Catching Up with Local 556
With the arrival of summer, we are greeted with warm weather, sunshine, and the opportunity to soak up some much-needed vitamin D. However; we are also faced with the challenges that come with this season, including hurricanes, weather delays, and hot aircraft.
The summer is already in full swing, so it’s essential to prioritize hydration by drinking an ample amount of water throughout the day and consuming foods that keep you hydrated. Pay attention to your body’s signals, as thirst is a reliable indicator of dehydration. While there’s no exact formula to determine your water intake, making a habit of drinking water consistently throughout the day can help prevent dehydration.
In addition, this month, we want to highlight some important reminders. Fatigue calls should be taken seriously to ensure everyone’s well-being. There is a blackout day for holiday pin selection, so please take note of that. Furthermore, the Membership Meeting is scheduled for August, and we encourage you to mark your calendars. Lastly, it’s important to be aware that the recently proposed tentative agreement has been rejected and its details will be released soon.
“When employers in this country say labor costs are too high, what they’re really saying to you is, you have it too good. What they’re really saying to you is, all you need is enough to get you into the plant and work.” – Boris Block
In Unity,
Ashley Breuer and Drew Shy
TWU Local 556 Communications Co-Chairpersons
Fatigue Reminder
Read Before Fly (RBF) 2023-43 was released regarding Mitigating Fatigue and Utilizing the Inflight Fatigue Risk Management Plan.This RBF contains important reminders regarding fatigue and working. Safety is always a first priority.
If you need to call in fatigue, contact crew scheduling. Within 24 hours you are required to fill out a Fatigue Call report. The report can be found on your IEFB in the SWA Reporting” app. Sometimes, you may not need to call in fatigue, but you feel you should report a fatigue concern. Did you know there is a form for that as well? It can be found in the same location as the Fatigue Call report. Use the Fatigue Concern report to report issues that arise.
Both of these reports are sent to the Company, the Union, and the FAA.
PIN Blackout Dates
July 4th is a blackout date for the Personal Illness Note (PIN), if you are sick, you can still use your quarterly doctor’s note to excuse the absence and not accrue attendance points.
Celebrate Independence
Vacation Bidding
Upcoming Membership Meeting
Save the date for the Second Membership Meeting of 2023. It will take place on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at 1000 CT and will be held via Zoom. Registration information will be sent at a later date.
During this Membership Meeting, we will vote on the Negotiation Assessment Fee and you will be able to propose Bylaw Amendment changes. Bylaw Amendments will be voted on at the Third Membership Meeting of 2023.
401(k) and Roth Option
The current Company Match is 9.3%.
The Company will match any Flight Attendant’s contribution to the 401(K) and/or Roth 401(K) Plan maintained by the Company at a rate of $1.00 for each $1.00 contributed by the Flight Attendant. A Roth 401(k) was added and the Company Match for either plan will be the same. To set up your 401(k) match or change your current contribution:
SWAlife > Employee Services > 401(k)/Profit sharing (Empower) > View/Manage Investments > My Contributions > Edit
FYI: In order to maximize your full match, your contribution has to be a whole percentage, which currently would be 10%, in order to get the full company match of 9.3%.
Tentative Agreement Timeline
Recently the TWU Local 556 Executive Board (EB) met to review the proposed tentative agreement (TA) made between the Company and the Negotiating Team (NT). The Executive Board vote did not pass the two-thirds majority threshold needed to move the TA forward. The TWU Local 556 bylaws, Article VII. f states “The Executive Board by two-thirds (⅔) vote shall approve all proposed Tentative Agreements prior to presentation to the Membership.
The NT will be releasing the TA to the Membership, along with an informational video, on July 5. The NT will be hosting a townhall event on July 10, moving forward into the future, focus groups and surveys will also be incorporated to gain more insight.
The views contained herein do not necessarily represent those of TWU Local 556 or TWU International. The purpose of this email communication is intended only to educate and inform TWU Local 556 Members. It is not intended to officially establish or clarify past practice, Contract language, or grievance/arbitration positions. It is therefore not to be utilized or relied upon by any person or party as evidence of the Union’s position on any past practices, Contract language, grievances/arbitrations, or any other disputes or issues between TWU Local 556 and Southwest Airlines.