July 31, 2007 DTW eNEWs 

Inadequate Staffing Causes Delays/Incentives Given to Ground Staff

Your Local 94 officers understand the frustration and inconvenience you are all enduring during this latest display of inadequate staffing at Northwest Airlines.  Your Local Executive Council Officers are also flying trips during this difficult period and want you to know that we are bringing your experiences to management with first hand knowledge.  A statement was issued by Andy Roberts, Executive Vice President of Operations, that "continued pilot shortages and the weather" caused "a great challenge" for employees across the system.  We ask NWA Management to truly recognize these hardships and reward our fight attendants as they have rewarded ground staff during the same period. 

 

Commuting Problems in Atlanta

Local 94 was contacted multiple times yesterday by commuters out of Atlanta, who were being denied boarding when planes were departing with open seats.  DTW Inflight Services has confirmed that some flights out of ATL yesterday did leave with empty seats and they are following up to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Apparently there was a problem with the seat mask, which caused this frustrating error. The station manager has assured us that this problem will not happen again.  Should this happen in Atlanta or any other airport again, please call the Local 94 office immediately with details. 

 

Monthly Local Council Meeting, Wednesday August 8th at 1:00

Our regular monthly Local Council Meeting will take place at 1:00 in the Local union office under gate 8.  It will be an open forum and any questions will be addressed.  Please take the elevator by Gate 8 to the apron level and follow the signs.

 

Local Officer Nominating Ballots Due

As a reminder, please send in your Local Executive Council Nominating Ballots and Commitment to Serve statements in soon.  These must be postmarked by August 9th to be counted.

 

Final Early Out Data for DTW

Final Early-Out and waitlist numbers are available in ATLAS.  Out of the total 600 buy-out packages offered, 158 DTW Flight Attendants qualified.  The most junior DTW Flight Attendant receiving the buy-out is SSN 3387; the most junior system-wide, 3391--both hired in the fall of 1986.  Bidding is currently underway for the first 29 DTW positions to be released August 31.

 

CBT Training Disc Problems 

We are currently investigating a number of FA complaints regarding computer problems and/or hard drive failure following CBT training with the company-provided CD.  If you have experienced major technical difficulties with your laptop or desktop computer in conjunction with use of the CBT disk, contact Local 94 with your specific details.  Please provide the details in writing to your union office, the union mailbox or via e-mail.  We hope to track this trend and have more information about the problem and/or solution to this issue in the near future.  In the meantime, if you choose to complete CBT on your personal computer, please follow all computer protocols, do not try to close the program while it is still loading, properly exit the program when finished, and do not leave the disk in your drive after completing with a session.  To avoid potential risk to your laptop altogether, the NWA computer lab is available at DTW Inflight, as well as other bases, with hands-on computer assistance provided during designated hours.

 

EAP Volunteers Needed

The AFA EAP Committee needs more volunteers and there will be new EAP training on September 25 and 26, 2007.  Please contact the new EAP Chair Rosemary Miller MECEAP@nwaafa.org to apply.   

 

Fly safe and take care of each other on the line!

 

Your Local 94 Executive Council:

President Susan Ludwig

Vice President John O’Donnell

Secretary Anthony Hytche

LCR Janette Rook

LCR Belea Bower

LCR Jeff Martoia

LCR John Rogers