-------------------------------------------------------
FROM CLT E-Line - LEC President, Mike Flores
-- NEGOTIATIONS/ BANKRUPTCY COURT UPDATE
-- AUTHORIZATION TO STRIKE VOTE
-- INCREASED FLYING OBLIGATION
NEGOTIATIONS/BANKRUPTCY COURT UPDATE
The hearing regarding US Airway’s motion to abrogate the collective bargaining agreements of the AFA, IAM and the CWA began December 2 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Arlington, VA. Attorneys for US Airways began presenting their case before Judge Stephen Mitchell by saying "the company is out of options, facing mounting losses, dwindling cash reserves and a high cost union work force." The hearing continued on Friday with US Airways presenting Company officials and experts as witnesses to their situation. The hearings are scheduled to continue December 9-10 and 16-17. Judge Mitchell has indicated he will probably not rule until mid January 2005.
Against this backdrop the negotiating committee has continued to meet with the Company in an effort to reach an agreement. The committee and the Company met this weekend via conference call and are scheduled to meet in Crystal City for several sessions beginning Monday. There has been some movement on the part of the Company in the last few days but there is still a gap regarding the overall coat target that is to be reached. The Company continues to ask for more than they need. I believe we will be better off negotiating a deal outside of court but AFA is prepared to defend our contract in court if necessary.
AUTHORIZATION TO STRIKE VOTE
Authorizations to Strike Ballots were mailed on November 26 and members should be in receipt of their ballots by this time. The voting is electronic or by telephone and closes December 13. You will need your AFA ID and PIN number to vote. If you have not received your ballot or have misplaced it contact the local office at 724-695-3329 and we can provide you with your ID and PIN numbers. Strike ballots were mailed to AFA members at United Airlines last week.
Please remember an authorization to strike will only be used if our contract is abrogated by the bankruptcy court. Perhaps some of the movement the Company has made recently is the result of the nationwide CHAOS strike planned by AFA should our contract be abrogated.
Rather than address competitive issues, improve efficiency and utilization, airline management would rather take the "easy way out" reducing the pay and benefits of workers to foster profitability. Rather than bargain in good faith management has given up and looked to the courts to avoid the obligation of collective bargaining they share with employees. If they are successful it will be more than a setback for the union; it will be a setback for each and every member. I believe it is vital for our membership to send a message to the Company that we will not let a court imposed solution go unchallenged. The legality of a strike will be decided by attorneys and courts not by the Media or the Company. The only thing we can do is stand together and give our leadership a chance to put the fate of our careers into our own hands and take it out of the court’s.
INCREASED FLYING OBLIGATION
The Company has increased the flying obligation by five (5)hours for December and January. This was a result of the Company’s plea to the court they may not be able to cover the flying schedule due to attrition or staffing shortages. Nothing illustrates how inept this Company and the Court are with regard to scheduling more than this. Reserves are sitting at home getting paid guarantee while block holders are required to pick up extra time. The Court granted the Company a 21% pay cut and I see it being partially squandered by the 5 hour increase and the mess it has created. Your union leaders have made this point to the Company with no credible response. This is the perfect example of what happens when the Company turns to the Courts for solutions.
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