USAirways AFA MEC Pres. Recalled Amid Contract Vote

Mike Flores, a 30 year flight attendant and president of the Master Executive Council of the USAir AFA has been recalled. The Street.Com 

This is one of the most arrogant, over compensated "officers" that the CWA-afa has in a position of "authority." The fact that two of their MECs grew enough of a spine to remove him is remarkable given the CWA-afa's typical prospensity to close ranks and protect their own. Apparently the Philadelphia and Charlotte LEC presidents either have put their respective memberships' interests first, which is unlikely, or have political agendas of their own.

It will be interesting to see if one of those LEC Presidents tries to assume the role of MEC President at USAir.

What is still mystifying to us is why, nearly SEVEN YEARS after the merger, the CWA-afa flight attendants still haven't followed their own Constitution and MERGED the MECs. A huge part of the problem in arriving at a joint contract at USAir  was the inability of either MEC to relinquish power and control and merge into one cohesive unit for the benefit of the membership. (UA MEC Are You Listening?!?) Flores was a big part of that problem.

We wonder if he'll actually go back to flying for a real living or try to find a job as executive assistant coffee boy to the executive assistant coffee boy to the international coffee boy.

HOW THE PILOTS TPA AFFECTS US

The pilots Transition and Process Extension Agreement (TPA) of February 2012 runs through March 31, 2013. You can read the full text of the agreement here. What implications does this have for flight attendants?
Pay particular attention to the 320/757 pilot base in IAH for s-United, and the 737/757 bases in SFO, DEN, and ORD for s-CO. These bases, along with the one already operating in LAX may be done so WITHOUT RESTRICTION.
The point to be made is that without a similar agreement in place for us, or, better still, a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA), we have NO PROTECTIONS against the shift in flying that is coming. Sam Risoli alluded to these shifts in a recent letter to all flight attendants. He also made it clear the timeline for a JCBA in the Company's plans coincides with the Sept. 2012 amendable date of the IAM Continental Contract. Without a JCBA in place by then, we think s-CO flight attendant sub domicile bases are not far off.

EVERYTHING the UAL MEC is doing is playacting and posturing while they fervently hope as many people as the Company allows will take the crossover or early out options, so there will be as few of us left as possible to witness first hand their utter selling out of the s-United membership.

Thirty day ANP and 90 day special leaves of absence will continue to be offered, while CO continues to hire, and ultimately another furlough will be offered by summer's end. And yet, United attendants still stare this stark reality in the face (one subsidiary is growing while the other is shrinking) and ignore it, then are shocked to learn the CAL MEC is negotiating improvements to the IAM contract for Continental flight attendants. And while all this is happening, we are told the Guam (CMI) Contract must now be improved upon as yet another "stepping stone" or "cornerstone" or whatever the heck stone they're using, before anything else can be done. And without the protections of a JCBA, we at s-United, are the victims once again of CWA "protection" and "representation."

We are nearly nine months past the representation vote - nine months that should have been spent exclusively on a JCBA and integrated seniority list for ALL flight attendants' benefit and protection. Where is the NMB when you need them?

                  READ MY LIPSTICK: WHEN PIGS FLY........SO WILL THE AFA LIES. 

Biggest Union on the Property.......Equals Leverage at the Table!

Congratulations! IAMAW Union Wins Election for another 17,000 at United Airlines!!!

On March 7th, 2012, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) won exclusive representation rights for nearly 17,000 Passenger Service and Reservation Employees at the new United Airlines.

The IAM received 8,305 votes during the seven-week election, while 5,865 votes were cast for NO representation! 
The election increases IAM membership in all classifications at the new United to 31,500 and marks the third consecutive airline organizing victory for the IAM Transportation Department. In addition to this week’s victory, previous wins among United Ramp & Stores (14,785) and ExpressJet Flight Attendants (2,200) brings the number of IAM members organized during the past eight months to nearly 34,000. IAM is the largest union on United's property.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is the largest airline union in the world.

New Contract passes for s-UA, Will CO Get Another One Too?

CAL FA's Will Enter Separate Contract Negotiations

 THIS WEEK! 

The Company and CAL MEC will enter into Section 6 negotiations as early as March 5, 2012. The ex-IAM CAL flight attendants have another shot at a raise and contract improvements to their already industry leading IAM contract that becomes amendable in September of this year.
But wait, the Afa is telling us all that combined contract negotiations will start within 180 days of signing the new UA tentative!

NEWSFLASH!!!

All three parties to a combined contract (Continental Afa, Continental Micronesia Afa and United Afa) must agree to negotiate before this can happen. After taking a look at the concessionary United TA negotiated by the UA Afa, do you think that Continental f/a's will be in a hurry to negotiate with UA afa at the table or will they drop anchor and hang on to what they've got for as long as they can??? Especially if they are able to negotiate ANOTHER raise and contract improvements for themselves THIS SEPTEMBER!

CAL FA's Submit over 30,000 Proposals!!!

Over 30,000 proposals for a new contract were submitted by CAL flight attendants in EWR, CLE, and IAH. The proposals were submitted by the CAL flight attendants in preparation for CAL's upcoming Section 6 negotiations. Not only is CAL jump starting the negotiations for the contract that is amendable in September, 2012, but is making sure that every flight attendant has the opportunity to present what they would like in their new contract.

Not surprisingly, what the CAL FA's do not want have been found overwhelmingly in the proposals submitted:

• 1. No 8 in 24
• 2. No 30 in 7
• 3. No PBS (Preferential Bidding System - which is not in CAL's contract but it is in UA's contract)

One thing is clear from the results of the proposals - the almost 10,000 strong CAL FA's do not want to lose their work flexibility!

There is no incentive for CAL MEC to "rush" into a combined agreement if the UA MEC does not "play ball". The so-called UA work rules have already been "compromised" in the proposed TA that is being voted on by the UA flight attendants. The UA work rules may also prevent a combined agreement to take place for years to come since most of CAL fa's will "fight" to keep their work flexibility in their new contract.
The Company also has stated that they want a productive, combined workforce and are willing to pay for it. Well, they have the productive part - its Continental. The Afa seems to be walking right into the Company's master plan and assist the Company to grow the productive CAL side of the workforce and just considerably shrink the UA work force.