1. MEC Quarterly Meeting
2. Special MEC Event
3. Picnic
4. Offline Jumpseats
5. USAIR/Freedom Air
6. Cobra Fund
7. COBRA Payments
8. Ed Sherman II
9. Road Trip
10. Spouse’s Luncheon
11. The “F” Word
MEC Quarterly Meeting
Your MEC has scheduled its quarterly meeting for May 7th and 8th.
Both sessions will begin at 9 a.m. at the DoubleTree Suites, behind the
ALPA office. All pilots are welcome to attend.
Special MEC Event
On Thursday, May 16th, we will be hosting a special banquet for all
America West ALPA members and their spouses or significant others. Our
special guest will be Phil Comstock, President of the Wilson Center for
Public Research. We will start off the evening with a buffet dinner and
cash bar followed by one of Phil’s unprecedented motivational speeches.
Invitations should be in the mail the first week of May.
Picnic
It was a great success. We planned for 300 and about 350 pilots and
their family members showed up. Next time we’ll order more food.
Offline Jumpseats
Our jumpseat coordinator Marty Quick is pulling another rabbit out
of his hat. We hope to have a new ID verification system in place by mid-summer.
USAIR/Freedom Air
As I finish this hotline, we
are eagerly awaiting the results of a vote by the US Airways MEC over
the “Jets for Jobs” issue. If ratified, it will allow furloughed
US Airways pilots to staff US Airways Regional Jets, 70 of which will
be allowed, without losing their US Airways seniority. How this will affect
Freedom Air and AWA remains to be seen. Stay tuned for further information.
COBRA Fund
The MEC and the trustees of the COBRA fund have decided to suspend
collection of the $60/$40 assessments for the month of May. We believe
the fund has a sufficient balance to cover future disbursements. For those
pilots who just recently elected COBRA coverage and submitted their first
reimbursement request, checks will be written and mailed on Tuesday, April
23. If you’d prefer to pick your check up, contact Sandy at the MEC office.
COBRA Payments
The company has clarified its position on COBRA to the benefit of
the recalled pilots. In essence, all recalled pilots who elected to remain
in the COBRA insurance benefits program will return to active employee
rates the first day of the month following their recall. This is a change
from their previous position and we appreciate their reevaluation of this
situation.
Ed Sherman II
Speaking of insurance, Ed Sherman II and III, that LTD case which
just doesn’t seem to go away, will be arbitrated here in Phoenix. The
arbitration will begin Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at the Wyndham Hotel,
across the street from the ALPA office. It should conclude Wednesday.
Road Trip
Brian Bevins, Susan Stokes, Bob Hill and I are in Herndon today and
tomorrow attending an ALPA media/communications workshop.
Spouse’s Luncheon
One more reminder, next Thursday, April 25th, we will be sponsoring
our first annual Spouse’s Luncheon. It will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the
DoubleTree Suites, 44th and Van Buren. Captain Tom Grayson, voted number
two comedian in the valley will be special guest speaker. We couldn’t
afford the number one comedian.
The “F” Word
Fatigue calls are rising as our
pilots become more educated to the most onerously fatiguing pairings.
We cannot emphasize two points enough, however. Do not fly when you are
fatigued. To do so is a violation of the FARS and the FOM. But do NOT
use the “F” word as a scheduling enhancement device. To do so
taints our efforts to remove the WOCLs and the MSOTs from our schedules.
No, those are not secret code words. WOCL stands for Window of Circadian
Low and MSOT stands for Missed Sleep Opportunity Test. And to take advantage
of the “F” word would be a lie, whose ultimate victim is that
reserve pilot who gets called out to finish your trip.
As of today we now only have 56 pilots
on furlough and 28 captains sitting in the wrong seat. Over 590 pilots
have now donated to FPL. Be careful, be safe, obey the FARS, obey the
FOM, and follow the contract. Thanks for listening.
| Good evening this is Herb Holland with your hotline update for April 18. Tonight’s subjects: |
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