AFA Debrief: February 10, 2023

Date: February 10, 2023

AFA Debrief – Friday, February 10, 2023

·      Human Trafficking Alert - Super Bowl 2023

·      Keep Discussion of Negotiations Off Social Media – Management is Watching

·      New Version of MobileCCS App 1.7.0 Available

·      Documentation to File Your 2022 Federal Tax Return

·      Union Plus – Free College & Degree Completion Programs

·      AFA Welcomes Class 2249!

Human Trafficking Alert - Super Bowl 2023

This Sunday, February 12, 2023, Super Bowl LVII will kick off in Glendale, Arizona.  Super Bowl LVII is the upcoming American football championship game of the National Football League for the 2022 season. It will be played between the American Football Conference champion Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football Conference champion Philadelphia Eagles.  It is anticipated that over 100,00 people will flood to the city of Phoenix and nearby communities to participate in this American football tradition.

In the days leading up to Super Bowl Sunday and in the days following, we should all be on an especially heightened alert to spot potential human trafficking. As Flight Attendants, we are uniquely positioned to identify human traffickers and assist their victims. Flight crews are skilled observers, and with the appropriate training, we can be the front line against the horrific crime of human trafficking.

It is estimated that at least 12 million adults and children are enslaved around the world and that over half percent are women and girls. Mega events like the Super Bowl are a magnet for human traffickers.

While we should all be aware of the potential for human trafficking every day, as Flight Attendants working any trip to or from PHX in the coming days, we can make a difference through our heightened vigilance.

In preparation, review the indicators of human trafficking listed below and know how and where to report suspicious behavior:

·      Physical control of travel documents of an adult traveler by a co-traveler

·      Restricting the movement and social interaction of an adult traveler by a co-traveler

·      An adult traveler who is unclear on details of his/her final destination or point of contact

·      A child traveler who appears to be accompanied by someone claiming to be the parent or guardian who is in fact not related to the child

There are several ways to obtain the knowledge you need to be proactive in our fight against human trafficking:

·      To Report Human Trafficking* - If you suspect a case of human trafficking: Follow United’s reporting policy and procedure, as outlined in your Link, including using cockpit communications or other methods as part of the Blue Lightening Initiative

·      Go to: www.dhs.gov/humantrafficking

·      Call toll-free (866) 347-2423 from anywhere in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada

·      Call (802) 872-6199 (not toll-free) from any country in the world.  Report the tip online at www.ice.gov/tips. 

For more information, please contact your domicile management.


Keep Discussion of Negotiations Off Social Media – Management is Watching

Our quarterly comprehensive negotiations update, ON THE LINE, should be arriving to your address of record soon, if it hasn’t already. This inaugural issue provides the first comprehensive side-by-side comparison of proposals. The status of proposals will evolve as negotiations continue and will be summarized through each quarterly update.

With the release of the first comprehensive negotiations update on the status of proposals, it’s important to remind each other not to use social media to discuss our negotiations. Debate of our priorities for negotiations on social media only serves to divide us and empowers management.  Management has a large presence on social media and is constantly monitoring every platform for ways to gain an edge. When we publicly discuss and comment on what is important to us during negotiations, management sees it and will not hesitate to use that information against us.

InfoReps are volunteers who support our two-way communication structure between every Member and our Negotiating Committee. InfoReps will spread the facts, combat rumors, and will ensure your feedback makes it to our Negotiating Committee. Another resource available to you is your Local Council.  They too, will make sure that your feedback gets to the Negotiating Committee. 

As we engage with each other, let’s continue to stand together and not use social media to discuss our negotiations – management is watching.  We cannot allow or afford to give management a view into our Flight Attendant community.

For that latest updates about our Contract 2021 Negotiations and to access our video resource library visit https://www.contract2021.org.


New Version of MobileCCS App 1.7.0 Available

The company announced a new update for the MobileCCS app is available for download on the Link United App Store and on personal Apple devices. 

Updating Your Link Device

Management stresses that Flight Attendants should install the new version of the app without uninstalling the expired version.  This will save you time in having to take the additional step of setting up the “Trusted Developer” settings on the device.

Updating Your Personal Apple Device

We have been advised by United IT group that It's best to install the new version without uninstalling the expired version. If you have already uninstalled MobileCCS, you must install v1.70 then set up the “Trusted Developer” settings on your device. Instructions can be found on the MobileCCS Download Page under “View Tutorial” for iOS.


Documentation to File Your 2022 Federal Tax Return

Per Diem Statements

Now that we are past the January 31, 2023, deadline by which documents necessary to file annual U.S. Federal Tax Returns are required, we remind you that per diem reports are available via My Info on the Flying Together Website.  Contact the Payroll Care Center if you are unable to access your personalized Per Diem report thru Help Hub.

Medical Tax Form 1095

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) US law requires us to be adequately insured during the year. Form 1095 Medical Tax form is required to complete and file your taxes, as the form provides proof that you had medical coverage. Failure to carry medical coverage may result in tax penalties.

You will receive Form 1095 if, for at least one day in the last calendar year, you can be categorized as any of the following:

·      A full-time employee of an employer with more than 50 full-time employees

·      A part-time employee who was enrolled in medical coverage

·      An individual with COBRA coverage

·      A retiree or dependent of a retiree under the age of 65 who was enrolled in medical coverage

This form should have arrived by mail, in their own envelope, separate from other tax forms.  You are able to direct the company to provide the Form 1095 electronically via the following link on the company’s website:

Flying Together > Employee Services > Health & Insurance (YBR).  Once on the YVR site, in the search box in the upper right-hand corner of the landing page enter:  1095C.

Once you have accessed this area, click on Choose Electronic Notification for immediate access to your Form 1095, located in the navy box in the center at the bottom of the Medical Tax Form 1095.


Union Plus – Free College & Degree Completion Programs

The Union Plus Free College Program provides Union Members with college classes at little to no cost to the member. Spring 2023 semester enrollment is currently open for classes. This is an excellent opportunity for Flight Attendants to pursue higher level education.

In addition to the vast list of courses offered, the program now includes a Health Services degree, which is designed for students interested in nursing or another allied health specialty,

Bachelor’s Degree Completion has added a second program under its Teacher Education degree, an Intervention Specialist program is now offered in addition to the existing Early Education (Pre-K - Grade 5) program and the Teacher Education Intervention Specialist degree is available with the next term, which starts on March 15.

In addition to the Free College programs, Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC) offers an array of other degree programs with no cost for tuition and fees for college students, but the costs of books and other material may not be covered. Learn more about the available programs.  


AFA Welcomes Class 2249!

We are excited to welcome our newest flying partners from class 2249 as part of our Flight Attendant community. Our newest flying partners will begin their careers at bases in DEN, EWR, and IAH.

We encourage you to welcome each of them, help them learn from your experience, and get them started on a path to success and adventure in their new career.

Please remember that our newest Members are on probation. To ensure that they receive the most accurate information to support them, direct them to their AFA Local Council for assistance on Contractual issues.

And if you would like to become an AFA Buddy, reach out to your Local Council to learn how you can become part of this vital link to their success.

REMINDERS:

FEB – Black History Month
FEB 12 – Super Bowl Sunday – Phoenix, AZ
FEB 14 – Valentine’s Day
FEB 20 – U.S. President’s Day
FEB 28 – United’s Profit-Sharing Payouts
MAR 12 – U.S. Change to Daylight Saving Time
MAR 26 – Europe Change to Daylight Saving Time

<<READ THE FULL DEBRIEF>>