Flight Attendant Furlough #''s

I wouldn't be surprised to a lot more voluntary furloughs. We are losing faith in this airline. I wouldn't mind a little time off just to get away from the stress while I look for a new career. At MY age!

Sad thing is, I think the AFA contract is plenty flexible for the company. They just haven't bothered to make the most of it.

Obviously, our inflight service levels are going to drop further. Perhaps vending machines can be installed in the jetways so people can get their drink and Sky Mix. Of course, our FF's will be sent tokens for the machines...unless good old Ben B. has a say in it.
 
I understand that more applications for voluntary furloughs were received than thought necessary at the time. Any chance those who wanted voluntary furlough will be able to take it and save a few jobs for those who still want to work?
 
Came from PHL supervisor and CLT AFA. Just call your local AFA office and they can confirm. There will be an E-line out tonight I would think. Yes, about 150 were denied the Vol Furlough last month (like management didn't know about this 4 weeks ago?) ....So AFA says there will be a Voluntary Furlough # 3 for Jan or Feb. I doubt that many people will take it since Voluntary Furlough 2 had 900 take it. Whoever wanted to leave most likely aleady did.
 
What a classic example of the AFA MEC and LECs failing to orchestrate an effective and consistent response.

MEC says no numbers given.

CLT LEC apparently has given numbers.

PHL Supervisor chattering about numbers, but he/she is not named by source.

7,000 dues-paying AFA- members scratching heads.

 
Stewart:

Check your CATCREW mail.....you will find a lovely message from Sherry Hendry.....VP In-flight. She says 810. IT's A FACT.
 
For Immediate Release: AFA International
November 26, 2002
Contact: Dawn Deeks 202/712-9799 ext. 804


US Airways Flight Attendants'
Statement on Management's Nov. 26 Announcement


WASHINGTON, DC- Perry Hayes, US Airways Master Executive Council President of the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO, made this statement following US Airways announcement that it will seek further work rule/benefit changes to complete restructuring.


After a meeting with US Airways CEO Dave Siegel on Nov. 5, 2002, the members of the AFA US Airways Master Executive Council met with representatives of management today to get an update on the bankruptcy process and our airline's current financial condition.


Management's basic message was that the airline is not meeting the revenue projections that were in its application to the Air Transportation Stabilization Board for a $1 billion loan guarantee. Management said that revenue shortfall could be problematic if the trend continues.


To make up the difference between its revenue projections and the shortfall, management suggested that it may come to the unions and ask for productivity improvements in labor contracts, but reiterated that it will not ask the bankruptcy court to make more cuts.


Today's announcement by US Airways management means they fully intend to move forward with asking us for more concessions. Our response today is the same as our response following the Nov. 5 meeting: the flight attendants will not consider the new financial crisis to be serious until management takes further wage and benefit cuts, extends those cuts through the term of the ATSB loan process (like the flight attendant concessions are), and management concludes negotiations over further cuts with the other labor groups on the property.


American workers can't continue to voluntarily suffer in order to prop up failing executives. Those executives need to share the pain at US Airways, if this airline is going to survive. Only time will tell if management is ready to make the same sacrifices it is asking from its workers to save the airline.


To date, no new negotiations have been scheduled. Management has not said if it will deepen its share of the cuts. Management also has not said how many new flight attendant furloughs will result from the latest announcement.


More than 50,000 flight attendants at 26 airlines, including 7,000 at US Airways, join together to form AFA, the world's largest flight attendant union. Visit us @ www.afanet.org.


***********************************************
 
According to tonights eline, there are no furlough numbers. I understand that there will be a vol for jan feb VF#3 but no numbers are out per this eline!
 
In this E-Line
(All of this information is available on our website - http://www.afausairways.org)


Proposed Flight Attendant Productivity/Benefits Modifications and Returns
Proposed Benefits Changes
Voluntary Furlough 3 & VF3 Request Form
CBS for all CLT and PHL Flight Attendants only

US Airways management requested a meeting with all labor groups on Tuesday, November 26. At this meeting we were told the company's revised business plan needs an additional $200 Million in concessions from all labor groups in order to qualify for the ATSB loan. All labor groups received PROPOSALS. Below is a summary of the company's PROPOSAL to AFA.


AFA will be participating in a conference call with the Labor Coalition on Friday morning. The AFA MEC will discuss the outcome of this meeting in a conference call Friday evening. We will keep you posted on further developments. To reiterate, this is a company PROPOSAL. AFA has not agreed to any changes and we are not currently in negotiations with the company.


**********************************************


Proposed Flight Attendant Productivity/Benefits Modifications and Returns
Total Savings: $26.0 million


Productivity
Modify Rigs and VM



Trip rig of 1:4
Duty rig of 1:2.5 for day (0600-2159) and 1:2.25 for night (2200-0559)
Variable minimum day of 4.0 with floor of 3.0 and ceiling of 5.0
Annual Savings* - $10.2


Productivity


Replace Primary, SAP, Secondary Lines System with Pref Bid; modify AIL so that Flight Attendants can pick up higher-time trips on same days as original trip or to pick up time on scheduled days off.
Annual Savings* - $1.6


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Productivity
Modify Reserve System


The Company will assign trips to reserves by first considering days of availability, legalities and qualifications. If the Company determines that more than one Flight Attendant is eligible for assignment based on these factors, the trip will be assigned to the Flight Attendant with the least number of credited hours in the month.
Reserves may not pass trip assignments.
The same criteria will be used for assignment of Flight Attendants to OPR duty, except that seniority will govern if all other factors are equal.
Annual Savings* - $4.2


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Productivity
Claiming Sick Leave


A Flight Attendant’s sick claim, when added to his/her previous and subsequent flying and other credited time for that month, may not exceed the Flight Attendant’s monthly guarantee (Section 8.E.1 and 8.E.2).
Annual Savings* - $1.7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Productivity
Rescheduling


The Company may reschedule Flight Attendants prior to report.
The Company may reschedule a Flight Attendant after report even if there is an available unassigned reserve in domicile (eliminate 90 minute rule in Section 9.G.1.a(2)).
The window for advising a rescheduled Flight Attendant of the new duty assignment will be 4 hours for domestic flying and 6 hours for international flying after the Flight Attendant has been notified of the rescheduling (Section 9.G.1.a(3) and 9.G.2.a).
The window for returning a rescheduled Flight Attendant to domicile will be 12 hours for domestic flying and 24 hours for international flying (Section 9.G.4).
Annual Savings* - $1.5


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Benefits - See http://www.afausairways.org/Restructure/be...ch_proposal.htm
Annual* Savings - $6.7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


*Annual figures represent average annual savings through 2008.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


War/Terrorism Contingency


In the event that the U.S. invades Iraq or another terrorist attack provokes a confrontation, there will be an immediate 5% pay deferral implemented for all employees for up to 18 months. The deferral will begin to be repaid to employees starting in the 19th month, and will continue to be repaid in 18 monthly installments. In the event the Company reports a pre-tax profit in any quarter during which the pay deferral is in effect, the deferral will immediately stop and repayment will begin in the next month and be repaid in monthly installments equal to the length of time the deferral was in place (e.g., pay deferral in place for 3 months, the Company reports a pre-tax profit, the repayment will occur over the next 3 months).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Returns

Scope and Job Security


The Company will maintain a minimum fleet size of 279 Total Mainline Aircraft (inclusive of maintenance and spares), subject to a Force Majeure clause that includes acts of terrorism.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mid Atlantic Airways (MDA)


The Company agrees to operate MDA as a separate division within mainline - US Airways, Inc.
Wages, benefits and work rules will match the AA Eagle Flight Attendants agreement.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enhanced Profit Sharing


Enhanced profit sharing returns in exchange for participation in $200 million Modified Restructuring Program as follows:
Any year in which pre-tax profits exceed 7%, 50% of such profits in excess of 7% will be distributed to participating employees.
-- Capped at $100 million


-- Program ceases at end of loan period


-- 50% paid as lump sum payments


-- 50% paid to defined benefit pension plan above any minimum contribution requirements, but not in excess of maximum tax deductible contributions, under ERISA.

Pre-tax defined as excluding extraordinary and one-time adjustments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Flight Attendant Pension Plan Proposal Changes


In addition to the proposed “Flight Attendant Productivity/Benefits Modifications and Returns,â€￾ the Company proposes the following Flight Attendant pension plan amendments:


1.8% accrual formula for the first 25 years
1% accrual for the next 5 years (26 – 30)
Minus 2% of Social Security for first 25 years


Minimum formula = 1.3% for first 25 years, 1% for next 5


Average Annual Cash Savings (2003 – 2008): $7.56


*****************************************************


Proposed Benefits Change


Because of the size of Proposed Benefits Change information, it does not lend itself to this newsletter. The page can be viewed at: http://www.afausairways.org/Restructure/be...ch_proposal.htm (copy and paste this address).


The information on the above web page deals with:


Health Plan Design and Eligibility
Contributions
Retiree Life Insurance
Long-Term Disability and
Workers Compensation
*****************************************************