Continental Airlines Flight Attendants Call For Contract Proposals Extended!  Due to numerous requests the deadline to submit contract proposals has been extended.  Each proposed change should be submitted separately on a contract proposal form.  Proposal forms can be obtained from the grievance committee, or submitted online via http://www.iamdl142.org/proposals.  You must include the following information:

1. Identify the section and paragraph to be amended

2. Proposed contract language change or modification.

3. Example of problem or reason for change.

4. Your name, employee number, and Local Lodge.

All proposed changes must be submitted online or to your base grievance committee for screening and categorization no later than July 24, 2009.

Continental Offering Special COLA’s to Flight Attendant Group – Flight attendants that are active and available to fly on August 31, 2009 as indicated by Continental’s Administration system as of August 5, 2009 will be eligible for the Special Cola.  If you are currently on leave such as (MLOA, OI, LOA, or on sick leave and your physician has pulled you from duty through December 2009), you will not qualify for the Special COLA as the company considers that you are inactive as of August 31, 2009.  The following Special COLA durations are being offered; 5 months (August 31, 2009 through the end of the January 2010 bid month); 9 months (August 31, 2009 through the end of the May 2010 bid month).  You may request one or both of the options, however, if you choose both options you must also indicate your order of preference.  This company has provided a Special COLA Request Screen that is now available in CCS.  Access the Special COLA Request Screen by selecting the “Bidding tab” and then select the “Special COLA Request tab”.  For more detailed information please refer to Inflight Bulletin 09-97, dated June 30, 2009.  The company’s deadline to submit your request for the Special COLA is 1000 base local time, Wednesday, August 5, 2009.  If you have specific questions regarding the Special COLA, please contact your Inflight supervisor or Inflight Administration at 800-421-1789.

Continental Airlines announced on Monday, June 29, 2009 the commencement of a Reciprocal Cabin Seat Agreement (RCSA) with United Airlines.  For more than a year, the Union has been pressing the company to provide a RCSA for the flight attendants at Continental.  The IAM originally began negotiating with the company for a Reciprocal Jumpseat Agreement (RJSA) during the 1996 contract negotiations.  The Union has been in communication with the company, encouraging them to move forward with an agreement.  While the Union is pleased with the current development of an RCSA between Continental and United, the Union has launched a postcard campaign to coincide with the recent announcement of the RCSA encouraging the company to provide flight attendants at Continental with the same type of Reciprocal Jumpseat Agreement’s that the rest of the industry currently enjoys.  Postcards are available for signing at the grievance tables in all bases.

UAL Flying – ExpressJet: If you work a United flight and have any concerns, please advise your supervisor in writing via an Enroute report or an email, providing flight numbers, dates, times, and routing, e.g. (ORD - CLE), and also send a copy to your Union representatives.  Please be specific, identifying your area of concern, e.g. catering, boarding, etc.

IAM Members Earn College Degrees – Sixteen IAM members were among more than 100 union members who earned degrees from the AFL-CIO’s National Labor College (NLC) in Silver Spring, MD, and were honored at the College’s graduation ceremony.  The NLC coordinates their degree program with the IAM’s William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, which allows IAM students to use the Winpisinger Center for part of their course work.  Many of the Winpisinger Center programs are now accredited and can be used for college-degree programs.  “Earning a college degree is a great achievement and we’re proud that the hard work and dedication shows in this year’s IAM graduates,” said Winpisinger Center Director Chris Wagoner. For information about earning a college degree through the National Labor College, contact Charlie Micallef at 301-373-3300.