DATE-OF-HIRE SENIORITY INTEGRATION - FAIR & SIMPLE

As you know, AFA filed a suit asserting that Delta is trying to push a seniority arbitration process on our members, and we believe that interferes in a free and open union election process.  AFA's Constitution outlines our fair and simple 'date-of-hire' seniority integration policy, which would protect the current bidding seniority for all new Delta flight attendants.  Please visit our website or click HERE to read SEA FA Dani Kelly's eloquent response to Joanne Smith's 12/3/08 evening email.  Dani's letter is illustrative of the vast majority of member feedback. 

 EAP MESSAGE AFTER BOM & BKK EVENTS

In light of the events in BKK and BOM last week, your AFA EAP representatives would like to invite all crew members to visit and utilize resources recently posted on our EAP webpage at www.nwaafa.org.  The two incidents will affect all of us differently, depending on our proximity to the actual events, but also possibly depending on our involvement in similar events in the past.  Some of you may find yourselves reflecting back on 9/11, or on other critical incidents you have experienced over the years, and you might be surprised to find residual feelings, ones that you thought were long resolved, resurfacing.

Most of these responses are normal, but they can be disconcerting, and even disruptive, if ignored.  Part of remaining effective at home and at work is to take care of ourselves when critical incidents happen.  There are strategies than can help us do that, and EAP has posted several articles and pamphlets on our page.  Please visit, and read or download the information.  Carry it with you, read it on your trips, or hand it out if you come across a fellow crew member who seems to be struggling.  And don’t forget that all 35+ of us AFA EAP Reps are here for you.  Our contact info is on the webpage – call us and let us know how we can help.

There are other excellent resources available to you as well.   At NEAS, confidential off-property EAP service is offered to NWA employees, and Master’s-level professional counselors are only a phone call away.  The NEAS website, under the section “Lifematters,” has excellent resources that just browsing through can be helpful. Call 1-877-464-4009, or visit www.neas.com.  (When it asks for “company password”, type “1nwa.”)  Look for an article called “After the Violence.”

Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to your family, church or private counselor for a trained or sympathetic ear.  If you are dealing with unsettling reactions to recent events, take extra care of yourself, and be extra considerate with co-workers.  Everyone reacts differently, and processes things at different speeds, so taking the time to use some simple coping strategies is time well spent. - Rosemary Miller, MEC EAP Chair 

FIRST ANNUAL NWA AFA HEIDI JOOST AWARD
Please join the Northwest Association of Flight Attendants, Master Executive Council, in honoring a Northwest flight attendant who has demonstrated heroism in the line of duty as an Inflight Safety Professional.  This award carries the name and honors the memory of Northwest flight attendant Heidi Joost, who died while carrying out her duties as a safety professional.  Heidi perished, along with several passengers, in the tailcone of an NWA DC-9 in an aircraft accident at DTW in 1990.  We welcome member nominations for this award and ask that they be submitted to Janette Rook at: jrook@nwaafa.org before December 31, 2008.  

On November 19, 2008, the Bankruptcy Court approved the disbursement of money for certain pre-bankruptcy grievance settlements.  The initial appropriation was approved by the Bankruptcy Court during bankruptcy.  Our total sum was the same as ALPA and IAM.  Some of these payouts will begin being paid to flight attendants with the December 12th paycheck.  These payouts include: 

1. Individuals who paid more than $66 for Atlas, who were on employment or furlough status as of December 22, 2005 and who remained employed on November 19, 2008; and

2. A few individual grievance settlements.

3. Individuals who did not benefit from the original 70-75 hour Grievance Settlement Agreement will be made whole.  If you were not on the Active List on July 31, 2008, you would not have been given the option of an additional 2 vacation days (either to use in 2009 or for cash payout).  With the money set aside from the Bankruptcy Court, your AFA MEC is disbursing a cash equivalent of two (2) vacation days, at the appropriate individual hourly rate, to all those flight attendants who did not benefit from the Settlement Agreement.  This will be paid out in the December 12th paycheck.

4. Those individuals who worked 70 hours or more, but less than 75 hours, and experienced proration of sick and vacation during the August 2007 – February 2008 time period will be paid $16.  That payment will be made in the December 26th paycheck.

5. Finally, the remaining money will be distributed equally to all flight attendants who were on payroll December 31, 2006 and who were still employed on November 19, 2008.  This payment will made in the December 26th paycheck.

NEW HIRE CENTRAL - RESERVE RELEASES

The Month End Release and GDO Release (Section 7: Reserve) are two new items in our contract, that were negotiated to improve the quality of life for Reserves. Month End Release: Reserves shall be released from all Reserve duty for the remainder of the month, after going over the monthly EBLA.  This release is not at the discretion of Scheduling, but you must request the release in the rest following the trip that took you over the EBLA.  If there has already been a trip assigned, Scheduling must remove it at your request.  GDO Release: All Reserves are automatically released at 1500 on the day before a GDO, unless contacted before 1500 and notified otherwise by Crew Scheduling.  You do not need to be notified of this release, it is automatic.  An Early Release is a nice option for some Reserves, but is quite different than a Month End Release - please use caution with when & how you bid for it.  An Early Release also releases you for the rest of the bid month, but it will cause you to lose your entire Reserve pay guarantee and you will be paid only for actual hours flown.  Please familiarize yourself with all available releases in Section 7 of our contract.  Knowledge is Power - Know Your Contract!

UNION PINS = SOLIDARITY 

Northwest flight attendants won the right over the years to wear a union pin on our uniforms, and for the benefits that come with it.  All members are encouraged to wear their union pins while in uniform, as well as to all company events and training.  If you need a replacement pin, please contact your Local union representatives for a new one. 

BRING QUESTIONS. BRING A COLLEAGUE. GET MOTIVATED. GET INVOLVED.

The MEC meeting schedule and the Local Meeting schedule are found under the “Events” tab at www.nwaafa.org.  Delta Flight Attendants will be invited to local union meetings throughout the country in the coming year.  December 16-18th, join us for AMS Town Hall Meetings - print flyer and share.