April Unity - TWU 556

PRESIDENTSPAGEby Thom McDaniel - TWU Local 556 PresidentIn this issue of UNITY,we will be delvingfurther into theRailway Labor Act, anddiscussing the process ifwe are forced to Strike asa last resort. These issues are not designed to predict"doom and gloom" or threaten or intimidate ourMembers; we have Management to do that. The reasonthat the Union is addressing these topics is that forthe last several months, Mr. Parker seems to havedrawn a line in the sand regarding Negotiations, andwe have received many questions from Members asking"What's next?" There are a lot of rumors, misinformation,and speculation, and this is an effort to clarifythe process for our Members.In a recent message to our Members and a morein-depth message to Supervisors, Mr. Parker statedthat he was "mystified" as to why Flight AttendantNegotiations are taking so long and that FlightAttendants were not being treated any different thanany other work group at SWA. Upon reading thesestatements, I began to examine the state ofNegotiations with our Members in comparison to theother work groups with whom Mr. Parker has recentlysettled Contracts. Mr. Parker references these otherNegotiations often, and I wanted to see if his claimscould hold up to the scrutiny that we should expectfrom the CEO of Southwest Airlines.After once again failing at the bargaining table topresent an acceptable offer for our Flight Attendants,Mr. Parker recently called all Supervisors to Dallas toshow them his "BEST OFFER", and sent them home tospread the word that Flight Attendants should be ableto vote on his proposal. Supervisors, ManagementNegotiating Committee Members, and Chief Pilotsthen began a campaign on our airplanes, in thelounges, in "file reviews" and in Recurrent Training topersuade Flight Attendants to demand that theirUnion let them vote on his "BEST OFFER". I could findno evidence that any other work group at SWA hasexperienced this type of direct bargaining under theRailway Labor Act. As hard as I looked, I could find noexample of another work group being asked to voteon a PROPOSAL. All previous votes were on TENTA-TIVE AGREEMENTS with the Union. It seems like ourFlight Attendants are different.When I logged onto the Crew Portal the otherday, I was surprised to see that my Retro Check andnext few years wages under Mr. Parker's "BESTOFFER" had been calculated for me courtesy of theInflight Automation Department. I quickly rushed tocheck my Airmail and log on to Maestro since I realizedthat if the Inflight Automation Department hadenough time to devise a computer program to calculateRetro pay and future earnings on a proposal thathad not been agreed to, I would certainly be able toread my Airmail, and Maestro would certainly workduring Open Time Release. Unfortunately, bothAirmail and Maestro were down because as I haveheard before, they are not a "priority" for our SystemsDepartment. At our Labor Summit Meeting last weekno other work group has ever had a computer programto figure Retro Pay before a TentativeAgreement, and I also found out that the Pilot'sMaestro actually works. It seems like our FlightAttendants are different.Due to the increased Supervisor presence in theFlight Attendant Lounges, the Union has made a consciouseffort to have Precinct Captains and BoardMembers in the lounges to answer questions. A fewweeks ago, the Union received a call from Tim Chaffin,Crew Planning Manager stating that they would notpull our Members for Union business (which theUnion pays for) unless they felt that it was legitimateUnion business. This violates our Contract, a longstanding past practice, and the Railway Labor Act. Icould find no example that Management has everrefused Union Pulls for any other work group. Itseems like our Flight Attendants are different.Mr. Parker has negotiated Contracts with otherwork groups for minimum of 26-39% wage increases,pay or protection for time on duty, holiday pay, initialtraining pay, and large stock option packages in additionto adequate wage increases. Mr. Parker's "BESTOFFER" on the table for Flight Attendants falls farshort in all areas. It seems like our Flight Attendantsare different.In past Negotiations, we as Flight Attendantshave allowed ourselves to be misled and divided, andwe have accepted Contracts that were not only substandard,but did not even keep up with inflation. Inthese Negotiations, our Flight Attendants are united,informed, involved, and determined to stand togetherfor the Contract that we deserve. Mr. Parker, it seemslike our Flight Attendants are different.4

CALENDAROF EVENTS2nd QUARTER 2004 MEMBERSHIPMEETINGS - ALL TIMES ARE LOCALDALDATE/TIME: Mon., 04/12/04 at 10:00 AMLOCATION: Holiday Inn Select Love Fld.3300 W. Mockingbird LaneDallas,TX(214) 357-8500OAKDATE/TIME: Thur., 04/15/04 at 10:00 AMLOCATION: Oakland AirportRear Conference Rm.(Take Elevator to 2nd Floor,Go through the HandicapDoor,Turn Left - go to thevery end of the hallway.)(510) 563-6424PHXDATE/TIME: Fri., 04/16/04 at 10:00 AMLOCATION: PHX Sky Harbor AirportTerminal 4 - Level 3(Past the food court, nextto the art gallery)(602) 273-3382HOUDATE/TIME: Mon., 04/19/04 at 10:00 AMLOCATION: Hobby AirportThe Cloud Room(713) 641-7723BWIDATE/TIME: Tues., 04/20/04 at 10:00 AMLOCATION: BWI Friendship CenterBefore C Pier betweenBurger King and StarbucksBaltimore, MD800-969-7932MDWDATE/TIME: Wed., 04/21/04 at 10:00 AMLOCATION: American LegionClearing Post 6004352 W. 63RD StreetChicago, IL(773) 767-0230MCODATE/TIME: Thur., 04/22/04 at 10:00 AMLOCATION: Hawthorne Suites7450 Augusta Natl. DriveOrlando, FL(407) 825-1234MEETING AGENDA: - GeneralBusiness, Negotiations Update.GENERAL UNION MEETING - OPENTO MEMBERS ONLY - ID’S WILL BECHECKEDIn LovingMemoryOver the last year, TWU Local 556 hasmourned the loss of several of ourMembers. Our deepest sympathies,thoughts, and prayers go out to thefriends and families of:Amanda Brown,Tania Devore,Lindsay Kent,Marty Nelson,Tommy O’Toole,and Joey Tidwell.What are your kidsdoing next summer?The International Youth Exchange Program for Families of AirlineEmployees (IYE) is now accepting applications for a two-weekexchange program for families of airline industry employees. Youth,ages 14-21, are matched with another airline family with a youth thesame age. The youth visit one home first and then at another timeduring the summer. The youth are together at each home.Begun in 1994 and coordinated by a retired airline employee, IYE hasmatched more than 600 youth world-wide. For further informationand a brochure, please contact Camille Wheeler email:cwhee23773@aol.com or write to: IYE, PO Box 211065, St. Paul,MN 55121-2465 USA.5

In January of this year, we lostHOU based FA Joey Tidwell. Idid not know Joey as well assome of you, but every story Ihear about Joey is filled withgood experiences about a goodemployee and friend. I feel compelledto tell you about an experienceI had with Joey. My wifeShanna and I took a trip up to Dallas in October oflast year to Baylor Hospital seeking a second opinionabout her cancer.When we walked into the clinic,I heard someone call out my name. I was surprisedto see Joey standing there. He was undergoingtreatment at Baylor. Joey, Shanna, and I sat downand had a truly amazing discussion. What I foundout about Joey that day will stay with us forever.During our almost hour-long conversation, Joeyspent only about five minutes telling us about his illnessand that he was trying to fly at the same timewhile undergoing treatment. During the remainderof the conversation, Joey was totally focused on talkingwith Shanna. The concern and care he showedShanna was extraordinary. Joey totally put aside hisconcerns with his own health to inquire aboutShanna's health. We ended our conversation, but leftwith a great insight about someone who I did notknow that well. That hour we spent with him told meeverything about him. Joey, thank you for sharingthat time with us, you have made a tremendousimpression on both of us. We will all miss you Joey,and will think of you always!I hate to shift the focus from my great memoryof Joey, but I do need to discuss with you what hasbeen happening in the Houston Base.Kevin Clark finally put up the Revision Boardnext to the briefing book in the HOU lounge. As youknow, the Inflight Supervisors are consistently performinggate checks and briefing days. Pleasemake sure you keep your Manual up to date andcomply with Southwest’s Appearance Standards.There are no pressing issues regarding disciplineto report to you for this quarter. This does notmean that the threat of discipline has not beenlooming over our heads. We have all been warnedin one way or another of the threat of discipline, fromwearing the Red Union buttons, to being fired if astrike indeed did occur. It is unfortunate that this isoccurring, especially since no one should have towork in an environment that is threatening or intimidating.Informational picketing events were held in allbases on February 13th. System-wide we had aturnout of over 1,200 supporters. We also receivedstrong support from Members of other Unions. InHOU, we had almost 200 picketers participate.These supporters braved cold, windy, and rainy conditionsto show our support for our ContractNegotiations. Informational picketing will be doneagain in the future, so if you weren’t able to attend inFebruary, keep calling the TWU Hotline and Websiteand try to attend the next event.For those of you who attended, thanks for beingthere in support of all of our Flight Attendants. If youcannot attend a future event, recruit someone else toattend in your place.Your Contract is in your hands,and it is important to tell others the same.Speaking of the informational picketing, it certainlygot Management’s attention. Less than threedays after the event, all Supervisors were summonedto Dallas to attend an emergency meeting sothat they could learn emergency Union busting procedures.This leads me to discuss the "Threateningand Intimidating" work environment.Immediately upon their return, SupervisorsHOUbegan a campaign of "Union Busting". This includedinvading the lounges with incomplete Contractinformation, as well as boarding airplanes under theguise of cleaning, only to begin "Contract Talk"instead. It did not stop there. In HOU, oneSupervisor was telling Flight Attendants that theywere “stupid” if they did not want to vote on JimParker’s “Great Contract”. One week earlier, thissame Supervisor intervened in one of my loungevisits long enough to say say how this campaign wasjust all negative. I let her speak her rhetoric, andwhen she was done I told her "when you come backon line, you have a voice in this Contract, but untilthat time, you do not". Although four FlightAttendants who were in the lounge witnessed thisoccurrence, this Supervisor said it was all "hearsay"and that we were all "lying" about it.Another Supervisor was doing a check ridewhen she confronted one of the working CrewMembers in front of a packed plane of Customers.The Supervisor completely violated SWA's ownWork and Conduct Rules including interfering witha Crew Member’s duties. When the Flight Attendantthat she confronted told her that she did not agreewith her, the Supervisor then became upset, and6

promptly told the "B" and "C" Flight Attendants thatthey should not be discussing Contract Negotiationsin front of Customers. The Flight Attendant and I metwith Kevin Clark about this matter, as she wasextremely upset with what happened. This was thesecond meeting of the week that I had with Kevinregarding intimidating tactics, and Kevin assured mein both meetings that he would address his staff.The bottom line is this, Management has pulledout all the stops when it comes to "Union Busting". Tothe two Supervisors in HOU I say this, "TransportWorkers Union Local 556 is the single bargainingunit for the SWA Flight Attendants. Stop youraggressive Union busting threats, and just do the jobyou were hired to do". Not only that, but your actionsreflect on the entire group of Supervisors in HOU.Follow their lead and try to remain professional!One more thing; it is amazing how Managementcan, in less than a week, create a computer programthat (misleadingly) calculates retro pay, yet cannotmanage to fix Maestro so that Flight Attendants cantrade with Open Time, or keep the system frombeing down for an excessive amount of time. It justshows where their priorities are - they prefer tospend their time on issues that have nothing to dowith our quality of life. Once and for all, do not succumbto their "Union Busting" campaign. Do not letJim Parker destroy our Culture. "STAND UNITED".Remember, we are not finished with our Contractbattle. As it stands, even Parker's "Best Offer" isjust a Proposal. We will bring you the REAL “BestOffer” in the form of a fair and equitable Contract forall Seniority levels. Jim, are you listening?In closing, at this time Shanna is still stable. InJanuary, we explored surgery on one tumor in herabdomen, and at this point, surgery does not exist asa viable option. I want to let you know that we bothrealize that other Flight Attendants and their familieshave some of the same issues that are facing us.Many of you have told us your stories of hope,including one HOU Flight Attendant whose momreceived a successful lung transplant. We thank youfor your stories of hope and words of encouragement,and we continue to embrace the support thatwe have received from everyone. Take care.HOUStacy Martin #21007 - HOUDomicile Executive Board MemberIn the near future (hopefully)we will be voting on aContract that we deserve asthe BEST Flight Attendants in theindustry. In Contract Negotiations,there is a series of steps towhich both sides must followand adhere. However, over thelast few months, this has notbeen the case with Southwest Management. Whenyour Executive Board took office, we made a commitmentto the Membership to keep you informedon Negotiations. You have seen us and the TWU 556Precinct Captains in the lounge and out flying, andyou have asked us questions. We have attempted tobe honest and forthright, and convey all of the informationpossible regarding our Negotiations. Thishas not been the case with Management. They havegiven you only half the story - their story. We allknow that there are certain steps that one must followand we've seen them time and time again NOTfollowing them. This is the time we must remainstrong and UNITED, and not fall for their half-truths!Have you heard SWA say "this is the best we canoffer"? We’ve all heard the “pie” analogy. To that Isay, "It's time to make the pie BIGGER!" Labor is oneof the many costs of doing business. Do we tell ourGrocer, "Sorry I will only pay ‘X’ amount for that gallonof milk", or to the Gas station attendant, "sorry Ionly pay ‘X’ amount for a gallon of gas"? No.We have seen other work groups receiveincreased wages, improved work rules, and lucrativestock options. I believe the company needs to makethe pie bigger; this is the cost of doing business.Southwest Management has dealt with higher landingfees, higher fuel prices, and increased new aircraftcosts, and all the while has managed to keepticket prices and our cost structure low. I have fullconfidence that Management can offer us the wageincreases we deserve and continue to maintain ourlow cost advantage. We do not want to hurt theCompany; we just need Contractual improvementsother work groups have successfully negotiated.We are showing Management that it's not just afew “disgruntled” Flight Attendants who support ourNegotiating Team in this fight. We just want to betreated the same. We've had record numbers attend(Continued on next page)PHX7

PHX DOMICILE REPORT(Continued from previous page)Union events and the media is always there, whichjust proves that our Customers do care about ourNegotiations. We continue to convey the messagethat we love our Company and we want it to succeed,and that all we’re asking for is fair and equitabletreatment.Just recently, I was approached by a FlightAttendant and he told me that this is the most importantContract that we will ever be faced with. He said"If we do not get a good and fair Contract this time,we never will". Think about this for awhile, the waywe have done things, and how our Membership hasbecome involved... The Company has never seenthis. We have fought for what is fair like no othergroup of Flight Attendants at Southwest has everfought before. We have shown them that this is OURcareer, and we are here for the long run.We supportour families, have mortgages, we put our kidsthrough college and we TREAT OUR CUSTOMERS(the ones that pay our salaries) the way we want tobe treated. Have we become just another airline? Icertainly hope not. I really believe we can save theculture that the employees of Southwest started 30plus years ago. Show us the LUV Jim!I hope Jim Parker doesn’t allow Southwest tobecome "just a business". I just read a great quotethat I feel is quite fitting:“Impossible is just a big word thrown around bysmall men who find it easier to live in the worldthey’ve been given than to explore the power theyhave to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion.Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare.Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary.Impossible is nothing.”- AnonymousHello OAK! I would like tostart out by saying that ithas now been five monthssince I've become the OAKDomicile Executive BoardMember, and I'm still here! Ihave been very busy over thelast few months and would liketo take a moment to give andupdate on our current base events.First of all I would like to thank each and everyone of you who were a part of our amazing attendanceat both our pre-Valentine event on February13th, as well as the San Diego Message to the Field.We continue to prove that OAK is 100% behind ourNegotiating Team and your continued support willensure our guarantee of a fair Contract for that weI showed this quote to my kids and they understoodit. I told them that in this world there will bepeople that will say to them "That's impossible, youcan't do that". I explained to them if you have goalsand believe in yourself that nothing is IMPOSSIBLE.This is the time we must come together andUNITE. Our goal as a Membership is to Negotiate aContract that will give us a better quality of life. Donot let anyone tell you that it's impossible, and thatwe should just take what Parker gives us. Don’t letthem tell you that all you are is a waitress or waiter inthe sky. Did they forget we're in the public's eye thelongest? Did they forget we're the first line of securityon the plane? You may come across some inother workgroups that will question what we'redoing and tell us that it's impossible what we're askingfor. Believe in yourself, believe in this team andsay "My team speaks for me". Give them the websitewww.savingoursouthwest.com this will help themunderstand.Phoenix has seen some changes in the last fewmonths, not all good. The parking situation comes tomind. I still get complaints about the buses, andquestions as to why we must pay higher parkingfees. I’m trying to work on solutions and will keepyou updated.We've seen construction crews break groundon our new concourse - now this is exciting. We willalso see new things in the food court area over thenext year. New stores and restaurants will be addedto this location. Do you believe it's been 14 yearssince this terminal has been opened? Time flies.I hope you had a safe and fun Spring Break, andwish you a safe and happy Summer.PHXOAKBill Bernal #9335 - PHXDomicile Executive Board Memberrightly deserve!In late February and early March we had astrong presence in the lounge, our primary message:MY TEAM SPEAKS FOR ME! At times, itseemed as though our mailboxes were inundatedwith information from both Management and theUnion. With an overwhelming response from everyoneinvolved, we showed Mr. Parker and SWA'sNegotiating Committee that their attempt to bargainwith our individual Members was not acceptable. Iwould like to thank Cristina Wenzl, Valentin Lorien,and Michael Quattlebaum, who gave so much oftheir time, as well as several other volunteers whohelped staff the lounge during Managementsonslaught of misinformation. In the future we willneed more volunteers to help staff the lounge duringpeak check-in times. If you are willing to help in8

MDW DOMICILE REPORT(Continued from previous page)compared to 2004? Where do you plan to be in 2008when the Company’s proposal ends? If you are realisticand costs keep rising, you'll be in worse shapethan you are today under Parker’s proposal. Is thatwhere you want to be? Nobody I spoke to did.Finally, I would just like to say how proud I am ofeach and every one of you for maintaining your professionalattitude throughout all of these times. Iwould also like to say good bye and thank you to JoeKosanovich. It was truly an honor and a privilege towork with a professional such as you. Your honesty,integrity and genuine concern for all of us here inChicago will not be easily replaced.Bunkie McCarthy #8838 - MDWDomicile Executive Board MemberMDWVALENTINE’S DAY PICKETING EVENTOn February 13, 2004, BWIhad an awesome turnout of over100 Flight Attendants, friends,families, and other supporters.Many commuters participated,who flew in just for the picketingevent. We had 2 TWU Local 555Members and 1 Southwest Pilotwalk with us. Our permit allowed a total of 37 picketerson airport property, 30 at the international terminal,and 7 in front of the SWA ticket counter. Ouroverflow area was a train of cars (15) that circled theairport with red LUV picket signs all over their cars.It was awesome watching the train of cars drivearound the airport, especially knowing thatManagement was lurking in the shadows.BWI Base Manager Tonja Harler, StationManager Mike Miller, and Assistant Station ManagerReggie Barnes witnessed the LUV train driving pastthe terminal. I'm sure the looks on their faces werepriceless! It's a shame I was too busy arguing withthe BWI Supervisors about the red button to get apicture.Shortly after Mike Miller spotted the “Wheels ofLUV”, the Airport Director told us to call off the cars.Evidently, the cars were a “fire hazard” becausethey created unnecessary traffic at the airport.Hmm... I wonder how long it took to think up thatexcuse. Actually, the Airport Director was verysupportive and said, "we definitely got SWA'sattention” because his phone was ringing “nonstop”.I was very impressed with our turnout and thespirit of the F/A's on the picket lines, despiteManagement's repeated harassment attempts. TonjaHarler and several Supervisor's came out to thepicket line and told the Flight Attendants in uniformto remove their red buttons or discipline would beissued. A couple of Flight Attendants did notremove the buttons and as a result, discipline wasissued.Yes, BWI was the only base to issue disciplineregarding the red pin...put your surprised face on!Obviously, the Supervisors in BWI have nothing betterto do than follow Flight Attendants aroundduring a LEGAL Union sanctioned event.Management was more worried about the removalof small 1.5" red pin, than a large 15" X 24" red picketsign. It's a good thing we removed those pins, sothe passengers could focus on the picket signs withoutdistraction.Cuyler Thompson was issued a 3 day suspensionfor insubordination, and I received a writtenwarning, class 5 violation, for not adhering to uniformguidelines outlined in the manual. All disciplinewas since removed and Cuyler Thompsonreceived full back pay. As a matter of fact, Cuyler’ssuspension was overturned the day after the Unionissued a press release and his story aired in DAL andHOU.MANDATORY FILE REVIEWSIf you request a copy of your file, you are NOTREQUIRED to have a “mandatory file review”.Supervisors have been telling F/A's they arerequired to have a file review in order to obtain acopy of their file. THIS IS INCORRECT! I haveaddressed this repeatedly with Management. If yourSupervisor wants to conduct a mandatory file reviewcontact the Union ASAP and you will be paid for themeeting.One problem that has repeatedly occurredwhen Flight Attendants actually do receive their filesis that some Supervisors are only issuing them 18months of discussion logs, instead of their entire file.When you request your entire file, that is what youshould receive - your entire file, including yourpoints, commendation letters, doctor's notes,Irregularity Reports, etc. Failure to provide you withthe entire contents of your file is a violation of ourcontract Article 24.7.Also, just a friendly reminder, it is a wisedecision to know what is in your employee file, nomatter what company you work for. Do you knowwhat's in your file? Well, if not, you should.To receiveBWI10

a copy of your file, put a request in writing(addressed to your Supervisor) asking for acopy of your entire file (personal and medical), thensign it with your employee number and date it.If your Supervisor asks for a file review, you havethe option to decline, and you can call with questions.MISCELLANEOUS• The light switches have been removed from theBWI lounge. The lights will now be on 24/7. Tonjanotified me of the change and said that this wasdone to correct a wiring problem in the lounge.Management continues to spread the LUV in BWI.Locks, lights, irons... What's next, the furniture?AS THE BASE TURNS....Ok, here we go again. BWI has another newAssistant. Base Manager, Beth Ross. Her first day wasMarch 8th. Also we have another new Supervisor,Angelina Tao. She was an internal OPS Supervisorfrom BDL.PURPOSE AND COMPLETION OF IRREGULARITY REPORTSAn Irregularty Report (IR) can be used for clarification,documentation, as well as the basis forManagement issuing discipline. It is imperative thatyour reports are accurate, factual, and well thoughtout. If the required 24-hour time line does notgive you enough time to compose a thorough report,ask your Supervisor if he/she will allow you moretime.• Always check-in TWICE to ensure you areindeed checked in for your trip. You can also checkin via the Scheduling phone (this line is recordedand can be used as verification) to avoid a possibleN/S or FTR .• ANY Supervisor can credit an FMLA sick call. Itdoes NOT have to be your Supervisor.You should nothave to leave a message or wait for days to get yoursick call credited to FMLA.• When calling in sick for your pairing toScheduling, all you have to say is that you are sick,period! Do not give additional information as itcould be misunderstood and used against you.Remember, the Scheduling lines are taped.BWIOPEN TIMERegarding open time, each base handles opentime differently. BWI has a lottery system. This lotterysystem started when the base opened approximately4 1/2 years ago. At approximately 9:30pm,names are collected from F/A's who wish to participatein open time. Then at 9:45pm, all names aredrawn and put on a list according to rounds. BWI has12 computers, so the first 12 F/A's are in round 1,next 12 in round 2, etc. until all names are drawn.Anyone who comes in once the drawing has startedwill be placed at the bottom of the list.The F/A's whorun open time in BWI are Pamela Raymond, TracySomerford and myself. We are volunteers who havecommitted our own time each month to organize andrun open time in BWI.• Please make a conscious effort to keep thelounge clean. It doesn't take much effort to pick upafter yourself and to throw your trash away.CONCLUSIONAs always call the TWU hotline for negotiationupdates 800-806-7992 or go to the websitewww.local556atd.org . Remember, you have theright to Union representation when you are called infor a meeting or if you are called in for a "talk" withManagement. If you have any questions, do not hesitateto call the Union directly at 800-969-7932 forguidance.Lucy White #34900 - BWIDomicile Executive Board Member"WORKING FOR FREE IS NOTFOR ME!" along with otherchants could be heard loud andclear across the UniversalStudios complex on March 4,2004, at the MCO Message to theField. With the help of Membersof TWU Local 555, over 150 redshirt wearing F/A's held whitecandles as we shouted our chants in unison.The evening began by meeting in front of HardRock Live to distribute the red “My Team Speaks forMe” shirts and take pictures. We then entered as agroup into the auditorium (although it was notoffered and not required, we politely refused thefree doses of company kool-aid even though theydid let us pick the flavor this year). We had a largearea reserved for us and although we were not thereto cause a disturbance, we refused to stand when themembers of Inflight Management’s NegotiatingCommittee (J.P. now stands for “JUST PEANUTS”)were introduced. A very special THANK YOU toTandee Thomas (BWI), John Parrott (MDW),(Continued on next page)MCO11

MCO DOMICILE REPORT(Continued from previous page)Pippin Moreau (MCO) and Gisela Alvarez (MCO) fortheir organizing efforts at the MCO Message!Earlier that morning, the Flight Attendants inMCO had the chance to see the Peanuts Gang (theCompany’s Negotiators) in the MCO Crew Room.While you certainly could not miss them becausethey had beams of light shining from above down ontheir heads, the Flight Attendants were more interestedin talking to TWU 556 Negotiator KevinOnstead to obtain the real “facts aboutNegotiations.”To all of you who have the red buttons on yourcrew luggage, THANK YOU! Management does notlike seeing them on our bags. It's like a vampire seeinggarlic up close, hold the button up and they'll goaway.Speaking of red buttons, and backtracking afew weeks, we had just over 140 Flight Attendantsparticipate in the MCO picketing event on February13, 2004. The support of our Customers and otherEmployee groups has been overwhelming. We didhave a Rapid Rewards Member in town on vacationwith his wife, a companion ticket holder, offer theirhelp by going into the areas of the airport we werenot allowed to get the Valentine Day cards signed.Ironically, the week of the event, Jim Parker distributeda confidential memo assuring the BaseManagers that based on our past event turnouts, wewere just a "few disgruntled employees". We definitelyproved him wrong.Thanks to all of you who participated both onthe February 13th picketing and the Message to theField. Our numbers contradict his statement andshow our momentum is rising.Now for the part you have all been waiting for...(drumroll please)... I'm mystified. I'm mystifiedManagement has spent so much time and money(your profit-sharing) putting out incorrect information.I'm mystified by the level Management hasstooped in an effort to bust our Union. I'm mystifiedas to why Parker brought some of his "cronies"(Inflight Supervisors and Base Managers) to themother ship in DAL (HDQ) for a brainwashing jamboree.The most mystifying issue of all is thatManagement does not think we see their UnionBusting tactics!Management has been pushing hard for theUnion to release the Company’s proposal for a vote(ummm, the last time I checked, you vote on aTentative Agreement, not a proposal).When I spoketo Tammye Walker-Jones on this issue in MCO, I suggestedthat if the Company feels that strong aboutvoting on a proposal, then the Union could put ourproposal for a vote as well and which ever one gotthe most votes would be our compensation portionfor the Contract.The conversation terminated quickly.You get the point.Lately, a lot of Flight Attendants have asked mewhy our Supervisors are against us getting theContract that we deserve. There actually are someSupervisors who do quietly support us, but for obviousreasons cannot make it public. We shouldremind those Supervisors who continue to intimidateand spread incorrect information to the FlightAttendants that one day they may be back out online (My personal suggestion is before returning tothe line, they need to go buy a boat, because they'reburning a lot of bridges!).The next time you are approached by one ofParker's Cronies or the Peanuts Gang, remind themthat "MY TEAM SPEAKS FOR ME!" The next time youhave a letter from J.P. in your mailbox, write "MyTeam Speaks for ME!" and drop it in the confidentialmail drop in the crew room. Get ready for more'games' to be played now that we are in "recess" frommediation.Speaking of games, the Company is alwayslooking for new game ideas for the InflightMCOEntertainment Kit. If you submit a winninggame entry, you could win a green pass. Ithought about submitting Parker's Bingo Cards.After all, no assembly required, Parker's Pennies notincluded.I was very surprised that in the February issueof “Onboard”, for the first time in 3 months, TammyeWalker-Jones didn't talk about our sick calls.To those of you who called in sick, when you weresick, I thank you for not bringing your illnesson the airplane. In tune with sick calls, if youreceived a $50.00 gift card for having perfect attendancein Dec. 2003, and have not already used thecard, save it.When we finally do get a contract, we'lllet the company pay for a big party using the giftcards!In closing, to those of you who have supportedyour Union in any capacity, THANK YOU!Congratulations to those Flight Attendants at theMCO message to the field who won raffle prizes!We'll see if the company makes you have 3 month'sperfect attendance to receive your prize! As always,if there is anything I can do for you, please don't hesitateto contract - ooops, we don't have one yet - Imean, CONTACT me anytime.I DON'T WANT TO STRIKE, BUT I WILL!Jimmy West #24715 - MCODomicile Executive Board Member12

Friday February 13th was anunbelievable day! Over200 Flight Attendantsalong with members of otherwork groups weathered whatwas one of the coldest days ofthe year and gathered at theentrance to Love Field Airportfor informational picketing.What a display of unity! Way to go Dallas! The messagewas clear that after almost two years ofContract Negotiations, the Flight Attendant Group isstanding in unity behind their Negotiating Team andare willing to go the distance to get the Contractthey deserve.Flight Attendants were also present inside theairport lobby to ask for the support of ourCustomers and fellow Employees by obtaining signatureson Valentine’s Cards to be mailed to JimParker. Our Customers were more than willing tosign the cards and expressed that they too want theSpirit and Culture to remain status quo at SouthwestAirlines. The general consensus was that theyhoped we would settle our Contract soon, and thatwe would be able to obtain compensation for thetime that we work. Although the unity displayed atthe event was exhilarating, many Flight Attendantsexpressed disappointment and sadness that theirCompany does not appear to want to reward theirgroup with a deserving contract and is making usfight so hard for what other work groups haveobtained previously in their contract negotiations.Subsequent to the informational picketingevent, a large group of Flight Attendants accompaniedUnion President Thom McDaniel to SWAHeadquarters to hand deliver the signed Save OurSpirit cards generated at the event. The group waitedin the main lobby while Jim Parker was summoned.After an approximate wait of fifteen minutesMr. Parker appeared accompanied on one side byDonna Conover and on the other Colleen Barrett. Asthe group gifted over the cards to Parker, Thomrequested that Southwest please save our cultureand spirit.Dallas recently filled two vacant Supervisorpositions, due to Jan McNutt’s promotion to DALAssistant Base Manger and Beth Ross’ promotion toBWI Assistant Base Manager. The two new DallasSupervisors are Jason Sinks and Shereen Governder.Jason came to Inflight from Nashville where he heldthe position of Customer Service Supervisor.Shereen was a MDW based Flight Attendant for 8years.It is always good to be aware of what has beenplaced in your file. You may request your file by awritten statement addressed to your Supervisor, andyou should receive your file within a five-day period.Your file should contain documentation from yourdate of hire, including; medical records, discussionDALlogs, attendance and points. You may also chooseto purge your file, which consists of the removal of alldisciplinary documents with the exception of thelast 18 months.It is imperative that you are aware that the buttonsissued by the Union must be placed on yourbag and may not be worn on part of your Companyissued uniform. If you are asked to remove your buttonsfrom your bag or other non-Company issueditems, please contact the Union immediately.UPCOMING EVENTS IN DALLAS:• The Dallas Membership meeting is April 12th at10:00 Central. Please make time in your schedule toattend.• The Dallas Message to the field is April 19th atNext Stage. The address is 1001 Next Stage Drive inGrand Prairie, located by Lone Star Race Track.Hope to see you at the events! Stay United!Karen Amos #1544 - DALDomicile Executive Board MemberREGISTER FOR OURWEBSITE TODAY!Just go to: http://local556.twuatd.organd follow the simple instructions to join!See you there!BREAKING NEWS!SAFETY TEAM BULLETIN:The FAA has issued Notice N8400.64 concerningthe implementation of Flight Attendant Certification.A full copy of this notice can be viewed on the“Safety Team” page of the TWU Local 556 website:http://local556.twuatd.orgClick on “Safety Team” at the top of the page.13

Contract Negotiations 102What happens next?A plain English look at the past, present, and future of our Contract Negotiationsby Allyson Parker-Lauck - TWU Local 556 Executive Board MemberBack in January 2002, we featuredan article titled,“Contract Negotiations 101”which outlined the steps ofContract Negotiations. The 2002article mainly focused on the earlystages: Preparation, Section 6Openers, and Direct NegotiationsUnder Section 6. Since then, we’vemoved on to Mediation, and manyof you are asking,“What next?”.A BRIEF HISTORY OF THERAILWAY LABOR ACTAs most of you know by now,as Unionized Airline Employees,we must operate under theRailway Labor Act. Here’s a quickRLA refresher course. In 1926, theRailway Labor Act (RLA) waspassed into law to provide ameans of settling Labor disputesin the railroad industry. In the1930’s, the Air Line PilotsAssociation (ALPA) successfullylobbied to have the fledgling airlineindustry included under therules developed by and for thepowerful railroad industry. That’swhy even though we’re AIRLINEEmployees, we operate under theRAILWAY Labor Act.A TIMELINE OF OURNEGOTIATIONSIn May, 2001, our Local’sExecutive Board began theprocess of Negotiations by formingyour Negotiating Team. At thatpoint, your Negotiating Teambegan researching other Contractsin the industry, the history ofour own Local’s past Contracts,surveyed the Membership, prioritizedissues, and drafted newContract language.In May 2002, your NegotiatingTeam met with Managementfor the first time to exchangeOpening Statements, and beganthe Negotiations Process. In June2002, real bargaining began, andboth sides began discussing allnon-economic issues.Between June 2002 and June2003, both sides managed to cometo Tentative Agreement on all noneconomicissues. The time hadfinally come for both sides to presenttheir economic packages.From June 2003 throughSeptember 2003, all bargainingsessions focused on economicissues. Both sides remained veryfar apart. Your Union’s NegotiatingTeam was willing to continue to tryto Negotiate under Direct Section6 Bargaining. Our Team had a proposalon the table that had notbeen countered by Managementfor over 6 weeks. Instead of meeting,presenting a counter proposal,or even discussing the proposalon the table, Jim Parker insteaddecided he would request Federalintervention in the form of theNational Mediation Board (NMB).Both sides met with the NMBfor the first time in October 2003,and continued to meet regularlythrough February 2004. The lastmeetings with Management tookplace February 4-6, 2004 inWashington, D.C. It was at thismeeting where Management presentedwhat Jim Parker called theCompany’s “BEST OFFER”.After that session, yourNegotiating Team requested informationon how Managementcalculated the cost of the proposal,as the Company’s calculations ofthe overall cost of the proposalwas far greater than the Union’scalculations. To this date, theCompany has not provided us withthe methodology used in their calculations.Shortly after the February 4-6meeting, Senior Mediator LesParmelee chose to recess ourMediation sessions.WHAT NOW?Although we are in recess, weare still operating underMediation according to theRailway Labor Act. If you look atthe flow chart to the right, you’llsee that there are still many stepsavailable under the RLA.First, until we are RELEASEDfrom Mediation, we will continueto operate under our currentContract, and must maintain whatis called the “Status Quo”. Bothsides, Labor and Management,must continue to do business asusual. Management can’t changeour wages or work rules, and wecan’t take any type of work action,including a slow down, “work torule”, Strike, etc. If either sideengages in any of these activities,they will be in violation of the RLAand could be taken to court.In the meantime, it is importantthat we all continue to do ourjobs, stay unified, and support ourNegotiating Team.Many of you are asking,“We’re still very far apart,Management’s not budging ontheir proposal, we’re not budging,so why can’t we be released from14

Mediation?” Good question.Only the Mediator can decide when we will bereleased. At some point, Management or yourNegotiating Team may request release, or they may filea joint request of release. However, none of this is aguarantee that the Mediator would bring a recommendationof release to the National Mediation Board.Keep in mind, the National Mediation Board isappointed by the President of the United States. Thisis an election year, and the President is unlikely to wantany Labor strife, so we can only assume that there is agreat deal of pressure on Mediator Parmelee to keepus in Mediation until after the election. That’s not to saythat a release won’t happen, but we must be realisticand look at all possibilities.May, 2001May, 2002June 2002-September 2003Preparation forNegotiationsSection 6OpenersDirect NegotiationsUnder Section 6SO, WHAT IF THE MEDIATOR RELEASES US?Under the RLA, if the Mediator wanted to releaseus from Mediation, he would present that recommendationto the NMB. If they agreed, he would declare“Impasse”, and we would move on down the flow chartto “Proffer of Binding Arbitration”.September 2003RequestforMediationNEWCONTRACTWHAT IS BINDING ARBITRATION?Binding Arbitration occurs when the fate of theContract is placed into the hands of a neutral thirdparty, or Arbitrator. The Arbitrator’s decision is final,and whatever he/she decides must be accepted byboth Management and the Union. Neither side, nor theUnion’s Membership will get to vote. The decision iffinal and binding.Keep in mind, before Binding Arbitration can beaccepted, BOTH parties must agree to it. Your UnionWILL NOT agree to Binding Arbitration for many reasons,but most importantly because it takes the fate ofthe Contract out of the Membership’s hands. It takesaway your voice and your vote. So although this is astep available under the RLA, we WILL NOT ACCEPTBINDING ARBITRATION.October 2003 -PresentYet to bedetermined...ImpasseMediationProfferof BindingArbitrationNEWCONTRACTIF WE DON’T ACCEPT ARBITRATION,WHAT NEXT?If Binding Arbitration is rejected, the next step isthe 30-Day Cooling Off Period. The 30-Day Cooling OffPeriod is designed to give both parties a few days tostep away from the Negotiations process and re-focus.If the parties agree, they can continue to try toNegotiate. But if an agreement is not reached by theend of the 30-Day Cooling Off Period, it is then time for“Self Help”.BindingArbitrationRejected30 DayCooling-OffPeriodBindingArbitrationAcceptedNEWCONTRACTWHAT IS SELF HELP?Self Help is when it starts to get ugly. This is whenboth parties can legally take actions previously pro-(Continued on next page)Self Help(Strike/Lockout)15

I had bills to pay...by AnonymousA true story from a formerscab.STRIKE Q&A(Continued from p. 16)A. No. You have a legalright to Strike under theprovisions of the RLAand you cannot be firedor disciplined forStriking.It was midnight and the phonerang. "You are on Strike," saidthe voice on the other end. “Ohmy God! I'm getting a divorce, andnow I have no job,” I thought.“Whatwill I do? How will I pay my bills?Will I lose my house?”These were the LEAST of myworries, I would find out later. Iwent to work as scheduled throughthe "secret" passageway theCompany had set up. They didn'ttell me that there were people withcameras all along the road into theairport because EVERYONE hadaccess to the secret passagewayfrom an 800 number the Companyset up. This isn't good, I thought, butI went on with the help of my Daddriving me in. We were to meet in a“secret” room (everyone knewwhere the secret room was - again,the 800 number) where we werebriefed by the Airline’s CEO. Hetold us that all of the Striking FlightAttendants would be fired andwould be replaced. WE got firstchoice of bases, bids, Internationaltrips. He told us that WE were theBEST!I boarded the airplane to avery surly Captain who proceededto ask us every safety question hecould think of. Any of us whomissed the questions were leftbehind. We were not treated wellby ANY of the Pilots. The Crew of 10consisted of 8 guys and 2 girls. Ilater found out that the two maleFlight Attendants were plants sentby the Union to collect informationon all of us scabs.The first night there were securityguards at our hotel van and atthe hotel at each room. It was agood thing because the people wholived in that city were outsideyelling at us all night. The nextmorning, we were followed throughthe terminal by a news team whostuck a camera in my face. Great,I'm on the news in Chicago, too. Thenext night, there were FlightAttendants from that city trying toroll the van with us in itI was so proud of myself. Istood up for my employer!! ThatUnion doesn't pay my salary, Ithought to myself. This took guts!!I came in to base from LAS tofind out that the Strike was OVERand everyone had been calledback.Yikes! Everyone was allowedback in the terminal and we had todeplane to a crowd of very angryco-workers. We were stopped andasked questions, called names,weren't allowed to get to our cars,you name it. I finally got to my car tofind out it had been beaten with ahammer and my tires slashed. Mygarage door at home had SCABwritten all over it which didn't makemy Union neighbor happy, either.This was in Texas, not Detroit orPittsburgh.My point to all of this is not toscare you into a Strike. But if it does,then that's OK too. It ruined mycareer at an airline that I loved.After the Strike, I lasted 2months. I just couldn't take it any(Continued on page 18)Q. If I am a ProbationaryFlight Attendant,can I Strike?A. Yes. All FlightAttendants, includingProbationary FlightAttendants have a legalright to Strike.Q. What happens to meif I cross the picket lineand work during aStrike?A. You become a SCAB.This will be a decisionyou will have to live withfor the rest of your life.Those who stand togetherto fight for fair wagesand decent work ruleswill not understand andwill have a hard time forgivingyour decision.Q. What if I call in sickduring a Strike?A. If you call in sick duringa Strike instead ofdeclaring yourself onStrike, you will be consideredto be a SCAB.Q. Can I be permanentlyreplaced?A. SWA can hire “permanent”replacementworkers (scabs) during aStrike. Any replacementworker must complete(Continued on p. 18)17

STRIKE Q&A(Continued from p. 17)the FAA-required trainingfor SWA FlightAttendants before theycan work on the aircraft.Flight Attendants fromother airlines who do notknow our emergencyprocedures would haveto go through additionaltraining before theycould fly for Southwest.At the end of a successfulStrike, TWU 556would Negotiate a Returnto Work Agreementunder which no permanentreplacements wouldwork until all StrikingFlight Attendants wereback to work.Q. Who can Southwestuse as a FlightAttendant during aStrike?A. Southwest can useany person at SWA aslong as they have completedthe FAA requiredtraining as outlined inthe answer above. Thisincludes InflightSupervisors, BaseManagers, Recurrent andInitial TrainingSupervisors, etc.Q. Would I lose my401(K) or Profit Sharingif I go on Strike?A. No. Whatever vestedretirement rights youhave before a Strike cannotbe taken away fromyou because you Strike,even if you choose to(Continued on p. 19)I HAD BILLS TO PAY(Continued from page 17)more. I thought I was doing theright thing by crossing the picketline, but in retrospect, I let down thevery people who were fighting MYbattle for me. The fact is, they werethe only people who were concernedabout me, because theCompany did nothing to protect usafter the Strike.Someone ripped open my suitcaseand poured tomato juice in it.Someone armed my doors after Ileft the plane, and when I plead mycase to the Company, they told methat we crossed the picket linefreely, and they didn't get involvedin Union matters. You see, to them,we were scabs, too. We had nohonor to them either. All of theFlight Attendants who went onStrike to help us get a betterContract were slapped in the faceby us and our betrayal of them.They put their payments on theirhomes, cars, etc. on the line too. Itwas not until I came to Southwestthat I realized the amount of damagethat my selfishness had done.The final outcome of the Strikewas a positive one, too. The UnionFYI’sby Kathy AndersonRecording Secretarygot a good Contract and it made ahuge difference to all Employees.Now, when I get on a van with acrew from my former airline, I amterrified that I will be noticed andmy past will be revealed to mycoworkers here.Please take this decision seriously.It isn't going to be in yourfavor to go to work. The threat lettersfrom the Company will come.They will tell you that you will befired, you will lose your insurance,along with many more tactics toscare you. Don't let them.The Union will tell you whatManagement can and cannot do.Call the Union office. Ask questions.Ask your Precinct Captains.Do whatever you have to do tounderstand. Be informed. I may nothave made such an regrettabledecision had I taken the time toeducate myself. Don't be complacent.Learn the facts about ContractNegotiations and the Railway LaborAct. Please don't pay the price Ipaid. It was not worth it, and youwill regret it. Prepare yourselffinancially and mentally. Don'tmake the mistake of thinking thatwe won't Strike. I made that mistake.It CAN happen.FYI If you feel you have suffered an OJI (On the Job Injury),please fill out an injury report immediately, regardless of theseverity of the injury. If you do not report your injury in a timelymanner, it can result in denial of your claim.FYI If you are based in Oakland, pursuant to California law,you can designate a personal physician in the event of an on thejob injury. If you do not designate a physician to your employer,18

they may and will choose one for you for the first 30 days of an inthe job injury. This form must be filled out prior to any injury. Ifyou need a copy of this form, you may contact your OaklandDomicile Executive Board Member or you may call the Unionoffice. Once you complete this form, turn it into your Supervisorfor placement in your file. We also recommend keeping one foryour own records.FYI If you are on Workers Compensation and your vacationfalls during this time, your vacation can be moved outside theWorkers Compensation period to the beginning of your activestatus only. It is the Flight Attendant's choice to forgo the vacationuntil returning to work or to take it while on leave, or to receivethe compensation.FYI A Flight Attendant with perfect attendance during themonth of December will accrue sick leave at 1.5 times the normalrate for that month. (e.g. If a Flight Attendant flies 100 trips duringDecember she/he will be credited with 15 trips.) Article16.1.BFYI If you pick up a trip for money from a Flight Attendantand the Flight Attendant does not pay, you can go to Small ClaimsCourt to collect. The Company, the Union and ProfessionalStandards will not get involved.FYI If you are sick leave recovering you are not pay protected.In other words, sick leave recovery is for attendance policypurposes only. You are not entitled to the greater pay; you willget paid for what you actually fly.FYI If you are asked to go see your Supervisor, you have theright to ask what the meeting is about and if discipline will beissued or could result from the meeting. You have the right totake a Union Representative with you to the meeting. If you areapproached in the Lounge by your Supervisor and they ask tomeet with you at that time and there is not a Union Representativeavailable remember that you can stop the meeting at any time toask for Union Representation.FYIProbationaries are allowed to come to Union meetings.FYI Probationaries are allowed to file Contract grievances.This means you are protected by the Contract on issues such asScheduling, Hours of Service, Reserve, etc…FYI Probationaries are allowed to call the Union if being disciplinedor if you need correct information regarding your rights.Yes, you have rights!FYI As a new hire, you have two resources for informationyourSupervisor and your Union.STRIKE Q&A(Continued from p. 18)never come back towork after a Strike.Q. How long will aStrike last?A. The duration andnature of a Strike will becarefully calculated toproduce the maximumpressure on Managementto reach anagreement with us, whilelimiting the damage thatour Customers andMembers will suffer.The length of the Strikedepends on our unity,and on how and whenthe Company responds.It is imperative that eachand every one of youmake a real effort to befinancially prepared inthe event a Strike doesoccur.Q. At the end of the 30-Day Cooling Off Period,do we all just walk offthe job?A. No. Not necessarily.We have different Strikestrategies to implement.Toward the end of the30-Day Cooling OffPeriod, TWU 556 willkeep you informedthrough our website,forums, broadcast phonemessages, and any othermeans possible. We willnot publicly announcewhich Strike strategy weare going to use until justbefore the Strike deadline.(Continued on p. 20)19

STRIKE Q&A(Continued from p. 19)Q. What happens to myinsurance when I am onStrike?A. The Company MUSToffer COBRA as requiredby the ConsolidatedOmnibus Budget ReconciliationAct of 1985. Weknow the issue of insuranceis among the topconcerns for FlightAttendants when askingquestions about a Strike.We will be providing youwith much more informationwhen and if the timenears for a Strike.Q. Is the insurance coverageunder COBRA differentthan for activeEmployees?A. No.Q. What do I say to Customerswho ask about aStrike?A. First and foremost, donot initiate these discussionson board the planeand do not make any disparagingremarks aboutSWA. If asked, politelyinform the Customer thatwe are in ContractNegotiations with SWA,and we hope to get a fairContract without havingto go on Strike. Do notelaborate any further.We will be answeringmore of your questionsin upcomingissues of our newsletters.What Do We Have inCommon With theCast of “Friends”?MORE THAN YOU THINK! Read on...by James Gordon, MDW F/A #25994Once upon a time, there was anew television programcalled "Friends". Each of thesix stars made $20,000 per episodeto start. At the time it was standardsalary for a group of unknownactors on a new TV show.Over the next several televisionseasons the show built a cult followingand it became more and morepopular.Viewer ratings continued toclimb, advertising revenues skyrocketedand the producers of theshow were making a fantastic fortune.Yet thestars were stillbeing paidwhat they considereda paltrysum in proportionto theearnings theshow was generating.Beforetheir contractswere up for renewal, each actorcame to an agreement with the othersthat they deserved a higherwage for their work. Many other televisionactors were making a bundle,even on shows that didn't produceas much revenue as "Friends".For instance, ER star AnthonyEdwards who played Dr Greenetook home around $375,000 perepisode. "Friends" was the highestrated show on TV with actors whowere being nominated for Emmyand Golden Globe awards. Simplyput, they wanted to be paid whatthey were worth.They decided to unite andnegotiate for a pay increase fromthe show's producers. Each oneagreed to unify and promised toeach other that not one of themwould "break rank" and give-in. Ifthe producers refused to give themthe money they believed they rightfullydeserved, they would walk offthe set. For the unknown actors whohad nothing to fall back on, this wasa risky move,but each knewthe rewardswould outweighthatrisk.The actorswho playPhoebe,Chandler,Monica, Joey,Rachael andRoss indeed remained unifiedthroughout the negotiation process.Shortly afterward, each of themmade $1,000,000 per episode.After 10 years, not countingsyndication earnings, each actorwill have made an estimated$82,790,000; Unity has it's rewards!The stars of "Friends" wouldn'thave succeeded without theiragents, nor could our unity succeedwithout the NT representing ourinterests at the bargaining table. We20

SAFETY TEAM REPORTARP and ARG - What These Initials Mean to Youby Michael Massoni - 1st Vice President and Safety CoordinatorAs you can imagine an aircraftaccident creates totalchaos, confusion and traumaticstress. Therefore, it is of theutmost importance that an organizedplan is in placeshould a tragedy suchas an accident or seriousincident occur.In November of1994, TWU Local 556implemented the useof an AccidentResponse Plan (ARP).The purpose of theARP is to provideguidelines forCrewmembers thatare involved in anaccident and a succinctplan of action forthe Union. Our twoprime directives withinthis plan are tofacilitate aid to ourMembers and participationin any subsequentinvestigation.TWU has an obligationto represent allof our FlightAttendants; therefore,Local 556 has madethe decision to beactive participants inany accident response. We will, inthe event of a serious incident oraccident, work in close associationwith the Company, SWAPA andFederal authorities to ensure theimmediate needs and the bestinterests of our Flight Attendantsare being met.Inflight Training has alwaysdone an exemplary job of trainingour Flight Attendants on emergencyprocedures and we are confidentthey will continue to providethe best training possible. Underno circumstances is TWU, throughour Accident Response Plan, tryingTRANSPORT WORKERS UNIONof AMERICA, AFL-CIOLOCAL 556SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FLIGHT ATTENDANTS2520 West Mockingbird Lane. Dallas, Texas 75235EMERGENCY NUMBERSLOCAL 556 HDQ 1-800-969-7932-or-214-352-9110CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT (CISM) 1-800-408-3220(REV. 2002)FLIGHT ATTENDANTACCIDENT RESPONSE GUIDEIF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT1. LOCATE PILOTS AND STAY TOGETHER WITH YOUR CREW2. MAKE NO STATEMENTS3. OBTAIN MEDICAL ATTENTION ASAP4. CONTACT YOUR FAMILY5. CONTACT TWU 800-969-7932 CONTACT SPECIAL SERVICES (CISM) 800-408-32206. COORDINATE WITH YOUR CREW IN SECURING REST FACILITIES AWAY FROMTHE AIRPORT OR GO TO A HOSPITAL AND GET UNDER A DR's CARE TO PRE-VENT ANYONE (MEDIA, FAA, NTSB, ETC.) FROM BEING ABLE TO CONTACT YOUBEFORE YOUR UNION REPRESENTATIVE IS WITH YOU7. INFORM ONLY YOUR TWU AND/OR SWA REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUR LOCATION8. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO GIVE A STATEMENT TO THE FAA, NTSB OR ANYOTHER PUBLIC AUTHORITY CONCERNING AN ACCIDENT UNLESS YOU ARESERVED WITH A SUBPOENA9. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO GIVE A STATEMENT TO A COMPANY OFFICIALWITHOUT A UNION REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT10. MAKE NO STATEMENTS!!! (REV. 2002)Sample ARG Wallet Cardto interfere with the procedures ofSWA or substitute the Company'sresponsibilities in such matters asan accident. Our goal in this planis to help ease the panic, chaos andconfusion AFTER an accident orserious incident, as well as activelyparticipate in the investigativeprocess. The Union wants you toknow we will be there to help andassist you in anyway we can.On the following page youwill find an example of a pamphletentitled "IN CASE OF AN ACCI-DENT". This pamphlet is our FlightAttendant Accident ResponseGuide or "ARG" forshort; it contains theguidelines the Unionsuggests that you useshould you be involvedin an aircraft accidentor serious incident.This pamphlet can beinserted in yourContract for quick reference.An example of awallet size card shownto the left, and isincluded with the ARGalong with emergencyphone numbers forLocal 556 HDQ andCritical Incident StressManagement (CISM).The ARG wallet card islaminated and punchedso it may be hung onthe back of your SWAI.D. badge for easyaccess. The currentversion is the thirdrevision of the ARGand is identified byorange printing and a"REV 2002" description.We distributed the currentARG to all active Flight Attendantsin 2002 and all subsequent NewHire classes since. However, weunderstand things get lost or justwear out. So if you are in need of anew ARG or if the version you22

carry has red or black printingplease email your Local 556Safety Team at:mmassoni@twuatd.org andrequest a new FlightAttendant Accident ResponseGuide (ARG). We willensure one gets to you within30 days of your email reachingus.The hallmarks of being aFlight Attendant are equal partssafety and service. No matterhow uncomfortable planningfor an emergency may be - itonly serves our Customers, ourprofession and us to be wellprepared. Our ARG augmentsthe skills each and every one ofyou already possesses as"Safety Professionals".Again, should you everexperience a serious incidentor accident, we hope you knowthat your Union is well preparedand will be there for youthrough this most stressful ofsituations.IN CASE OFAN ACCIDENTThe "It can't happen to me" syndrome has repeatedlybeen shown as flawed in the harsh world of risk involvement,where an accident is always a possibility. If youare ever involved in an accident TWU will be there tohelp you. Once notified, you're Union Crisis Action Team(CAT) and Special Services (CISM) peers will be sent tothe field to look out for your best interest. At the sametime selected Union representatives will be assisting inthe field investigation as members of the GO-TEAM.The Union suggests the use of the following guidelinesfor crewmembers who are unfortunate enough to beinvolved in an accident.FLIGHT ATTENDANT ACCIDENT RESPONSE GUIDEREV 2002The S.E.A.L. ActSecure Existing Aviation Loopholesby Michael MassoniCongressman Markey (D-MA) has introducedlegislation to close security loopholes thatremain for millions of American flyers and aviationworkers. H.R. 3798, the Secure Existing AviationLoopholes Act (SEAL Act) seeks to address urgentsecurity problems that plague the American aviationsecurity system. The SEAL Act seeks several actionsto close the security gap:• Discreet, secure communication system for allflight crews• Meaningful, comprehensive counter-terror trainingfor flight crews• Thorough inspections of all cargo transported onpassenger planes• Federal Air Marshals or equivalent officer of governmenton board all foreign air carriers takingoff or landing in the U.S.• International coordination with foreign counterpartsin the area of aviation security• Comprehensive preflight cabin interiorscreening• Complete Department of Homeland Securitycontrol of accessible airport secure areas• Training pilots how to maneuvers and proceed inthe event of a missile strike• Aggressive flying maneuvers communicationand coordination training for pilots• Extending cockpit door reinforcements for cargoplanes• Establish 'no fly zone' requirements for sensitiveareas and create and implement an airportvulnerability assessment planTWU Local 556 supports this important legislation thatseeks to save lives and secure the workplace environmentof airline personnel. Please log on to the TWULocal 556 website at http://local556.twuatd.org andclick on the "Action Alert" button. This will launch youto the TWU Political Action page and allow your voiceto be heard by your elected representatives concerningthis important Flight Attendant safety legislation.If you would like to help support the S.E.A.L. ActLegislation, please go to page 33.23

Reserve and Out of Orderby Marcy Vinyard - TWU Local 556 2nd Vice PresidentEvery day the Local UnionOffice receives many phonecalls from Flight Attendantswith questions about Reserve andpossibly being called out of order.There are several important pointsto keep in mind when determiningReserve(s) out of order issues.For you to determine if youhave been used out of order youmust compare yourself with otherReserves in your same category.(Category meaning good for thesame number of days as you areand they must be of the sameReserve classification.) For example,if you are good for three daysof Junior Call-Out you can onlycompare yourself with otherReserves good for three days ofJunior Call- Out.Another determining factor inassignment of Reserve is Trips forPay (TFP). Trips for Pay must becalculated within thecategory/classification requirements.For example, if Susie has 15TFP in her scheduled Reservemonth and Jane has 23 TFP in herscheduled Reserve month, Susieshould be called out first. Keep inmind, when calculating Trips forPay, you do not compute picked uptrips or picked up Reserve days ondays off. Also, if you have sat APSB,those trips credited for APSB donot count toward the total in calculatingorder of assignment, onlytrips actually flown.Contractual and FAR legalitiesmay affect order of assignment. Inthe example mentioned above,Susie would be first to go and Janewould be second if they are legalby Contract and/or FARs. The followingwould apply if aContractual legality were involved:If Susie blocks in from a tripthe night before at 2100, shewould not be good for contactuntil the next morning at 0900;therefore, if a trip needed tobe covered prior to 0900, Janewould be utilized beforeSusie.According to the Contract,Article 11 Section 4, for the firstthree days of the month, allReserve Flight Attendants will beReady Reserves. To further clarify,Ready Reserves and Call OutReserves will be treated as if theyare the same classification on thosedays and will be assigned pairingsin seniority order beginning withthe most junior.During the overlap period,remember that the line up for theReserves is affected in order tokeep Flight Attendants legal forany overlap trips in the new month.Therefore, it will appear there is noorder, but order is based on theabove, in addition to all overlaprequirements.A printed Reserve StatusReport is available in each domicile.According to the contract,Article 11 Section 5, this reportshows order of rotation, availability,and credited TFP for each FlightAttendant on Reserve and shouldbe updated every two hours. Thisreport should be provided everytwo hours during posted officehours. Most bases display thisreport by the charter postings. Ifyou do not find this report, callScheduling and they should beable to fax your respective basesreport.After the base closes,aReserve will be able to call CrewScheduling for the current, up-todateReserve standings, includingorder of rotation, availability andcredited TFP for all reserves,including themselves, on call thatday. The calls for this informationwill NOT count towards a FlightAttendant's two calls allowed perthe contract (Article 11.4.D), norwill the Flight Attendant be availablefor an assignment, reassignmentor contact during the call.While Scheduling is not contractuallyrequired to update theReserve phone line up, theContract does require them toupdate the Reserve Status Reportevery two hours during postedoffice hours. If a Reserve StatusReport is not available in theLounge, or is not updated, ask theSupervisors to obtain the reportfrom Scheduling or call Schedulingand ask to have an updated reportfaxed to your domicile.A Call Out is responsible tocall Scheduling between the hoursof 1800 and 2359 CST prior to thefirst day her/his reserve blockbegins. If they fail to call in, theywill automatically be converted toa Ready Reserve for the followingday. For example:Susie, who is first to go, calls at1800 the night before her blockbegins, and there is no assignment,she would be good forcontact at 800 central the nextmorning. Jane, who is secondto go, calls at 1900 and in themeantime, Scheduling receivesa sick call and gives the sickcall assignment to Jane, thiswould not be consideredout of order.Inbound Reserves who are inthe same category and classifica-24

tion and who are legal for thesame number of days will beassigned additional trips by utilizingthe Reserve with the leastamount of TFP first. If the TFPamount is the same, the mostjunior Reserve will be assignedfirst.When determining theorder of Reserves for any givenday, Flight Attendants that havepicked up a day of Reserve willbe labeled with a (T) label andwill be called first to go for anassignment. Flight Attendantswho are sitting scheduledreserve for the month will beassigned after those who pickedup. If more than one FlightAttendant picks up a Reserveday, the most junior one will becalled out first.As a result of past practiceand grievance settlements forout of order situations, the FlightAttendant who actually flies thetrip receives the time and a half,not the Flight Attendant whowas skipped. For example:If Susie is first to go and Janeis second and Jane is calledout for an assignment, Janewould receive the time anda half, not Susie.If you suspect that you havebeen called out of order, pleasehave all your information readywhen you call the Union office.This includes a copy of theReserve Status Report from theLounge, the names and employeenumbers of Flight Attendantswho should or should not havebeen used before you.I hope this has helped toclarify out of order issues. If youbelieve you have been used outof order on Reserve, call theUnion office so we may furtherresearch your issue. If you dospeak to your Supervisorregarding investigating your outof order issue, keep in mind youwill still be bound byContractual time limits shouldyou need to file a grievance.GrievanceUpdateby Mike Sims, TWU Executive Board,Grievance Committee ChairEMPLOYMENT FILESPer our Contract, "A Flight Attendant will be entitled to receive fromthe Company a copy of his/her entire personnel file upon request withinfive (5) days." Recently, the Union filed a Grievance because: a) fileshave not been made available for Flight Attendants to pick up, orb) Supervisors are requiring Flight Attendants to have a file review inorder to obtain the file. We hope to settle this issue with InflightManagement. In the meantime, if you have any issues trying to obtainyour file according to the Contract, let us know the name of theSupervisor or Base Manager so we can take appropriate action.SCHEDULING TAPESWe continue to have situations where Flight Attendants are calling insick and are giving unnecessary details to Inflight Scheduling duringthe call. In short, if you are sick, call in sick. Simply give the Scheduleryour employee number and let him know that you are calling in sick. Itis not necessary to give the Scheduler a complete synopsis of your situation.Remember, all conversations are taped and if you say anythingthat is inappropriate or irrelevant during your sick call, you could findyourself on the wrong end of a sick leave abuse investigation.ATTENDANCE POINTSIt is the responsibility for each Flight Attendant to know his/her pointtotal. If you have any questions regarding your point history, pleasesee your Supervisor. If for any reason your points are inaccurate,please contact the Union so we may help you. Remember, you may beterminated if your points reach termination level. If you have a specialsituation or there are circumstances that are taking place in your life,please see your Supervisor so they can help you. We all must be moreproactive when it comes to points. Your career may depend on it!UNION PULLSPer our Contract, our Union has the right to pull Union officials andFlight Attendants from their trips on an as needed basis for Union business.Recently, Management started systematically denying most ofour pull sheets. We have filed a Group Grievance in an effort to stopManagement from interfering with our ability to conduct legal Unionbusiness. Unfortunately, these recent actions by our Company'sLeadership may be a direct result of our efforts to achieve the Contractour Members deserve. We intend to utilize any and all of our optionsunder the Railway Labor Act to stop Management from interfering withour daily operations to protect our Union.(Continued on Page 39)25

TWU C.O.P.E. .E. CONVENTIONby Thom McDaniel, TWU Local 556 PresidentOn March 1-3, 2004, I hadthe opportunity to attendthe annual TWUInternational COPE (CommitteeOn Political Education)Convention with Local 556Members, Michael Massoni, GwenDunivent, Deborah Danish andTWU Legislative AffairsRepresentative, Portia Reddick inWashington D.C. The Conventionwas attended by delegates fromall TWU Locals to discuss pendinglegislation affecting working peopleand the importance of electingLabor friendly candidates.I have attended several COPEConventions in the past; however,this is a very important year forSouthwest Flight Attendantsbecause of our ongoing ContractNegotiations and upcomingNational Elections. It has neverbeen more important to ourMembers to elect Labor friendlycandidates to support ourContract battle and protect ourrights.As participants, we weretreated to workshops teaching usto be more effective in presentingLabor issues to our electedRepresentatives and the Public. Inaddition, during the morning sessions,several Senators,Representatives, and AFL-CIOLabor Leaders addressed theConvention about the seriousissues facing our Members. Theystressed the importance of registeringand voting in the upcomingprimaries and elections.Afternoons at the Conventionwere spent meeting with ourSenators, Representatives, andtheir staff members to discuss ourtransportation issues, the state ofour Negotiations, and their potentialeffect on their districts.Due to the hard work of ourvery own Portia Reddick, we held16 meetings with Senators andRepresentatives from all states andDistricts where we have domiciles,as well as Pennsylvania, thenewest Southwest destination.Our visits were very wellreceived. Our elected officialswere genuinely interested in ourissues and many pledged theirsupport to help us to achieve a fairContract for our Flight Attendants.A special thanks goes out toMichael Lutz and Scott Slasienski,both BWI based Flight Attendantswho volunteered to go to CapitolHill with the COPE Delegates. Ihad the pleasure of conductingvisits with Deborah Danish andMichael Lutz. It was an amazingcontrast to be with a 27 yearemployee and a less than 2 yearemployee, and to hear their differentperspectives and commonresolve to achieve a fair Contractwith Southwest Airlines.We also shared the details ofour battle for a fair Contract withthe entire TWU COPE Delegationand received overwhelming supportfrom our TWU Brothers andSisters all across the country.Through our TWU COPE fund,we, as workers can make a differencein the political process thataffects our everyday workinglives. Since we cannot use duesmoney to support political candidates,COPE exists through voluntarycontributions from ourMembers. COPE funds are used toendorse candidates of all partiesas well as Independents. The onlycriteria to qualify for COPE dollarsis a Labor friendly voting record toprotect the jobs, lives, and familiesof our Members.Our jobs are governed andregulated by many governmentagencies including the TSA andthe FAA. In addition, new laws andregulations not only impact ourworker's rights and quality of life,but also the financial health andfuture of Southwest Airlines.Through the political process,we have been able to achieveFlight Attendant Certification anddefeat "Baseball Arbitration". Thisyear, we will be fighting for theSEAL (Secure Existing AviationLoopholes) Act to provide a saferand more secure workplace for allaviation workers and passengers.It is now more important than everthat we are involved in the politicalprocess.I began contributing to COPEfor 10 years ago when a UnionOfficer explained the importanceof being involved in the politicalprocess. Southwest Airlines andother large corporations spendmillions of dollars a year on26

Capitol Hill and it isimportant for us, as workers,to have a voice and avote as well.I would like toencourage all of ourMembers to join COPE.COPE Contributions canbe payroll deducted fromyour paycheck and canbe as little as $1.00 permonth. Please considerfilling out the COPE formto contribute to COPEand mail it back to theTWU Local 556 Office.Youwon't miss the smallamount, but all of ourdonations together willmake a huge differenceto elect representativeswho will protect our interestsas aviation workers.Please become a COPEMember today.TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION OF AMERICA80 West End Avenue, New York, NY 10023AUTHORIZATION, ASSIGNMENT, AND DIRECTION FOR DEDUCTIONFROM PAYROLL, FOR TWU POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEEI (name) __________________________ , hereby authorize my employer _________________________to deduct from any wages earned or to be earned by me, the sum of $ _______ per month from my checkand to forward the said amount as an assignment and deduction to the TWU Political ContributionsCommittee, 80 West End Avenue, New York, NY 10023. The authorization, assignment and direction isintended to facilitate my transfer of this amount to the TWU Political Contributions Committee and to save methe time and effort of making a separate payment. This authorization for, and contribution to, the TWUPolitical Contributions Committee is entirely voluntary on my part and has not been obtained by physical force,job discrimination, or financial reprisal or threat thereof, but is purely a voluntary contribution on my part madeof my own free will and choice. I understand that contributions or gifts to the TWU Political ContributionsCommittee are not deductible for federal income tax purposes. This assignment, authorization and directionmay be revoked or cancelled by me at any time by writing to my employer. I direct, however, that this authorizationshall be effective and apply to each payroll voucher I receive in each calendar year from my employer.This assignment, authorization and direction shall continue until the termination of Collective BargainingAgreement between __________________________ and the Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIOor until revoked by me in writing, whichever occurs sooner.________________________________________________________________________NAME: LAST FIRST MIDDLE EMPLOYEE #_______________________________________________________________________________________________________SIGNATURE OF EMPLOYEE LOCAL #__________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________ADDRESS: STREET CITY ST ZIP SOCIAL SECURITY #Michael Lutz and Thom McDanielmeet with Texas Representative SheilaJackson-Lee from Houston.Gwen Dunivent, Michael Massoni,Portia Reddick, Thom McDaniel,Deborah Danish, and Michael Lutz.27

NewHirePizzaPartyPHL200430

Did YouYKnow?by Michael Broadhead,PHX F/A #33877Messages tothe FieldAs a Flight Attendant,you can better manageyour personnel file.Yes, that is correct. By submittinga written request to yourSupervisor, or during a filereview meeting, you can havethe "personnel" section ofyour file "purged".Your file has severalsections. You can request the"personnel section" of yourfile purged so that it will onlycontain the current 18-monthwindow. It is a good idea toestablish this habit once ayear. Purging your file doesnot occur automatically. Youmust request this.Your Medical Logscannot be purged in this manner- they are permanent."Discussion Logs" cannot bepurged - they are permanent.Ensure that all remarks writtenin your Discussion Logsare accurate.Remember: Anyadverse letters or letters ofdiscipline must be removedafter 18 months! FlightAttendants may rebut bad letters.You do not needUnion representation to purgethe current 18-month windowor to review the DiscussionLogs, but Union representationis always available if yourequest it. The choice isyours.KNOW your fileand manage it!31

FEBRUARY 13, 2004An Early Valentine for a LATE Contract32

Support t the S.E.A.L. .L. ActADear TSA Administrator Stone:It has been almost 3 years since the deadly terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C. Thatfateful day taught us a valuable lesson; we are not prepared for terrorist attacks on commercial aircraft.Many strides have been taken to help protect Americans here at home. However, unless we guaranteethat crewmembers on commercial airliners are trained to defend the aircraft and coordinate our efforts withFederal Air Marshals, Federal Flight Deck Officers and other pilots, we have failed both those onboard the aircraftand on the ground.Congress has recognized the importance of security training for flight attendants three times sinceSeptember 11th. However, TSA has yet to establish industry guidelines for mandatory security training forflight attendants. Mr. Stone, I am a flight attendant and the professional when it comes to evaluating flight attendantsecurity training. In my expert opinion; I have not received adequate security training.While TSA has acknowledged that a new strategy is needed post September 11, it has failed to providea program for the carriers to implement. By failing to provide a comprehensive standardized program, yetallowing each carrier to individually decide on security training issues independently, TSA is approving securitytraining programs that do not provide adequate training for flight attendants who are the first respondersin the sky. We are the only workgroup guaranteed to be in the cabin on every commercial flight. It's only logicalthat we receive the proper training that reflects our important role in defending our aircraft and hence, ournation.Sec. 603 (6) of the Vision 100 - Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act last year provides that TSA shallmonitor air carrier training programs. It states: "In determining when an air carrier's training program shouldbe reviewed . . . the Under Secretary shall consider complaints from crew members." I urge you to follow thewill of Congress and provide a mandatory comprehensive basic security training program for flight attendants.TSA was established to design our nation's security system. It is critical that TSA develop security trainingfor the employees who were the initial targets on 9/11. Because I feel that my carrier's security training programlacks the appropriate comprehensive substance that will enable me to protect those on board any aircraftwhen I am working as a crewmember, I urge you to review the program at my carrier to ensure that itmeets the criteria Congress has supported in the Homeland Security Act and the Vision 100 Reauthorizationbill.Sincerely,Securing Everery y Airporport t LoopholeIf you would like to support this important legislation that will help make all of our lives more secure, wehave just the thing for you. We ask that you write TSA Administrator David M. Stone. Below is a letteryou can sign and send in, or you can write your own. The important thing is that you make your voiceheard. We ask that you please drop your letter in the Union Red Rack in the Flight Attendant lounge inany base, or you can fax or mail it to the Union Office:Transport Workers Union Local 556Attn: SEAL Act Letter2520 West Mockingbird LaneDallas, TX 75235FAX: 214-357-9870____________________________________________ __________________________ _____________Name Carrier Yrs. of Service33

Members Speak OutMembers Speak OutThe following are a sampling of some letters to Managementregarding the state of our Contract Negotiations.Dear Tammye,I was impressed with some ofthe numbers (25.4 % increase inFlight Attendant sick calls over thesame period last year) you presented[ed. note: in the February2004 issue of “Onboard”]. Here aresome additional numbers that mayhelp when "evaluating each holidaysick leave call".The Flu Pandemic was widespreadin 45 states resulting in limitedavailability of influenza vaccinesin those states (Source: CNN).Weekly national average reportedcases of the flu are as follows:December 20, 2003 = 7.7%December 27, 2003 = 9.4%January 3, 2004 = 6.2%Compared to overall nationalaverage of 2.5% for 2002.(Source: CDC)As the work group with thehighest percentage of personalCustomer contact, Flight Attendantsare more susceptible thanany other work group to the spreadof flu and other "winter-related illnesses".Additionally, other workgroups and Management mayreport to work with sinus/ear infectionswith little more than personaldiscomfort as a consequence. ForFlight Attendants however, the consequencesmay be permanent andserious injuries resulting in longtermhealth care costs and possiblythe inability to continue working asa Flight Attendant.I am curious if your "projectionof $17 million for FlightAttendant sick pay" includesinjuries as well as illnesses. AsFlight Attendants are required tounfasten their seatbelts 15 minutesinto the flight (at a time when it isn'tsafe or advisable for externalCustomers to do the same) andbegin moving around a work environmentmoving 350+ MPHthrough unpredictable air currents,I suspect we have a muchhigher rate of injuries than anyother work group. Will those numbersbe available in your "update"?If your investigation into reportedsick leave misuse fails to produceany significant findings, as I suspectit will, I suggest the monetaryand personnel resources used toinvestigate sick leave calls wouldbe of better use investigatingimprovements of our work environment,procedures and leaveoptions.On the subject of attendance,would you please make available(perhaps in the "update" or the"Inflight scorecard") the number ofFlight Attendants who picked uptrips in addition to their scheduledline during the Holidays and theirvacations? Possibly present thosenumbers next to the numbers ofthose in management who workedon Holidays and during their vacations.The Flight Attendant workgroup is unique in its responsibilitiesand rewards. September 11,2001 proved that the duties we performwith a fun spirit and professionalismare also gravely hazardousduties. Everyday, FlightAttendants are caring nurturers,Positively Outrageous Serviceproviders, and sometimes, quite literallywe are lifesavers. With moreof our Customers utilizing SWAonline services and kiosks, morethan any other work group, FlightAttendants are "the face ofSouthwest Airlines". As FlightAttendant mediation continues, Iam pleased to read that you are"optimistic that we will reach anagreement in 2004". I am optimisticas well, Tammye. SouthwestAirlines Flight Attendants have thesupport and recognition of theother work groups, and we areunited.Colleen GriffinMDW F/A #53396Dear Mr. Parker,I am writing to you again,directly, regarding contract negotiationsfor the Flight Attendants ofLocal 556. I wrote you an open letterseveral weeks ago, and had noresponse from you.Negotiations thus far, haveproven two things: 1) it has taken fartoo long, not to have produced a tentativeagreement and 2) ourMembership is more united thanever. The side effect of twenty-twomonths of negotiations, and notreaching an agreement, has produceda Membership that is moreinformed, more educated about theRLA and more supportive of Local556, than ever before-the informationalpickets that took place onFebruary 13th 2004 proves this aswell as your reactionary deploymentof the Inflight Supervisors.It is common knowledge andpractice among Management inmany industries, to drag out thenegotiations process for as long as itcan for all the obvious reasons: todrain Union resources, to weakenand divide the group through frustrationand to ultimately save thecompany money. Those are the factsof negotiations and they are in playat Southwest because management’sultimate goal is to only satisfy at least50% + 1 of group, in order for theoffer to be ratified.In your communications toThom, posted via the crew portal,you have asked, and I am paraphrasing,that the Membership have theopportunity to decide for themselveson your “best offer”. Afterspending over 35 hours in thelounges last week talking with FlightAttendants, one statement/ questionwas made hundreds,if not thousandsof times; “since when does an offerfrom Management, equate to a TentativeAgreement”? Our responsewas,“it does not, and there is no ten-34

tative agreement in place to voteon”. The resounding response toyour “best offer” was, “offer rejected”.Hundreds of Flight Attendantscommunicated this directly to theInflight Base by writing that statementacross your offer,and placing itin the Supervisors box. Thus, youhave your response to your “bestoffer”.Your communications to Thom,and the Membership have used verycarefully chosen words, of whicheach has a very specific purpose.The words we find most discouragingand borderline offensive are“mystified”, “compressed”, and“blended”. Each time those wordsare used; it is with full intent to discredit,demean, divide and deny.As a proud Flight Attendant ofthis great airline, I am asking that asCEO you stop communicating withus using misleading words thatattempt to hide, deflect and denyyour accountability in the matter.Tellus the facts with no deflections.Example:“Management’s offer doesnot give you a pay raise for 2003”,rather than “blended 2002-2003”. Itis what it is.I am also asking that you honoryour own words. In a letter to MikeCaspar, PHX Flight Attendant datedSeptember 2nd,2003 you said,referringto Southwest Flight Attendants;“in my opinion,the best in the airlineindustry” and referring toManagements NT,“we are not goingto negotiate in the newspaper or ona stage”. Mr. Parker, offering the vastmajority of F/A’s TFP rates that arestill below industry average contradictsyour very words-we can not bethe best, and be paid less than average.Are you saying we are not evenworth average TFP wages? As far asnegotiating; by disclosing selectiveparts of your offer and using representativesof Inflight Management,you have gone “on a stage”.There isno other way to look at it. It is a conflictingbusiness strategy, at a costdriven airline, to expend excesscompany resources to fight a TentativeAgreement, rather than expendresources to resolve the differences.I am asking you and your NT tobear the burden of your work and tofinish it. If your Team is not able tocomplete the task, then perhaps youneed to adjust your Team, whichincludes you. A growing number ofpeople, both inside and outside ofSouthwest are beginning to ask oneof the most obvious questions: “whyis your CEO directly negotiating acontract, and not the Vice Presidentof your department”. I am posingthat exact question to you. I am askingthat you set an example to theentire industry and demonstrateleadership in these negotiations andcome back to the table and negotiatea tentative agreement,not simplypresent an offer you deem best.Anyone can make an offer Mr.Parker, but effective leaders comeface-to-face and negotiate-evenwhen steep differences are in play. Itis one of the demands of leadershipat your level. Avoidance is notstrength of effective leaders. To settlewith one group in ten weeks andnot settle with another group in overtwenty-two months is not effective.Like the pins our CSA’s proudlywear, “No excuses” with a red linerunning through the words, so it is.Mr. Parker I submit to you: there areno excuses for the scenario that’scurrently in play except for failed orinadequate leadership at this level,on this issue.Southwest Airlines has a proudhistory of overcoming all obstacles.Let your tenure at Southwest continuethat heritage, so we can all beproud again. United,more than ever.Michael D. BroadheadPHX F/A #33877And finally, a letter from a SouthwestCustomer...Dear Mr. ParkerI have been a SouthwestAirlines frequent flyer since the mid1990s when Southwest began servicingSouth Florida. I am an attorneyand have worked in the financialservices industry for various firmsfor almost 20 years. I am presently aSenior Vice President and Directorof Compliance for a major WallStreet brokerage firm owned by aninternational bank. I have in the pastand continue do a significantamount of business travel as well astake numerous vacations involvingair travel.I was disappointed to recentlylearn that you and your airline areunfairly dealing with your FlightAttendants in protracted contractnegotiations. It is my understandingthat you have used unethical andinappropriate negotiating tactics inyour dealings with your flight attendants.It also my understanding thatyou have refused to pay new flightattendants for training, have limitedthe amount of pay increases to flightattendants while significantlyincreasing the wages of otherSouthwest employees and haverefused to pay flight attendants forextra work performed on the aircraft.I must tell you that I am personallyoutraged over these issues.I am a survivor of theSeptember 11th attacks on theWorld Trade Center and I know fromthe news reports that the flight attendantson the planes that struck thebuildings were heroes who dideverything they could to help theirpassengers. I know that flight attendantsare not merely there to servedrinks and a meal, but are highlytrained safety professionals whohelp passengers in case of an emergency.In light of the informationregarding your unfair dealings withthe fine men and women who serveas Flight Attendants on SouthwestAirlines, I refuse to fly your airline,and will encourage the corporatetravel departments of the major WallStreet firms I have worked with torefuse to book their employees onyour airline as well. Shame on you!Very truly yours,Joseph A.ValloSouthwest Airlines Customer35

Coffee TalkBy Tina MamaJava CoffeePHX F/A #24301STEWSANDTHECITYtogether. Do U want 2 go 2 the city? Letme know.Trang" was the message I received"Flyingon Maestro. Let's see... I had LAX, LBBovernights! ! I knew it wasn't Lubbock. I pulled mynext trip up on Maestro. Trang wasn't even on it. OH!She must mean the last trip. My beloved four day forVJA, that I stole from some poor soul trying to flip it.The city? THE CITY OF NEW YORK! It hit me. I had anISP RON. VJA AND NYC... Sometimes this job has itsperks!I felt like an oxen pulling around my big overstuffedroller bag. Fearing that at any moment the zipperwould give out. Based in PHX and living out Westall my life, the thought of 30 degree temperatures,flashed images of frost bite through my mind. I'veheard layering was the key to keeping toasty. I wasn'tworried about style. I was worried about having tohave my toes removed. (Sunny California one day andfrosty New York the next, and SOME wonder why weget sick so often!)We were all so excited for that last day.We madeplans in the galley. Dee Ann and Trang wanted a“LOUIE” Vuitton knock off purse. I was going to lookfor a fake silver heart necklace, from TIFFANY'S.Trangalso produced a fold out map of the city. It looked likespaghetti to me, but she seemed to know which subwayto catch to lead us to the treasures. This wasgoing to be an adventure. THIS is the job I signed upfor!We met in the lobby bright and early. I was layeredlike an onion. I also donned two pairs of cottonsocks to save my tootsies. I waddled onto the crew vanwhich was taking us to the train station. I was wonderinghow Carrie on "Sex and the City" became thefashion Icon that she was. I don't remember seeingher layered quite like I was. Maybe she did it withmore flare!We had just enough time to get a "Coffee Lite" atDunkin Donuts, and then we boarded the train to PennStation. (Note: When they ask you if you want "Coffeelite" ask for 1/2 the sugar. My coffee tasted like liquidcotton candy. I bet the dentists there make bundles.)A crazy lady sat right down next to me. Maybe Ilooked like a fellow transient. She was cussing andtalking to herself. I decided it was best to ignore herand look out the window. Some street artist had spraypainted on it. How do you get graffiti on a movingtrain? I tried to sleep but I was so sugar hyped on my"Coffee lite," it was impossible. I acted like I wassnoozing and listened to Trang and Dee Ann talkabout LOUIE, LOUIE, LOUIE. My feet were REALLY,REALLY, REALLY cold!"Excuse me Sir, could you tell us which subwaywe take to Canal Street?" Trang had no problem askingfor directions. "I thought you knew where we weregoing? I stated. "I do, I'm just making sure." shereplied. She asked the same question to about fivepeople. "When you get the same directions twice thenyou know you're on the right track," was Trang'smethodology. I just followed her and Dee Ann like alost puppy.We made it to Canal Street finally, and all theshops were closed. I could have slept in for anotherhalf hour! I don't know what I expected but it sure didn'tlook like what I saw on TV. There was no way thatCarrie, my "Sex and the City" idol, would wear thoseopen toe designer high heels around here! You couldn'tpossibly wear that type of footwear without freezingyour toes off. My own little ice cubes were sochilled they were burning. I feared if it was the beginningstages of frostbite.At about 10:00 AM, Canal Street came to life. Weinstantly found a purse shop, but there were NOLOUIE'S or designer labels on the merchandise.When we asked the clerk if they had LOUIE bags, shewhispered, "Follow me!" We trailed right behind herthrough a secret door that opened up to a little room,full of Gucci, LOUIE, Channel, Prada, and Coach. WEHAD FOUND THE JEWELS and we didn't even needthe treasure map!All the shops were about the same, some of themerchandise was better quality than the others.36

(Note:You have to check the inside of the LOUIE'S fora serial number. That makes it a REAL, fake purse.)Anytime a merchant spoke the magic word "LOUIE" toTrang and Dee Ann, their eyes would fog over andthey would go into a trance and follow the sales personto the contraband. I had already spent my allottedcash. (Note: They don't take credit cards or checks!Wonder why?) I would look around the shop asking ifthere was a place I could buy WOOL socks, becauseNOW I couldn't feel my toes at all!The frivolous F/A's, reappeared each time with anew style of LOUIE bag. (Note: The Shop Keepers putthe illegal merchandise in black garbage bags to foolthe cops! Smart huh?) "What in the heck are you goingto do with all of those purses," I wanted to know."Hide them from my husband," Dee Ann answeredhonestly. We left Canal Street looking like a bunch ofhappy bag ladies that had just collected a restaurantsbuffet remnants."Excuse me Sir, Excuse me Miss, Excuse me Mr.Street Bum..." Trang asked around for the way home.The problem was that she didn't get the same answertwice. I was getting a sick feeling that we were goingto miss our connection to Penn station and have to payfor a taxi to Long Island. Finally, Trang walked rightup to the window of the train to the driver. He told usto get into HIS train and we sped away. He came out totalk to us in the cabin. "Where's you's from?" I noticedhe had a TWU Transport Workers cap on. AFL/CIO,different number than ours, but the SAME Union. Imentioned to him we were in the Local 556, FlightAttendants for Southwest Airlines. He had read aboutour negotiations saga in the TWU Newspaper andvoiced his support. He also mentioned that hethought that we were a pretty tough group for almostall gals, and he was impressed. His advice to us was,"Hang in dare and fight! Lotta my co-workas crossedda picket line durin o'wer strike, an we gotta piece acrap deal.Ya NO what I'm sayin?" (NOTE: New Yorkersare hard to understand sounds like they have a bunchof rocks in their mouths)We made it back to Long Island on time, but wehad to hail a cab to get a ride to the hotel. It justwouldn't have been the same if we didn't hail a cab.They do it all the time on "Sex in the City." That daywhen the Pilots asked us what we wanted the word tobe we all agreed it should be "LOUIE."Latte' Laughs:Tina (Mamajava) Coffee(Note: Luckily, I still have all ten toes.They thawed out,but if you decide to go to THE CITY in the winter,bring WOOL socks. They don't have "Socks in theCity." )Information aboutChase Manhattan“Union Plus”Mortgage LenderUNION MEMBERS:Let Us Help You Buy A Home orRefinance Your Current Mortgage.Chase Manhattan is the onlyLender in the United Statesacknowledged by the AFL-CIO asa "Union Plus" Mortgage Lender.Union Plus Mortgage is here foryou with a program that is exclusivelydeveloped by the AFL-CIO,Union Privilege, the benefit arm ofthe AFL-CIO and theInternationals of the AFL-CIO forUnion Members and their families.MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:Available to all Union Membersand their spouse who becomeunemployed due to layoff, disabilityor other legitimate issue thatwould cause financial hardshipand result in difficulty makingmortgage payments. Parentsand/or children of Union Membersare eligible as well. Loan benefitwill pay monthly mortgage obligation("PITI" principal, interest,taxes, insurance) for up to sixmonths beginning the first month.Repayment is $75/month interestfree - this payback is between theUnion Member and AFL-CIO.STRIKE BENEFITS:After 3 months of a Strike, 50% ofprincipal and interest are paid formonths 4,5 &6. After 6 months ofstrike, 100% of principal and interestare paid. For months 7,8 & 9,no repayment.CLOSING COSTS:Closing costs have been reducedby $450 for your savings benefitIMMEDIATE FAMILY ASSISTANCE:Parents and children of UnionMembers are eligible for all theabove benefits (except Strike)through your Union PrivilegeFINANCING OPTIONS:A wide variety of special financingoptions available for those withless than perfect credit or otherunique circumstances.FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Tammy Dykema,Senior Loan OfficerChase Home Finance7160 Dallas Parkway, Suite 540Plano, Texas 75024972-378-7634 - office972-608-5238 - faxtammy.j.dykema@chase.com37

“SPOTLIGHT” ONJim ParkerSouthwest Airlines C.E.O.For two and a half years, the“Spotlight” article has been apopular feature in UNITYMagazine. Each quarter, we selectan individual who has contributedto the strength and unity of ourLocal. This quarter, we could findno single individual more fitting tospotlight that our own C.E.O., JimParker.From the beginning of ourContract Negotiations, Jim’s contributionsto our Local have beenunparalleled. His efforts startedsmall, but as time went by, hebecame a more powerful organizingforce. His contributions to theLabor Movement are rivaled onlyby that of the great organizer himself,Cesar Chavez.Back in February, 2003, ourContract Negotiations had beenmoving along at a snail’s pace. Ithad been months since ourNegotiating Team had been successfulin Tentatively Agreeingwith Management’s NegotiatingCommittee on any Article in ourContract. That was when Jim madehis first outstanding tactical organizingmove. He insisted on extendingthe Flight Attendant’s Duty Dayto 13 hours. Our Negotiating Teamexplained to Jim that they had surveyedthe Membership and that anextended day would not fly. ButJim, knowing he had the pulse ofthe Flight Attendant group, disagreed.The Union’s Negotiating Teamtook the issue to the Membership,asking them to sign cards thatread, “Management thinks youwant a 13-hour Duty Day. Tell themhow you feel.” Thousands of FlightAttendants responded with a singlevoice that said “No Way!”. Thisevent marked the beginning ofJim’s outstanding organizingefforts at TWU Local 556.After this successful effort, Jimdecided to lay low for a while.Flight Attendants were still ridinghigh on the wave of unity he createdwith the Duty Day proposal. Heknew that our Negotiations wouldbe going on for many moremonths, so he waited before planninghis next unifying rally.The next few months went on,business as usual, but then the timecame to discuss Article 21,Compensation. Several weekswent by, as did several bargainingsessions. Both sides were quite farapart. Then, Jim went fishing.It was a brilliant move on hispart. When Flight Attendantsasked about Negotiations, the onlyanswer the Union could give themwas that they couldn’t find JimParker. Flight Attendants in eachbase became very concernedabout our C.E.O. and began a“Where’s Jim?” search party.Although it was tense at times, ourFlight Attendants were determinedto find him, asking over and overagain,“Where’s Jim?”.Suddenly, in September hereappeared. And when he did, hemade his most bold organizingmove to date. He released hisCompensation proposal. It was themost brilliant organizing move thatmany of us had ever seen. FlightAttendants from coast to coastgathered together and again said,“No Way.” Possibly for the firsttime in Southwest history, at leastsince the valiant efforts of ourUnion to eliminate hotpants, theFlight Attendants of TWU Local 556were UNIFIED! And this, all thanksto Jim Parker.Since then, although hisefforts haven’t been quite as grandas the great “Compensationgate”,he has continued to organize ourLocal like no one else before. Hiscomments such as, “FlightAttendants are either old and sick,or young and pregnant,” really ralliedthe troops. Likewise with hiscomment,“Why are you fighting toraise New Hire wages, we got ‘emlined up out the door!”Jim’s most recent effort can’tgo unnoticed. He again tried toride the coattails of “Compensationgate”with a new twist... his“BEST OFFER”. Flight Attendantsgathered again from coast to coaston February 13th in our greatestshow of unity to date. Thousandsparticipated in the “Early Valentinefor a Late Contract” picketingevents.In closing, we must give creditwhere credit is due. Thank youJim Parker. You, more than anyother single individual, have madeour Union stronger!38

CAST OF FRIENDS(Continued from page 21)the Union has your correct contact data. Contactyour Domicile Rep, leave a note in the Union boxand call TWU-556 at 1-800-969-7932. Do this today!Can't make it to an event?Internet - There are over 900 SWA FlightAttendants on the YahooGroups SWA-FA Forum -you don't even need a home computer, just a Yahooe-mail address! There are free computers providedin many overnight hotels including SEA, LAX, MCI,TUL, SLC, MHT, FLL and more.You work better with Friends!Talk to 2 or 3 of your friends who are FlightAttendants. Make a decision together that you areready to make a positive change and will attend thenext few Union events together. You will make youpresence known and your voice will be heard! Talkit up on your overnights with other Crew Members,network and make connections! We all know what'swrong with our current Contract, pay issues,Management, Scheduling, our lines and so on. It'sbeen beaten to death, so instead talk about solutionsand be proactive.Get Informed, Get Involved and Get Unified.The actors who play Phoebe, Chandler, Monica,Joey, Rachael and Ross would be proud of you!GRIEVANCE UPDATE(Continued from page 25)"APPRECIABLY DELAYED FLIGHTS"ARBITRATION: An Arbitrator has been selectedto hear the Union and Company's argumentsregarding Flight Attendants not being notified of"appreciably delayed flights." According to a settlementletter that was signed between InflightManagement and TWU Local 556, Flight Attendantsare to be notified by Inflight Scheduling when theirfirst flight at an outstation is over two hours andthirty minutes late or the affected Flight Attendantsare to be compensated an additional two TFP.Several months ago we filed a Group Grievancebecause Management was not in compliance withour previous agreement. We hope to have thisissue resolved as soon as possible. At press time,we plan to go to Arbitration no later than June 2.QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS…Our Union Staff is here to help you. Please contactus anytime we can help you regarding anyContractual issue. Just remember to always keepdetailed notes of which Schedulers you speak toand the time of the call. Also, if you are called in byan Inflight Supervisor for a meeting, you are entitledto Union representation. Simply, tell theSupervisor that you wish to fully cooperate, but youwould like a Union Representative at your side.Then, give us a call at 800-969-7932.TWU LOCAL 556 LEADERSHIP TEAMSYou can contact any of the following Members of the TWU Leadership Teams by calling the UnionOffice Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Central Time. The local number in Dallas is214-352-9110, or the toll-free number is 800-969-7932. The Union Fax number is 214-357-9870.TWU LOCAL 556 EXECUTIVE BOARD:President: Thom McDaniel1st Vice President: Michael Massoni2nd Vice President: Marcy VinyardFinancial Secretary: Tom MitchellRecording Secretary: Kathy AndersonExecutive Board Member, BWI: Lucy WhiteExecutive Board Member, DAL: Karen AmosExecutive Board Member, HOU: Stacy MartinExecutive Board Member, MCO: Jimmy WestExecutive Board Member, MDW: Bunkie McCarthyExecutive Board Member, OAK: Mark TorrezExecutive Board Member, PHX: Bill BernalExecutive Board Members at Large:Allyson Parker-Lauck and Mike SimsCORPORATE ACTION TEAM CHAIR:Sonia Hall, PHX F/A #21878TWU LOCAL 556 STAFF:Madeleine HowardAmy MontgomeryRon ReganGayle RossMichelle ZeniciCONTRACT NEGOTIATING TEAM:Thom McDanielBrett NevarezKevin OnsteadCindy RitnerDenny SebestaSENIOR PRECINCT CAPTAINS:Susan Kern, MCO F/A #45511Mark Savage, PHX F/A #25970Lucy White, BWI F/A #3490039

“Impossible is just a big word thrownaround by small men who find it easierto live in the world they’ve been giventhan to explore the power they haveto change it. Impossible is not a fact.It’s an opinion. Impossible is not adeclaration. It’s a dare. Impossible ispotential. Impossible is temporary.Impossible is nothing.”- AnonymousMembers of TWULocal 556, Let’s Dothe Impossible.