Changes in PHL, see they do read the boards!
Changes in PHL
Dear PHL Flight Attendants,
It has become necessary for me to make changes in the Local PHL Office and I wanted you all to know the reasons behind those changes.
Michael Elias will no longer be the Reserve Chair and will no longer be managing the Local Office. Terry Graf, the Vice President will now be working one week a month for a total of 25+00 hours of AFA pay. I will be in the office starting in September Monday through Thursday, for an average of 80+00 hours per month. I will be flying on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I am in the process of getting part time help to answer the phones and possibly go to meetings with Flight Attendants and their Supervisors.
For those of you that do not know me, let me tell you a little about myself. I have spent the last 51 years trying to live my life as honest and forthright as possible. If something I am going to do has the appearance of being unethical or immoral, I investigate the situation thoroughly, contact all involved and get it approved. I did this prior to picking up trips on the ETB and prior to claiming AFA time over the vacation days I had last July (my first month in office).
When I fly ETB trips, I do not claim AFA time, even though I could, according to the International Office, as long as the AFA time does not overlap the flight time. The trips I fly are usually International and they go out after 6pm. I work from home in the morning up until the time I leave to drive to the airport. Contrary to what some say, an AFA Officer can claim AFA time while working from home, and you can work from home even though there is a Local Office. Your last LEC President, only worked from home, she hardly ever came into the Local Office at all.
When I was elected into this office a year ago July, I had vacation that month. I had meetings with the Company and training during my vacation, so I called the MEC President at the time and asked her what I should do. She told me the accepted practice was, if an officer had meetings with the company or training, they would be able to claim AFA time over their vacation, since they were actually working on their vacation days. I have not done it since, as I have not had meetings or training during the other scheduled vacation I have had.
One of the most important things an elected officer or volunteer does is meetings with flight attendants and their supervisors. These meetings, along with a lot of AFA business, are strictly confidential. When an officer or volunteer betrays your trust, by telling others what happened in these meetings, or repeats confidential information to those not involved, it cannot be tolerated. Every time someone wants me to pass on the "juicy gossip" about someone else, I remind them if they were being terminated or disciplined, they certainly would not want me talking about their situation to anyone else. You have given me your trust by electing me and I take that very seriously, so this is why I have changed things in this office.
When I was the Vice President, from November, 2000 until June 2002, I saw so much corruption. I promised myself that if I ever won election again, I would put a stop to it. I realize now that in part I have failed in that. I put out a directive last December, that anyone working in the Local Office, if they were on Reserve, could have their days off changed to work in the Local, but could not pick up ETB trips on those days. If they wanted to pick up ETB trips, then they would have to do so on the days they were awarded through their seniority. This wasn't stopped back in December and I did not realize until just recently that it was still going on.
The Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer (who hasn't worked in the Local office in over a year due to the strict rules I had set in place over giving out AFA days) have banded together to try to Recall me. If you feel I have not done what you expected, if this Office has not kept you informed, has not answered your calls and questions... then sign their petition. I work for you and if you are not happy with me, I can understand. But when you make your decision, make it based on facts, not lies and character assassination by those that are mad and jealous. This is a very hard job to do; if you do not fly you are criticized for getting paid to have a "cushy job" and people think you don't want to fly. Conversely, if you do fly you are criticized for taking time away from some one else. I have always felt anyone working in the Union must get out on the line to see what is going on. We complain about management, because they are too far distanced from the line flight attendants.
I am fully aware that those of you on Reserve are working under a horrendous system and your entire MEC is determined to make the Company realize that we cannot continue with this current system. The simple fact is I have been elected to represent everyone; from the most recently recalled members to those with 35 plus years of seniority.
It is very easy to believe the worst; it is very easy to be petty and childish. It is a lot harder to discover the truth through investigation. If you think I am doing something I should not, call me and ask me. I will tell you the truth; the hours that I claim from AFA are not secret. I have not claimed the full flight pay loss since last April.
In closing, remember, it is you I work for, and I do listen to what you have to say. Please don't listen to Rumors or Crew Room Gossip. I will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you,
[NAME REMOVED BY REQUEST]
LEC President
PHL Council 70
[REMOVED]
lalbert@afausairways.org
I realize that the RSV Chair is not an elected officer. We've known that. That's not news. What you don't seem to understand is the work that this RSV Chair does on our behalf! He works in the office, M-F, and is *always* available to answer questions and help the membership, be it B/H or Reserve. I have seen it with my own eyes. Once again, he would need to change his schedule to have weekends off, so as to be available to the FA's and Mgmt at the times when THEY are working. Pretty simple. 
