2/5/2012 AFA Data for UA Tentative

February 05, 2012 FLIGHT ATTENDANT COALITION FOR CHANGE Visit our blog: http://flightattendantcoalition.blogspot.com/

"Deconstructing" Afa $$ DATA The Wage Graph Afa Forgot in the TA (pages. 83-93) Afa - "Major Improvements in Contract provide the largest improvement in wages and other compensation for UAL Flight Attendants in decades" TRUTH In 1995, the highest pay rate was $44.53 International and $41.02 Domestic. 17 YEARS LATER our 2012 "Date of Signing" rate will be $47.45 International and $43.73 Domestic. An International pay increase of $2.92 an hour from 17 years ago hardly qualifies as the "largest improvement" in decades? Given their propensity to "deceive" or "skew data", our current union leaders should NEVER be allowed to negotiate for us again! Afa - "TA results in approximate 20% average annual improvement in FA overall compensation over current". TRUTH Let's just take our current rate of $43.14 International. Simple 20% annual rate increase would be $8.63. Add that to $43.14 and it is $51.77. That is not in our tentative. So the trick is in the word "overall". It includes the signing bonus. Take $5,000 Signing Bonus and divide by 6 years (2010-2016). It is $833.33 a year or $104.17 a month, or $1.07 an hour (65 hrs.) for the next 4 years in lieu of retro. Still doesn't add up to 20%. Not even close! so what's in there...the hypoallergenic wool coat? Or just "pulling the wool over our eyes"! Afa - "TA Pay Scale is up to 26% Higher than Pay Scale in 2005" TRUTH The International top pay rate in 2005 was $40.25. Remember it was $44.53 in 1995! Current TA Pay Scale is $47.45 for 2012. If true, 26% of $40.25 should be $50.72. The entire pay scale is skewed by adding in the "signing bonus", which is not CURRENT OR FUTURE EARNED INCOME. If the signing bonus is in lieu of retro as Afa states, it should never be added back into future earnings as a percentage of the pay scale. It is unethical and disingenuous. Only a morally bankrupt leadership would embark on this type of data "skewing". *Additional skewing includes current contract pay rate based on 65 hours and new wage increases based on 71 hours! **The bars and graphs (pages 83-93) are based on 85 and 100 hours, NOT 65 or 71 Hours! Could Afa be more misleading? Inflation, Inflation, Inflation Do we have the same buying power as we had in 2002? Go to www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm and see what the new pay raise will buy you today! If you earned $3,011 based on 03/01/2002 pay rates, you needed 3,764.82 in 2011 (based on 2.5% annual inflation rate). Our TA, (based on the new 71 hour minimum instead of the 65 hours in our old contract) gives us $3,369 ($47.45). However, what is needed today to maintain our buying power is $3,764.82 ($57.92)! **Our New Pay Rates did not protect us from inflation and we still do not have the same buying power that we had in 2002! The Devil In The Details The Crossover Detail It is important to understand that the terms of employment and number of flight attendants allowed to crossover under the provisions of the TA is left to the "Companies' sole judgement". Section B.5 contains important furlough language in the event "a UA Flight Attendant is furloughed involuntarily from CO". In that event, "she/he will have the right to terminate employment at (CO) and return to UA...only if there are no UA Flight Attendants on furlough and there are UA vacancies". However, if there are no UA vacancies, the returning Flight Attendant will be placed on Section 23.B Special Leave of Absence. Section 23.B Special Leaves of Absence. Should the Company offer continuous leaves of more than 180 days, Flight attendants awarded such leaves shall accrue seniority for 180 days and thereafter retain only. *Seniority issues should be weighed very carefully by the UA "crossover" fa's. OOPS!!! Forgot About CAL Seniority? The Original Crossover Letter of Agreement C.1 in the TA- "s-UA Flight Attendants who were awarded cross overs and did not revoke will be assigned s-CO bid seniority numbers in the same relative seniority as they appear on the s-UA system seniority list. These cross-over Flight Attendants will maintain their s-CO bid seniority numbers even if other new hire s-CO Flight Attendants commence and complete training before them". It was UA MEC leadership's blatant attempt to violate the seniority of CAL new hires in the UA TA Crossover Letter of Agreement. We highly recommend Afa read the book: "How to Win Friends and Influence People". Few days later, a corrected version appeared in TA Section C. 1 - " the s-UA Flight attendants on the crossover list will be put on s-CO payroll in the same relative seniority as they appear on the s-UA system seniority list". *The Company offered the crossover in June 2011 for 1800 UA Flight Attendants. Since Afa's refusal to let the UA membership accept or vote on the crossover, at least 400 new hires have been hired by CAL. Causing UA crossovers the loss in seniority over CAL new hires is one thing, but isn't it bad behavior for the UNION leadership to then try and "steal" seniority from CAL new hires in our TA? The MEC Meets Feb. 6-8th On February 6-8, The Afa MEC Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting will be held in Los Angeles to VOTE on the following proposals: Agenda Item #36 - Total compensation for the Executive Assistant to the International President will be no greater than sixty percent (60%) of the International President’s compensation (calculated at 2.25 times 68 hours annualized at the highest AFA-CWA Flight Attendants' hourly pay: include negotiated overrides i.e., purser/lead, international rates COLA, et al) before application of the 11% override) plus an additional eleven percent (11%) override of this sixty percent (60%) figure allocation of this total amount for salary, retirement benefits, and/or deferred compensation will be determined Proposal also states Insurance, vacation, and other fringe benefits to the International Officers and the "appointed" Executive Assistant to the International President will be provided by the AFA. Also currently paying $48.00/day (+) additional 20% for tipping (while at home); .55 cents/mile for driving expenses; Allowable expenses up to seven dollars and fifty cents ($7.50) per hour for child care with receipt and approval of Local Council or Master Executive Council President http://afanet.org/cb/default.asp?id=73 Perhaps in Order to Pay for Expenses Agenda Item #42: The Afa Proposes Monthly dues Increase from $43 a month to $50 a month in the 2012-2013 Budget Forward this message to a friend GO TO YOUR LOCAL ROADSHOWS! JOIN THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT COALITION FOR CHANGE AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD IN 2012! Subscribe Today!