• Bette Nash - DCA-based Flight Attendant named US Airways 2007 Flight Attendant of the Year!
• AFA-CWA ASKS CONGRESS TO CLARIFY FMLA COVERAGE FOR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
• Accessing The Hub

• AFA Local Numbers

Bette is #1

Bette Nash - DCA - based Flight Attendant named
US Airways 2007 Flight Attendant of the Year!

Congratulations go to DCA-based Bette Nash! In 2007 has Bette not only celebrated her 50th year as a flight attendant in November, but she is now being named the Flight Attendant of the Year!! Talk about a double-header!! Add onto that the fact that Bette is number one on the seniority list for the entire flight attendant group and you have a true triple play!!!

Her history as a flight attendant is just as rich and compelling as that of the airline industry. Bette is our "diamond in the sky" says Sherri Shamblin, Vice President of InFlight Services. She has "frozen time" in her suitcase, which includes the memorabilia she has collected over her 50+ years as a flight attendant, pill-box hats, gloves, old uniforms and a scrap book of memories.

But Bette hasn’t always just collected memories, she has made memories for many of our customers. She has received numerous letters during her career from our customers thanking her for her dedication and friendly, helpful service. We recently received a letter that was written by the CEO & President of the Atlantic Council stating that Bette had gone the extra mile and sent him and his wife a First Flight Certificate and a pair of wings for his six-day old baby which brought tears to their eyes.

Bette has commented several times that our customers’ needs have not changed since she began flying in 1957. "Our customers just want to be cared for and loved a little bit"!

Bette began flying for Eastern Airlines when flying was quite a different experience from today. Customers paid $12 for a one-way fare, flew on airplanes called "Connies" (a common term for the Lockheed Constellation with the distinct three fin tail configuration), and wore pill-box hats and gloves.

In 1961, she started flying the Eastern Airlines Shuttle where she made her home. The shuttle name might have changed a few times over the years (Eastern, Trump, US Air and finally, the US Airways Shuttle), but two things haven’t changed...Bette’s commitment and her professionalism towards her career in the airline industry.

Bette was honored this past August as Flight Attendant of the Month by setting high standards for herself as well as achieving perfect attendance many times throughout her career. Even though her history is rich and long, Bette treats each day as a new beginning.

She is described by her co-workers and customers as a very kind, giving person that is always willing to go above and beyond to ensure her customers return to US Airways again and again.

Outside of the work environment, Bette doesn’t slow down either! She was recently recognized by the Virginian Senior Citizens home after volunteering to participate in an in-house interview in the television studio regarding her 50 year airline career.

Thank you Bette for your outstanding service to US Airways and for being an excellent example to our flight attendants to achieve the high standards that you have set over the last 50 years!

--------------------

AFA-CWA ASKS CONGRESS TO CLARIFY FMLA COVERAGE FOR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS

Washington, DC - Flight Attendant Jennifer Hunt, a member of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), today testified before the House Education and Labor Committee on how the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) excludes flight attendants and the devastating effect that has on working families. It is often difficult for flight attendants to qualify for FMLA coverage due to their unusual work schedules and the specific requirements of the law. Ms. Hunt was denied FMLA leave with her airline in 2007 after her husband, who had recently returned from serving 15 months in Iraq, was diagnosed with cancer.

"The denial of FMLA benefits to flight crew is frustrating because despite the fact that we work full time schedules, flight attendants are repeatedly denied a right that every American is afforded under the law," said Hunt. "Congress has the ability to correct this oversight by passing the Airline Flight Crew Family and Medical Leave Act and restore the original intention of FMLA, to help employees remain with their employer while meeting the needs of their families. It is time that the over 90,000 flight attendants in this country have the peace of mind that the Family and Medical Leave Act is intended to provide."

When the Act was signed into law in 1993, the intent was to provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave if employees worked 60 percent of a full time schedule in a 12 month period. The 1,250 hour threshold for qualification was established based on the traditional 40-hour work week. Due to the unique methods in which flight attendant hours of work are calculated, it is virtually impossible to meet these minimum standards. Flight attendants’ paid hours are based on blocks of flight time that begin when the plane leaves the gate and end when it arrives at its destination, excluding time spent away from home during layovers. Therefore, it is difficult for a flight attendant to achieve the minimum number of hours required by the law, even though the original Congressional intent was to cover flight attendants and pilots.

Over the past year, AFA-CWA has been urging Congress to pass a technical corrections act that would protect the right of flight attendants to provide care for ailing family members or themselves without risking their jobs. AFA-CWA members have engaged in persistent lobbying efforts, phone calling and have written tens of thousands of letters to members of Congress to secure access to family and medical leave for all flight attendants. The Airline Flight Crew Family and Medical Leave Act (HR 2744/ S. 2059) has key bipartisan support in both houses of Congress. This week, flight attendants from across the country have been encouraging their lawmakers to support the legislation and have been successful in getting 218 co-sponsors in the House, the majority needed to pass this important bill.

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world’s largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afanet.org.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AFA US Airways Website

www.afausairways.org

Accessing The Hub:

http://thehub.usairways.com 
Logging in the first time your user name is u0(zero) and your five digit employee number. Your initial password is the first five digits of your social security number. Questions about the Hub? Please contact the EDS Help Desk at 336-744-6000 for assistance. More information can also be found HERE.

AFA Local Numbers
 
Council 41 DCA 703-212-8090
Council 69 BOS 781-289-8454
Council 70 PHL 215-492-0840
Council 82 LGA 315-736-3483
Council 89 CLT 704-527-0325

New Hotline Number Toll Free: 866-USA-AFA2
US AIRWAYS Benefits Information 800-872-4780

Reply to Inflight: askinflight@usairways.com

Got Questions? Get Answers

The *E-Line* is now in a new and improved format. By updating your profile at unionvoice.org you will be able to enjoy improved services in the near future! Visit your subscription management page at: http://www.unionvoice.org/

Got questions about This *E-Line* from AFA - US Airways or any other Union matter? Do NOT REPLY to the *E-Line*. PLEASE contact your local AFA officers or committee chairs directly: http://www.afausairways.org/emailaddresses2.htm

Your MEC Officers
Association of Flight Attendants
Hotline & *E-Line* - US Airways