Voluntary Furlough bids closed this morning at 0800 Chicago Time. The awards will be announced by 1700 on Wednesday, September 24th.

Awards

Request DIS Page

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Documents/Packages from United

• Voluntary Furlough Package (.pdf)
• Partnership Program Package (.pdf)
• Furlough Announcement (.pdf)
• Furlough Q&A (.pdf)
• Partnership Q&A (.pdf)
• WARN Act Notice (.pdf)

Information from AFA

• Furlough and Partnership Program
• Questions and Answers

Letter from MEC President Greg Davidowitch

August 27, 2008

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This morning United Airlines has announced (.pdf) its intention to reduce our population by 1,550 Flight Attendants effective October 31, 2008.  This is as a result of management's decision to reduce domestic capacity in the fourth quarter by approximately 14 percent compared with last year and to cut Flight Attendant staffing onboard United aircraft.

Our Contract provides industry-leading protections against the imposition of involuntary furloughs.  Management must first offer the benefits associated with a Voluntary Furlough to offset and potentially eliminate the forcing any AFA Member into an involuntary furlough.  The announcement today implements these protections as they are defined in Section 21 of our Contract.

In addition, the letter on page 308 dictates that United Airlines release the Foreign Nationals who are based in Singapore and Bangkok prior to any furlough of an AFA Member.  The Foreign Nationals have been given notice and will be released no later than October 30, 2008.  This will result in an incremental amount of flying returned to United Flight Attendants.  Even as this flying is returned solely to AFA Members, United scheduling will increase line of flying averages and reduce the amount of daily and 30 day ANP.  This could impact the schedule flexibility that many of us enjoy today. 

Flight Attendants, who choose to volunteer for a furlough awarded in system seniority order, will continue to accrue seniority and receive many benefits.  All Flight Attendants can bid for the Voluntary Furlough.  We encourage everyone who can afford to volunteer for a furlough to please do so, as it will reduce the number of Flight Attendants who potentially face an involuntary furlough. Some of the benefits to those awarded a Voluntary Furlough include seniority accrual, retention of medical and dental benefits as well as travel benefits.

We want you to know that we are advocating minimizing and hopefully eliminating the potential for any Flight Attendant to be involuntarily furloughed.  For additional information, please contact your Local Council Office and check our website for updated Furlough information.  If you are interested in bidding for a Voluntary Furlough please refer to the August 2008 Voluntary Furlough Information Package and read it carefully.  Voluntary Furlough bids will open on September 8, 2008 and close on September 22, 2008 at 0800 Central Time.

In Solidarity,

Greg Davidowitch, President
United Master Executive Council