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 from here.  (http://www.afausairways.org/PHL/phlemailform.html)

August 03, 2004

Dear Council 70 Flying Partners,

After much protesting for months and months from the MEC as well as many of the members, the company has remedied the sick policies and has taken away all of the pay penalties for both Reserves and Line Holders. They honored and respected the fact that we were all very miserable with these kinds of convoluted policies that effected our pay and morale.

This was to be an interim fix, as we told the company that the flight attendants did not have an incentive to come to work if they were being penalized for calling in sick and enduring pay penalties that impoverish them.

The sick calls have been extremely high and continue to be high EVEN WITH THE FIX.

I am asking all flight attendants to be cognizant of this effort by management to change this policy, as they trust we will also be honorable when calling in sick for our illnesses.


The gauge for management is to observe for signs that the sick calls are dropping and that flight attendants do not abuse sick time.

If the sick calls remain high....management will reinstitute the pay penalties.

I am calling on everyone to observe that this "fix" by management was out of respect for flight attendants who we say are committed to this company and their profession and only use sick when sick and should not be unjustly punished through pay for being ill.

Please remain committed to making our company successful and in turn, we will be successful in our negotiations to maintain the high standards this profession calls for.

Please, pass this information along to all flight attendants.

Our sick calls will be measured at the end of the month. Help me, help you, keep the sick calls down and convince management that we are well deserving of a decent standard of living and respect.

Take care and fly safe,

Mollie McCarthy
LECP Council 70