ARBITRATION UPDATE
On March 18, 2010, the Shift Trade violation was arbitrated in Phoenix, AZ. The Association filed this staff level grievance when the company released the New Attendance control policy. This new policy spelled out discipline associated with calling in sick while on a shift trade, which is the loss of your right to trade days and hours with your co-workers. The transcript was sent to the arbitration panel and attorneys two weeks after the hearing. The attorneys for both sides will have time to prepare and send in their briefs to the panel. Once this is done, the panel may meet or have a conference call to have further discussion on the grievance. Once this is done, the panel will issue a ruling. There is not a set date as to when the decision will be rendered. We will keep you posted.
On March 26, 2010 the CARS arbitration case was held in DC at CWA headquarters. The Association grieved the continuing violation of Article 4, Classifications. The Company has periodically allowed the CARS to work behind the ticket counter "accepting and checking passenger's bags". The agreement allows CARS to "assist passengers with check-in and baggage processing associated with the kiosk." The transcript will be sent to the panel and the lawyers this month. We will keep you updated on the outcome.
"CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AUDITS"
The leadership of the IBT/CWA Association had an informational meeting with US Airways and the people that are designing and will be performing the audit. They are planning on rolling this out sometime early in January of 2010. The Association was adamant when we advised the company that there should be NO DISCIPLINE issued due to the outcome of the audits. We were assured by the company that the audit was "not meant to be punitive" If the auditors observe "gross misconduct" they will advise local management. Please let your local CWA leadership know if there are any negative repercussions associated with the performance of the audits in your city.
Big Breakthrough: NMB Proposes Majority Vote for Airline Worker Elections
The National Mediation Board this week proposed a rule change to bring real democracy to union elections in the airline and railroad industries.
Under the NMB proposal, workers would vote either "Yes" or "No" in a union representation election. The outcome would be determined by a majority of votes cast, just as elections for public office now are conducted.
Under the current NMB rules, workers can only win union representation if a majority of eligible workers vote and a majority of those voters want a union voice. Workers who don't participate are considered "No" votes.
The NMB's two-member majority called the current system undemocratic. "Few if any democratic elections are conducted in this manner," the NMB said. "In our society, free choice is expressed on the basis of a majority of valid votes cast in an election. The wishes of those who take the time and trouble to cast ballots" should not be superseded by those who chose not to participate, it added.
The current system has encouraged airlines to engage in intimidation and coercive tactics to suppress turnout and keep workers from exercising their right to vote during union elections.
The rule change was praised by AFA-CWA President Patricia Friend. Employees seeking a union will now have the opportunity to have a chance for truly fair elections," Friend said. "They are excited for the opportunity for their voices and votes to be counted."
AFA-CWA has been working with flight attendants at the merged Northwest Delta Airlines to help bring union representation to the airline's 21,000 flight attendants. "Now that the NMB has announced that, for the first time in recent years, airline employees seeking union representation will have a chance for truly fair elections, flight attendants at Northwest and Delta are excited for that opportunity," Friend said. "As the largest private sector union election this year, we want this election at Delta Air Lines to occur under the new democratic procedures and therefore are withdrawing our single transportation application" that would trigger a union election. The NMB will issue its final rule after a 60-day public comment period.
For more information-also check out www.nmb.gov and http://www.apsa6001.org/ the new Local 6001 website for American Airlines Agents seeking union representation on the job.
PAYROLL ERRORS
Please be sure to review your paycheck carefully each pay period. There have been numerous errors by payroll; either overpayments or underpayments. Be aware of your rate of pay and any premuims you should be getting. If you find an error, please let your local Admin/payroll clerk know of the mistake ASAP. If you are unable to get it fixed, please reach out to your local CWA shop steward for help.
CWA NEWS
11/24/2009
CWA Passenger Service Association
ATTENTION US Airways RETIREES;
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Important messages about enrollment, your benefit plans, or US Airways announcements
Individuals Turning 65 in 2009
Individuals turning 65 in 2009 will receive an information packet on the Medicare Options US benefit plans approximately 90 days prior to your 65th birthday. This packet will include an enrollment application, which will need to be completed by the individual turning 65, for the plans being elected.
If you would like to receive information earlier or if you have any questions you can call the US Airways Retiree Service Center at 1-888-287-4101.
Click here to link to the web site or www.Medicareoptionsus.com |
~CWA Member Info~
Mandatory overtime rules being abused by the company systemwide in the Airports!
If you have not been given 1 hour written or electronic notice and the reason and duration of the mandatory overtime, then the company is in violation of the Contract -File a grievance if this happens to you! If you are not in front of a computer for the electronic pop up regarding overtime, how are you to know you have been mandatoried? YOU DO NOT have to find a manager before the end of your shift to "find out" if they need you to stay., the contract is very clear, they are to notify YOU. It is the RESPONSIBILITY of local managers to MANAGE the coverage, not ours. The company has been told many times the staffing is not adequate even when we had the SABRE system, they are finding out the hard way. See pages 34 and 40 in your contract to review the Mandatory overtime rule. For ATO's Article 6 Item U. and for RES Article 7, Item L.
BREAKS!
Take your breaks as scheduled. It is your right to take them per the contract. Do not let the local managers intimidate you nor make you feel guilty for leaving your co-workers to handle the lines when you need a break. Stand up for your negotiated rights.
A note about Training and Testing.
DO NOT DO TRAINING or TESTING ON YOUR OWN TIME or AT HOME! The company is responsibe for allowing enough time for training and testing while on the job!
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Training on your days off
The CWA locals are getting calls from members that are being forced to attend training on their days off. If you are not given a choice of days to go to training, please let your local rep know (see Article 29-Training, Travel Pay and Meal Per Diem on page 108 of your contract). If you volunteer to train on your days off or those are the only days left to sign up after bidding, you must be given two days off that same work week. Keep in mind, we do not get overtime during training.
GREAT SEARCH TOOL TO HELP YOU FIND WHAT YOU ARE SEEKING IN THE CWA CONTRACT PDF FILE LINK
A helpful search tool you can use if you are accessing the link to our Contract online is the binocular feature. Just click on the cwa contract pdf file link to left, it may take a minute to load, then on the binocular icon, a search tool will open up to the right. Type in a keyword, such as mandatory overtime or swap and it will link you to any page that has those words on it. You also may want to save the Contract pdf file to your desktop to use when you are not online. Hope this helps you navigate our CWA/IBT contract!
GRIEVANCES-ARTICLE 25
Please be sure to review Article 25 and the time limits for each step to keep a grievance in the pipeline and active. We also have a link to the grievance form to the left, which you can print out and use. If you do not have a steward available and need to file a grievance in a timely manner, please contact your local for assistance, there is a link to their emails below. We do not want people to miss a time limit to file a grievance or appeal it to the next step. It is the employee/grievant's responsibility to advance the grievance to the next step once they get the oral reply or written response at each level. Please keep your steward and or local in the loop in case the company fails to copy the steward or local in on their response to your grievance. Always remember to list a REMEDY on your grievance, which is what you would like if you win the grievance, for example, to be allowed to work the overtime you were bypassed for.
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