APFA to send AA's last best offer to members for a vote

[FWAAA]

DALLAS (AP) -- The flight attendants' union at American Airlines said Friday that it would send the troubled company's latest contract offer to its members for a ratification vote.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants declined to call it a tentative agreement and didn't indicate whether the union's executive committee endorsed the offer.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/aa-flight-attendants-vote-contract-170751817.html

Still includes headcount reductions of 2,300 and FAs have been offered a 3% claim in the company (compared to the 13.5% offered to the pilots). Profit sharing reduced to 5% (from 15%) to pay for higher wage rates and other benefits.

 

[amtide]

F/A offer does not look good enough to pass. At least they does not call it a T/A like the TWU. Lets vote all three contracts down (Pilots, F/A and M&R) and get the company to the negotiating table again. They have to make a fair offer for us to vote for it. Lets get together to get better deals.

M&R how can we vote for this POS? Vote NO and lets get rid of TWU

 

[Veritas]

The agreement and the Q&A's.

 

[JABORD]

F/A offer does not look good enough to pass. At least they does not call it a T/A like the TWU. Lets vote all three contracts down (Pilots, F/A and M&R) and get the company to the negotiating table again. They have to make a fair offer for us to vote for it. Lets get together to get better deals.

M&R how can we vote for this POS? Vote NO and lets get rid of TWU

[background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]
There is one bright spot for labor in the airline industry. NWA’s feeder carrier, Mesaba Airlines, followed NWA into bankruptcy at the end of 2005. Seeing what had happened at NWA, the three main unions at the airline formed the Mesaba Labor Coalition.[/background][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]
The alliance was forged at all levels, with the unions (ALPA, AFA, and AMFA) coordinating their negotiations, legal tactics, and community outreach efforts.[/background][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]
The coalition offers a ready model for labor at every airline. Instead of factionalism, these unions are uniting against their common enemy.[/background][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]
http://labornotes.org/print/node/421[/background]

 

[Raptorman49]

Not bad pay for serving drinks & snacks, I didn't know they made this kind of money.

AMERICAN AIRLINES LAST BEST AND FINAL OFFER TO
THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
JULY 19, 2012
Page 12 of 22
ATTACHMENT C
BASE PAY RATES - FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
DOS DOS +12 DOS +24 DOS +36 DOS +48 DOS +60
Increase: 3.0% 2.0% 1.5% 1.0% 1.0% 1.0%
Paystep Current DOS DOS +12 DOS +24 DOS +36 DOS +48 DOS +60
1 $ 20.24 $ 20.85 $ 21.26 $ 21.58 $ 21.80 $ 22.02 $ 22.24
2 $ 21.98 $ 22.64 $ 23.09 $ 23.44 $ 23.67 $ 23.91 $ 24.15
3 $ 23.81 $ 24.52 $ 25.01 $ 25.39 $ 25.64 $ 25.90 $ 26.16
4 $ 25.04 $ 25.79 $ 26.31 $ 26.70 $ 26.97 $ 27.24 $ 27.51
5 $ 27.97 $ 28.81 $ 29.39 $ 29.83 $ 30.12 $ 30.43 $ 30.73
6 $ 32.32 $ 33.29 $ 33.96 $ 34.46 $ 34.81 $ 35.16 $ 35.51
7 $ 34.95 $ 36.00 $ 36.72 $ 37.27 $ 37.64 $ 38.02 $ 38.40
8 $ 36.83 $ 37.93 $ 38.69 $ 39.27 $ 39.67 $ 40.06 $ 40.46
9 $ 38.37 $ 39.52 $ 40.31 $ 40.92 $ 41.33 $ 41.74 $ 42.16
10 $ 39.89 $ 41.09 $ 41.91 $ 42.54 $ 42.96 $ 43.39 $ 43.83
11 $ 41.20 $ 42.44 $ 43.28 $ 43.93 $ 44.37 $ 44.82 $ 45.27
12 $ 42.65 $ 43.93 $ 44.81 $ 45.48 $ 45.94 $ 46.39 $ 46.86
13 $ 43.83 $ 45.14 $ 46.05 $ 46.74 $ 47.21 $ 47.68 $ 48.15
14 $ 44.90 $ 46.25 $ 47.17 $ 47.88 $ 48.36 $ 48.84 $ 49.33
15 $ 46.00 $ 47.38 $ 48.33 $ 49.05 $ 49.54 $ 50.04 $ 50.54

 

[nbmcg01]

Pay is deceptive. It is NOT based on a 40 hour week. It is based on actual flight time. Not check in, check out, not sitting on a plane with pax, not during layovers, (although you can be re-assigned so you're considered on company time).....actual flight time. There are hundreds of free services provided by f/as every month. Of course the company never takes that value into consideration.

There is a lot more to being a f/a than serving drinks and snacks. Most have multiple degrees and speak several languages. How rude to make such a demeaning statement. The big reason for the pay, putting up with perceptions like yours..lol Besides, they were smart enough to get the job.

 

[Raptorman49]

Pay is deceptive. It is NOT based on a 40 hour week. It is based on actual flight time. Not check in, check out, not sitting on a plane with pax, not during layovers, (although you can be re-assigned so you're considered on company time).....actual flight time. There are hundreds of free services provided by f/as every month. Of course the company never takes that value into consideration.

There is a lot more to being a f/a than serving drinks and snacks. Most have multiple degrees and speak several languages. How rude to make such a demeaning statement. The big reason for the pay, putting up with perceptions like yours..lol Besides, they were smart enough to get the job.

Oh don't get me wrong I wouldn't want that job for the money they make, flying isn't very comfortable & they spend a lot of time away from home, if I had to be on a plane for many hours on a regular basis for my job it would have to be as a Pilot at least they make a lot of money & have comfortable seats they can sit in, I have a Pilots license & considered taking it all the way to ATP but didn't want to spend many hours in a plane & away from my family so it wasn't worth it to me even for the money they make, you can't put a dollar value on being able to be with your family.

 

[bluebird]

The Early Out does not state “bridge to retirement”. Is it? Do you get normal travel privileges for example at age 55?

 

[Veritas]

The Early Out does not state “bridge to retirement”. Is it? Do you get normal travel privileges for example at age 55?

Yes, according to the Q&A's:

Q: What if I am between 50 and 54 years old?

A: If you are at least 50 years old, you may take advantage of the company’s “50 to 55 Rule”. This company wide rule allows you to leave the company once you are at least 50 years old, without benefits, but once you turn 55 you can retire with the retirement benefits to which a Flight Attendant at that age is entitled including Retiree Pass Benefits.

 

[bluebird]

I read that but that is for 50-55. What about those younger than 50 with 15 years of service who take the Early Out? Early Out phrasing used to include the wording “…to retirement”. In other words, you take the Early Out and then when you turn 55 your benefits kick in.

You would go without travel benefits for example until you turned 55. Do I misunderstand this?

 

[Hopeful]

I read that but that is for 50-55. What about those younger than 50 with 15 years of service who take the Early Out? Early Out phrasing used to include the wording “…to retirement”. In other words, you take the Early Out and then when you turn 55 your benefits kick in.

You would go without travel benefits for example until you turned 55. Do I misunderstand this?

I may be wrong, but if you are under 50, you would be eligible for the early out, but travel priviliges would end.

 

[bluebird]

It’s confusing because it’s called VEOP not VBR (Voluntary Bridge to Retirement) like programs offered before.

Also, you cannot accept VEOP and Article 30. I suppose the Early Out (bridge to nowhere) only applies to those under age 45 w/ 15+ years.

 

[Veritas]

I read that but that is for 50-55. What about those younger than 50 with 15 years of service who take the Early Out? Early Out phrasing used to include the wording “…to retirement”. In other words, you take the Early Out and then when you turn 55 your benefits kick in.
O
You would go without travel benefits for example until you turned 55. Do I misunderstand this?

Those under 50 will only be eligible for normal separation travel benefits, i.e., 18 month (24 months with perfect attendance) D2 passes.

Every one with 15 years of company seniority is eligible for the $40K early out bonus. The only restriction is that it can't be combined with Article 30.

Please read the Q&A's linked above. All the information is there.

 

[jimntx]

I read that but that is for 50-55. What about those younger than 50 with 15 years of service who take the Early Out? Early Out phrasing used to include the wording “…to retirement”. In other words, you take the Early Out and then when you turn 55 your benefits kick in.

You would go without travel benefits for example until you turned 55. Do I misunderstand this?

The complete LBFO says nothing about travel benefits. It is posted on the Flight Service website. It also didn't mention pension benefits for people currently too young to retire. (Is this going to be like Article 25 where you have to forfeit your right to a pension?) The Q&A on the APFA website mentions these things, but the Q&A also states that there are no limits on the number of people who could take the early out. It says that anyone who applies will get it.

However, the actual LBFO document clearly states that the company can limit both the number of early outs awarded as well as the separation date. I am concerned about differences between the actual document and the term sheet-LBFO comparison document, and between what the APFA is telling us in the Q&A document and the actual document.

 

[jimntx]

Other LBFO concerns:

1. Forfeiture of the 30-in-7 rule. (Currently, the company can not force any f/a to fly more than 30 hours in a rolling 7-day period. High time flyers can waive their 30-in-7, but the company can not make you do it.)
2. Particularly, when coupled with the substitution of 10 "24s" for 5 "48s." (For those who are thoroughly mistified...(lol), a "48" is two 24-hour duty free periods back to back. Our contract currently calls for a minimum of 5 "48s" on a regular line of flying; i.e., there must be at least 5 48-hour long (or more) rest breaks in each schedule.

I was talking with a friend who flies for Frontier about this. She warned me against this. I said that with the 30-in-7 rule going away and the ability of the company to build lines up to 100 hours (and you know they will all be as close to this as possible), I could foresee 3-day trip, 1 day off, 3-day trip, 1 day off, 3-day trip, 1 day off for almost the whole month.

She said that they had something similar at Frontier, and that company is building lines with 6 days on, 1 day off, 6 days on kind of scheduling. She also said that you would not believe the number of Frontier f/as out on IODs that are directly related to f/a fatigue.

3. The 100 hour max on the monthly schedules. I know that the document calls for an "average of 80 to 90 hours per line," but considering that for every 6 lines they build to 100 hours (as opposed to 80-85 hours), they have just eliminated the need for another flight attendant with all those pesky benefits, how many of us believe that AMR will build the lines to only 80-85 hours out of the goodness of their hearts? (And, this is much easier to do with Pref Bidding than with the current system.)

4. 16 day cap on days on (with maximum of 18 days in actual operation). Here again, this is only for lines that are 85 hours or more, but refer to question in item 3.

5. The retiree health insurance retention. It says that the employee may sign up for a Medicare supplement insurance through the company to be administered by a 3rd party. Well, hell I can sign up for a Medicare supplement insurance without the company's help. The only benefit would be any premium could be paid for with the company's contribution to the current prefunding plan which will be placed in a Health Resources account. (Note, according to my Medicare book from the SSA, most Medicare supplement plans have a zero premium.)

All this appears to be just like APFA in the past, they are only looking at pay rates, not duty rigs or anything else. And, through tough negotiation, they have increased the pay rates 1.5% over what the company proposed in the term sheet. 7.5% increase over 6 years in the term sheet. 9% over 6 years in the LBFO. At last, Mother can have that operation!

For me, I see no reason at all to vote Yes.