Government Affairs
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MEC Committee Chair: |
Mary Oswald
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LEC Chairs:
LEC 49 - SJU - Open
LEC 51 - ORD - Mary Oswald
oswaldmec@yahoo.com LEC 52 - DFW - Marti Carnes mcarnes@afaeagle.com
LEC 53 - LAX - Adam McDonald
LEC 58 - JFK/LGA - Rhondine Simmons
LEC 59 - MIA - Brian McGovern
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FAA REAUTHORIZATION BILL NEEDS TO GET PASSED
Every three to five years the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is
funded through legislation in the House and Senate. This is one of the
few opportunities for Congress to provide direction and oversight to
this agency which is important to our profession.
The previous FAA reauthorization expired in September of 2007.
Since that time the agency has continued to be funded through a series
of 15 "short term" extensions. The current extension expires on
September 30, 2010.
Through advocacy and grassroots support the Association of
Flight Attendants - CWA has been successful in making sure several
flight attendant provisions have been written into this bill.
The bill requires the FAA and OSHA to resume their work on
developing workplace safety and health protections for flight
attendants, requires the FAA to take steps to combat contaminated
aircraft air, instructs the FAA to act on the recommendations from the
recent flight attendant fatigue study, calls for the permanent ban on
cellular telephone use in-flight, brings attention to the use mandatory
insecticide use on select international flights, requires that
FAA-certified flight attendants must be proficient in the English
language, closes a loop hole that permits smoking on charter flights,
and directs the FAA to develop a flight attendant HIMS program (drug and
alcohol awareness and rehabilitation program).
Congress needs to act now. If Congress passes another extension
then there will not be enough time in the congressional calendar to pass
this bill. When the 111th Congress adjourns in December any unfinished
legislation will be discarded. Do not let the FAA Reauthorization become
one of these unfinished bills.
To help secure passage of the FAA Reauthorization, use this link to send an e-mail message to your U.S. Senators urging them to "Pass the FAA Bill"
FMLA -
Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act..It a VICTORY!
This victory is the direct
result of all the hard work and organization of your Government Affairs Committees, yourselves, friends and families. You deserve a round of applause! THANK YOU!!!
Read Full Press
Release HERE. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/ID/189645&start=9627&end=9837
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AFA - AMERICAN EAGLE "On the Hill" 
Picture 1 - Sharee Davis (ORD), Mary Oswald (MEC-ORD), Matt Petterson (ORD - now at JFK/LGA),
Adam McDonald (LAX), Rhondine Simmons (JFK/LGA), Deb Good (ORD), and Julie Watson-Meece (ORD)
Picture 2 - Sharee Davis, Deb Good, Adam McDonald, Julie Watson and Rhondine Simmons
***STILL GOING ON *** Please ask your Representative to support this bill
AFA-CWA Fights to Limit Size and Number of Carry-on Baggage
Members
of American Eagle and United Government Affairs committees from ORD
meet with Congressman Dan Lipinski on June 1 at a reception at Holiday
Inn MDW. At that time it was expressed to him the need for action to be
taken by TSA to enforce the Carry-On Bag limitations rules.
Hearing
the pleas of AFA-CWA represented flight attendants, Congressman Dan
Lipinski, D-IL 3, introduced HR 2870 which would reduce the number and
size of baggage passing through the TSA security check points and
making it into the aircraft cabin. The legislation would create an
enforceable size and number restriction for carry-on baggage allowed
into the aircraft cabin and create a uniform approach to storing
baggage brought into the cabin. This has been a long standing priority
for the members of AFA-CWA, who often suffer numerous injuries from
large and overweight luggage and recognize the safety and security
risks posed by the increasing number and size of luggage brought
onboard the aircraft.
Imposing an enforceable standard for
carry-on sizes as proposed in this bill will increase airline safety
and security. Smaller, standardized bags will help improve security
screening accuracy, ensure that more passengers will be able to stow
their allowable carry-on plus one personal item in the overhead bins or
under seat storage areas and speed up boarding times thereby reducing
departure delays.
