• NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
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Dear Members,

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

The Joint Negotiations Committee (JNC) met with the Company September 29-October 1 in Charlotte. During the session, the Company presented AFA with a complete Section 9-Scheduling proposal that included previously unacceptable Rescheduling and Reroute provisions.

The Company proposal is much different than the original proposal with respect to Rescheduling and Reroute. While the JNC found some elements of the proposal to be acceptable, there still remain some rather large gaps between the Company's proposal and the JNC's direction. The JNC will be developing a counter proposal next week in Phoenix. Scheduling and Rescheduling are the heart of our members working conditions and require the utmost attention to detail and the writing of unambiguous contract language within each provision.

In addition, the Company offered another counter proposal for Section 12-International. The Company's counter proposal contained some changes to their earlier proposals. Previous Company proposals had included any flying from North America to the Bahamas as Non-Transoceanic International flying (NTI). The Company's most recent proposal reverts back to previous proposals and again makes the Bahamas the fifty first state, and would exclude any Bahamian flying from NTI rules. The JNC will stick to our previous position that flying from North America to the Bahamas is NTI flying.

Earlier in the year, the JNC and the Company became locked in a dispute over whether or not South American flying (any destination south of the Panama-Columbia) would be considered Transoceanic International flying. The Company has now agreed (finally) South American flying will be considered Transoceanic International flying.

Other provisions agreed to include the reimbursement of mileage costs associated with obtaining passports or visas and reimbursement for surface transportation costs from an airport or layover hotel to a passport or visa office.

The JNC has continued our proposal to provide sufficient crew bunks for aircraft and flights on which such bunks are provided to the pilots. In addition the arbitration process for obtaining adequate Flight Attendant rest facilities is continuing.

As you may know, the FAA is in the process of rewriting pilot FARs for pilot Flight and Duty Time Limitations for both domestic and flag (International) operations. Because of possible changes to the Pilot FARs, and a related impact to Flight Attendant Hours of Service and rest requirement language, both the Company and the Union have agreed to set aside further negotiation of those provisions.

The Company also made a proposal to create an International CSD program in an effort to maintain consistency of service on Transoceanic International flights. Other major airlines have similar programs and most are referred to as "Purser" programs. At US Airways, the "B" position is referred to as the purser. The Company's proposal refers to the "A" or "CSD" position.

The Company's proposal was, for the most part, a copy and paste of the Northwest Airlines program. The JNC has researched other airline's programs and discovered a variety of different approaches- some that could work on this property and others that definitely would not.

While there are many facets to any type of dedicated CSD program there are two basic premises that must be satisfied before the JNC would move forward with a CSD program. First, the compensation for the CSD must be agreed to and, second, acceptance into the program will not be based on Company discretion. In other words, the Company will not be able to pick and choose participants based solely on Company preferences.

Even though this proposal was just introduced last week, rumors are rampant regarding the program and the program details. Nothing has been agreed to between the Company and the JNC, so those that "claim to be in the know" are simply expressing their opinions and not facts.

I realize this Eline does not contain specific proposals our counter proposals. Both the Scheduling and International sections are "open" and are being directly discussed by the Company and the JNC. For that reason, it would be unwise to publish any proposals while the negotiations continue.

The JNC will meet next week in Phoenix.

Thank you,

Mike Flores, President
The US Airways Master Executive Council
AFA-CWA


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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

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