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Greetings, AFA 66 eCommunication - Wednesday, July 22,
2009 Seven years is a long time when you have not received a
raise, yet the cost of living continues to increase year over
year. Seven years is a long time when airline after
airline negotiates and ratifies new contracts, yet you’re
stuck in a protracted recess, with aging work conditions. Seven
years is a long time when you watch US Airways management rake
in bonuses and salary increases while refusing to provide
economic support to you. Seven years is a long time to be
patient and this Flight Attendant group has waited long
enough. (1) financial relief for our
workgroup whose wages have not kept up with
inflation, Management not only refused pay parity with the East Flight Attendants. They refused to entertain any discussion of increases for West Flight Attendants outside of single contract talks. Not a penny for West Flight Attendants who have not seen a wage increase for seven years. AFA indicated a willingness to consider ideas to grant interim increases to West Flight Attendants while continuing single contract talks. Those suggestions where rejected by management. On June 30, our AFA lawyer was notified by NMB Board member, Zack Jones, that US Airways management had decided not to respond or address any of the concerns we put forth in our face-to-face discussions or written proposal. This attitude and non-action coupled with the news of the current VLOA and furlough activity reflects a disdain and disrespect for the plight of the West flight attendants and our struggles to survive on the unfair wages currently in effect based on a wage scale established over 10 years ago. Your MEC has offered several alternative procedures to affect the manpower issues that would serve the flight attendants and US Airways in a positive way, preserving jobs and meeting company goals. All have been totally rejected. The federal mediator has not scheduled any further meetings. The NT met this week to plan further action on this issue. The Negotiating Team will be planning a series of meetings August 25-27 to educate and inform flight attendants on Section 6 negotiations. Please plan to attend these meetings. AFA will continue to provide updates as they arise. AFA VOICE Committee Ramps Up The AFA VOICE Committee is an acronym for Volunteer Organizers for Information, Communication and Education. If you want facts, not fiction, about your union’s efforts to secure wage increases and other negotiated improvements from this Company, then contact the AFA VOICE Committee at voice@afa66.org Flight Attendant Scott Barnes has stepped up to the challenge
of chairing this important committee and his experience in
mobilization and organization is the perfect fit to motivate
this important committee. The VOICE committee is geared toward
Flight Attendants who want accurate union information regarding
the most recent issues to pass along to your crewmates. In the
next few weeks, Scott will be contacting former as well as new
committee members poised to get the word out to our members that
the time to get involved is now! AFA won the Pass Travel grievance when management changed the company's pass policy and reduced the number and the associated benefits of Flexi Passes and changed the boarding priority from first-come/first-served to year-of-hire after the merger. AFA and the Company have agreed to an award stipulated by the original arbitrator in the case, Fred Horowitz. The stipulated award reached on July 15, 2009, is as follows: 1. Affected Flight Attendants: In addition to any other pass travel benefits extended to America West Flight Attendants, ten (10) guest passes, two (2) SA1P, and ten (10) first class space available upgrade one-way passes (two (2) passes required for each one-way to Europe and Hawaii) to every America West flight attendant whose name appears on the seniority list as of the date of execution of this document. 2. Grant Plan: The granting of these passes would occur over a two (2) year period for West Flight Attendants only. The breakdown of such distribution would be as follows: three (3) Guest Passes, one (1) SA1P, and five (5) first class space available upgrade one-way passes (two (2) passes required for each one-way to Europe and Hawaii) for 2009. (expiration date 12/31/09. plus one year after ticketing). Seven (7) Guest Passes, one (1) SA1P, and five (5) first class upgrade one-way passes (two (2) passes required for each one-way to Europe and Hawaii) for the calendar year of 2010.(expiration date 12/31/10, plus one year after ticketing) All passes become invalid immediately upon separation.* *Furloughed Flight Attendants may use the aforementioned Guest Passes and SA1P passes and (10) first class upgrade one-way passes for the 2009 and 2010 calendar years provided travel is completed by the end of the 12 month furlough travel period. i.e. August 4, 2010. The Company will provide additional details regarding when the awarded passes will be available in your ETC bank. Remember that passes expire one year from the date of ticketing Throughout this merger, management has made unilateral
changes to policies without conferring or bargaining with AFA
over those changes where required. As in this grievance and all
others filed, the Union will continue to defend its member's
rights under the Collective Bargaining
Agreement. The City of Phoenix is offering a solution to those employees that are being relocated from the 42nd Street Lot. The Aviation Department is offering the option to park in the East Economy Lot garages. The Department will provide as many space permits as employees requesting the change through an application process. To complete a new parking application, acknowledge the rules/expectations of the lot and have your parking card re-encoded you will need to visit the Parking Office between July 20 and August 14. The Parking Office is located at 2114 E. Sky Harbor Circle South (NW Corner of 24th Street & Sky Harbor Circle South) and is open from 8am until 5 pm, Monday through Friday. In order to complete a new parking application you will need to show your Company Employee badge, your old parking card and proof of east side residency. Individuals who choose not to park in the East Economy will be reassigned to either the Tonto East or the South Mohave parking lots. In this case you will also need to visit the Parking Office to complete an application and have your parking card re-encoded. For further answers to questions, contact Corey Williams at 602-273-2725. Below is the letter that the City is sending to all employees
affected by the 42nd Street closure. McCarran International Airport is currently changing the process of parking card access for active flight crew members of all airlines serving Las Vegas. For flight attendants parking in Las Vegas, this change will replace the pink parking card many of you have and will take the place of the $4/day Economy Lot parking and reimbursement process the rest of our crew members utilize. To obtain the parking access card, each crewmember will be required to complete an application (link) and obtain a signature from US Airways Las Vegas signatory authority. The authorized signers for the station are Jocelyn Arter and Amanda Belanger. Jocelyn will be out of the office through Wednesday, July 22nd. If you would like to start the process before Jocelyn returns please call Amanda and she will come to the Reserve Room to assist with the process. After July 22nd, please see Jocelyn for the required authorization and if you have any questions regarding the change. Jocelyn can be reached at 702-597-5465 and Amanda at 702-736-5686. An application is attached for your convenience. With this change, comes an increase in the monthly parking fee effective September 1, 2009. The fee is being increased to $40 per month. As a result of the increase and as outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (Section 27.M.), PHX base flight attendants parking in LAS will be responsible for the $10 per month amount that exceeds the PHX monthly parking fee of $30. Flight attendants may pay this to the PHX Crew Service Center prior to the beginning of each month. Checks should be made payable to US Airways with your name and C# in the memo section of the check. Failure to pay will result in the suspension of your LAS parking. Lastly, the Economy Parking Lot on the North airfield has
been designated as the new location for all crewmember parking.
A map showing the location of the parking lot is attached.
(Please disregard the dates on the map as they reference last
year’s opening of the lot.) Allow additional commute
time depending on which direction you are entering the
facility. Transition to the new parking process and lot is
expected to be complete no later than August 31, 2009. |
