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Rumors
Have your heard any good rumors lately? I just heard one today that I thought I should address before it is blown way out of proportion. While it is true that AFA is going through some real financial difficulties, it is NOT true that AFA is Bankrupting.
To rectify the loss of thousands of members it's two largest airlines (United & US Airways), the AFA Board of Directors are presently looking into solutions to the financial situation. One of the alternatives being offered is to affiliate with another union. So far it looks as if the CWA may provide the best fit. The decision to affiliate will be addressed at the annual AFA Board of Directors meeting in October.
Another rumor going around is that the company has personnel checking our hotel rooms after we leave. I can neither confirm nor refute this rumor. However, I do have a story to share with you. Names, dates and places have been withheld to protect the innocent.
Not long ago, we were contacted because a FA was removed from their trip while on an overnight. The FA was deadheaded back to base on the same flight they were originally scheduled to work. Here is what happened.
Apparently when the previous nights hotel room was being 'cleaned' by the 'maid' a small piece of wax paper with a residue of white powder had been found in the trash basket. The maid, who just happened to have the number to US Corporate Security, reported the suspicious powder and the ball was set in motion. Obviously the 'maid' in this story has never lived in the south because the suspicious powder turned out to be nothing more than a 'Goody's' Headache powder. You may not know what that is but believe me they work faster on a headache than anything else I have ever found and they ARE legal. I'll bet our CLT readers
are getting a chuckle or two from reading this.
As an aside, when was the last time you ever heard of a maid taking the time to report so much as a lost article left behind to our company? Heck, I do not even have the number to Corporate Security so you tell me is there treachery afoot? Only the Shadow knows for sure.
It might behoove us to leave a tip the next time or perhaps not, as the FA in question was paid in full for the trip.
Speaking of CLT, I leave tonight for training and will then be on a needed vacation. But before I go, I have several updates to share with you plus the answer to a question being asked by many…
As of 4/28/03, 92 have applied for the VF-6 We are not sure for their seniority or eligibility
ALERT: The VF-6 will close on April 30,
2003
Shortly after I sent out the latest PHL/PHW News Line we received notice that the company was finally going to honor our contract by offering a VF-6. However, in my opinion, what they are calling a VF-6 is merely an attempt to duck a grievance by putting an 'X' in the box. It really is nothing more than the 'Leave In Lieu Of Furlough' we have in our contact, posing as a VF.
(See Section 20 in the 2000 Agreement)
When we negotiated the VF-1, we negotiated a program designed to be more enticing than what we already had in our 2000 agreement. As in the case with most negotiations, there was 'give and take' on both sides, but remember the VF-1 was negotiated BEFORE this new management came to USA.
In return for a program that we believed would save more jobs than the one in our agreement, we agreed to give the company temporary relief of displacement benefits. This New Management has since slashed the VF to the point it is now almost identical to or original language and therefore the displacement language in the same agreement should return in full force.
I contacted the MEC President to let him know that displacement and moving costs should return immediately.
(See Section 5 in the 2000 agreement.) Perry has put the company on notice.
For those of you who will soon be displaced, please understand we will most likely have to file a grievance against new management. It could take some time for this case to be heard so
please keep any needed receipts from moving expenses as per Section 5 of your contract. Also call your Supervisor to have them walk you through any required paperwork.
Please Remember:
'Upon request the company shall provide a flight attendant with five (5) consecutive calendar days free of all duty, three (3) days of which shall be paid and credited at the rate of five (5:00) hours per day, for the purpose of relocating.'
See exceptions on 5-2 of the 2000 agreement.
Staffing Increased By One On ITD 767's and A330's
Also right after the last News-Line, the company announced that they would staff all ITD flights with one more FA than previously announced. There will now be 6 on the 767 and 9 on the A330. Well, that's a start anyway.
Then yesterday we were told, that due to the increase in staffing, 14 of the FA's previously slotted for furlough will have their furlough notices rescinded.
While I am extremely grateful for any job that can be saved, I just do not see how only 14-saves in any way jives with the increase in staffing especially since only 12 out of the 14 will be AVL (available). The math simply does not add up.
Info On Furlough Numbers
I received several requests from FA's wanting to know where the System Seniority List now stands with all the reductions. So I spent the weekend trying to put the numbers together so you would have some idea as to where you stand. But first, I would like to say something and I hope you will all listen with an open mind. Although several wrote wondering where THEY stand, NO one wrote asking about our fellow flight attendants who will soon be without a job. Our company may think of us as nothing more than a number but we should never do the same.
So I thought that maybe WE need to bring this situation into focus by personalizing it a bit.
The other day, I had to participate in a fairly long MEC phone conference, when done I called the office to check in and see what had happened in my absence. I was told that during my 5-hour conference meeting Inflight Supervisors had alerted the office that they needed to schedule 15 FA's meetings! That is by far the most we have ever received in one day. I was appalled to find that most of these meetings were for FA's who would be furloughed within 48-hours of the meeting date.
I was told that some of the soon to be furloughed FA's were being called in now for infractions that happened months ago. While I do not fault the company for addressing issues concerning discipline, I do question the timing of this onslaught of last minute meetings.
So, just days before having their ID's taken away these FA's will spend an 'off day' to meet with their supervisors. What happened to a fond 'farewell' or a 'thanks' for your years of service?
We have been told that the supervisors are going through the soon to be furloughed FA's records looking for infractions. Imagine what June will bring.
Perplexed, I asked myself several questions. Why did the supervisors wait so long to address the infractions? Will they feel justified to hand out a warning for a late check-in, but expect their own tardiness to go unchallenged? What purpose does this all serve? If terminated just hours before furloughed will a FA still receive their severance pay or their medical?
We will wait to see what happens with this obvious targeting and decide if there will be a need to have our AFA attorneys or possibly the labor board look into the situation.
Who Will Be Furloughed?
Click Here for a list of codes and their meaning
Over the next two months we will lose 873 fellow flight attendants, below is a break down of their present status:
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AVL
EXL
MED
MAT
MIL
LTD
MES
PCP
LFP
COM
OJI
PER
NOP
TIN
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413
409
13
8
7
5
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1 |
(Available)
(Extended
Leaves/Voluntary Furloughs)
(Medical)
(Maternity)
(Military Leave)
(Long Term Disability)
(Medical Claiming Sick)
(Personal Care LOA - Paid)
(Family LOA - Paid)
(Company Business)
(Occupational Injury)
(Personal)
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As you may have noticed along with FA's who are out on Long Term Disability and Maternity who will now be without medical benefits that they so desperately need, we also have
7 FA's on MIL (Military Status). Their reward for serving our country during a war conflict is to be without a job when they return from overseas.
All 873 FA's and the 1083 furloughed before them hope that you think of them as part of your extended family and not just as a number. They are counting on you help do what you can to bring them home.
How Close Are You To Being Furloughed?
Using The April System Seniority List:
The April System Seniority List is the most recent I had to work with so there may be some slight changes to the numbers since then.
All numbers are approximates.
Total Number of FA's on our System Seniority List = 10,574 (includes furloughed FA's)
Total Number of FA's minus those furloughed = 8,616
Total Number of FA's that are AVL (available for duty) = 5,338
The Hire Date of the FA with a system seniority number of 5,338 = 10/24/1988 (by the way that FA is based right here in PHL)
Involuntary & Voluntary Furloughs:
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1083 Prior to May 2003 (this list starts with class 5/1/00 and goes down to class 6/25/01)
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261 slotted for furlough May 1, 2003 (out of the 261 only 112 are active line FA's.)
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616 now slotted for furlough June 4, 2003 (out of the 616 only 306 are active line FA's. However, another 48 were to return from VF's to AVL (active) status in June.)
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Total FA's on Involuntary Furlough (FUR) 6/4/03 = 1,960
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Total FA's on Voluntary Furlough (EXL) 4/1/03 = 2,453
Not all of the VF's are known at this time so I used the April Numbers.
-
Between the first class in 1999 (1/10/99) and the most senior furloughed FA (8/15/99) as of 6/4/03 there are 574 FA's of which only 297 are presently AVL. In other words if the company needed to reduce the number of line FA's by 297, most likely all 574 would be furloughed to reach the 297 number.
-
Total Number of FA's in Year Group 1998 = 519 of which only 280 are AVL
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Total Number of FA's in Year Group 1997 = 335 of which only 220 are AVL
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Total Number of FA's in Year Group 1996 = 297 of which only 181 are AVL
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Total Number of FA's from the top of Year Group 1992 through all of 1995 is 297 of which only 193 are AVL
Furloughs Hurt Everyone
As those junior to us are furloughed, the bottom will rise up to meet us and we will once again realize that growth means seniority. Many who have been lineholders for years will soon find themselves back on a Reserve system that will no longer be trip selection by seniority. Even if you will not be back on reserve, your seniority and work environment will still be affected in some way. Every FA line-holder or reserve will now be expected to fill in the gap created by the reduction in force.
Pilot's, Mechanics, Agents & cleaners are all union folks just like we are and when we do their jobs for free, we keep them from either keeping their job or from getting their job back. I am not saying to not do your FA job, you should continue to do the excellent job you have always done, I am just asking that you do not become an agent, mechanic, cleaner, crew tracker or pilot in the process. You can bet your last dollar if any one of those groups were to take it upon themselves to step into the shoes of one of our Furloughed FA's and do their job for free, I would raise more than Cain and I would use every contractual and legal remedy at my disposal to have them removed. I do not expect anything less from the CWA, the IAM, ALPA or the TWU. These are different times and although we must do what we can to make our company healthy, we should also try to remember that we must respect the rights of our brothers and sisters from other unions.
ALERT: ATL is NOT a cleaning station!
ALERT: It is an FAR to have the required number of FA's on board at all times. Please note that neither the jet way nor the ticket counter are part of the aircraft. If you elect to walk off the A/C for whatever reason while Pax's are on board you can be fined. Like I stated before these are different times and I would not be surprised with the heightened security and our recent announcement of reduced staffing to see more FAA inspectors on our flights. If you are plagued with dupe seats or a bag situation, your solution is to inform the Captain, who will inform dispatch, who will inform the gate agent, who will then address the problem. You should NEVER step off a minimum staffed aircraft for ANY reason PERIOD.
Let Your Voice Be Heard
We have tried to 'work with' this new management but to no avail. With statements like 'being a flight attendant was never meant to be a career' they have let us know how little they respect us, and our profession. It is time to, as they say, kick our issues upstairs. The public needs to know that the new 'April Fools Sick Policy' will force many of our members to work while ill, that we will continue to have a 5% War Deferral even though other airlines have rescinded similar agreements and that this management is not abiding by the spirit or intent of our Agreements.
The US Airways Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for June 6 & 7. While the Directors are enjoying the activities available at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort located in Point Clear, Alabama I suggest that some Informational Picketing would be in order. Andrew Perkins will be putting the particulars together and we will send out a News-Line when the plans are solid. Until then, try to clear your schedules for June 4 & 5.
Management's Disciplinary Actions
Since we ratified the Winter RA, our thanks has been to see a increase in the number of disciplinary actions. They cover a wide spectrum of infractions, but there have been a couple that have been for theft of Company property. As your Advocates, I along with everyone that works for you at the Council 70 office will go to bat for you in every way possible, but the most effective solution to this type of problem is to avoid it in the first place. I understand that many of you are facing financial difficulties, but risking your job and flying privileges is not worth a few dollars in petty cash or commodities. Whatever has caused the increase in disciplinary actions I need to let you know the Company appears to be actively pursuing them. That is their prerogative, but I am concerned about the approach they have taken in more than one of the cases. As such I want anyone who is approached by Company officials or any law enforcement officials (e.g. Customs) to:
- 1. Determine what you are being charged with and why you are being charged.
- 2. Then whether guilty or innocent let them know you will not discuss their allegations without a Union Representative being present.
Do not forfeit your rights under your contract, or for that matter the laws of the United States of America you, have certain rights to due process. Don't give them away. I would also encourage each of you to ask another FA or the Captain to sit in until we can get some one to you.
Uniform Expense & Sick Bank
In the previous News-Line I mentioned how an FA had their sick banked docked more hours than they were paid. I received an e-mail from another FA stating that he claimed a 25 hour trip but due to some fly back he was only paid for 5-hours sick which took him to his option maximum. He wrote to say that although he only received 5-hours of pay & credit for his sick call his sick bank was docked the full 25-hours. Again I ask that you check every thing TWICE. This management took way too much of our pay already, we need to make sure they do not take one dime more.
I also received an e-mail from a FA who stated that she believes her uniforms should have been paid off by now, but she is still being docked $10.00 a month for uniforms that are 5-year olds.
If you are not sure how much you still owe on your uniforms or believe they should have been paid off but your pay is still reflecting the $10.00 deduction, please contact your Supervisor ASAP. AFA does not have access to the information you will need to pursue a remedy but your Supervisor does or can get if for you.
I will contact the MEC Uniform chair to let her know that we may have a problem.
A Call For Help From Your Local Representatives
It is my belief that PHL/PHW has more local talent in the area of past union experience than all the other bases combined. I am calling on anyone who would like to volunteer their precious time to assist as one of the witnesses now needed for the deluge of FA-Supervisor meetings that are constantly coming our way, especially those of you (and you know who you are) who have years of experience as union rep's dealing with disciplinary issues. Your local and your fellow FA's need you now! It is my contention that this is NOT the same company we used to work for and for a fact we are now seeing things (in a bad way) that we have NEVER seen before when it comes to targeting our group.
I wish I could offer more than meal expense money but alas I cannot, at least at this time. You see, in order to save pay and jobs for the International AFA Officers and staff, this local has had its budget SIGNIFICANTLY reduced. Even though I voted against the reduction, as I cannot see how we can even begin to offer the services you so rightly deserve, I am hopeful that many of you will want to volunteer to stop the further erosion of our rights and the tracking of our members. If you want to do something rewarding, give the local a call to sign up as a volunteer to protect fellow FA's during supervisory meetings, I promise you will NOT be bored!
I am still battling a computer problem and now have a mountain of mail backed up. So please accept this as my heartfelt 'THANK YOU' to all those who have written. You are my eyes and ears and I appreciate you letting me know what is happening. I also want to thank those who took their time to share a few words of encouragement. You guys are the best! Please know that I read every piece of mail and then get to work addressing the injustices.
FYI; The Council 40 LEC President has just put out a newsletter, you can access it by going to www.afausairways.org and then click onto the PIT site.
Please read this interesting article titled "The Axis of
Excess" By Joe Brancatelli, a MUST read about the amoral men who run the nation's largest airlines.
Well, that is all for now, it is time for me to catch my ride to CLT.
"Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value."
--Thomas Paine
Take Care, Fly Safe and Check Your Six,
Mollie McCarthy
LEC President
Council 70 PHL/PHW
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