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12 JUNE 2009                                                                                               Printer friendly PDF version HERE

 

WORLD CLASS AIRLINE

 

Delta customers will benefit from the airline treating its key frontline employees as World Class Flight Attendants.  Watch the new campaign video by clicking on the TV image, or HERE.  Help us build a strong new presence on the Internet. You can help us maximize the exposure of the World Class Delta Flight Attendants message and spread the word far and wide.

 

 

SUMMER 2009 NWA AFA MEC NEWSLETTER “ALL CALL”

Watch out in your mailbox for your copy of the latest edition of the nwa-afa all call MEC Newsletter.  Past editions of the nwa-afa all call are also archived at www.nwaafa.org on the Print Resources & on the Communications Committee page.  The MEC would like to express our warm thanks to all pre-merger NW & DL flight attendants, AFA officers and committee members who contributed to this publication.  We welcome your feedback and suggestions for upcoming newsletters at communications@nwaafa.org.   

FMLA PROCESSING CONCERNS - SEDGWICK CLAIM MANAGEMENT

Some pre-merger Northwest flight attendants have been reporting concerns to AFA regarding the new Family Medical Leave application processing through Delta's outsourced Sedgwick Claims Management Services.  Please contact your Local AFA Council Representatives with the name of the person you spoke with, time, date, and the nature of the concern.  The FML process has changed dramatically, and we want to do everything we can to ensure that "change" does not mean a deterioration in services, in regards to our legal and contractual FML rights. 

 AFA SWINE FLU UPDATE

We have posted another update regarding Influenza A(H1N1) to our Air Safety, Health and Security Department website, http://ashsd.afacwa.org/index.cfm

The WHO will today declare a shift in the Pandemic Warning Level to Phase 6. Below is the text of the WHO update, with a link to the live Web press conference.  Also, the CDC is holding a press conference after the WHO, presumably to outline U.S. steps in response to the WHO action; you may want to tune into that event.

(June 11, 2009 update) The Associated Press this morning is reporting that the “World Health Organization told its member nations it was declaring a swine flu pandemic Thursday — the first global flu epidemic in 41 years — as infections climbed in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere. In a statement sent to member countries, WHO said it decided to raise the pandemic warning level from phase 5 to 6 — its highest alert — after holding an emergency meeting on swine flu with its experts. The long-awaited pandemic decision is scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly circling the globe. It will trigger drug makers to speed up production of a swine flu vaccine and prompt governments to devote more money toward efforts to contain the virus.”  What a shift to Phase 6 of the pandemic warning level will mean to Flight Attendants is unclear at this time, but stay tuned for further updates as the situation unfolds.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM A QUARANTINED FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Based on communications with the DTW flight attendants recently quarantined in Japan (due to possible exposure to the H1N1 flu virus) and on observation of the events as they were unfolding, EAP gleaned several insights that may be helpful for anyone facing this situation in the future.   

1. If you ever find yourself in this situation, be prepared to possibly experience shock, denial, and/or confusion. This may impair your ability to "think" or negotiate for yourself.  

2. Sleeping and eating needs will become primary. In a stress situation, these requirements must be met; your coping skills diminish with fatigue and hunger.  Try to explicitly ask for what you need. Recognize that you may need to specifically ask what options are available and/or permitted. 

3. Ask for ready contact (same area/time zone) with someone whose first language and culture are similar to yours.  This will provide tremendous comfort and reduce miscommunication. If at all possible, ask for FA peer contact.  If you are feeling vulnerable and depressed, you may be reluctant to share with someone who is in authority over you, like health officials.

4. Ask that any pertinent information regarding pay status, travel arrangements and scheduling codes be relayed as soon as possible.  This will alleviate needless fretting.

5. Check to see that any materials offered to offset boredom (computers, DVD's, phones, etc) are in proper working order and user friendly, and workable in your own language!

6. Do not assume anything! Be specific in your requests about clothing, hygiene needs, medicines, etc. Convey your need to get and receive information from home and family. 

While the hope is that none of us will ever have to be in this situation, acknowledging and attending to these needs will be greatly therapeutic to anyone who must endure this kind of isolations. –Submitted by Rosemary Peek DTW LEC EAP Chair 

THE NEW BUSINESS ELITE SERVICE

Effective June 1st, Northwest Airlines implemented the new Business Elite service products, along with new equipment and menu on all international flights, to harmonize the onboard experience of Delta Air Lines.  As with any change of this magnitude, we anticipate some elements of the service to be difficult and challenging. 

Although the primary interest of the MEC Purser Committee is contractual issues impacting PQs and not service-related, your MEC Purser Committee strongly recommends that FAs and PQs contact the FACC (or submit a FAST report) with both positive and negative comments regarding the new BE service. Ultimately, change is driven by the number of reports submitted to FACC. 

As a reminder to all FAs, the required crew rest for all international flights in excess of 7 hours is a negotiated article under the current AFA Collective Bargaining Agreement and must not be compromised regardless of the amount of time necessary to complete the new BE service. In the event the required contractual break is not provided on your flight, please contact

purser@nwaafa.org with detailed information including: the total customer count (both BE and main cabin), length of service time, flight time, how many FAs in BE.  It is the commitment of the MEC PQ Committee to keep record of all crew rest violations.  – Submitted by Kim Cook, NWA AFA MEC Purser Committee Chair 

ON PREMISE RESERVE ISSUES

Please continue to contact your Local Council Representatives with any safety or contractual concerns about our new On Premise Reserve system.  Contract language governing OPR is found in Section 7 – Reserve.  AFA has been in contact with the Company over the condition and location of some of the OPR “quiet areas”, offered some suggested tweaks in Reserve Preferencing, as well as discussing some health and safety issues with current OPR operations.  The Company has expressed a willingness to meet in June to review OPR operations data and work towards improving the Reserve experience in this area.   

SHORT CREW GRIEVANCE FILED

The recently announced “harmonization” of service between the Delta and Northwest international Business Class and Business Elite product was implemented on June 1st. The end result of this “harmonization”, according to many Northwest flight attendants and former coach Yogi Berra of the New York Yankees, is the feeling of “déjà-vu all over again”. 

We have apparently returned to the era of Hot Oshi’s, Hot Nuts, Hot Soup, and Hand Dish-up of Hot Entrée’s. At the time that NWA offered these enhancements “back in the day”, they were well-received by our customers, and perhaps a little less so by our flight attendants. However, not being able to complete the enhanced service was not an issue because staffing levels were adjusted in order to properly deliver the service. 

Now, it seems, we’ve returned to the service which was offered “back in the day” but, it’s supposed to be delivered with today’s post-bankruptcy skeleton crews. According to reports being received by the Union, the two don’t seem to be meshing very well, even to the extent that some crews report being unable to take their contractual crew rest breaks. As a result, NYC AFA Council 91 President Josh Zivick has filed an “et al” grievance charging the Company with ignoring our short crew language by substantially altering the service guidelines for Business Elite service without altering the staffing levels. The Company did not consult with or confer with the Union prior to implementing the substantial changes to its “Business Elite” service, and has not been responsive to concerns being expressed about the ability to deliver the service with current staffing levels.  

A lot of ink has been devoted to the concept of taking the “best practices” of both NWA and DL in order to form “One Great Airline”. If the so-called “harmonization” of the international service represents that concept in practice, one truly has to wonder what the future holds for all of us at “One Great Airline”. Fasten your seat belts! –Submitted by Greg Riffle MEC Grievance Chair 

I’M ON A LEAVE, AM I ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?  YES!

There have been many questions regarding voting eligibility in our upcoming representational election. NW & DL Flight Attendants on the following types leaves: PLOC, CCL, SLIP, Medical, Maternity, Military or Active Retention (without disciplinary authority) ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE! 

Another important point to remember when it is time to vote is that the National Mediation Board (NMB) will mail the voting instructions to the address that is on file with the Company (the address that is on your pay stub). If you wish to have your voting instructions mailed to any other address, you must update you record with the Company and with AFA-CWA. You can update your address with the Company via ATLAS and also update your address with the union http://www.nwaafa.org/onlineforms/contactinfo/  

If you know any flight attendants on any type of leave, please share this information with them.  If you have questions regarding eligibility or updating your address information, please contact your local AFA office. – Submitted by Rene Foss MEC Communications Chair 

SENIORITY LIST RUN ERROR

A new seniority list was run by the Company in error on Wednesday. The company backed it out and will re-run and publish our new list on June 30 as originally planned.  Our contract provides for a new seniority list to be run and posted no later than July 31 and January 31 every year http://nwaafa.org/contract/section20/ and then the Company and our Union jointly address seniority list challenges brought forward by flight attendants. The next contractual 60-day seniority list challenge period will start on June 30 (when the list is published.)  At that time the Company contact for challenges will be sent out in the AFA MEC Hotline and Company email. 

A FURTHER REDUCTION IN FLYING (REPEAT FROM 6/11 MESSAGE)

AFA was briefed by the Company regarding the announcement of a further planned 5% reduction in flying.  The information given to your MEC President has been provided to all elected AFA officers system wide.  An announcement was also made in an internal memo to all employees at both Delta and Northwest and to the public.  Details of the reduction plans can be found in the internal memo sent in Company email and posted on ATLAS and DeltaNet.

Your AFA representatives will continue to work with the Company, to do everything in our power to eliminate the need for any involuntary furloughs or transfers.  SLIP leaves, Company Convenience Leaves, and Split Line (shared line program) negotiations will continue - all toward the goal of protecting flight attendant jobs.  A new Early Out program is not anticipated, but all ideas are on the table to prevent layoffs at this time. 

ACCESS TO IQ TRAINING RESOURCES

In reference to the special “Hotline” of last Friday, the Integration Qualification training references noted are now posted on our website www.nwaafa.org/safety/airsafety.  In response to our request for these valuable resources to be made available via ATLAS, the company has advised that they will be posting them as well.  Let us hear form you if there are further questions on IQ or upcoming AQ Training. Submitted by Air Safety Health and Security Chair Jeanne Elliott

AIRLINES SEE GAINS

Airlines see gains on on-time performance, other measures in April. Airline performance improved across the board in April, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Compared with the same month last year, the 19 largest carriers in the U.S. posted better numbers for on-time arrivals, cancellations, mishandled bags and customer complaints. More than 79% of flights arrived on time in April 2009, up from 77.7% in April 2008. USA TODAY (6/9) Forbes/The Associated Press (6/9) ,MarketWatch (6/9) , The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires (6/9). 

 

US AIRWAYS CEO CALLS FOR MORE CONSOLIDATION

The CEO of US Airways says the industry needs more large-scale mergers before it can achieve consistent profitability. Speaking at the US Airways annual shareholder meeting, Doug Parker cited the recent merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines as a model for the industry. For more info visit:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-us-airlines-us-airways-annual-meeting,0,5472975.story

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10511980/1/us-airways-calls-for-consolidation.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEFI 

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/homepage/20090610_Shareholders_vote_to_double_US_Airways_shares.html

 

RELATED NEWS ATRICLES

FLIGHT ATTENDANT VINDICATED

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09161/976287-57.stm

AROUND THE SYSTEM - BRING A COLLEAGUE. GET MOTIVATED. GET INVOLVED. The NWA AFA MEC Calendar of Events is 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 months, and there will be information sessions planned and posted at www.deltaafa.org as well.

GOT MERGER QUESTIONS?  GET ANSWERS!  You are always welcome to contact your AFA-CWA Local officers, whose contact information is found at nwaafa.org.  Another way to get accurate answers to merger questions is to email Questions@nwaafa.org.  A variety of information sources are available to our members, including the MEC newsletter all call,  local union bulletin boards, the recorded weekly Hotline message, and of course our websites.  Visit www.nwaafa.org and www.deltaafa.org for information, as well as to sign up for e-news and to view archived MEC Hotlines and campaign information. 

 

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DON'T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR UNION PIN! 

Click HERE or visit www.afanet.org for information about AFA-CWA union structure and the history of the AFA-CWA.  Dues & Member Q&A can be viewed here: http://nwaafa.org/resources/dues/.