Earlier today, the Joint Master Executive Councils convened for a Special MEC Meeting to elect MEC Officers and MEC Committee Chairpersons to unify the East and West MEC’s. We are now one. We would like to thank all the Flight Attendants who showed interest and took the time to apply for these positions. We congratulate the newly elected Officers and Chairpersons. The term of office begins June 1st and ends on December 31st of this year. (more…)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Lawyers for nine organizations representing 400,000 aviation professionals, passengers and law enforcement officers today filed a legal petition with Transportation Security Administrator John Pistole and copied to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano seeking to rescind plans to allow knives in the aircraft cabins for the first time since 9/11.
“The Transportation Security Administration and the Homeland Security Department cannot dismiss the grave security concerns of 400,000 people on the front lines of U.S. aviation, including TSA’s own Transportation Security Officers and Air Marshals,” the coalition asserted. The coalition also includes flight attendants, gate agents, pilots, law enforcement and passengers. (more…)
Source: CBS News
Posted On: April 29, 2013, 5:02 PM
DALLAS The president of the AFL-CIO is worried that the merger of American Airlines and US Airways will trigger a costly fight between two unions over representation of airline ground workers.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says that instead of fighting over workers who already belong to a union, the two unions should call a truce and share representation of the airline employees. That way, he says, they could focus on organizing workers who aren’t union members. (more…)
Source: Forbes
Author: Richard Finger
Posted On: April 29, 2013 9:29am
The mistrust that labor harbors for American Airlines management is a feud with a history filled with a powerful vitriol that only duplicitous behavior engenders. It all began back in 2003 when then CEO Don Carty, after multiple years of billions in losses, used the threat of bankruptcy to wring $1.8 billion in wage and other concessions from the three major constituent unions; the APA (American Pilots Association), the TWU (Transit Workers Union, an AFL-CIO affiliate), and the APFA (Association of Professional Flight Attendants). While a somber Mr. Carty preached to labor that in this dark hour the necessity for “shared sacrifice” he failed to mention the deca-millions in retention bonuses of 200 percent of salary that management had concurrently approved for top executives.
The second tranche of perfidy was the major commission of the omission of disclosing the creation of a new “secret” supplemental executive retirement plan (think pension) being squirreled away only for top executives. Apparently, Mr. Carty felt no comfort in being on equal footing with rank and file employees whose primary pensions may potentially be at risk in a bankruptcy scenario. So the CEO in October 2002 clandestinely funded an irrevocable trust for the top 45 executives which specifically delineated in the trust agreement that trust assets “shall not be subject to the claims of the creditors of the corporation in a bankruptcy”….
Employees were so indignant they threatened to abrogate the recently ratified pay cut labor agreements. The retention bonuses were hastily cancelled but the supplemental pension plan remains in place to this day. Further fallout was the swift “resignation” of the woodenheaded Mr. Carty who received no severance package. But thanks to that recently created executive retirement plan, magically Mr. Carty was gifted $8.2 million. The award was actually closer to $12 million as the $8.2 million was an after tax figure. (more…)
Source: Washington Post (AP)
Posted On: April 15
DALLAS — US Airways began studying a potential merger with American Airlines several months before American filed for bankruptcy protection in late 2011, according to papers filed Monday by the two companies.
The documents give a blow-by-blow account of how the merger was negotiated, including the thorny issues of how to share ownership of the merged company and who would run it.
The companies also revived a proposed $20 million severance deal for Tom Horton, the CEO of American parent AMR Corp. A federal judge had declined to approve the payout, finding that it violated a 2005 bankruptcy law, but he had left open the possibility that a payment could be reconsidered later. (more…)
HOMELAND SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE CONDUCTS AVIATION SECURITY HEARING WITHOUT FLIGHT ATTENDANT EXPERIENCE
Key Stakeholder Perspective Missing at TSA Policy Hearing
Washington, DC – The Coalition of Flight Attendant Unions, representing nearly 90,000 Flight Attendants, questions the validity of an aviation security hearing focused on the ‘perspectives of stakeholders’ that fails to include the experience of our nation’s Flight Attendants. A representative of America’s Flight Attendants will not testify before the House Transportation Security Subcommittee’s upcoming hearing entitled: “TSA’s Efforts to Advance Risk-Based Security: Stakeholder Perspectives.” The hearing is scheduled to be held on Thursday, April 11, 2013 at 1:00pm. (more…)
Source: NBC News, Reuters
Author: Nick Brown
A judge on Wednesday approved AMR Corp’s plan to merge with US Airways Group , a step toward creating the world’s largest airline.
AMR, parent of American Airlines and in bankruptcy since November 2011, must still construct a formal restructuring plan incorporating the merger that meets court and creditor approval before the airline can emerge from bankruptcy.
American Airlines announced the plan to combine with US Airways last month, a deal that also requires regulatory approval. (more…)
Media Advisory for March 22, 2013
Bi-Partisan Letter to TSA with 133 Signatures Calls for Recognition of Flight Attendant Concerns
Washington, DC – The Coalition of Flight Attendant Unions, representing 90,000 Flight Attendants, applauds Congressmen Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Michael Grimm (R-NY) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS) for taking the lead by authoring a letter to TSA Administrator John Pistole about the abrupt policy change allowing dangerous items in the aircraft cabin. The letter expresses serious concerns about the process used to determine a policy change “without any formal engagement with stakeholders impacted by this policy, including our frontline workers aboard flights, the crewmembers.” (more…)
March 15, 2013
With ratification of our single agreement, we secured a seat at the table for four-party Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) negotiations. This means that we get a say in how our future contract will be shaped at the new American. These negotiations are much like the Letter of Agreement that addressed the transition issues in the US Airways/America West merger. It is essentially a process agreement that details how flying will be handled until full operational integration takes place. It also will provide for discussions on the framework for negotiating a single agreement at the new American – and it provides us an opportunity to gain overarching economic improvements upon merger close. (more…)
March 15, 2013
The first combined System Seniority list is now available to view online on the secure company website WINGS. You will need to login with your company credentials to view the list.
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US Airways Flight Attendants:
During the brutality of 9/11 which still lives fresh in many of our minds weapons were used to take Flight Attendant and passengers lives. This week, a very shocking decision was made to reverse the 11 year ban on passengers bringing Knives and other dangerous items on board in our cabins that can be used as deadly weapons. Flight Attendants are First Responders and the Last line of defense and we must band together to stop this from happening!
There’s no excuse for reversal on the policy to ban knives from the aircraft cabins. Multi-layered security, including prohibition of items that could pose a threat, ensures U.S. aviation is the safest in the world. The ban on dangerous objects is an integral layer in aviation security.
We have the ability to spread the word to thousands of Our Flying Peers and even tens of thousands of people beyond that with our loved ones, friends and our fellow industry colleagues. Our unity and ability to act quickly is our greatest protection. Let’s get this decision reversed!
Please Sign and spread the word about AFA’s White House Petition and help keep knives and other dangerous objects out of our aircraft cabins.
Washington, DC – US Airways Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), attended a hearing today before the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on the merger between US Airways and American Airlines. Flight Attendants in uniform made their position known to lawmakers that front line workers support the merger as full partners. AFA US Airways Presidents Roger Holmin and Deborah Volpe issued the following statement: (more…)
February 14, 2013
Dear Flying Partners:
We are writing to you from Dallas where we are joining leaders of each of the unions representing workers from both US Airways and American Airlines. Last night this merger was approved by the Boards of each airline and US Airways and AMR have officially entered into an agreement to merge. This represents a new opportunity for all of us. (more…)
Whereas, the combination of US Airways and AMR (American Airlines) will create the world’s largest airline, and
Whereas, Flight Attendants at the five airlines included in this merger have contributed to the opportunities that have led to this merger through their hard work and sacrifices, and
Whereas, AFA members from US Airways and wholly owned subsidiaries of American Eagle, Piedmont, PSA — and APFA members from American Airlines must be recognized by management as full partners in this merger,
Therefore Be It Resolved, that the 60,000 Flight Attendants at the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA stand in unity and solidarity with our sisters and brothers at the new American Airlines to protect jobs, improve contracts, and advance the collective interests of all Flight Attendants.
Source: DallasNews.com
Author: Terry Maxon
Posted On:
By a large margin, US Airways pilots voted in favor of a “memorandum of understanding” that would spell out how a merger with American Airlines would affect them.
The decision by the US Airline Pilots Association comes as we await a decision on whether the two airlines will merger. We anticipate a decision very soon: The board of American’s parent, AMR, is set to vote on the merger early next week. (more…)
Source: CBS News
Posted On: February 7, 2013, 7:10 a.m. EST
FORT WORTH, Texas A deal for American Airlines and US Airways to merge is likely to be agreed on early next week, sources tell CBS News..
The board of directors of Fort Worth-based American’s parent company, AMR Corp., is slated to meet Monday to consider the agreement, and an announcement could be made the next day, CBS Dallas station KTVT-TV say (more…)
Source: WFAA/Dallas TV
Author: Jason Whitley
Posted On: February 6, 2013 at 5:12 PM
DALLAS - A merger between American Airlines and US Airways will likely be announced next week, sources tell News 8.
The board of directors of AMR Corp., American’s parent company, will meet on Monday to consider a combination, News 8 has learned.
Many of the details have already been worked out over recent months.
Still, currently at issue is which executive team will lead the new company.
Sources tell News 8 that US Airways CEO Doug Parker will likely take over, and American’s Tom Horton will be given an honorary position on the board such as non-executive chairman. (more…)
Source: Wall Street Journal
Posted on: January 29, 2013, 3:52 p.m. ET
AMR CEO Horton in Talks to Become Chairman of Merged AMR-US Airways
AMR Corp. AAMRQ -8.80% Chief Executive Tom Horton is in talks about becoming board chairman if the American Airlines parent merges with US Airways Group Inc., LCC -4.06% one of a number of signs both companies are nearing a deal that could create the world’s largest airline by traffic, said people familiar with the discussions. (more…)
Source: Bloomberg
Authors: Mary Schlangenstein, Jeffrey McCracken & Beth Jinks
Posted On: Jan 28, 2013 10:01 PM MT
A group of AMR Corp. (AAMRQ) bondholders with about $1.5 billion in unsecured debt is backing a merger in bankruptcy with US Airways Group Inc. (LCC) and pushing for a deal by Feb. 15, people familiar with the matter said.
The bondholders coalesced behind the idea after reviewing confidential data from AMR’s American Airlines and US Airways, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. The promise of more cost savings and other financial benefits from a combined carrier than a stand-alone American helped sway the group, one of the people said. (more…)
Source: Phoenix Business Journal
Posted on: Jan 28, 2013, 5:57am MST
The nearly never-ending saga of a merger between U.S. Airways and American Airlines is apparently on its final approach to completion.
Reuters reports that four sources familiar with the details say the merger is in its final stages, with only the final price and management structure the remaining pieces to be resolved. American’s board plans to meet this week to discuss the latest developments in negotiations. (more…)
Source: Reuters
Author: Soyoung Kim
Posted On: Fri Jan 25, 2013 3:58pm EST
Jan 25 (Reuters) – US Airways Group Inc and American Airlines parent AMR Corp are in the final stages of negotiating a merger, with valuation and management structure being the two major sticking points left to resolve, four people familiar with the matter said. (more…)
Letter from APFA President Laura Glading and AFA-CWA President Veda Shook
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