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Notice to Flight
Attendants re: Concessionary Bargaining
July 2, 2008
Dear AirTran Airways Flight Attendant:
AFA Council 57 was notified yesterday that AirTran Airways is
seeking temporary wage concessions from all employees. In
addition, the Company intends to reduce the work force. The
Company will publish an A-line which provides general
information regarding concessions the Company has proposed.
Please be aware that the information published by the Company
applies to all employees and is not specific to flight
attendants. The following information has been compiled by your
MEC to explain more specifically how the proposed concessions
would affect flight attendants.
AFA Council 57 will begin to hold membership meetings as soon as
possible to provide you with the most updated information.
Meeting notices will be published on the www.AFAAirTran.com
website and published via email (ezine) as soon as arrangements
have been made. Please watch carefully for future announcements
and attend meetings – WE NEED YOUR INPUT! Also, Please pass this
information on to other flight attendants whom you have contact
with and UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION with the MEC.
What follows are Questions and Answers most often received by
the MEC:
1. Q. Can the Company impose reduced wage rates without our
consent?
A. NO. As an AFA member you have the protection of a contract,
your collective bargaining agreement. Any changes in wage rates
must be bargained.
2. Q. Do we have to agree to a reduction in our wages?
A. NO.
3. Q. Should we agree to reduce our wages?
A. The MEC cannot answer that question, instead the MEC advises
all flight attendants to attend the upcoming membership meetings
to get all the latest information and make decisions based on
the current facts.
4. Q. Is the Company’s proposed wage reduction limited to a
simple percentage of my current hourly rate?
A. NO – the reduced hourly rate is a straight percentage but the
Company is also proposing to reduce block hours which can reduce
the amount you earn in a month.
6. Q. Will the Company offer voluntary leaves before furloughs?
A. Yes, the Company will distribute information about leave
opportunities soon.
7. Q. How do we know the Company is telling us the truth?
A. AFA Council 57, together with AFA International, employs
professionals to analyze data provided by the Company to make
sure we are making decisions based on the most accurate
information we can obtain.
8. Q. Will Management be taking a pay cut?
A. Yes, consistent with the published pay reduction targets
published in the Company’s A-line.
9. Q. Will these concessions affect all employees?
A. Yes, concessions will only occur if all employee groups agree
to participate.
10. Q. If we agree to wage concessions can the Company ask for
more concessions?
A. Yes, the Company can make repeated requests for concessions
but in each case concessions must be negotiated and flight
attendants must agree. |
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Council 57
AirTran Airways
www.afaairtran.com
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