The Update Message from the International Association of Machinists representing Continental, ExpressJet and
Continental Micronesia
Flight Attendants in the 2339 Local Lodges

Friday, March 17, 2006    

IAM/Continental Micronesia Reach Tentative Agreement – Your IAM Flight Attendant Negotiating Committee has reached a tentative agreement with Continental Micronesia for a new contract.  A copy of the Agreement with an explanation of each change is being printed and mailed to the most recent address each Flight Attendant has on file with Continental Micronesia.  Following informational meetings, membership voting will be conducted beginning March 21^st through 30^th, 2006.  Implementation is contingent on Flight Attendant ratification.  Please check with your Local Lodge and District Representatives for the times and places for voting. Your Negotiating Committee wants to thank you for your solidarity and support which made this agreement possible.

IAM District Lodge 142 Announces Scholarship Competition – The 2006 District Lodge 142 Scholarship Program will be an essay competition open to all members in good standing, as well as their legal children who are 2006 graduating high school seniors.  The winners of the competition will receive scholarship tuition of $1,000.00, to be paid directly to the college or accredited institution of higher learning.   To apply for the competition, a fully completed application form together with an essay must be sent by U.S. Mail to the District Office and postmarked no later than midnight, April 30^th, 2006.  Winners will be announced on June 30^th, 2006.  Application forms and specific rules and regulations are available through your Local Lodge.  Additionally, the General Chairperson assigned to your base can provide answers to any other inquiries concerning the entire program.  Good Luck to all entrants!

Union Representatives at Continental Airlines have had a number of inquiries about the printing of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.  Copies of the tentative agreement, which was mailed to each member prior to ratification, are available at each base.  You can also reference this Update Message at IAMDL142.org to click on the link to download the entire amended agreement (Complete Text of Tentative Agreement With Explanations of Each ChangeFinal.CBA.With.Boxes.12.15.05.V4.pdf).  Copies of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement should arrive at each base in approximately 60 days.

Your Local Lodge Hotel Committees want to remind all flight attendants to verify, upon check-out at all layover hotels, that you do not have any unpaid incidentals charged to your room.  All hotels should be able to provide you with a zero-balance statement to confirm you have no outstanding charges.  If you should encounter any difficulties in requesting this information, please provide details to your Local Lodge Hotel Committee.

ExpressJet Union Representatives are still receiving reports that flight attendants are being told by various company personnel, other than Inflight or Inflight Management, that they are required to clean the planes before 10:30 am, at the various hub locations.  If this happens to you, please report it to the Union and include the flight number, time, employee’s name, and any other pertinent information.  The company has assured the Union that when they receive specific reports they will address the issue with everyone involved to ensure that it does not happen again.

Discount Carriers Facing Higher Costs, Competition - Some analysts say low-fare airlines are becoming more and more vulnerable to fuel prices and competition. Discounters are facing higher costs and operational issues after several years of strong growth.

Southwest Airlines has increased some one-way fares by $10, breaking its four-year-old cap of $299 on one-way tickets. The carrier also raised prices on other fares.  A Southwest spokesman explained, "When you're looking at a fuel bill that'll be $600 million more this year than last, you have to govern yourself accordingly.  At some point, you have to cover skyrocketing fuel costs."

Delta Air Lines will probably end its pilots' pension plan, an attorney for the airline said at an arbitration hearing. The decision would increase the obligations of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. United Airlines and US Airways have already terminated their plans, shifting the burden to the PBGC. An arbitrator on Monday urged Delta and its pilots union to reach a settlement. 

Alaska Airlines has reached a tentative contract agreement with its flight attendants union. Terms were not disclosed pending ratification.  The airline and union hope to complete ratification by late April.

US Airways said it will rehire 400 flight attendants who had been laid off, some as far back as September, 2001. The company will start sending out notices in April.

We would like to encourage all members to attend your Local Lodge business meeting. Each base must have a quorum to conduct business. The following is a schedule for upcoming meetings:

: Tuesday, April 11^th, 3:00 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel.

Cleveland: Thursday, April 13^th, 4:00 p.m. at 669 North Rocky River Drive.

Guam: Wednesday, April 19^th, 4:00 p.m. at the Airport Conference Room.

 

Houston: Wednesday, March 22^nd, 1:00 p.m. at 15710 JFK Blvd.