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A Place to Stay:
As most know I do not allow the PHL News Line to be used for any advertisements from anyone including flight attendants. However, because of the logistical nightmare that our junior FA's have been put in, I am going to make an exception. I know many of you have already had to give up your residence. With that in mind, here is some info that was sent to me from one of our previously Furloughed FA's, Creed Burleson.
Reduced rates are being offered to our members at the Montgomeryville Inn which is located about an hour from the PHL airport. All Residence Inns rooms come equipped with a kitchen.
In addition Creed can also offer rooms at the Deptford, NJ Residence Inn which is approx 20 minutes from the airport as well as the Airport Fairfield Inn. He has informed me that he is attempting to obtain reduced rates at these other locations as well. Thank you Creed for looking into this and for looking out for you fellow FA's!
Here is the information Creed sent to us:
The Montgomeryville Residence Inn will offer the following rates to flight attendants that have been displaced:
- 1-29 Nights $99.99 it is regularly $129.99
- 30+ Nights is $69.99 it is regularly $79.99
I am still working on rates for the Deptford Residence Inn property for you.
Creed Burleson
Montgomeryville Residence Inn, 1110 Bethlehem Pike, North Wales, Pa 19454 267-468-0111
cburleson@tharaldson.com
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In case you did not receive it, below is the information that was sent out on today's MEC Hotline:
VOLUNTARY FURLOUGH
In accordance with the award issued by the arbitrator on January 14, 2004, the Company has announced a voluntary furlough. This furlough offer is being posted by the Company today and will be accessible through CATCREW and The Hub.
http://www.afausairways.org/Hub/afa_hub.html
The duration of this voluntary furlough will be for either sixteen (16) months or twenty-two (22) months, expiring in either June 2005 or December 2005. The benefits associated for this voluntary furlough will be ninety (90) days of medical/dental benefits and unlimited online travel passes. (This is no greater than what was offered in the last voluntary furlough and is the minimum required by Sec.20 of the flight attendant agreement.) The bid for this voluntary furlough will close next Friday, January 23, 2004.
AFA and the Company have another dispute on this issue as we believe those flight attendants who were furloughed by the Company on January 15, 2004 are now entitled to all benefits associated with involuntary furlough as outlined in Sec.19 or our Agreement. We believe that if an insufficient number of flight attendants apply for this voluntary furlough that the most recently furloughed flight attendants will be able to pass recall when contacted by the Company. This is a right outlined in Sec.19. The Company does not agree with our position. Our legal counsel will be conferring with the arbitrator on this
issue, as we again believe the Company is attempting to circumvent our contract.
We will update the hotline and e-line as soon as additional information becomes available.
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ATTENTION 1/15/04 INVOLUNTARY FURLOUGHED FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
As you may know, AFA successfully challenged the Company's decision to not offer a voluntary furlough with the Jan. 15 involuntary furlough when on Jan. 14 an arbitrator ruled that the Company is in violation of the Restructuring Agreement for failing to offer a voluntary furlough. Accordingly, the Company has now offered a voluntary furlough.
How does the arbitrator's decision affect flight attendants involuntary furloughed effective Jan. 15? You will continue to be furloughed unless the Company can fill the 200 active positions with flight attendants willing to take a voluntary furlough. If you are contacted by the Company for recall, AFA maintains you have the right under Section 19 of the collective bargaining agreement to pass recall so long as there exists someone junior to you on the seniority list who can return to work.
In addition, if, as a result of the Company's failure to offer a voluntary furlough, you were involuntary furloughed and you have suffered a loss, the arbitrator will retain jurisdiction to remedy your loss. Please contact your local office if you believe you have been economically harmed as a result of the Company's breach of the contract.
That is all for now except to ask that you please remain patient as this fiasco gets ironed out. Thanks.
Take Care and Fly Safe,
Mollie McCarthy
LEC President
Council 70 - PHL/PHW
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