Did you know that there is absolutely NO quarterly flying requirement in meeting the yearly 480 requirement? Just as to today, you DO NOT have to fly any set amount in a quarter when working to achieve the yearly flying requirement of 480 for benefits. There is no flying requirement to retain employment.
Q&A: Why was the Productivity Premium not put into our wages?
The company offered a productivity premium and told us it was a take it or leave it item because they were not asking to negotiate any provision for it. We asked to put the money into the rates and they told us absolutely not. We asked to include vacation and they said no. Your MEC and Negotiating Committee met with Ben Minicucci, COO and lead negotiator for management to advocate for vacation to be included and the answer was still no. The goal was to incentivize flight attendants to work what they are scheduled to work. It is available to everyone and no one is penalized for not achieving it.
Remember in school when some kids would get that neat award for perfect attendance or perfect grades? Was it fair that not everyone got the award? YES it was fair, because everyone had the opportunity to achieve it and no one was excluded from the opportunity.
Did you know? – Negotiated Payscale
The payscale was negotiated with this mathematical equation below –
No step would be lower then 2 or 3 in the industry, no step would get less then $5 at DOS, no step would fall behind AA/US/DL during or at the end of 5 years with managements 1.5% downline requirement (AS/DL had between 2-4%) and managements requirement that the top not exceed the 10.8% TOS increase given to the pilots making the FA’s and pilots the highest percent increase at TOS of all work groups on the property.
The overall step percentage increases vary based on the unbalance of the payscale over the years and how the top continued to keep pace with the top of the industry while the bottom was left falling further behind in the industry. We used this formula to keep it consistent and eliminate the preferential treatment of any step.
The longevity premium was lowered to YOS 16 to capture more people and be able to increase the rate on worked TFP making the scale rate consistent with the above formula but allowing for more money to be paid to TOS when working. If you add in the longevity premium to the scale the top continues to climb above the 10.8% on any worked TFP.
Get the Facts – 4K Reassignment
When reading a contract you need to take the WHOLE citation as the provisional language. You can not separate out one sentence from the subsequent sentences that apply to that specific citation.
Example:
Section 10.DD.11.a
Crew Scheduling may offer the “4K” sequence to a Lineholder as a reassignment at check-in consistent with 10.R. [Reassignments(s)]. Crew Scheduling must inform the Lineholder that the sequence contains a “4K” duty period. S/he is not required to accept the assignment. If the Flight Attendant accepts the “4K” sequence as a reassignment all provision of 10.R. [Reassignment(s)] will apply. If the Lineholder declines the offer, the next eligible Lineholder is seniority order may be offered the “4K” sequence under the same conditions of this provision. The process my be repeated until all available Lineholders are exhausted consistent with 10.R. [Reassignment(s)].
When reading a specific citation the entire citation is what dictates the provision not just one sentence contained within the citation.
Why do we connect back to 10.R. then? Because if you do accept the reassignment you will receive all of the reassignment protections and benefits such as pay protection for any portion of your original trip affected by the acceptance of the reassignment. Today, if you are reassigned you do not get to reject the assignment. Under TA2 you will ONLY get to reject the assignment if it contains a 4K sequence. The ability to pass on a reassignment of a 4K trip is contained within the language for 4K pairings and carves out the specific rules which only apply to a 4K sequence. No Lineholder is required to accept a 4K reassignment offer!
Q&A: Does the Productivity Premium replace our PBP or OPR bonus?
A: NO
The Productivity Premium is a premium paid to those Flight Attendants who qualify based on their quarterly flying. It is paid in ADDITION to the current PBP and OPR company bonus programs and DOES NOT replace either program.
Please see this additional post below on the Productivity Premium to learn more on how to qualify.
Get the Facts – Productivity Premium