Any updates fromAFA?

[quickcallqueen]

Hello Everyone,
I know that AFA was having some meetings with the companies this weekend in Washington. I was just curious to know if any information is out there for us to disseminate.
Thanks.

[jetstewus]

Hey Quick!
I guess they were turning in a counter proposal yesterday and hoping to get a company response today. Sorry if that is inaccurate but I deleted the email already. Will post if I hear anything else. You still getting AFA e-line?

[quickcallqueen]

JetStewUS,
Thanks for your reply. I do get the eline updates from AFA. I know that there were negotiations over the weekend. Maybe in a day or two, there will be an update for us to read.
I know that it is gettng down to the wire for the company to submit their application to the ATSB, where they will vote "yea" or "nay". With that , I know that the unions and company management have to have concessionary agreements as part of the terms and conditions of accepting the loan guarantee. The company has to do this or the ATSB will not grant approval for US AIRWAYS to get the loan guarantee.
I just hope everything is going well enough that it saves our company at the 11th hour. Yes, we will probably have to accept these concessions, so we don't see the company liquidated and see anymore furloughs. None of us want to see that happen. Of course, I certainly hope that the ATSB does approve us for the loan guarantee. I know that there are those who argue that the federal government should not prop up failing businesses; however, when the federal government bailed out Chrysler in the late 1970s, the government made money because they had a percentage of Chrysler stock that they held onto for several years. So, if they have a percentage of stock equity, then they gain when the company of ours makes a good recovery in the market. It is true that prior to September 11, many of the airlines were posting multimillion dollar losses and our airline had a lousy business plan. We all want to see US AIRWAYS succeed and make a good recovery. The loan guarantee will give our company a cash infusion to cover the necessary costs so we can compete effectively, the competition is carving us up on the table just like a thanksgiving turkey. As I said before, I think many of us don't relish the idea of having to accept concessions, but the alternative is not a pleasant choice. Yes indeed, we are making sacrifices and we will have to bear some of the pain. Hopefully, it will be a short term agreement over the lifespan of the loan from the federal government. I know that there are many who voice concern about once we give up some specific items in our contract, we will never get it back. I know that it is easier to have a big wish list during negotiations when the economy is good between union and management during a contract negotiation year. When the economy is bad, it is hard to ask for alot. Ask those at Northwest, they went through this nearly ten years ago. Their company was on the brink of bankruptcy and they had to accept concessions. So, there are times when we have to make those short term sacrifices and we certainly hope that we see good results in the long term for all of us. What matters is that we have our jobs and we keep our seniority, this sure beats having to start over in the job market which is not too good now.

[quickcallqueen]

Just an added disclaimer, this is an open message to be read by everyone.
This was not exclusively addressed to JetStewUS.
Thanks for taking the time to read my message.

[quickcallqueen]

I just got an eline update from AFA when I checked my emails this morning.
Both union and management have exchanged proposals. Management handed over their proposal, then the AFA MEC presented their counterproposal. Of course, management had their response. Both parties have made alterations to their initial proposals and counter proposals. After all, this is how the negotiation process goes, typically.

[quickcallqueen]

Well my friends, I am back with the specifics of managements proposal and AFAs counterproposal.

MANAGEMENTS PROPOSAL 6/5
Wage cut of 15.5%
deletion of pay factors
cuts in health care, pension, vacation and sick pay.
Changes to scope language
An agreement with AFA that furloughed mainline flight attendants would get the first crack at working flights operated byMidAtlantic and that there will be a "flow through' agreement that would allow flight attendants to return to mainline as jobs become available.
Profit Sharing
Extend the contract through 12/31/09

AFA CounterProposal 6/8
Stock Options
Profit Sharing
An agreement that management will not ask the bankrupcy court for more reductions than those provide in any potential ratified agreement with flight attendants.
Language to maintain mainline jobs and into the future.
Provisions that all labor groups participate in the airlines cost savings plan.
Savings credit for the flight attendants in this process should the pilots change any of the items in their contract in which we have "MeToo" agreements
Wage reductions that were significantly less than proposed by management, with snapbacks and additional raises in future years, as well as a guarantee of even higher raises if the company revenues surpasses what is predicted by the business plan.
Temporary elimination of crew meals and uniform dry cleaning allowance.
Temporary elimination of Longevity Pay.

I just thought I would take the time to transcribe all this information for all of you to disseminate.

[quickcallqueen]

MANAGEMENTS RESPONSE TO TO AFAs COUNTERPROPOSAL
Reduce the term of the contract extension to 12/31/08.
Eliminated its proposal to discontinue a number of supplemental pay factors, reduced some of the benefit cuts proposals.
Eliminated proposed cuts to our pension formula, and added stock options to our "payback list".

[quickcallqueen]

Hopefully, by SaturdayJune15 both company management and AFA will reach a tenative agreement. I know that it is getting down to the wire for US AIRWAYS because of the June 28 deadline for the loan application with the ATSB. I hope that AFA does the best they can to get a decent and fair minded deal in regards to particular contract language that protects our job while hoping that US AIRWAYS stays in business without a bankruptcy liquidation.

[quickcallqueen]

If I read correctly , the company backed off from altering the pension formula. Hopefully, that stays intact. The other day I spoke with someone who has 33 years with our company. Now, my friends, anyone who has dedicated most of their adult life to the company ought to have a pension and be able to retire. Even though, I have only 2 years with US AIRWAYS, I know be able to retire with a pension is a good thing, especially when you have dedicated mosto of your adult life with many years of service to the company. I personally know some flight attendants that would like to be able to retire within the next two years.

[quickcallqueen]

Recently in PHL we had an election for new LEC officers with our local council for our union.
The newly installed officers will be taking office as of July. So, we have some new people taking office and they bring years of experience with them. I wish them well.
The two individuals we had were lazy and inept, they did not do anything for us. The outgoing LEC Pres. Luther V.Z. was someone who obviously did not care about the members and was more concerned with himself. Very lazy individual, did not return calls to members. That is dispicable when jobs and livelihoods of our members are in imminent danger. I was at the meeting in October, that he chaired, it was a joke. When the furlough notices went out, those that got involuntarily furloughed as of November 1, they did not get 60 days notice from the company. A member at the meeting called attention to this and Luther did not appear to be concerned, judging by the nonverbal cues, I guess he had the "oh well, too bad attitude". So, he did not take it upon himself to put up a hell of a fight for the members, did not lift a finger. He started to talk about a dues increase , hardly appropriate at these times when we got to look at making cuts. A member in attendance immediately questioned this, Luther atttacked him verbally . He yelled at him'Have you ever attended an executive board meeting'. So he put down this member in front of everyone. I was actually there. Well, my friends, for the official record, Luther never attended any executive board meeting before he was elected. Incidentally, any member in good standing with the union can attend these meetings. So, the party is over for hime, he has to go back to the line. I got a bit of information from my sources that he will be going to PIT. I guess he must be afraid to face the members he failed to represent in PHL.He would have a lot of nerve to show his face in the PHL crew room.
And then you have Laura A. who said to one of our involuntarily furloughed flight attendants:"you should just get on with your life, it will be 5 or 6 years before you come back anyways". It is an absolute abomination that someone said that to one of our flight attendants.
In conclusion, I will state again that I wish our newly elected officers to be installed the best of luck with doing the best possible job to represent our members. They bring years of experience with grievance handling and negotiating into the LEC 70.

[quickcallqueen]

Apparently, AFA is still in negotiations with the company. As are the pilots as well. Hopefully we will know soon what is going to happen. All this is based on the latest eline update I just read.

Don't give into Wolfe! He is trying to make it look bad in all of your eyes. Just ask the folks at United, how he likes to drive the company into the ground. It's all about making that huge bonus. Since the airline is in bad shape, he will not make his bonus. That is something Wolfe can't live with. Make his ugly ass give up 50% of his salary. Don't give in that's all I can say to my former co-workers!

Good Luck,
HUSTLER

[quickcallqueen]

Yes, Wolf and Gangwal failed . As I said before, they squandered many opportunites and made a seeries of strategic missteps. Now the company can rant and rant that the competitition is carving up our market share. Of course, you can blame the employees that have went the extra mile for our customers everyday. Of course it is all because the company had failed business plans why our market share has been whittled away.
The one thing about wolf is that he is better at selling airlines than running them. When Northwest bought Republic and Federal Express bought Flying Tigers, it was wolf who was in on those deals. Of course, he was trying to get United to buy USAirways.
I guesss as it stands now, none of the unions have an agreement finalized,yet. I just want to see everything work out. I know it is getting down to the wire for USAirways with their pending application with the ATSB for the loan guarantee. The federal government can either vote "yea" or "nay" on the application. I really hope it works out, maybe something will happen at the 11th hour.

[quickcallqueen]

From what I read this morning from the latest eline update. The company wanted to reduce the hourly rates, reduce perdiem, eliminate uniform cleaning allowance,eliminate crew meals, eliminate longevity pay, eliminate reserve overide. If there is anymore info, I will be right back with that information as well. I just relied on memory, ok.

[quickcallqueen]

I am back with more information.
COMPANY PROPOSAL
Extend the contract to 12/31/2008
Effective July 1,2002, the hourly wage rates will be equal to 95% of what they are at the present time.
Effective January 1,2004, the hourly wage rates will be equal to the rates that were effective immediately prior to the effective date of the Collective Bargaining Agreement(May 1,2000).
In no event shall an hourly rate in effect as of June 30, 2002 , be reduced if thatrate computed at 85 hours per month produces less than $30,000 annually.
Company wants to delete no furlough clause.
MidAtlantic Airways; furloughed US Airways flight attendants will be provided job opportunities in seniority order.
Eliminate Lngevity pay, crew meals, and the uniform allowance.
Deadheading at the company request shall be paid at 50%
For the period beginning July 1,2002 and ending December 31,2003, vaction rates reduced by 20%
Sick leave credit shall be reduced to 4:00.
In exchange for a temporary 5% wage reduction with a snapback the company will issue convertable Preferred Stock.
I did not see specifics on the health plan and the pension.

[quickcallqueen]

With the companys proposal, it looks like they want a 5% wage cut. Sure, the no furlogh clause deletion does really concern me.
Also, the company wanted to reduce per diem to $1.20 for domestic and $1.50 for international. Then next year the per diem rates would be increased to $2.00 for domestic and $2.20 for international.
It looks like longevity pay will be temporarily eliminated until January1,2004, which is when it will be reinstated at the current rates. There will be the elimination of the uniform cleaning allowance and of crew meals.
That kind of shocks me that deadheading will be reduced to 50%, but I guess the company felt it was an item to reduce in terms of pay.
So, the company will give us Preferred Stock since we are having to accept these cuts.

[quickcallqueen]

I want to still think that something will be finalized at the 11th hour, and I really hope something works out for all of us. As optimistic as I am, I hope for the best for all of us, regardless of how much seniority each and everyone of us has. Regardless of whether you are a flight attendant with two years or a flight attendant with thirty five years, we are in this together. We have our jobs, livelihoods on the line here, there is a lot at stake for our future.