Though the pace of the talks intensified, no major breakthroughs were reached. We closed one section, Section 28-Collective Bargaining Service Charge. Sixteen sections are now closed. Sixteen sections remain open.

Discussions were more wide-ranging than usual and included: Section 7-Vacation, Section 8-Sick Leave, Section 9-Scheduling, Section 11-Reserve, Section 12-International, Section 20-Leaves of Absence, Section 21-Training, Section 22-Benefits, Section 26-Association Activities.

We had our difficulties this week when negotiations nearly broke down completely over section 11-Reserve. Senior Mediator Larry Gibbons was able to persuade the parties to return to the table.

In an acknowledgement by the National Mediation Board of the importance of our negotiations, the Chairman of the NMB, Ernie Dubester, joined in the last two days of mediation. He advised the Company to put an economic proposal on the table very soon. Your Negotiating Committee strongly endorses this move. The Company has hidden behind their "parity plus 1%" rhetoric for too long to avoid addressing our pay package.

Also this week, AFA renewed our request for a proffer of binding arbitration, the first step toward getting a release. However, in light of Chairman Dubester's direction to the Company, it appears that a release will not be immediately forthcoming.

We anticipate the NMB will schedule future meetings when the Company has its economic proposal ready. Check the Hotline, *e-line* and website, http://www.afausairways.org for future negotiation dates.

Message from the CHAOS Command Center
The CHAOStm Command Center (CCC) was created by your Union's leadership in preparation for CHAOStm. The CCC is the location from which AFA will control all CHAOStm activities if we are forced to resort to self-help by US Airways Management. 

The CHAOStm Command Center will continuously develop, refine, coordinate and strategically deploy all CHAOStm-related activities.

Richard Delgadillo, LEC President Council 40 (PIT), will head the CHAOStm Command Center with the assistance of many others. We will look for your help in a number of ways as CHAOStm gets closer. Get ready to volunteer!

Information on how you can do your share will be provided to your LEC Presidents soon. Call this Hotline and check the website www.afausairways.org for current updates from the CCC.

Master Executive Council Meeting
The first of three regularly scheduled MEC meetings for 2000 will be held this week in Charlotte beginning Monday, January 31st. This four-day MEC meeting is open to all members in good standing. Come to the South Park Suites Hotel, 6300 Morrison Boulevard, Charlotte, NC. Please check your local AFA bulletin board for further details.
 

Winter Weather Hits East Coast - May Trigger Pay Protection
Due to the severe weather that continues to hit the East Coast, many of you may experience flight cancellations, crew substitutions, and illegalities.

Keep in mind that our Working Agreement provides pay protection for many of these situations. Additionally, many of you may qualify for pay protection under "last trip of the month".

Please review your Contract, Section 9, pages 9-6,9-7 and 9-16, and Section 10, pages 10-20 for more information. If you have questions about your contractual rights, please contact your local union office.

Negotiating for the Company were: Bruce Ashby, Tony Bralich, Rob Fuhr, Luis McSween, Dave Chapla, and Susan Wall. Representing AFA were: Clare Burt, Terry Graf, Lynn Lenosky, and Mark Littleton. The National Mediation Board was represented by Senior Mediator Larry Gibbons.

There is no progress to report on additional closed sections from last week's talks.

An intense two days of discussions took place on Section 22-Health, Welfare, and Retirement Benefits. Angie Gossman and Mark Dungan joined the talks these days on behalf of the Company. Assisting AFA's team were Laurie Borman, AFA Benefits Attorney and Christine Dragotta, Senior Benefits Analyst. 

The Company's response to our retirement proposal was not
encouraging. Wide differences still exist between the goals of AFA and the Company in this section. 

Other discussions last week focused on Section 7-Vacation, Section 8-Sick Leave, Section 20-Leaves of Absence, and Section 21-Training. The Company is still intent on getting concessions from the flight attendants in most of these sections.

Your Negotiating Committee will meet with the Company through this week in an effort to reduce the number of open issues, an essential step in getting the NMB to grant AFA's request for a release. 

On behalf of the Negotiating Committee THANK YOU for your
continued support. Your solidarity is the driving force at the bargaining table.

Continue to wear your AFA pin and green ribbon on the line everyday. You are having an effect on the process. Keep up the pressure.

Message from the CHAOS Command Center
The CHAOS Command Center (CCC) was a concept created by your Union's leadership on December 13, 1999.  Since then the CCC has taken shape as the location from which your Union will control  CHAOS when and if we are forced to by US Airways Management. The CHAOS Command center will function to continuously develop, refine, coordinate and strategically deploy all CHAOS-related functions. Richard Delgadillo, LEC President Council 40 (PIT), will head the CHAOS Command Center with the assistance of many  others. We will be looking for your help in a number of ways as the  reality of CHAOS grows closer. Get ready to volunteer!   Information on how you can make sure you do your share will be provided to your local AFA leaders very soon. Remember to call AFA's Hotline toll free at 800-654-3143 while flying or at home for the most current updates.

Northwest Flight Attendants Union Sued
On Wednesday, January 5, 2000, a federal judge in Minnesota issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting Northwest Airlines' flight attendants from taking any work actions while in contract negotiations. The court issued the TRO after Northwest Airlines filed suit against the Teamsters, the union representing the NWA flight attendants, alleging the union had engaged in a "sickout" to pressure the Company at the bargaining table. 

Northwest management claims that a dramatic increase in the number of flight attendant sick calls caused the cancellation of numerous flights over the New Year's weekend, and caused numerous other flights to operate understaffed. NWA management also alleges that the Teamsters Union and its officers organized and promoted the "sick out".

This is a good opportunity to make our position on such matters very clear: 

AFA does NOT and WILL NOT support, condone or authorize "sick outs", or any other work action while our negotiations with US Airways continue.

We are still in federally-mediated talks. We cannot engage in any work action designed to put economic pressure on the Company unless and until we are released, then exhaust a 30-day cooling-off period without reaching an agreement. Until then, our CHAOStm campaign must be strictly limited to informational and preparatory activity. Please follow the instructions you receive from AFA to keep our campaign legal.

To reiterate, the time to take work actions will be after the 30-day cooling-off period if no agreement is reached. If we must go into a cooling-off period, you will receive instructions from AFA about when, where and how CHAOS strikes will be staged. Until you receive such instructions, you must not take any action that would risk a lawsuit from US Airways.

Master Executive Council Meeting
The first of three regularly scheduled MEC meetings for 2000 will held in Charlotte beginning Monday, January 31st. This four-day meeting will be conducted at the South Park Suites Hotel, 6300 Morrison Boulevard, Charlotte, NC. This MEC meeting is open to all members in good standing. Please check your local AFA bulletin board for further details.Keep committed. Stay Informed.

No new sections were closed in the last negotiations session. However, there was significant progress in reducing the number of open issues within some open sections. 

Issues within Section 9-Scheduling, Section 10-Hours of Service and Section 11-Reserve, have been resolved. Section 12- International and Section 13-LOD/O were also discussed.

Though major differences remain between the two sides' positions on key issues, this progress is important. For the National Mediation Board to grant AFA'S request for a release, the number of open issues within the open sections must be reduced.

The fact that the Company has moved at all can be credited to the flight attendants' demonstrated commitment to a Contract of Choice. The Company has noticed: 

The overwhelming strike vote authorization announced December 20.
The system-wide participation in Pre-CHAOS picketing in November. 
The high percentage of flight attendants wearing their AFA pins and green ribbons on the line everyday.

On behalf of the Negotiating Committee, THANK YOU for your efforts. You are having an effect on these talks. Your Solidarity is the driving force at the bargaining table. Keep up the pressure.

Talks will resume next Monday, January 17th, in Baltimore. Initially, these talks were scheduled for Philadelphia, but a shortage of suitable hotel space there made the change to Baltimore necessary.

Northwest Flight Attendants Union Sued
On Wednesday, January 5, 2000, a federal judge in Minnesota issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting Northwest Airlines' flight attendants from taking any work actions while in contract negotiations. The court issued the TRO after Northwest Airlines filed suit against the Teamsters, the union representing the NWA flight attendants, alleging the union had engaged in a "sickout" to pressure the Company at the bargaining table. 

Northwest management claims that a dramatic increase in the number of flight attendant sick calls caused the cancellation of numerous flights over the New Year's weekend, and caused numerous other flights to operate understaffed. NWA management also alleges that the Teamsters Union and its officers organized and promoted the "sick out".

This is a good opportunity to make our position on such matters very clear: 

AFA does NOT and WILL NOT support, condone or authorize "sick outs", or any other work action while our negotiations with US Airways continue.

We are still in federally-mediated talks. We cannot engage in any work action designed to put economic pressure on the Company unless and until we are released, then exhaust a 30-day cooling-off period without reaching an agreement. Until then, our CHAOStm campaign must be strictly limited to informational and preparatory activity. Please follow the instructions you receive from AFA to keep our campaign legal.

To reiterate, the time to take work actions will be after the 30-day cooling-off period if no agreement is reached. If we must go into a cooling-off period, you will receive instructions from AFA about when, where and how CHAOS strikes will be staged. Until you receive such instructions, you must not take any action that would risk a lawsuit from US Airways.

MEC Committee Chairperson Vacancy
The position of MEC NEGOTIATIONS SUPPORT COMMITTEE Chairperson is vacant because of a recent resignation. The MEC will hold an election to fill this vacancy at their next meeting on January 31st. All interested candidates should submit an application, a resume' and/or a willingness-to-serve statement to the MEC office no later than January 21, 2000. Please check your local AFA bulletin board for the duties, responsibilities and qualifications for this position.

MEC Meeting
The first of three regularly scheduled MEC meetings for 2000 will held in Charlotte beginning Monday, January 31st. This four-day meeting will be conducted at the South Park Suites Hotel, 6300 Morrison Boulevard, Charlotte, NC. This MEC meeting is open to all members in good standing. Please check your local AFA bulletin board for further details.

Transoceanic Domicile Bid
The Transoceanic Domicile Bid for PHW, CLW, and PIW opened on January 3rd and will close on Wednesday, January 19th at 12:00 noon. This bid is for the six-month period May 1, 2000 - October 31, 2000. Please note that A330 staffing is being discussed in negotiations and has not been determined yet.

MEC Grievance Settlement on Training
The grievance on "Targeted Training" has been settled. The company  has agreed to pay protect all flight attendants who were required to attend "Targeted Training" on a day subsequent to their scheduled recurrent training days during 1999. The Union and the Company agreed that each flight attendant would be paid 2:15 pay no credit for the "Targeted Training" during 1999.

For 2000, "Targeted Training" will be offered on the same day as the scheduled recurrent training. If a flight attendant chooses to attend "Targeted Training" on a day after the scheduled recurrent training there will no additional pay.

Issues within Section 9-Scheduling, Section 10-Hours of Service and Section 11-Reserve have been resolved. Section 12- International and Section 13-LOD/O were also discussed.

Though major differences remain between the two sides' positions on key issues, any progress is important. For the National Mediation Board to grant AFA'S request for a release, the number of open issues within the open sections must be reduced.

The fact that the Company has moved at all can be credited to the flight attendants' demonstrated commitment to a Contract of Choice. The Company has noticed: 
 

The overwhelming strike vote authorization announced December 20.
The system-wide participation in Pre-CHAOS picketing in November. 
The abundance of flight attendants wearing their AFA pins and green ribbons on the line everyday.

On behalf of the Negotiating Committee, THANK YOU. You are having an effect on these talks. Your Solidarity is the driving force at the bargaining table. Keep up the pressure.

Talks will resume January 17 in Baltimore. Initially, these talks were scheduled for Philadelphia, but a shortage of suitable hotel space made the change to Baltimore necessary.

Northwest management claims that a dramatic increase in the number of flight attendant sick calls caused the cancellation of numerous flights over the New Year's weekend, and caused numerous other flights to operate understaffed. NWA management also alleges that the Teamsters Union and its officers organized and promoted the "sick out".

This is a good opportunity to make our position on such matters very clear: 

AFA does NOT and WILL NOT support, condone or authorize "sick outs", or any other work action while our negotiations with US Airways continue.

We are still in federally-mediated talks. We cannot engage in any work action designed to put economic pressure on the Company unless and until we are released, then exhaust a 30-day cooling-off period without reaching an agreement. Until then, our CHAOStm campaign must be strictly limited to informational and preparatory activity. Please follow the instructions you receive from AFA to keep our campaign legal.

To reiterate, the time to take work actions will be after the 30-day cooling-off period if no agreement is reached. If we must go into a cooling-off period, you will receive instructions from AFA about when, where and how CHAOS strikes will be staged. Until you receive such instructions, you must not take any action that would risk a lawsuit from US Airways.

While disappointed that we have not been granted a release, the Negotiating Committee will continue to meet in good faith to negotiate a Contract of Choice while still pressing the NMB for a release if significant progress is not made.

At AFA's insistence, the NMB has agreed to schedule talks at neutral locations outside Washington, D.C. After the week of talks in Pittsburgh, negotiations move to Philadelphia for two weeks starting the week of January 17.

As a reminder, during Section 6 negotiations, the Union does not authorize, condone or support any action that could harm the Company.

For 2000, "Targeted Training" will be offered on the same day as the scheduled recurrent training. If a flight attendant chooses to attend "Targeted Training" on a day after the scheduled recurrent training there will no additional pay.

New Year Wishes
On behalf of the Master Executive Council, your MEC officers and your Negotiating Committee, a very happy and prosperous New Year to you.