January Unity - TWU 556

Your unionGrievance Updateby Allyson Parker-LauckThe number of outstanding grievances continues todecline. We currently have 115 outstanding casesthat include termination grievances, group grievances, andnon-termination grievances, as well as numerous individualContract grievances.It’s important to note that while our total number ofgrievances has gone down, terminations are on the rise dueto Management’s crackdown on sick leave abuse (“intentionaldisregard of an assignment”) among reserve FlightAttendants. These particular termination grievances makeup more termination cases than all other termination grievancescombined! Commuters are the most common groupbeing affected by these “intentional disregard of an assignment”terminations, and while there is, realistically, a smallpercentage of Flight Attendants who are in fact abusing thesystem, your Union takes these cases very seriously.For those Flight Attendants who are legitimately ill, thefollowing tips may help your case if your actions are calledinto question by Management.1. If you’re a commuter, make your listings as soon as possibleonce you know the days you’re scheduled to work. This willhelp prove, if questioned, that you did, in fact, intend to goto work.2. Call in sick as early as possible once you have determinedthat you’re too sick to fly. Waiting can make it seem asthough you were waiting to see if you would be given an assignmentin order to avoid a sick call.3. Remember that commuters are being targeted. If you’re acommuter who is too sick to work, and you don’t call in untilafter your assignment, or if the Company believes it canprove that you never commuted to your domicile (by searchingyour CS2 history or by reviewing the IP addresses thatshow from where you logged into CWA), there is a very goodchance that this will prompt an investigation.As always, the Union strongly asserts and advises thatif you’re genuinely sick, please call in sick. If not, pleasecome to work as scheduled.Veterans Committeeby Todd GageWomen troops (comprising about fourteen percent ofour armed forces) face many unique challenges whenreturning for combat duty and other deployment situations,including higher incidences of post-traumatic stressdisorder than male colleagues. To address these concerns,the House of Representatives has passed H.R. 5953, whichwould establish a women veterans bill of rights that wouldbe posted at all Veterans Affairs facilities. The Senate mustnow approve the bill before it heads to President Obama forhis signature.House Republicans nearly derailed this important legislationfor our current and former women in uniform, citingconcerns that it would pave the way for government-fundedabortions. An amended version of the bill that removesthis possibility was ultimately passed, but the Departmentof Veterans Affairs notes that nearly a quarter of womenveterans report sexual assaults by their peers while in themilitary. A national military sexual trauma support teamhas been established to provide outreach, education, andpatient advocacy services, but one wonders at the motivationbehind these efforts by Republican House members—many of whom are veterans themselves—to derail thisimportant legislation that will benefit our female servicepersonnel.The TWU Local 556 Veterans Committee will continueto follow this bill as it moves through the Senate. In themeantime, any service men or women who need assistancein finding a Veterans Service Officer in your area, pleasecontact me. The transition from military to civilian life canbe difficult, so please let me help you find the tools you needto make the process easier.New national officers were elected at the fourth quarterAir Transport Division Veterans Committee meeting.Congratulations to Chairman Hank Trujillo (TWU Local568), Vice Chairman Bobby Velasquez (TWU Local513), and Reconding Secretary Pete Meyer (TWU Local562). I look forward to working with each of these new officersin the upcoming year.Allyson parker-lauckis a Chicago Flight Attendant and Grievance Committee Chair.She can be contacted at aplauck@twu556.org or at214-640-4330.Only 36 percent of the Flight Attendants who responded to the survey take their vacation days. Around fifteen percent workover their vacations. Most of the respondents, about 49 percent, “sometimes” take their vacations.7tWU556.org

what’s next for southwest airlinesA Return to theMagic of Growthat SouthwestTWU Local 556 EconomistDan Akins discusses the future ofSouthwest Airlines.Southwest Airlines is unique in many ways, especially inits continuous success. The business principles that underpinits success are likewise unique. Unlike all othercarriers, Southwest has had an extremely disciplinedapproach toward growth opportunities, choosingonly a few cities a year for expansion. This measuredexpansion has taken place during both good and badeconomic times throughout Southwest’s history. Incontrast, other carriers have rushed headlong intoshort-term market opportunities during good times,only to find that such expansion was not sustainable duringless robust economic times. Southwest’s steady pressure onthe accelerator has proven to be a better approach to airlineoperations than other carrier’s repeated stomping the gaspedal and the brake.In its latest traffic report, Southwest reported capacity(“ASMs”) for November 2010 that was nearly six percenthigher than the previous year, while passenger traffic hasgrown by more than ten percent during this same timeframe. As every Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant canattest, this has created unprecedented load factors and morework related to serving passengers. A return to growthwhich better pairs Southwest’s capacity-to-demand couldnot only be healthy for the airline’s bottom line, but also theworkload of its dedicated employees.Nevertheless, growth in itself has not proven to be aformula for success, either. Measured growth has a beneficialimpact on unit costs—if costs accelerate at a slower pacethan growth. Steady growth keeps Southwest’s unit costslow, while low unit costs enable Southwest’s steady growth.With the AirTran deal pending, as well as the first batchof 737-800s set for delivery in 2012, Southwest’s return togrowth appears right around the corner. When timesare good in the airline business, Southwest is less inthe industry spotlight, as other mainline carriers’rapid expansion and profitability dominate industrynews. However, when the airline business eventuallyfalters once again, the spotlight shines back onSouthwest and its ability to profit in difficult times.The historical struggle in the airline industry hasbeen for management to control the inputs to thecosts-versus-capacity equation to produce a profit.The combination of fixed costs associated withlonger-term labor contracts, coupled with contractionduring bad times, has caused other airlines’ unitcosts to increase when they can least afford it. Thisis the underlying cause of many carriers’ continuingSouthwest reported capacityfor November 2010 thatwas nearly six percent higherthan the previous year.problems, and it supports the idea that it is impossibleto shrink to profitability. As Southwest shrunk itscapacity and total expenses over the past few years,its unit costs have increased, making it less competitive.The return of measured growth in 2011 andbeyond will serve to reduce Southwest’s unit costs,and return the carrier to its historically prosperousbusiness model, wherein continued growth is the keythat provides Southwest with its ability to cover andabsorb increased costs.Dan akinsis TWU Local 556’s economist who works with your Union ona number of important issues that directly affect you and yourlivelihood.8Unity | winter 2011Nearly 73 percent of respondents fly between ninety to 120 trips each month, while about 23 percent fly between sixty andninety trips a month. Only about five percent fly fewer than sixty trips-for-pay a month.

for your informationFinancial Updateby John ParrottThe Executive Board agreed in October to allow allFlight Attendants who were at final notice for outstandingdues to remain at final notice through the January2011 billing period. This gives Flight Attendants some extratime to pay down their outstanding dues balances. Thisgrace period has now expired, and dues will now be collectedon a more consistent basis. Flight Attendants shouldno longer be surprised with a large invoice, and since theimplementation of the dues system last July, your Union hasrecovered over $238,000 in past dues. While we still havemore to go, I am pleased with the results so far.A certified letter will be sent to the address-on-file withSouthwest for those Flight Attendants who remain at finalnotice after the January invoice due date; they will havefifteen days to pay the balance. Payment arrangementscan be made, and once the balance has been paid in full,the Flight Attendant will be restored to “Good Standing”status. Remember, according to Article 26 of our Contract,failure to pay all union dues could result in termination.Final touches are being made to the e-billing feature, andI hope we will be able to send electronic statements in thenext few months. Once the system is up and running, youwill have the option to select e-bill only, and help save yourUnion printing and mailing costs. Log into the dues site atdues.twu556.org. Contact the Union office if you have anyproblems logging into the site.Assessment FeeThe $3 Assessment Fee was implemented on your October20 paycheck. This fee will allow us to build our reservesto be used solely for Contract negotiations. Although ourContract now becomes amendable in 2013 (not 2012), wewill be in negotiations much sooner for travel to Hawaiiand if the AirTran merger is successful. I want to thank theMembership for having the foresight to approve this fee, asthe monies collected will prove vital in negotiating all thenecessary provisions for us to merge with AirTran.Q1 F.Y.I.swith Kathy Anderson• If you are owed a compensatory day off, you must chooseeither the first day or the last day of a pairing or reserveblock.• If you want to trade a VJA pairing with Open Time andmaintain the VJA pay, you must trade for another pairingthat is also available for VJA. This includes trading withanother Flight Attendant who has a VJA trip.• If you do not contact Scheduling after block-in from a pairingthat had a duty day exceeding 12.5 hours, and youhave a check-in the following day, you will automaticallyreceive time-and-one-half pay for the portion of the tripthat could have been pulled with straight pay.• If you’re trying to build your sick bank, you can requestthe Scheduler to code a sick call as SLN, and not be paid,• All JA and VJA trips will be compensated at 1.5 times theapplicable trip rate or five TFP, whichever is greater.• Effective January 1, 2011, a Roth 401(k) option becameavailable, in addition to the regular 401(k) plan. The Companymatch for both plans will be 9.3 percent, which representsan increase over previous years.• When trading buddy passes to other employees, do notforget to put the other employee’s name and employeenumber on them, so that any usage issues do not comeback to you. Also, do not obliterate your employee numberso that it is unreadable—simply draw a single line throughyour name and employee number, and write the other employee’sname and employee number in its place.• Scheduling is contractually allowed to designate pairingsas “not available for self-assignment” depending on operationalneeds.• If you deem yourself unable to fly due to fatigue, be sureto call in “fatigued,” not sick.John Parrottis a Dallas Flight Attendant and TWU Local 556 Treasurer. Hecan be contacted at jparrott@twu556.org or at 214-640-4330.Kathy andersonis a Dallas Flight Attendant, and a member of the GrievanceTram She can be contacted at kanderson@twu556.org or at214-640-4319.Around 71 percent of respondents fly more than their line, while eleven percent give away their pairings. Eighteen percentwork about the same amount as their line pays.9tWU556.org

Sponsored articleAre You TargetingYour Path toRetirement?Investing for retirement can be complicated since it includesmultiple decisions and varying degrees of risk. For example,investors face the possible risk of not saving enough to meettheir goals or losing what they’ve saved if the stock markettumbles and they weren’t appropriately invested. Furthermore,inflation may reduce the spending power of what’sbeen invested and saved. Plus, given today’s medical advances,investors may live longer than anticipated and howdoes one decide what to invest in anyway? Retirement Targetoptions were created to help investors deal with these complexities.In recent years, Retirement Target options have becomevery common within participant-directed retirement plans.Accordingly, assets in Retirement Target Funds have morethan doubled from $115 billion at the end of 2006 to $270billion as of June 30, 2010.Your retirement plan offers you a choice of professionallymanaged target date options to help keep you on track forretirement. These options are the Southwest Airlines RetirementTarget Accounts.What are Retirement Target Accounts?Retirement Target Accounts are investment vehicles thatinvest in a combination of stocks, bonds, and cash. The Accountsbecome progressively more conservative as the targetdate nears by reducing equity exposure and increasing bondexposure.Each Retirement Target Account is a fully diversified singleinvestment solution that’s designed to meet the needs ofan investor who plans to retire in or around the year in theAccount’s name. For example, the Retirement Target 2020Account anticipates that an investor will retire in or aroundthe year 2020 while the Retirement Target Near Term Accountis intended for people who plan to retire in the nearfuture or who are already retired. In other words, the targetdate is the approximate year when an investor plans to stopcontributions and start periodic withdrawals.How do Retirement Target Accounts Work?Retirement Target Accounts follow a “glide path”to automatically move from more aggressive investments(i.e. stocks) to more conservative investments(i.e. bonds) as the retirement year approaches. Aseach Retirement Target Account gradually movesalong the glide path, investment professionals adjustthe stock exposure of the Accounts in your planwithin predetermined ranges based on current risksand opportunities in the market. This flexibilityYour retirement planoffers you a choice ofprofessionally managedtarget date options.allows the investment team to focus on more thanjust your time to retirement; it provides the ability tonavigate the market’s ups and downs over time whilekeeping stock and bond exposure to levels appropriatefor your investment time horizon.The combination of stocks, bonds, and cash iscalled asset allocation, and it’s important. Researchhas shown that asset allocation determines over 93percent of an investor’s investment success. Assumingthat you consistently contribute to your RetirementTarget Account, the results of your retirement savingsplan rest almost entirely on how your money isallocated among stocks, bonds, and cash, and whenthat mix is changed over time. Therefore, it’s crucialto monitor ever-changing market conditions andadapt your investment mix according to your investmenttime horizon, risk tolerance, and market trends.10Unity | winter 2011

Please note that stock ranges are based on 2010 allocations.But no need to worry if you don’tknow how to do that, as previouslystated, when you invest in a RetirementTarget Account offered in yourplan, you leave the investment decisionsto the experts. These RetirementTarget Accounts are managed by aseasoned team of investment professionalswho continuously monitor themarkets and adjust the Accounts’ assetallocation over time when appropriate.Of course, you should continueto save and review your investmentsperiodically, but it’s important to knowthat each Retirement Target Accountis a professionally managed mix ofstocks, bonds, and cash all within oneportfolio. You’re responsible for determiningyour expected retirement date,evaluating your complete financialsituation, including risk tolerance, andselecting the Retirement Target Accountthat best matches your expectedretirement date and other retirementgoals. These Accounts are not intendedto be actively traded by you, theinvestor, because a dedicated investmentteam is adjusting the Account’sinvestments for you.While there is no guarantee thatyour Retirement Target Account willnever go down in value, the investmentteam continuously tracks financialindicators, analyzes market trends, andadjusts each Account’s investmentsto manage your investment risk overthe long term and help you meet yourretirement goals.At the Target Date and BeyondDuring the target year, the stockexposure of the Retirement TargetAccounts in your plan will range fromtwenty to sixty percent to allow forgrowth opportunities when marketsare favorable. Continuing to dedicatea portion of your portfolio to stocksduring your retirement years providesgrowth potential to help offset periodicwithdrawals.Over the next five years, the RetirementTarget Account gradually movesto a slightly lower range of stock exposure,anticipating that during this time,you will stop making contributions andbegin taking annual withdrawals ofroughly five percent of your accountbalance.In the sixth year after the targetdate, the Retirement Target Accountreaches its most conservative stockallocation of five to 35 percent. At thispoint and beyond, capital preservationbecomes the primary goal, anticipatingthat withdrawals may become a largerpercentage (eight to ten percent) ofyour remaining account balance. TheRetirement Target Account will ultimatelymerge into the Retirement TargetNear Term Account and continueto provide a professionally managedinvestment option that favors stabilityover growth. For example, in the year2016, the Retirement Target 2010Account will automatically merge intothe Retirement Target Near Term Account,and stock exposure will remainactively managed in a range of five to35 percent.The benefits of investing in aRetirement Target Account don’t stopat the target date. For as long as youremain in the plan, your account continuesto be professionally managedthroughout your retirement years.Things to ConsiderRetirement Target options weredesigned to help investors save forretirement. Their shift from more aggressiveto more conservative investmentshappens automatically and ifnothing changes with regard to yourgoals or risk tolerance, you shouldn’tneed to make changes to your RetirementTarget Account throughout yoursavings lifetime. It’s a one-stop investmentdecision.However, while the date in thename of a Retirement Target Accountmay make it easier to identify the“right” option, since each Account is11tWU556.org

named based on the retirement timehorizon, it does not take your exactcircumstances into consideration. So, itis important to understand your risk tolerance,time horizon, and unique goalswhen selecting an investment plan forretirement. It’s also important to reassessyour personal situation periodicallyto ensure you’re still on the mostappropriate path to retirement onceyou are invested; long-term considerationsinclude determining whether ornot your expected retirement date haschanged and if the Retirement TargetAccount you selected still matches yourretirement goals.Overall, developing a long-termsavings strategy, saving as much aspossible, and remaining diligent arethe keys to staying on track to meetretirement income needs.For more information, please contactMary Moglia-Cannon at Manning & Napier Advisors,Inc. at 585-325-6680 ext. 8840.Manning & Napier Advisors, Inc. provides investmentadvisory services to Exeter Trust Company,Trustee of each Retirement Target Fund,the underlying fund of the Retirement TargetAccounts. The Retirement Target Funds only includequalified employee benefit plans selectingeach specific Fund.Editor’s note: The TWU Local 556 CommunicationsChair approved the inclusion of thisarticle in this issue of Unity in exchange for paymentto our Local from Manning & Napier Advisors,Inc. Because of this, the law requires thatwe identify this content as an advertisement.Curious about where AirTran flies? The followingcities are currently served by AirTran.Italicized cites are also served by Southwest,while city names in bold italics are Southwestbases.Akron/Canton, OHAllentown, PAAruba, ArubaAsheville, NCAtlanta, GAAtlantic City, NJBaltimore, MDBermuda, BermudaBloomington, IN/Normal, ILBoston, MABranson, MOBuffalo, NYCancun, MexicoCharleston, WVCharlotte, NCChicago, IL (Midway)Cleveland, OHColumbus, OHDallas/Fort Worth, TXDayton, OHDenver, CODes Moines, IADetroit, MIFlint, MIFort Lauderdale, FLFort Myers, FLGrand Rapids, MIGulfport/Biloxi, MSHarrisburg, PAHouston, TX (Hobby)Huntsville, ALIndianapolis, INJacksonville, FLKansas City, MOKey West, FLKnoxville, TNLas Vegas, NVLexington, KYLos Angeles, CAMemphis, TNMiami, FLMilwaukee, WIMinneapolis/St. Paul, MNMoline/Quad Cities, ILMontego Bay, JamaicaNassau, BahamasNew Orleans, LANew York, NY (LaGuardia)Newport News, VANorfolk, VAOmaha, NEOrlando, FLPensacola/Gulf Coast, FLPhiladelphia, PAPhoenix, AZPittsburgh, PAPortland, MEPunta Cana, Dominican RepublicRaleigh/Durham, NCRichmond, VARochester, NYSan Antonio, TXSan Diego, CASan Francisco, CASan Juan, PRSarasota/Bradenton, FLSeattle/Tacoma, WASt. Louis, MOTampa, FLTunica, MSWashington, DC (Dulles)Washington, DC (Reagan)West Palm Beach, FLWhite Plains, NYWichita, KSWilliamsburg, VA

Real flight attendants, real storiesTrue Storiesby Lyn MontgomeryDeanna had recently been forced based out of Dallas,and was now commuting to Houston for work,including to sit reserve. She tried to give away andpick up out of Dallas as much as she could, but thisproved to be extremely difficult. This particularmonth, Deanna had been unable to pick up anythingin Dallas, and even in Houston, she was only able topick up a three-day Reserve block.The night before her reserve block began Deannacalled the VRU to listen to the reserve lineup. Shewas number eighteen to go. She had sat reserve many timesand had a good idea of when she might be called for an assignment.Being so far down the list, Deanna was sure shewouldn’t be used until the afternoon, if at all. She knew howto monitor the reserve list and check Open Time to determinewhen she would most likely be assigned. She packedher bags and laid out her uniform in preparation to work,but decided to wait to travel to Houston until the next day.Before the last flight to Houston, she logged into SWALifefrom her home computer to see what was in Open Time.There were no trips, so she felt even more confident that shewould not be used in the morning since she was so far downon the reserve report. The next morning she woke early andagain checked her screen by logging into SWALife. In fact,she continued to check her screen for the remainder of thatday. Only four reserves had been used and there was nothingin Open Time in any base, so she felt she did not needto travel to Houston for a day when she was not going to beworking. She was never contacted by Scheduling that day.That night, Deanna began to feel sick, and was unsure ofher physical capability to work. She took medication immediatelyto improve her condition, and she continued tocheck the reserve line up and her screen almost every hour.She was hoping she might start to feel better, and was hopingto go to work if she was well enough. Again, she was notcontacted by Scheduling at all that day. The next and finalday of her reserve block, Deanna continued to monitor thereserve list and Open Time.She slept off and on throughout the morning, and wokethat afternoon with what was most likely the flu. Deannarealized that she needed to make the decision to call in sick,but before she did so, she checked the line-up onemore time. To her horror, she was now number one!She was now too sick to travel to Houston or to worka pairing. Crew Scheduling called at that momenton her home phone, and left a message informingher of an assignment. From her cell phone, DeannaDeanna began to feelsick, and was unsure ofher physical capabilityto work.called in sick. Since she called in after being notifiedof an assignment, she was assessed with an SLA perArticle 32 of the Contract. Deanna knew the Contract,and knew she would be assessed the additionalhalf point for calling in sick after begin assigned. Shewas unaware that the Company had begun givingdiscipline far beyond this contractually agreed upondiscipline. They had already terminated a few otherFlight Attendants for alleged actions similar to hers.Base Supervisors began investigating all SLA’sand they began to research Deanna’s sick call. TheSupervisors could see each time Deanna had loggedinto SWALife. They were able to see the IP addressof the computer used to log in and that the addresswas located in Dallas, not Houston. By checking thecalls into the VRU, they saw her phone number wasused to check the lineup and then later that samenight a log in was reported. A quick check of thenon-rev listings for the three days of her reserverevealed no listings for Deanna to get to Houston.The Company made the incorrect assumptionthat Deanna never planned on working at all, anda full investigation ensued. After conducting theirinvestigation, which included a fact-finding meeting,Management terminated Deanna for a Class ISection 15 (“Refusal or intentional disregard of anassignment made by scheduling”) violation. Deannahad an exemplary work record, and was shockedand grief stricken to lose her job. She is grieving thetermination.Lyn montgomeryis a Dallas Flight Attendant, and a member of the TWU Local556 Grievance Team. She can be reached at lmontgomery@twu556.org or 214-640-4317.Of those Flight Attendants who fly more than their line, 53 percent do so out of necessity, while hoping to reduce the amountof flying they do in the future. About 41 percent are their household’s sole provider. Six percent fly more simply because theylove flying.13tWU556.org

14Unity | winter 2011

Allons-y !Putting it AllTogetherIn the final part of his three-partseries, Cuyler Thompson explainshow to get out of town.It was devastating to lose my very first passport. Oh, howI had loved him. He was thin, stained and worn (likeme) and full of colorful stories of romances, adventuresand mishaps. He had been issued to me on the island ofGrenada after a failed attempt to enter Venezuela withoutproper documentation. An angry litany of official reasonswhy I was never allowed to re-enter Colombia was handwrittenon page four. After I was beaten and robbed inPeru and had borrowed money from the US Embassy, mypassport was voided with a big red stamp until I repaid mydebt. My passport provides a glimpse into my past and ablank slate for my future. He has opened doors to rich cultures,friendly people, and delicious food. My life has wandereddown paths I never would’ve found without him. Hechanged me and made me the person I am today. My passportis my most prized possession. My first passport left meas dramatically as he had found me: he was snatched frommy boozy hand and disappeared into a dark alley. Together,we had learned why I should not chase him. It was like losingmy best friend. You do have your passport now, right? Comeon; we talked about this months ago!Money & TimeOK, for those of you who have yours, let’s figure outwhere we are going. How much you want to spend? Money,of course, is one of the obstacles in choosing any travel destination.An African safari or a cruise to the Galapagos is goingto cost you a lot more than a Vegas vacation package forexample. So, set your budget first to help you narrow downyour destination ideas. How many days you can take off ?Knowing the limit of how long you can be gone will alsolimit your choices. You probably won’t be able to properly15tWU556.org

enjoy an Australian walkabout if youonly have four days off. Maximize yourtravel destination choice by choosing aplace that you can get to in a reasonableamount of time with plenty oftime left over to relax.Where to Go?Once you know how much youcan spend and how long you can begone, dig deep into your vacationneedingself: what do you dreamof doing within those parameters?Do you want to be around a lot ofnature with opportunities for outdooradventures, or do you want tosit on the beach all day and godowntown all night? Your traveldestination should have as manyof the features that you want aspossible, but still allow you to staywithin your budget. Is somebodygoing with you? This can help younarrow down the choices a lot andchoosing a destination with otherscan be part of the fun. Haveeveryone list their top three desiredfeatures for the vacation locale. Seewhich features stand out the most.Got it?ResearchNow, do some research. Before a bigtrip, I have to fly extra pairings to payfor it, so I bring library books aboutmy chosen destination (that I won’ttake on the vacay) and take picturesof maps, hotel phone numbers, etc.that I like and email them to myself.Read the travel blogs of other travelers(or create your own) at travelblog.org ortravelblogs.com. You can get some greattravel advice from like-minded travelersat Lonely Planet’s Thorn Treetravel forum (lonelyplanet.com/thorntree).Before you order your passes fromthe SWA Pass Bureau, quicktrip.comto see what your flight options are.I love to break up a long journeywith a long layover. For example,when traveling from Atlanta toNairobi on Delta Airlines, youcould change planes in Amsterdam.Why not spend a few nightschecking out the red light districtbefore continuing onward?Packing for your JourneyYou know where you’re going, howlong you’ll stay and how you’re gettingthere. Now let’s pack. Remember,less is more! And by that, I mean thatthe less stuff you take with you, themore freedom and flexibility you’llhave. First, check the weather andchoose the appropriate clothing andluggage for your planned destinationand activities at worldclimate.com. Note:your rollerbag probably won’t work foryou on safari or in the Sahara. Planto travel with one main bag that youcan easily carry yourself and fits intoa small overhead bin and one smallerday-bag (like my man-purse) that youcan take with you everywhere, nightand day. Stretch your travel wardrobeby color-matching. If you simply makesure every piece of clothing you packworks with every other piece, you cancreate a host of mix-and-match possibilitiesand no one will be the wiser.Wear your heaviest clothing on theplane to save on space. I always travelin a lightweight blazer (to look worthyof an upgrade) and heavy polyesterslacks: they dry quickly, are warm onthe plane and amazingly unwrinkledwhen I dismount a camel and dash tochange into them in the airport restroom.You’re travel professionals; youknow what to wear!Home SecurityIt’s unwise to advertise your travelplans on voicemail messages, emailauto-responders, or social media sites,such as Twitter or Facebook— evenif you’re only going out for the afternoon.Don’t make it easy for opportuniststo know that you’re not athome.Having just moved myself from onecoast to another, I currently don’t havethe money to take a trip abroad. ThoseLubbock-Amarillo RONs will just have16Unity | winter 2011When asked whether our survey participants fly their original trips, fourteen percent said yes, almost always. Thirty-six percentsometimes keep them, while half of the respondents rarely or never keep their original trips.

to suffice for now (and believe me, I can make it seem like a world awayfrom the ordinary). But I can feel my travel bug getting all itchy just talkingabout it with you. I hope that you are in a position to get yourself outand about—or are making plans to get out there soon.I’m now two-thirds of the way through my fourth passport and havevisited more than sixty countries. Each stamp is another notch in mybelt, a physical validation that I’ve truly been somewhere and learnedsomething. That’s why I was so devastated after my first passport disappeareddown that dark alley: I had lost the physical evidence of my journeys.Not so fast—before becoming a traveler, I would most likely havechased off down that dark alley to meet who knows what fate. Together,my first passport and I had experienced people and places, danger andbliss, hopes and fears and happiness and pain that had all culminated inthat moment to give me the ability to make the split second decision notto follow him down that alley. At the time, it pained me to see him go,but years later, I realized that I didn’t need any physical validation of myjourneys or notches in my belt. I’ll take my experiences with me, whereverI go, forever. My experiences, good and bad, have made me who Iam. And I like who I am. And nobody can take that away from me orrun with it down a dark alley. Don’t you love your passport?Make a checklist of every item you plan ontaking on your trip, and practice packing.Here’s a list of a few of my favorite lesserknowntravel essentials:• A bandana (used as a handkerchief,sweatband, tourniquet, sleep mask,belt)• A sarong (beach cover-up, towel, tablecloth,blanket, sassy accessory)• A light-weight scarf (see above)• Rubber sink stopper/dry detergent/spotremover (for doing laundry in the sink)• A length of rope (used as a clothesline,emergency shoestring, backpack repair)• Duct tape (you will find a use for this)• Ziploc® baggies of various sizes (fordirty clothes, dinner leftovers, leakytoiletries)• Battery-powered iPod speakers (sometimesyou have to get the party started)• A flask (see above)• A small calculator (for bargaining andcurrency conversion. You can’t claimpoverty with a $600 iPhone.)• A few small gifts from home (you neverknow when you may want to reward anew friend)• Pictures of your family and friends fromhome (make for great conversations)• A few cute phrases in the local language(great for making new friends)• Rubber doorstop (extra hotel roomsecurity)• Loud whistle (amazingly effective securitytool)• Luggage cable and lock• Wet wipes (quickly and gently cleansmany important surfaces)• Ciprofloxacin (kills stomach bugs) andAzithromycin Z-Pak (for upper respiratoryailments)• Liquid Skin (better than a Band-Aid®)• Paper copies of important documents• Patience!Depending on the length of your trip, hereare some additional things to consider beforeleaving home:• Make sure someone with a key to yourhome knows your travel plans, and candeal with emergencies in your absence.• Suspend mail delivery or have it forwardedas appropriate.• Inform your bank and credit cardissuer(s) of your travel date anddestinations to prevent fraud investigationsand suspended accounts whencharges from abroad appear.• Schedule the payment of any bills thatmight come due during your trip. Useyour bank’s online bill payment systemto do this automatically.• Arrange for international calling withyour mobile provider. If Internet connectivityis important, ask about internationaldata plans for your mobile devices.• Consider purchasing additionaltravel insurance. Personally, I carrythe Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP),which covers non-revenue travel,and is specifically for travel professionals.Southwest offers MEDEXTravel Assist to all it’s employees.More information on MEDEX can befound on SWALife>About Me>MyBenefits>MEDEX Travel Assist.Need more convincing before you’reready to pack your bags and head off intothe sunset? There are literally thousands oftravel books out there, but we’ve picked outfive that are sure to inspire you to get out oftown and find adventure.On the RoadJack KerouacNamed as one of Time magazine’s top100 novels from 1923 to the present,On the Road is inspired by Kerouac’sown road trips across mid-centuryAmerica, and is considered one of thedefining works of the Beat generation.Vagabonding: An UncommonGuide to the Art of Long-TermWorld TravelRoff PottsPotts has made travel his professionand his life—even more so than ourown Cuyler Thompson—and Vagabondingis as inspiring as it is practical. You’llbe chomping at the bit to hit the road and seewhat’s out there.The Voyage of the BeagleCharles DarwinBefore his ground-breaking On theOrigin of Species that laid out the principlesof natural selection that are thecornerstone of modern biology, Darwintraveled the world as ship’s naturalistaboard HMS Beagle. His “journals ofresearches” are as much vivid and excitingtravelogues as detailed scientific field notes.The Great Railway Bazaar: By TrainThrough AsiaPaul TherouxWritten more than thirty years ago,The Great Railway Bazaar recountsTheroux’s journey across Asia on thecontinent’s legendary trains, includingthe Orient Express, the Golden Arrow, andthe Trans-Siberian Railroad.Stranger in the Forest: On FootAcross BorneoEric HansenA modern classic of travel literature,Stranger in the Forest follows Hansen’sten month, 2,400 mile journeythrough the jungles of Borneo, and recountshis experiences with the remarkablelocal people he meets there.17tWU556.org

nighty-night, sleep tight...Don’t Let theBedbugs Bite!by Michele Moore18Unity | winter 2011When asked if you commute to work and how much you spend on lodging, food, etc. per month, 22 percent spend more than$200 a month on lodging, food, etc. Sixteen percent spend between $100 – $200 a month. Six percent spend less than $100a month. Fifty-nine percent of respondents don’t commute.

Bedbugs don’t discriminate—youfind them in clean houses, dirtyhouses, five-star hotels, and, yes, thosedingy motels out by the airport (youknow the ones). As long as there’sblood, they’re happy.Bedbugs 101Bedbugs are small, oval-shaped insects.Adults are around five to sevenmillimeters in length, while juvenilebedbugs may be as small as 1.5 millimeters.They have flat bodies, and aresometimes mistaken for ticks or smallcockroaches. Bedbugs can range incolor from light tan or nearly white, toa deep, reddish brown or burnt orangeafter feeding. Juveniles range fromclear to bright red.They like to live in dark, tight spacessuch as beds (obviously), especiallythe cracks and crevices associated withthe bed frame and mattress.Nevertheless, bedbugs aresometimes found in other spaces,including on curtains, along the edgesof carpet, corners inside dressers andother furniture, cracks in wallpaper(especially near the bed), and insidethe spaces of wicker furniture.Bedbugs live off blood, just likemosquitoes; it’s their only food.Specifically, they prefer humanblood, and usually feed on sleepingpeople about an hour or so beforedawn (though given the opportunity,they may feed anytime).What to look out forThere are several things to look forin hotel rooms to check for bedbugs.• Pull the sheets back from the mattress,and look for bugs along theseams. Also check for tiny spots ofblood on the mattress.• Take your hand and pat along themattress, especially toward the footof the bed—the sheets are pulledtighter at the bottom of the bed,and are the perfect environment fora bedbug to live.• If you see brownish, reddish lookingspots on the sheet, or if they appearafter you pat on the sheets, theroom may have bedbugs.• Using your flashlight, look in thepleats of curtains, beneath loosepieces of wallpaper near the bed,the corners and drawers of desksand dressers, within spaces of anywicker furniture in your room, andby door, window, and baseboardtrim. Inspect everything. Bedbugsdon’t like light, and will scurry inthe beam of your flashlight.• Look along the edges of boxsprings, and the in the seams of thebedding. Inspect the headboardand behind it. Examine wood orupholstered furniture, especiallyalong the crevices and seams.• Bedbugs prefer wood and fabric toplastic and metal.Also, don’t put your luggage onthe bed; use the suitcase holder ifprovided, or leave your luggage in thebathtub.If you think you find evidence ofbedbugs in your room, call the frontdesk immediately, request anotherroom, and ask them to do a roominspection. Additionally, contact theUnion office or a member of the HotelCommittee.Bedbug bitesThe face, neck, hands, and arms arecommon sites for bedbugs to feed, butpeople react differently to the bites.The initial bite itself is painless. Small,flat or raised bumps on the skin arethe most common sign, and redness,swelling, and itching are common.The bites can appear on the skinwithin hours, or it may take as long astwo weeks for them to show up. It’s amyth, though, that bedbug bites occurin threes.Without an actual bedbug as evidence,it may be difficult for a doctorto diagnose that you’ve been bitten.At homeIf you get home from a trip and feelyou might have been in a room withbedbugs, take precautions to avoidspreading them to your home. Launderyour clothes before or as soon asyou get home. Unpack on a floor thatwill allow you to see bedbugs—stay offcarpets! Unpack directly into plasticbags for taking clothes to be professionallylaundered. Suitcases shouldbe carefully inspected and vacuumed.Getting rid of bedbugs from yourhome is neither easy nor cheap. Youwill need to enlist the services of a pestcontrol professional who will performa full inspection of your home. Heor she will advise you of what optionsare available, and what steps shouldbe taken, which may include a varietyof low-odor sprays, dusts, and aerosolinsecticides.The pest control expert may recommendcertain forms of deep cleaning,such as scrubbing infested surfaceswith a stiff brush to remove eggs;dismantling bed frames and furniture;filling in cracks in floors, walls, andmoldings; encasing mattresses withinspecial bags; and/or using a powerfulvacuum on cracks and crevices. Otheroptions, such as thermal heat remediation,may be available.Once again, if you find evidence ofbedbugs in your hotel room, immediatelyrequest another room (preferablyon another floor)—remember, justbecause one room is infested doesn’tmean the entire hotel is. Contact theUnion office at 800-969-7932, andemail the Hotel Committee atcrewrest@wnco.com, so that we can makesure the hotel follows through withtheir inspection and eradication.Michele mooreis a Dallas Flight Attendant, and TWU Local556 Health Committee Chair. She can bereached at mmoore@twu556.org or214-352-9110.Fifty-eight percent of respondents say that they plan on flying until they’re physically unable to continue doing so. Three percentsay they will fly one to five more years, ten percent say six to ten more years, and 29 percent will be here eleven to twentymore years.19tWU556.org

AIRPORT safetyEnhanced Security& Youby Michael MassoniMuch of November was submerged in themedia circus surrounding the TSA’s deploymentof full-body scanners and so-called “enhanced”pat-down techniques. These procedures wereput into place indirect responseto last Christmas’attempt to bringdown a NorthwestAirlines flightbound for the United Statesby an individual with anconcealed improvised explosivedevice in his underwearthat could not be detectedby metal detectors. Additionally,attempts to bringdown several cargo aircraftin October using similartypes of explosives only exacerbatedthe perceived threat level by U.S. intelligence agencies.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and theTSA’s deployment of full-body scanners throughout the year,and more invasive pat-down procedures resulted.Needless to say, many TWU Local 556 Members werequite upset that we, as trusted crewmembers who had undergoneFAA/TSA-approved security training and backgroundchecks, were being subjected to the same invasive securityprocedures as the general public. This is why we are soinsistent that airport security procedures always have built-inaccommodation for crewmembers—not just because we arecrewmembers, but because we fully believe that the TSA canprovide better security for us and the traveling if they areconcentrating their time and resources seeking out genuinesecurity threats that may come from individuals whohave not undergone the same training and backgroundchecks as Flight Attendants and Pilots.Through the efforts of TWU Local 556, in cooperationwith other Flight Attendant unions andthe AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department,we were able to secure crewmember exemption forFlight Attendants from the TSA’s new procedures.This exemption provides a dedicated crewmemberline with standard metal detectors at airports thathave full-body scanners. Additionally, if a secondaryscreening becomes necessary for a crewmember,a “traditional,” less invasive pat-down will be performed.Those crewmembers who have medical assistivedevices that always cause a secondary screening(e.g. hip replacements) may opt into the bodyscanner line if they so desire.The crewmember exemption only applies to uniformed,on-duty, or commuting Flight Attendants.The exemption may not be utilized if you’re wearingeveryday clothes or while non-revving.The DHS and TSA want Pilots and Flight Attendantseventually to be included in “CrewPass,”an identification card programthat may use a biometric suchas fingerprints or iris scans, orby verifying data from a securedatabase to positively identify aperson as a crewmember. Thiswill allow for a much fastersecurity experience for on-dutycrewmembers.One model currently beingconsidered uses the Cockpit AccessSystem (CAS) as the securedata source. CAS is utilized byPilots to ride on the jumpseaton other carriers; Flight Attendantswould have to be added to the system. Thereare still many questions that must be answered beforeCrewPass can be put into general use, but to be clear,your Union will not waiver from our position that allcrewmembers (Pilots and Flight Attendants) be partof CrewPass if we are to have such a program.Finally, let’s not forget why we have changes insecurity procedures and a very dynamic security environment.Security failures are not an option for theTSA, airline crewmembers, or the traveling public.20Unity | winter 2011Sixty-seven percent of respondents prefer to fly on the weekdays. Five percent like to fly over the weekends, and 28 percentsay they don’t care when they fly.

Local newsBaltimoreAudrey Stone, BWI DEBMhope everyone had a very happy holidayseason, and a special thank youIto those who helped make Toys for Totssuccessful for another year.We have some local changes comingsoon to Baltimore. Inflight Supervisors RickDesmond and Alyssa Baiyina went back online in January.I’ve been told these positions will be filled as soon aspossible. Also, please welcome new Medical Leave SpecialistBarry Brozovich.If you need to utilize the Maryland Family FlexibleLeave Act (MFFLA), please do not call in sick to CrewScheduling. You must complete the form found onSWALife >About Me>My Life Events>Maryland Leave Administration.If you need assistance, please contact the baseor me. Just as a reminder, there are Inflight Supervisorsavailable after hours through Scheduling in the event of anemergency.I recently encountered a situation that was a reminder ofwhat we, as Flight Attendants, need to check as part of our“securing the cabin” for final descent. If you have a passengeron oxygen following a medical emergency, the portableoxygen bottle (POB) must be secured for landing. Utilizethe strap, and make sure it’s correctly placed on the passenger,not in another row or seat. And don’t forget to monitorthe pressure gauge so that it doesn’t drop below 500!If you see Chad Kleibscheidel around, give him bigcongratulations for winning third place in the Cheers forVolunteers contest.I wish each of you a very happy 2011!ChicagoDonna Keith, MDW DEBMThank you for once again making ourToys for Tots drive a huge success!I would also like to extend my gratitudeto Chicago Inflight Base ManagerDave Kissman and his leadership teamfor their support and participation in thisprogram, which is so important to many children in theChicago area. This was the tenth year that we have participatedin the program, and the generosity of all the ChicagoFlight Attendants was once again overwhelming.With the cold and snow come the usual and expectedweather delays for various things, deicing being one ofthem. Please be vigilant during this time, and watch fordeicing fluid on the galley floors and jetways. The slipperyfluid often creates our own personal skating rink, which canbe very dangerous for our coworkers and passengers, andcould result in injuries (and paperwork).Do you know how many points you have going in to2011? Stop by the Customer Service Desk in the lounge toget your total.If you have any questions, comments or concerns pleasefeel free to contact me any time via email or phone. Here’sto a fantastic New Year!ChicagoAudrey Stoneis a Baltimore Flight Attendant. She can be contacted atastone@twu556.org or at 214-640-4308.Donna keithis a Chicago Flight Attendant. She can be contacted atdkeith@twu556.org or at 214-640-4335.When asked whether you bid for overlap, 54 percent of our survey takers said no. Forty percent do bid for overlap, and sixpercent bid to get a trip pulled.21tWU556.org

Local newsDallasKaren Amos, DAL DEBMHappy New Year Dallas! I hope youall had a wonderful holiday! TheNew Year brings some changes to theDallas office. Sara Schulte is relocatingwith her husband, and therefore will begoing back online. Debbie Henry, GayeLyn Groff, and Dave Corey are also going back online.Currently I do not know who will be filling these positions.Thanks to all those who contributed to the Toys for Totsprogram. It really helps so many children have a brighterholiday.Everyone is aware of the attendance point system. However,it has been brought to my attention that many peopleare not familiar with the Work and Conduct Rules locatedin the back of the Flight Attendant Handbook. Many ofus received a handbook in the past, but it has since beenmodified and is no longer current. The current handbookis now on SWAlife>Inlight>Resources>Publications> 2010 FlightAttendant Handbook, and can be printed. Be sure to reviewthe classes of unacceptable conduct/behavior, as well as theschedule of discipline for the different classes.When you call in sick, you may be asked for the lastfour digits of your Social Security number or some otherpersonal question if your contact information does notdisplay on Scheduling’s caller ID Also, keep in mind, thatyour Web IP address shows up each and every time that youlogin to view your screen. Please do not use your phoneduring flight, including for taking photos. This has neverbeen an issue in Dallas and hopefully it never will be.Do you want to see real time flight information whenyou’re waiting for your inbound flight? Flightaware.com is agood way to track your inbound flight. Be aware that youmust still go by the flight information display screens whenit comes to being at the gate thirty minutes prior to push.A crew Web iPhone app is also available, and allows you toview trips, as well as trade them.Here’s wishing you a wonderful New Year! It’s always apleasure to serve you.Karen amosis a Dallas Flight Attendant. She can be contacted atkamos@twu556.org or at 214-640-4309.HoustonCrystal Reven, HOU DEBMHappy New Year, Houston. As weenter into 2011, I hope that we caneach take the experiences shared andlessons learned in 2010 to make us betteras individuals, coworkers, and as a workgroup.Whatever the Southwest way meansto you, remember we are each a vital part of the Southwestfamily, soon to be a blended family. Now more than ever isthe time to treat each other like family.On behalf of the Houston base, I would like to thankthe following Flight Attendants who continue to serve theircoworkers selflessly:Shop Stewards David Kirtley, LaTonia Benoit Paul,Jessica Parker, Jannah Dalak, Phil Vaughn, KelleyMartin, Chey Clark, Jill Van Der Werff, KeithGordin, Chad Knesek, Valerie Boy, Teri Queen, andStephanie Tillman.Critical Incident Stress Management team members JoeGossett, Jane Demars, Sue Blair, Debbie McDermott,Tracy Philp, and Kim Gibson.Professional Standards team members Jane Demarsand Kurtis Beggs.Please visit our base page on the Union’s Web site for themost up-to-date information affecting the Houston base.I’ve said it before, and I still mean it: what matters toyou, matters to me, so please let me know your thoughts,concerns and suggestions for the upcoming year.crystal revenis a Houston Flight Attendant. She can be contacted atcrains@twu556.org or at 214-640-4310.22Unity | winter 2011Fifty-six percent of survey respondents said they like the extra $2 for flying A, while 45 percent feel that having their own galleyis best. Twenty percent say they like taking care of the different types of passengers up front, and 27 percent do not fly A.

Local newsLas VegasBryan Orozco, LAS DEBMHappy New Year Las Vegas!Out of 9,400 Flight Attendantsat Southwest, a handful of people consistently(and often thanklessly) work hardto make sure your contractual and legalrights are protected. Although you may notphysically see work being done, the impact on your worklife happens every time you check-in. With that being said,I would like to thank every Executive Board Member, ShopSteward, Negotiator, Office Team Member, Contract ActionTeam Member, or any other Flight Attendant who is orhas been involved with Local 556.Also, I’ve come to realize that we have a really goodLocal. But I’ve also decided that just because we are consideredthe so-called industry leader, that doesn’t make usperfect. It seems to me that the “good” has encouragedmore good to be done, and the “bad” has inspired otherTWU Locals to do better.My work and personal life have continually improvedover the past eleven years because I am a Member of Local556. For that reason I would like to thank any Flight Attendantthat has helped craft our Local into what we have now,with an industry-leading Contract, a good labor-managementrelationship, and a quality of life that I believe a lot ofpeople wish they had. So thank you!Now for a little base news. If you haven’t noticed, thedoor on the east side of the lounge is now ready for use.The code is the same as the main door that leads into thelounge from where the restrooms are located. Both doorswill be open for use until the construction on the west sideof the terminal begins. At that time, the west side door willbe closed until the construction is complete. The bag roomand break room in Terminal B are both nearing completion(if they’re not already finished by the time you read this).Also, please keep in mind that the current agreement wesign to use the economy parking lot does not allow cars toremain more than thirty days straight. If your car is towed,it will be at your expense.bryan orozcois a Las Vegas Flight Attendant. He can be contacted atborozco@twu556.org or at 214-640-4344.OaklandTodd Gage, OAK DEBMwould like to start off by thanking all ofI you who donated toys for our Toys forTots drive. Your generosity was greatlyappreciated.For those of you that use the employeeparking lot on Neil Amrstrong, you might beglad to know that the Port of Oakland has finally made ourbus stop shelter at Terminal Two a “non smoking area!” Iwould like to thank Flight Attendant Sue Renz for bringingthis to my attention.Did you know that all California based employees areentitled to forty hours per calendar year to attend or participatein their children’s school activities? It is called theCalifornia School Activities. You must give notice sevencalendar days before the event, and documentation is required.You may be paid out of vacation time, but cannotuse your sick bank. While on this leave, you may not travelon “school activity time” without an authorized four-partpass from the Base. You can find more information onSWAlife>About Me>My Life Events> California Leave Administration.When utilizing California Kin Care, no documentationis needed, and you do not have to discuss the nature of whyyou are caring for a family member. The only informationrequired is the date and the family member you are caringfor. If you know you have to care for someone, it is best tocall in sick (per California Kin Care procedure) as soon aspossible. Don’t forget that with our current Contract, youcan call in sick up to two calendar days before your trip.I have asked about putting a computer and printer in thebag room next to Gate 21. I have also asked to utilize thisroom for posting Union publications and other informationsuch as bulletins and revisions, as it is more convenient thanhaving to head down to our lounge (which is practicallylocated in San Francisco).Finally, if you need an immediate response to a question,don’t hesitate to contact the Union office directly, as I flynearly every week—it could be the fastest option.todd gageis an Oakland Flight Attendant. He can be contacted attgage@twu556.org or at 214-640-4336.The majority, 61 percent, of survey takes do not want to pay more to keep the Union office open over the weekend, while 38percent would pay $1 – $5 more for full weekend service. Just about one percent of respondents said they would pay more.23tWU556.org

Local newsOrlandoJimmy West, MCO DEBMHappy New Year from the SunshineState! I want to start off by sayingthanks to each and every Flight Attendantwho helped make this year’s Toys forTots a huge success. I think we exceededthe number of toys donated this year overlast year. I also want to extend my appreciation to OrlandoInflight Supervisor Curt Meschke for his assistance inhelping me remove the toy box from the lounge.There’s an old saying that “hard work never hurt anyone—butI am not willing to risk it.” The key phrase is hardwork. Your Union has engaged in hard work promotingProfessional Standards and other avenues in lieu of writingeach other up. Unfortunately, the write-ups are continuing,which are resulting in discipline—including terminations.It’s not “hard work” to discuss or look for solutions when aconflict arises with a fellow crewmember. If you’re one towrite another Flight Attendant up without speaking to themfirst, remember that what goes around might just comeback around to you.If you use an app on your mobile device for any transaction,please check your screen and confirm the transactionwent through. I am in no way saying to not use these tools,but we all know that CWA encounters problems from timeto time. Also, if you have an iPad, iPod, i-anything, youare not permitted to use these devices while serving as aworking crewmember onboard the aircraft. The only I youshould use is your own set of eyes to monitor the cabin.Angry Birds can wait—customer service cannot! Also, youcould be disciplined for using your gadgets if you’re caught.I have participated in several fact-finding meetingsregarding Customer letters, which makes me believe thatour complaints are on the rise. Please continue to followyour flight service manual in accordance with our onboardservice.Finally, I wish you all a very happy and prosperous NewYear!PhoenixJohn DiPippa, PHX DEBMThe holidays are finally over, whichmeans lighter loads until spring breakand warmer weather.I hope everyone had a great Christmas.This is the time for New Year’s resolutions,and I have a couple of them that Iwould like to propose to you. First, the more active you arein the Union, the better we can work together to get thingsaccomplished. This first resolution was on display last yearwith the four pages of signatures I gave to the City of Phoenixexpressing our displeasure with the parking increase.Second, if you haven’t already done so, I would encourageyou to take advantage of our two new contractual itemsthat went into effect on the first of January: an increasein our 401(k) Company match up to 9.3 percent, and theaddition of a Roth 401(k). If you are not sure if either ofthese options are right for you, please consult your financialadvisor.We will also be getting a new Base Manager soon, asSteve Murtoff has been promoted to Director of BaseOperations overseeing Houston, Oakland, Las Vegas, andChicago. I wish Steve and his family the best of luck in thisnew endeavor. As of this writing, I don’t know who hisreplacement will be, but we are fortunate that we have twogood Assistant Base Managers, Deborah Edwards andJenny Kaminski.Each month I send out an E-Connection to everyone inPhoenix who has listed their email address in their TWUWeb site profile. The E-Connection is a short update withthe latest base news, as well as updates from our ExecutiveBoard Meetings and visits with Management.Best wishes to all for a healthy and prosperous New Year.Jimmy westis an Orlando Flight Attendant. He can be contacted atjwest@twu556.org or at 214-640-4311.john dipippais a Phoenix Flight Attendant. He can be contacted atjdipippa@twu556.org or at 214-640-4314.24Unity | winter 2011In order of preference, respondents bid a.m./p.m. trips, days of the week worked, position flown, the consistency of the line,line pay, number of pairings on a line, flexibility, types of pairings, same pairings being on the line, and overnights.

your familyUpdate on FLMAChanges & WhatYou Need to Knowby Denny SebestaOn January 1, 2011, Southwest began managing andadministering all FMLA in-house within the FMLACompliance department (though Inflight actuallybegan the transition last October). The FMLA Compliancedepartment oversees the application approvalprocess; however, since medical expertise is necessary,the Company has contracted a physician/nurse practitionergroup for medical consultation.Confidentiality is very important, and there arestrict federal regulations that govern compliance. Therefore,information will not be shared outside the FMLA ComplianceDepartment; your Inflight base leaders will only receiveFMLA dates approved, including the length and duration, ifapplicable.FMLA Calendar YearSouthwest is moving from a twelve month rolling eligibilityto a calendar year (i.e. January 1 through December 31).This means that if you are eligible for FMLA, you must takeyour twelve weeks within that calendar year. For subsequentyears, Southwest will continue to look back twelve monthsto determine the number of hours you have earned towardFMLA eligibility. Flight Attendants need 504 duty hours toqualify for FMLA in any calendar year.ClaimsWith the change in eligibility method, it’s important tounderstand how an open claim might be affected from onecalendar year to the next.Intermittent claims. If an employee remains eligiblefor FMLA in the new calendar year, their intermittent claimwill remain open, and they will not be required to submitnew medical certification for the claim based on the newcalendar year. However, if an employee is no longereligible for FMLA in the new calendar year (i.e. hasnot worked the required number of hours during thepast twelve months), their open claims from the prioryear will be closed, and the employee must open anew claim when they become eligible again. Eligibilitywill be checked each January 1 for all open cases.Continuous claims. If a claim has been approved,and extends from one calendar year to thenext (assuming the continuous leave started prior tothe new calendar year), the leave will remain openand approved through the end of the continuousleave. However, the employee must be eligible forany subsequent FMLA leave in the new calendaryear. If an employee is no longer eligible for FMLAleave in the new calendar year (i.e. has not workedthe required number of hours in the precedingtwelve months), any open claims from the prior yearwill be closed, and the employee must open a newclaim when he or she becomes eligible again.Finally, the Company must notify an employeewhen they have exhausted their FMLA hours. This,as well as all other FMLA notifications (including thestatus of your FMLA leave) will be sent directly toyour Company email account. Be sure to check yourCompany email regularly, so you don’t miss importanttime lines associated with FMLA. Also, theDepartment of Labor has made other changes to theFMLA regulations that may affect our workgroupthat we are reviewing.As always, please contact the Union office at 800-969-7932 with any questions you may have—we’rehere to help, and are always glad to do so!Denny Sebestais an Orlando Flight Attendant and TWU Local 556’s Contractand Leave Coordinator. She can be contacted at dsebeta@twu556.org or 214-640-4316.Important Dates!First 2011 Membership MeetingsBaltimore: Tuesday, February 22, 2011Chicago: Wednesday, February 23, 2011Dallas: Thursday, March 10, 2011Houston: Friday, February 25, 2011Las Vegas: Wednesday, March 9, 2011Oakland: Tuesday, March 8, 2011Orlando: Thursday, February 24, 2011Phoenix: Monday, March 7, 2011Visit the TWU Web site for location information.Our next live Web casts will be February 15 andMarch 15 at 6 p.m. CentralAround 58 percent of respondents would prefer not to reduce the minimum TFP to 78, even if would make the lines more consistent.Forty-two percent said they wouldn’t mind the reduction.25tWU556.org

Transport workers union moves america!Allegiant FlightAttendants Choose TWUby Karla KozakTransport Workers Union of America welcomesthe Flight Attendants of Allegiant Air to the TWUfamily following their overwhelming “yes” vote on December22 to establish a union.Flight Attendant organizing committees throughout thecountry worked tirelessly since last May to ensure theircoworkers knew the value of collective bargaining. AllegiantFlight Attendants have a clear understanding ofwhat they want, and knew the only way they could ensuretheir success was through unionization and a collectivebargaining agreement. Committees worked to makesure their coworkers knowthe valueand benefits of speakingwith a unifiedvoice on the job.Furthermore,Allegiant management’sexpectedanti-union tactics were unsuccessful, and workerswere well-prepared for their tricks and half-truths.Now, Allegiant Flight Attendants are already reportingthat they feel more respected and valued as employees followingtheir victory, and are now eagerly awaiting the contractnegotiations process to begin in the coming months.The TWU International Organizing Department wouldlike to thank those Local 556 Members who assisted the Allegiantworkgroup, including former Allegiant (now Southwest)Flight Attendants Jolyn Chin and Leslie Peasley.Flight Attendant committees from Virgin Americaand JetBlue have reached out for organizing assistance tocombat management union-busting tactics at both airlines.Please support your colleagues at these carriers, and letthem know some of the benefits we have secured here atSouthwest thanks to years of collective bargaining and astrong union.Karla Kozakis a Baltimore Flight Attendant and member of the TWUInternational Organizing Department. She can be reached atk-kozak@twu.org or 202-341-0256.OSHA Updateby Gwen Dunivent &Susan KernThe election cycle has ended, but we are still concernedabout the probable future of labor, specificallyfor Flight Attendants, in terms of the FAA ReauthorizationBill that would finally give Flight Attendants OSHA protections.In the Fall issue of Unity, we discussed this important legislation,and we have become entrenched in the so-called“lame duck” scenario that we envisioned—with predictableresults. A lame duck session occurs when a Congressmeets after its successor is elected, butbefore the successor’s term begins. Theyare considered moderately productive,but mostly fora p p ro p r i ationsand budget issues. Dueto the political landscapeand the shift inpower from labor (FlightAttendant)-friendly to big business-friendly legislators, thechances of the FAA Reauthorization Bill being finalized inthe foreseeable future are slim, at best.This bill has been continued over fifteen times since 2007,and has not been updated. At this point, the passage of thebill has stalled more-or-less over three main issues: 1) takeoff/landingslots at Reagan National Airport, allowing foradditional western states flights; 2) increasing the landingfee assessed by an airport; and 3) the inclusion of languagethat would make it easier for ground fleet workers at FedExto unionize, thus giving them the same labor status as UPS.Senators from Tennessee (where FedEx is headquartered)have vowed to block the bill if it contains any changes to thelabor provisions.We are not giving up on passing a comprehensive FAAReauthorization bill that includes OSHA protections forFlight Attendants, and we will continue this fight for as longas it takes.Gwen Dunivent and Susan Kernare Dallas and Orlando (respectively) Flight Attendants, andmembers of TWU’s Committee on Political Education (COPE)that works to promote labor-friendly causes and candidates.26Unity | winter 2011When asked whether we wanted lines with all the same pairings, 68 percent said no, it doesn’t matter. Thirty-two percentresponded that they wanted the same pairing.

Post-HolidayBlues Got You Down?CISM Can Help!Did you know that post-traumatic stress (PTS)can occur after the ups and downs of the holidaysare over, and normal life resumes? People whohave lost a loved one recently tend to feel thisPTS more keenly when the holiday excitement isover, which can be exacerbated by New Year’sresolutions.This year, commit to realistic New Years resolutionsthat allow you to focus on the positive aspectsof your life, and achieve the goals you wishto accomplish. You deserve to get your year startedoff on the right foot!Important Reminder!Report UpdatedEarnings DuringApril/May 2011Open Enrollment!Happy 2011 from yourCISM Team24-hour Hotline: 800-408-3220Short Term Disability benefits are based on a percentageof your current earnings. During openenrollment this upcoming April and May, we encourageyou to meet with an enroller to provideyour prior year’s W-2 earnings.This way, your Short Term Disability benefits withLincoln Financial Group will be based on your currentsalary, and we can offer you the maximumpossible benefit.Updating your earnings information is notautomatic. If your current salary is not reportedduring open enrollment each April and May, anyShort Term Disability benefit will be based on yourlast reported earnings.Flight Attendant Call Center877-885-9191Nearly 81 percent of survey respondents would like to have a standing bid just in case they forget to bid, while nineteen percentdidn’t see the need for standing bids.27tWU556.org

28Unity | winter 2011