(704)357-0027 manager@vl1725.org

Furloughed Employee Information – Mechanic & Related

As a furloughed employee who is still on the recall list for American Airlines Mechanic & Related in Charlotte, NC; you have certain rights afforded you under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement and dating back to the time you were furloughed from the company. This page will serve as a resource for information regarding your rights and options for returning to work under recall or separating from the company by resigning or retiring while on furlough or after returning to work.

We will be updating this page on a continual basis as our agreements are updated and language changes, etc. There will also be a FAQ section in the near future.

If you are on furlough it is extremely important that you keep your full contact information updated at all times with Maintenance & Engineering (M&E). You will find their contact number below. In the event you are recalled M&E will mail you a package to the last address they have on record. This package will have all the information you need to initiate your return to work or to resign/retire from the company permanently. Please note that you can contact your Grievance Committee office at the numbers below for additional information/assistance during this process.


65 Plan/Flying Benefits

A frequent question that arises when faced with a recall decision is what kind of benefits will you have going forward if you decide NOT to return to work. To assist you with that question we have summarized your options as follows:

You must resign/separate from company prior to being offered a recall in order to fall under the 65 plan and retain flight benefits for life
-or-
If offered a recall package you must return to work for 6 months before you can separate from the company and retain flight benefits under the 65 plan.

-UPDATE-

There has been a lot of discussion lately about travel benefits available to furloughed employees and/or those who have been recalled then resigned or retired. Our conversations with M&E have yielded this update:

If an employee was furloughed from January 6, 2005 through June 1, 2006, due to outsourcing, they are entitled to lifetime travel, if they had 15 or more years of service at the time of furlough.

  1. Article 8, Page 53: “Employees who have been on furlough for more than five (5) years will not be eligible for travel under the Company’s sixty-five (65) Point Plan unless the employee returns to active service for a minimum of six (6) months.”
  2. Employees furloughed during this time frame, that have been recalled and refuse recall, will be terminated and will not have lifetime travel or travel benefits.
  3. Employees furloughed during this time frame, that have been recalled and are eligible for retirement, may opt for retirement. If they retire, they keep their lifetime travel.
  4. Employees furloughed during this time frame, that resign prior to any recall, will be entitled to maintain their lifetime travel.
  5. The date used to identify the correct determination of the above decisions, will be the date listed in the GPMS system that maintains all IAM personnel moves.

Example: An employee was recalled on 04-19-15. If their resignation paperwork is on file prior to 04-09-15, they maintain their lifetime travel. If they terminate (do not respond) or resign after the recall notification, they lose their travel benefits, per #1 above. Article 8, page 53.

The Travel Department was asked for clarification on this topic and advised that each person effected should contact retirement.services@aa.com in order to verify that they are actually qualified for travel.

If you are over the age of 55 and wish to retire you options are varied and more information can be found in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement on the pages below and by contacting the PBGC and the IAM National Pension plan.

*Click on images to view PDF of page

 

 

 

Addendum A – pg.200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addendum A (continued) – pg.201

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article 8 pg.53 (beginning line 13)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Phone Numbers

Maintenance & Engineering (M&E): (412) 538-3308 or 3309

CLT Grievance Committee Office: (704) 359-2181

PIT Grievance Committee Office: (412) 538-4350


Retirement Information Links

Pension Benefit Guarantee Board – US Airways M&R Pension Plan

IAM National Pension Plan

Social Security Administration

Medicare

Affordable Care Act

Airline Retirement Benefit Plan (Gilsbar)