Please read below, latest e-line to the f/as. Green Ribbons will be worn along with the AFA pin as the official emblem, and signifies mangement consistently violating our contract, as per the resolution and the passing of the Agenda Item at the latest MEC meeting.
AFA HOTLINE 07-03
July 29, 2003
5% SALARY DEFERRAL ENDS
The labor leaders of US Airways were advised by Jerry Glass, Sr. VP, Employee Relations, that the Company has decided to stop the 5% salary deferral that began when the war in Iraq began. Mr. Glass advised the labor leaders the CEO Dave Siegel had made this decision because the deferral was an additional sacrifice and that it has been a critical issue for all the employees. According to Mr. Glass, CEO Siegel believes that ending the deferral is the right thing to do. CEO Siegel has said he would prefer to fight the competition and not fight with the employees of the Company.
AFA is pleased that management has decided to end the deferral. The decision is a step in the right direction and we hope the Company will continue with other efforts to help improve employee morale and working conditions.
The announcement to end the salary deferral was made on the same date that US Airways reported second quarter net income of $13 million.
VOLUNTARY FURLOUGHS AND INVOLUNTARY FURLOUGHS
Involuntary furloughs will begin on September 1 and September 4, 2003. One hundred and ninety flight attendants will be involuntary furloughed on those two dates. Of those 190, 76 are currently active and 114 are inactive. The last person to be furloughed is from the August 29, 1999 flight attendant class. Lists are posted in the crew rooms and will be available on The Hub today. Furlough notices will also be mailed today.
At the current time, the Company has not provided us with any information regarding possible displacements as a result of the furloughs.
The Company will be offering another Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP) and we will provide you with more information as soon as it becomes available.
RESERVE SYSTEM PLANNED IMPLEMENTATION
As we have advised previously, AFA and the Company met for several months in an effort to come to an agreement on the terms of last winter’s restructuring agreement as it relates to the new reserve system. AFA and the Company could not reach agreement on a significant number of issues, and last week, the Company advised AFA that they would be implementing what they believe they negotiated with a target date for implementation of November 1, 2003.
The Company issued a CBS message to all flight attendants that could have been taken to mean that AFA and the Company were “jointly†issuing that message. That is not the case. That memo was simply the Company’s rhetoric and AFA did not take part in or contribute to that memo. At this point in time, we have no idea what the Company plans to implement. We have not been advised by the Company of what they plan to implement and we do not believe they have actually developed what they are planning to implement.
Last week, on an eline, we advised the flight attendants to contact their supervisors with questions about the new reserve system. This was done in order to get the flight attendants to put pressure on management to put out to the employees what the new reserve system will be. It was not done so AFA would not have to answer your questions, but until the Company publishes what they are planning on implementing, we have no way of advising you accordingly.
AFA has been talking to the Company in an effort to get this case scheduled for Mediation/Arbitration as soon as possible. This would be a forum where the unresolved issues would be mediated in an attempt to come to agreement on those issues. In the end, any unresolved issues relating to the new reserve system would be subject to the arbitrator’s decision. As soon as we have more information on this, we will let you know.
AFA ADOPTS GREEN RIBBON AS PART OF OFFICIAL EMBLELM
The US Airways MEC adopted the placement of a green ribbon behind the AFA pin as the official emblem of the Association at US Airways. The purpose of this is to send a message to management, other employees, and the flying public of the turmoil we are living with each day at this airline. The employees of this company have made their sacrifices in order for he airline to survive and our management team continues to wreak havoc on our working agreement and take more than they bargained for. Please show your support for your union’s efforts and wear your pin with the green ribbon.
JUMPSEAT AND DEADHEADING
Please be reminded that you are not required to ride in a vacant flight attendant jump seat while you are deadheading. In doing so, you may deny a fellow crewmember the only seat available while they are attempting to commute to work or home. We have had reports of agents telling deadheading flight attendants that they are required to ride the jump seat. This is not correct and we ask that you report any violations to your Local AFA office.
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