To: AMFA Locals and Members
Re: National Director’s Monthly Update for June 2014
Date: June 30, 2014
Dear Members:
The first part of June the National Executive Council (NEC) met at our National Office in Denver,
Colorado to work on our ongoing docket of items. In addition to our continued agenda, we discussed
our concerns regarding an array of safety-related matters that need to be addressed. We all work in the
very demanding, schedule driven, airline industry, and safety and compliance must always be at the
forefront as we perform our jobs. As airlines push to schedule more and more work into the overnight
packages, and doing so without increasing manpower, the pressures to get more work done with existing
resources are on the rise.
As these pressures mount, our members are placed in the precarious position of trying to meet the
expectations of management to complete their work assignments as well as performing all of the
assigned work in accordance with the appropriate regulations and paperwork. In this circumstance, if a
mistake is made, members are exposed to disciplinary action from the company as well as certificate
action from the FAA. In response to these factors, the NEC is crafting a Safety Initiative that will be
introduced in the coming weeks. In the meantime we want to remind our members that the
consequences for not following the appropriate manuals, procedures, and protocols can be very serious.
We do not want to see anyone get hurt, or face disciplinary actions, because of perceived pressure to not
take the time to follow the appropriate paperwork completely. Please use the Aviation Safety Action
Program (ASAP) to file a report if you identify any safety concerns that need to be addressed.
At Alaska Airlines this month, the company, coincidentally, kicked off a safety campaign of their own
called Ready-Safe-Go (Am I Ready, am I Safe, can I Go?). The Local 14 Airline Contract Committee
will be conducting crew briefings that highlight the issues that they have identified as problem areas.
The NEC is currently preparing a special edition of The Grapevine to be mailed to each member’s home
that is crafted around the safety theme; expected mailing is late July or early August.
This month at Southwest Airlines the Aircraft and Facility Maintenance Technician negotiations both
resumed in Dallas, Texas. The Committees’ updates on items discussed at these sessions have been
posted to the AMFA National Website. The next scheduled negotiations are July 9-10, 2014, in Dallas.
For more carrier specific updates and further information regarding AMFA and the airline industry,
please visit the AMFA National Website at www.AMFANational.org. Our most determined efforts will
only succeed with your continued support and participation – Please stay informed.
Sincerely,
Louie Key
National Director
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