Date: July 22, 2008
Read by: Chris Mellon

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen and welcome to Dear AFA.  Today is Tuesday, July 22^nd and this is Chris Mellon, reporting and Glenn's Gotta Go.

Final Push to Get FMLA Correction in Senate

Congress will recess on August 1^st for their month-long summer break.  When they return all attention will be focused on the Presidential election and the issues with the economy.  If we don't get our Family and Medical Leave Act correction legislation to the floor of the Senate for a veto-proof vote before August 1^st then all of our hard work will be lost and we will have lost the opportunity to finally get equal access to FMLA under the law.

I am attending AFA's annual MEC Reserve training this week and as a Flight Attendant serving Reserve each month I have a particular interest in achieving this legislation.  You see, George Bush has already declared that he will veto the bill given the chance because the Department of Labor argues that Flight Attendants on Reserves are "part-time flight attendants" who should not qualify for Family and Medical Leave.  In other words, they believe Reserves are living the life of leisure as we sit by the phone waiting for that last minute call to go anywhere in the world.  Let's all use some of that supposed "leisure time" to call our Senators daily and demand the passage of this bill. 

As of July 21, 2008 we have 38 co-sponsors in the Senate. We need 29 more co-sponsors to sign on over the next week – and at least 2 more Republican co-sponsors. It is not acceptable if your Senator says s/he supports the bill, will vote for it, but doesn't believe in co-sponsoring legislation. A single Senator can block legislation from moving forward - the only way to signal their support to their Senate colleagues is to become a co-sponsor of the legislation.  In order to ensure our success it is critical that we add two more Republican Senators to our co-sponsor list – along with all of the Democrats – in order to avoid filibuster when the bill goes to a vote.

The Bush Administration isn't the only force working against our rights to these benefits.  Under the direction of Glenn Tilton, United's lobbyists have been on Capitol Hill working against our right to access the benefit to care for ourselves or our families like every other worker in this country. Make sure Tilton doesn't get the last word. Use the script on www.unitedafa.org and call now!  Make your calls today and every day this week!  Get your friends and family to call too!

United Improves Cash Position and Reports Not So Bad 2^nd Quarter

Today, United announced its 2nd quarter financial results with a better-than-feared second-quarter loss of $1.19 a share after excluding mostly noncash charges.  This put the operating loss at $151 million even as other transactions improved the airline's cash position by more than $1 billion.  United had $2.92 billion in cash at the end of the first quarter and now sits on $4.24 billion.  Many news articles repeated previous statements by management that 737s and six 747s would be grounded along with the elimination of 7000 jobs over an 18 month period.  Keep in mind, normal attrition over an 18 month period for Flight Attendants alone equals approximately 1500 jobs.

Contractual Provisions Protect Jobs – But No Announcement of Job Cuts

Over the past several months we have often reviewed our industry-leading job protections.  We've reviewed the Foreign National Letter of Agreement that requires the termination or furlough of foreign nationals currently based in Singapore and Bangkok before the furlough of any Flight Attendants on the AFA system seniority list, followed by the use Section 21 which provides for a voluntary furlough prior to the involuntary furlough of any AFA Members.  To be clear: neither of these Contractual provisions has been triggered.  Other Contractual provisions such as Special Leaves, the Early Out Program, 30-day ANP, daily WOP and a reduction in line averages are meeting the current needs for balancing our work force and the company's Flight Attendant scheduling needs. 

Honoring Picket Lines in Germany

Today pilots at Lufthansa, who are members of Vereinigung Cockpit pilot's union, struck the airline over a pay dispute.  The strike today caused the cancellation of 465 flights at Lufthansa and the airline expects another 525 cancellations tomorrow.  The strikes affected airports across Germany including Frankfurt and Munich.  The pilots may continue to strike in the near future if the dispute is not resolved.  At the same time Germany's trade union Verdi, representing ground staff and cabin crew at Lufthansa, is currently holding a vote for strikes later this year. 

United knows that AFA Members have the right to honor picket lines in accordance with the Railway Labor Act and our Collective Bargaining Agreement.  The right to honor a picket line by refusing to cross the line to report to work is part of the right to strike under the Railway Labor Act (RLA).  If one group of employees is engaged in a lawful strike and establishes a picket line, other employees have the right to refuse to cross that line.

This extends to situations where the employees all work for the same employer (a "sympathy strike") and even to situations where workers at one airline are on strike and workers from another airline honor the picket line by refusing to go to work at their own airline (a "secondary strike").  This right to honor a picket line means you can do so without management interference and coercion.  For example, management cannot discipline or terminate you for exercising this right.

We stand in solidarity with our sister and brother Union members in Germany.  AFA Members should be well aware of your right to refuse to cross a picket line.  The German Unions have not contacted our Union for assistance at this time.  And, under AFA policy, we do not announce whether we will ask Flight Attendants to honor picket lines unless and until a strike is actually initiated by a Union and they request our support.  We will keep you advised as this situation in Germany develops.

Congratulations to AFA Council 11 Council Representative Stan Kiino

Before we close this evening we offer hearty congratulations to AFA Council 11 Representative Stan Kiino who was honored last Friday by the San Mateo County Central Labor Council.  MEC President Greg Davidowitch, Council 11 Officers Chris Black and Bro Maugg, other AFA volunteers and our esteemed retired AFA force in the Bay area all attended the banquet in honor of Stan and other activists who work tirelessly for their communities through political, social and cultural movements.  We will include a full tribute to Stan in the Wednesday edition of E-lines.  Stan, we are proud of your achievements and the way you have honored all of us as AFA Members.

That's all for this evening. As always, stand proud, stand strong, stand together.