MEC Hotline Message
Recording: 1-888-3-NWA-AFA
31 October Hotline Message
31 OCTOBER 2008
DEPT. OF JUSTICE APPROVES NWA-DAL MERGER
With this merger, Northwest and Delta flight attendants have a tremendous opportunity to negotiate an improved contract at the world’s largest airline, just as our unionized pilots have done. Our campaign focuses on three primary objectives: please go to http://www.deltaafa.org/images/DALNWATalkingPoints.pdf)
1) Job Protection that Prevents Outsourcing
2) Seniority Protection and a Merger Fence Agreement
3) Securing our Profession for the Long Term
We ask that you inform yourself and others of the importance of preserving our union in this merger. We can win a representational election with your support. You can contribute by volunteering as a State Chair or simply carrying campaign information to pass out on trips and calling your friends to keep them informed. To find out more about how you can help and for up-to-date merger information, please go to our joint organizing campaign website http://www.deltaafa.org. For a merger timeline, please click HERE or go to http://www.deltaafa.org/images/MergerTimeline.pdf
CALLING ALL FUTURE & CURRENT RETIREES!
We could use your assistance to protect your contractual retiree medical benefits. As retirees, many of you rely on the healthcare benefits that we have negotiated on your behalf in the past, and we would like to keep those current contractual benefits. We need a legal voice for the future to do so. Compare the current retiree medical plan at Northwest and Delta here http://nwaafa.org/docs/DAL_NWA_Medical_Plans_Comparison_2008.pdf. Visit the Delta Retiree website http://www.dalrc.org for more information about Delta retiree benefits. If you can spare the time, please join us in our campaign to protect our collective voice at http://www.deltaafa.org.
PBS & SCHEDULING CONCERNS
Your elected representatives and committee volunteers understand that some members are not happy with the PBS bidding system. As many of you may recall, in the case of SLIC, it took years to tweak the system to achieve higher bidder satisfaction. Your union is committed to working with management to improve our version of PBS. We will strive to make sure we aren’t saddled with Delta’s 10 year-old PBS system, since it does not have the contractual provisions we require in our PBS program. The joint Scheduling Survey, posted on ATLAS under “Hot Links,” has had more than 1,100 flight attendant submissions as of Monday. Your AFA Scheduling Committee volunteers will meet with the Company on November 6th, to discuss ongoing base-specific and system-wide Scheduling concerns. The Scheduling Committee will work with the Company in analyzing your input and present viable changes to pattern construction wherever possible. As we transition to a merged airline, we will fight for the right to continue negotiations to improve our bidding system.
To address your concerns about printed bid packet availability, AFA contacted the company and they have committed to “increase considerably” the number of contractual reference copies that will be sent to each base. After the January bidding cycle, this topic will be revisited. The monthly “bid packet” is also posted in electronic form on ATLAS. The Monthly PBS Awards (Bid Run) and Trip Point Summary are up on ATLAS, and should also be posted at the bases.
PBS SUPPORT TEAM
In LOA 15, the Union negotiated the right to create a PBS Support Team. The PBS Support Team is established to provide oversight to the PBS bidding system. It will be responsible for the review of PBS statistical data, the evaluation of recommendations regarding proposed PBS changes, and continuing to optimize bid results for flight attendants while maintaining the objectives of the Company. We are currently scheduling joint union and company applicant interviews for the bases, but we still need flight attendant representatives for the following bases: MSP, BOS, SFO, and LAX. This team, in addition to ongoing union efforts, is vital to improve bidder satisfaction. If your base is unrepresented and you are interested, please send a letter of interest and resume to Tana Jansen .
SENIORITY INTEGRATION—WHAT DELTA ISN’T TELLING YOU
DELTA FALSEHOOD: Management recently posted a Q&A on its employee website stating that the post-merger seniority integration process “was made independent of the representation process when fair and equitable became law in December 2007.” In other words, in Delta’s view, seniority integration will occur without AFA, no matter what happens in the NMB representation election. REALLY? That’s not what the law says. Read the entire SEC 117 Labor Integration statute HERE or go to http://www.nwaafa.org/docs/merger/seniority/SeniorityIntegrationStatute.pdf and make up your own mind. As it clearly states, if a Union represents the merging employees ("craft or classes") then the Union’s internal integration policies shall apply, not just the “fair and equitable.”
The law cannot be clearer: if AFA wins the representation election at the post-merger Delta, AFA’s seniority integration procedures shall apply and, as the law states, “will not be affected and will supersede the [fair and equitable] requirements of this section.” In addition, AFA will continue to represent NWA flight attendants during the pendency of the election. As a result, Delta cannot force“fair and equitable” seniority integration on its flight attendant before the election outcome is known. Any attempt by Delta to do so will be vigorously challenged by AFA.
Letters regarding seniority integration (September 2008 AFA MEC letter to NWA, October 2008 NWA’s response letter to AFA MEC, October 2008 AFA Legal letter to NWA) and AFA Legal’s statement on this matter are posted on http://www.nwaafa.org/resources/merger of the MEC website.
MERGER STOCK FIDELITY ACCOUNT IS NOW AVAILABLE
As stated in the company e-mail sent on October 30, NWA employees will be awarded shares of Delta Airlines Stock. A Fidelity account has been set up under your name to receive shares that will be distributed around November 5. If you do not have an existing Fidelity account, you will need to activate the account set up for you. For details on activating your Fidelity account or viewing your Stock Award Statement, please refer to Merger Stock Awards under Featured Links in RADAR. Once the shares have been paid into your activated Fidelity account, you will be able to begin transactions immediately. Please note there may be IRS tax implications associated with these stocks and all related transactions. The Union was informed that Northwest Series C Stock will be converted to Delta Stock.
The total shares of stocks awarded to our flight attendant group were not negotiated by our union. As stated in MEC’s October 24 hotline, Delta was only legally compelled to negotiate with its unionized work force (ALPA) and make a deal that was acceptable to both NWA and Delta groups. This, in turn, gives 5.88% of nearly 10% stake that Delta promises to all employees after the merger transaction closes and leaves the remainder 4+% to be divided among the rest of the workgroup. Again, even equity can be unequal when the Company has no legal duty to negotiate with its employees. NO UNION = No choice and No voice.
ELECTION DAY - TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH
Please remember to vote this coming Tuesday, November 4. There are a lot at stake for Americans this year, especially for unionized American workers. If you are voting via absentee ballot, please note that all absentee ballots must be postmarked no later than Nov. 4. You can also vote in person at your local Registrars of Voters during their extended hours this weekend and through Election Day.
CWA HEALTHCARE CAMPAIGN
The Communications Workers of America is making comprehensive healthcare reform one of its top priorities - some 46 million Americans have no insurance coverage and 25 million more are under-insured. The American healthcare system puts all companies at a competitive disadvantage globally and forces them to reduce or eliminate benefits and ship jobs overseas in order to survive. CWA is reaching out to labor unions, progressive organizations, and especially employers to build partnerships to fix the broken system. Starting early in 2008, CWA trained 110 state, regional and congressional district coordinators, who in turn are taking the message of healthcare reform locally across the country to elect candidates who are committed to real healthcare reform. The training also educates members about the need to make it easier for more workers to join unions by passing the Employee Free Choice Act, so that all workers can win better wages and benefits. The campaign is building a political infrastructure in every CWA district, including 17 Presidential battleground states and 125 congressional districts, and is committed to getting healthcare legislation enacted by 2010. For more information about CWA’s Health Care Plan and all the latest healthcare news please go to http://www.healthcarevoices.org/
MINNESOTA UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS UPDATE
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) will be hosting a meeting on Monday, Nov. 10, at the MN Capitol building from 10am to 11:30am to discuss possible ways we can change how MN law views Unemployment Insurance eligibility regarding our flight attendants who reside in MN and have taken a voluntary furlough. Your Government Affairs Committee will be lobbying to change the MN UI law, asking MN lawmakers to make an exception for Northwest flight attendants, possibly classify them as seasonal workers so they are eligible to receive unemployment benefits. Your MSP Government Affairs Chair Camilla Wolkerstorfer, NYC Government Affairs Chair Rene Foss, along with other members of the MEC Government Affairs committee will be attending this meeting with the goal of getting unemployment insurance for our MSP membership currently on SLIP leave.
UNION PLUS—TIPS ON MAKING IT THROUGH TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES
The AFL-CIO is a voluntary federation of 56 national and international labor unions and they represent worker from all walks of life. They seek to improve lives of working families and bring economic justice to our work place and social justice to our nation. Please refer to their website http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/10/25/union-plus-tips-for-making-it-through-tough-economic-times/ for helpful information and their blog page for tips on surviving our current economic state.
NWE TRAINING CANCELLED
NWA-AFA MEC President Kevin Griffin was notified that Northwest Experience training has officially been cancelled. Flight attendants who were scheduled a training date in November will be notified.
SEEKING WRITERS
We would like to include a piece in next printed quarterly newsletter, from the perspective of our new hires. If you are interested in writing it, please contact MEC Communications Chair Rhonda Taylor at .