The following letter was posted on AFA's website and was "sent to all domicile managers around the system."

December 9, 2005

Sherry Poetsche, Manager ORDSW
United Airlines Onboard Service
P. O. Box 66100
Chicago, IL 60666

Dear Sherry:

The Association has received a number of calls from Flight Attendants expressing outrage at the Company’s recent letter that was sent to them at home regarding lost time absences.  The letter includes exaggerated, unsubstantiated statements, such as, “Historically employee absences have hindered our ability to deliver the service we strive to achieve.”  On the contrary, Flight Attendants have consistently, even through the course of United’s bankruptcy, delivered exceptional service.  The outstanding MarkeTrak ratings and your Success Sharing payouts are but two pieces of evidence that support this reality.  The facts simply do not substantiate your statement.

Clearly, your letter is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to harass and intimidate Flight Attendants who have been or may be ill, injured or pregnant over the Holidays.  Since, as it appears, the Company has chosen to treat these Flight Attendants differently from other Company employees, this policy is blatantly discriminatory. 

Your attempt to cloak this new tactic under the guise of manpower planning is pathetic. 

No one likes to be absent.  Flight Attendants, like everyone else, may occasionally be ill or injured.  Some even give birth.  This most recent approach undertaken by the Company is, at a minimum, mean spirited.  More importantly, it fails to adequately recognize the circumstances and conditions under which Flight Attendants work on a daily basis.  It is an attempt to coerce Flight Attendants who are ill to come to work and jeopardizes the general health of the workforce and our passengers.

Your attempt to cloak this new tactic under the guise of manpower planning is pathetic.  As you well know, the manpower planning process should ensure that there are sufficient Flight Attendants available for the schedule.  “Planning” suggests advance preparation and this should have been accomplished far in advance of your letter. 

If it is the Company’s contention that there is insufficient manpower for the Holiday schedule, this would be solely due to the failure of Advance Schedule Planning.  The Company should not be harassing Flight Attendants as a means to offset this inability to adequately plan.  There are Contractual provisions that have been negotiated to address scheduling deficiencies and provide for the continued operation of the airline.  Just last week, representatives from the Association met with Charlie Ahmes to discuss the Contractual provisions available to the Company should any unanticipated manpower needs develop.

It is especially reprehensible to single out people who are ill, injured or pregnant. This policy should be immediately rescinded.  While we certainly have no expectation that management will do so without being forced, it is the right thing to do.  We caution you.  Failure to do so will result in appropriate action up to and including litigation. 

Until such time as this policy is rescinded, we demand compliance with the following:

• UAL medical facilities are open  twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, including all Holidays.
• All supervisors are available everyday, at every location, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week including Holidays (this may require cancellation of days off and vacations during the period this policy is in effect).
• Flight Attendants are not to be contacted on scheduled days off.
• Flight Attendants are not required to visit a medical facility on a scheduled day off.
• Flight Attendants are not required to divulge the nature of their illness to their supervisor.
• Any physical examination or clinical narratives will be paid for by the Company.
• Provide prepaid transportation if a Flight Attendant is too ill to drive to a medical facility.

The Association will hold the Company liable for this action and take all appropriate measures to protect our Members.  When a Flight Attendant is sick they owe it to their flying partners and passengers to stay at home.  It is the right thing to do.  We encourage you to do the right thing and rescind this policy immediately.

Sincerely,

Greg Davidowitch, President
United Master Executive Council