Dear Council 11 Members,

Our power as a Union is in our collective voice. Earlier this week I participated in the joint MEC meeting that united our pre-merger Unions, amplifying our collective voice. Twenty-one Local Council Presidents walked into the meeting representing their respective membership of either the Continental, Continental Micronesia, or United MEC and we all left the meeting as a single United MEC representing the combined Membership.  As we take the steps to unite as a unified group, we must recognize the significance of this event. Ratifying a Joint Agreement was the first step, and now as the second step, election of MEC Officers is complete with Ken Diaz, Adam Novish, and Jeff Heisey being elected as the new MEC officers for all United Airlines Flight Attendants.

We have a lot of work ahead of us with the next steps including a merge of MEC Committees and the election of a single set of representatives for those Local Councils with dual representation. Later this month, Shawn Dawkins, Council 37 SFO President, and I will travel to Chicago for the Fall 2016 Regular MEC meeting. This will be another milestone event as one of the few meetings with 21 Local Council Presidents making up the merged MEC.

In early October we will start the process of nominations for all Local Officers in SanFrancisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Houston, Chicago, Washington DC, and Newark. The nomination process will be followed by elections in November and December 2016.

Beginning January 1, 2017, there will be a single Council to which all Flight Attendants based in San Francisco will belong and by whom they will be represented.  These are the final steps in unifying our work force. We are Stronger Together, Better Together.

Local Joint Council Meeting

On September 16 we will host a special Joint Local Council Meeting in the large conference room in Terminal 1. Flight Attendants wishing to attend remotely should contact Kaitlin at kwhite@unitedafa.org.

Agenda:

• Contract Implementation Discussion

• Council 11/37 Elections/Council Representative Discussion

• Open Discussion

To Attend Remotely:

• You must be a member of SFO Council 11/37. 

• Private or unavailable numbers will not be accepted in the system.

• If you experience difficulty accessing the system, contact Kaitlin at 415-527-9344

Personal Strategies for Approaching The 15th Anniversary Of September 11th From Your AFA-CWA EAP:

As we approach the 15^th year anniversary of September 11th, many of us will begin to plan how we’ll recognize this day. Anniversaries offer an opportunity to acknowledge our memories and experiences, to connect with others who share in them, and to pay tribute to our individual and collective journeys.  They can also serve as personal and professional milestones of our healing and resiliency.   For some, September 11th will be marked with private personal gestures such as observing a moment of silence, spending quiet time reflecting, or dedicating our flying to our profession.  For others, it will be marked with collective activities such as ceremonies and memorial services.

There is no right way or better way to recognize the anniversary; but, there are some suggestions that may prove helpful as we approach the anniversary of September 11th.

• Observe the anniversary in a way that’s comfortable for you.  Say no to events or activities that you sense may flood you with too many feelings.  Find more gentle ways of honoring the anniversary
• Don’t compare yourself to how others around you appear to be dealing with the September 11th anniversary.
• Acknowledge that we all heal at different rates, in different ways, and with different outcomes.
• Give yourself permission and time to be affected.  Though uncomfortable, anticipate and plan for having a stress reaction as the anniversary approaches.  Trust that if you have moments of difficulty, you’ll be able to pull yourself back together.
• Try not to isolate yourself.  Pre-plan now to be with people if you know you have this tendency.

However, you choose to structure your day this September 11th or however it just naturally unfolds, please remember that your AFA EAP committee representatives welcome being a part of it.  If you or a flying partner needs a confidential ear, please call us at 1-800-424-2406 or find your local EAP representatives’ contact information on our website. http://unitedafa.org/afa/mec/councils/11/

Remember, we’re just a phone call away. 

Our Vote. Our Power. Our Voice. Make it Heard!

Election 2016 is just 9 weeks away! On November 8th each of us will cast ballots for President and one-third of the United States Senate, 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, 5 Delegates (American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and one Resident Commissioner (Puerto Rico). Those who are elected will shape our laws and influence our families’ future.

Voting is at the core of our democracy. But, your ability to exercise this fundamental right is not automatic. Most States require you to register to vote. Voter registration deadlines vary by State and can be as early as 30 days prior to the Election.

We urge you to confirm you are registered to vote, and, if not, register!

Click here to check your if you are registered to vote. For more detailed information, please visit http://unitedafa.org/news/gov/elections/

One United: JCBA Date of Signing Implementation Q & A:

Last week we announced the start of the implementation of the Flight Attendants’ Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). Remember that the JCBA will be implemented in phases and only the Date of Signing (DOS) items are in effect now that we are in the September bid month. 

Since last week’s announcement, we have received a number of questions and comments. Many of the questions were in the “How do I do that” and “When will I be paid for this” categories, so we decided to communicate those answers to everyone instead of replying to the comments. Please follow this link to review the Q & A.

http://unitedafa.org/news/details.aspx?id=17157

New Hire Corner: We Continue to Strongly Encourage You to Use ASRS Instead of ISAP:

AFA continues to work on a clear path forward with the FAA and United for an ISAP Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) renewal, however until then we continue to strongly encourage all Flight Attendants to submit safety concerns or events via NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) at the following link: http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/report/caveat.html?formType=cabin which is also available from the homepage of our AFA United MEC website.

AFA remains dedicated to a robust safety reporting program and safety culture. Our commitment has never wavered.  We do not take this action lightly, but rather, we act out of a dedicated commitment to our Membership to ensure you have all the information about how the company has unilaterally changed the program we have publicly supported since its inception as the first Part 121 Cabin Aviation Safety Action Program.

In Solidarity,

Kaitlin White, President
AFA-CWA, San Francisco C-11