LAX Roadshow Q&A Morning Session 12/2/14
Scope 3 – Scope
Q: Do managers pay union dues?
A: No, not an AFA member, don’t receive the benefits of your contract. If they are disciplined we don’t represent them. There is no additional pay associated with them flying as an extra.
Q: Curious why management flying brought up?
A: These provisions were in TA1 with a manager replacing a Flight Attendant. Heard the provision was divisive. Insisted in manager was on plane they would be an extra to help. They are there to help, not observe. They will need to work the flight. It was brought up because this is one of their top positions. Brad gave the directive to management negotiating team to get this in the TA as other labor groups on the property have the provision.
Q: Say long term this passes, say in future we plan to strike can they take over those flights?
A: If we are in a period of self-help, they can absolutely take over your jobs, scope provisions and contract is not in force when FAs are on strike. They did that in 94’ and could do it again. The provisions in Scope don’t have impact once in self-help, as there is no contract.
Q: So did we have 1% before of managers trained before?
A: Yes, now 2%. Reason the 1% was in place was to limit the number of supervisors they could train. Makes it more difficult.
Q: What was negotiated in return for management flying?
A: Not always a tit for tat, wasn’t an even trade. Was a package deal.
Q: What was in the bundle?
A: 4k, 15 min debrief, management flying, step rates, length of scale, longevity, single sick leave bank, insurance, all remaining open items. At the end of the negotiating process you are not dealing with individual items it is being negotiated as a package.
Q: Out of the 66 managers who can fly, how many are even trained FAA certified?
A: There is around 42 FAA certified supervisors.
Q: Do the managers have to wear a uniform?
A: No.
Q: What happens if the AAG purchases Airbus, could they crew it with who they want?
A: If it wasn’t operated by Alaska Airlines, yes.
Q: Is there any way to have a protection for SkyWest?
A: Huge concern. Addressed a seat protection at the bargaining table. Our pilots did not achieve this scope. Alaska management’s business model is to use CPA flying to grow their markets and overall market share. The revenue driver with AS is with mainline.
Q: Is there a merger protection?
A: Yes, there are good merger protections in the agreement.
Section 8 – Hours of Service
Q: So really it doesn’t benefit us to give it up?
A: Contact for pre-boarding, JA and reassignments. New pairings you would be legal to fly due to 15 minute debrief. Some of the trips over midnight, that are spanning over 3 days now are 2 day trips. In ANC our 2 day KOA we are illegal to bid those back to back by 5 minutes, will change bidding.
Q: Is there a window to call CS for adjusting debrief?
A: Contractually there is no time requirement.
Q: Why wasn’t the 15 minutes on the front end?
A: There wouldn’t be the productivity gain.
Section 9 – Junior Availability and Premium Open Time
Q: Am I protected from JA if someone picks up my trip and I don’t replace the flying on those days?
A: Yes.
Q: If I post a trip in one ways can they just pick it up?
A: Yes, but they will read the comments.
Q: If I am JA’d and post the trip, how will others know the trip is a JA at 2.5x?
A: Yes, it will be coded.
Q: What is the timeline to be implement the new JA process administered by CS?
A: February 2015.
Q: Does the pay of 2.5X take effect immediately and following of the trip?
A: Yes
Section 10 – Scheduling
Q: What are the current 4K destinations?
A: Detroit (DTW), Houston (IAD) and PDX to PVR.
Q: Do you have copies of the 4k maps and sequences?
A: Yes, we have laminated copies or copies online on the negotiations blog.
Q: What has been the longest duty day on a 4k?
A: Longest 4k is PDX to PVR, 11 hours and 40 minutes.
Q: If you are erroneously assigned will bid protest protect you?
A: Yes
Q: Does this apply to Charters?
A: Charters are a separate provision. They have their own over duty protections.
Q: Does the 14-hour rule apply to 4k sequences?
A: Yes. You would be able to opt out. All of those over duty protections in Section 8 apply to 4k sequences.
Q: If another base opens how would that affect the flying?
A: The 4k flying provisions would be allowed pursuant to the contract.
Q: How was the 4k brought up at the table?
A: Company proposed as part of package deal to address their productivity concerns.
Q: When would double out rest for a 4k sequence apply?
A: End of sequence at return to domicile, same application as today.
Section 11 – Reserve
No questions
Section 12 – Exchange of Sequences
Q: How can I access this OT video online?
A: Visit us online at www.afaalaska.org. Click on negotiations, click on TA2 videos. They range from 2 – 7 minutes each. PowerPoint slides and provisions on the entire TA.
Q: Who’s idea was the limitation of the 40 TFP?
A: When we gained ability to drop trips into OT and Company wanted to cap at 20 TFP, we came to agreement on a 40 TFP limitation. This limitation was proposed by the Company.
Q: Is there a minimum flying requirement to hold onto 40 TFP?
A: No. There is no minimum flying requirements. You can give away a net 40 TFP to OT. If you had vacation in a month and only 30 TFP on your line of flying you could dump all 30 TFP into OT without taking any TFP out of OT.
Section 14 – Vacation
No Questions
Section 16 – Sick Leave and On the job Injury
Q: If you pick up make up days and don’t fly do you still get the credit?
A: Yes, 5 TFP a day for each reserve make up day not flown.
Q: When am I eligible to make up sick leave?
A: Any time you call out sick and have received paid sick leave. You are restoring your sick leave bank.
Section 21 – Compensation
Q: Any possibility to offer signing bonus as earned income?
A: No. It is illegal.
Q: Is the QPP paid as earned income?
A: Yes
Q: Were there many FAs who are receiving assistance and what are their seniorities?
A: There were hundreds of FAs receiving assistance or who maintain another job and a majority of them were under 12 years and under in seniority.
Q: Is the QPP based on the line average?
A: No, the QPP is based on your personal line award from PBS.
Q: Jan – Mar if I meet my QPP when do I receive the payout?
A: April 20th, it is paid as earned income and qualifies for matching your 401k.
Q: Why is vacation not included in QPP?
A: Management wants to reward those who fly their schedules and didn’t want soft time included. Better to take something we don’t have today and offer an incentive. When management offered, they didn’t intend for all FAs to achieve this provision. Initially management did not want to include Reserves in this program, however the NC negotiated provisions for all Flight Attendants to have ability to qualify.
Q: Why wasn’t QPP put into the wages?
A: Only want to give it to people who fly. Want that money to be incentive to those working. Don’t want to pay it on scale. NC asked to have put into wages and management declined.
Section 22 – Expenses
Q: Why are we not being paid at check in?
A: You are paid a credit during boarding as TFP is front loaded. You are given a credit when plane is not flying for each leg. First 243 miles is 1 TFP, each additional TFP is 400 miles. See Section 21.E. TFP Calculation in TA2.
Section 23 – Insurance
Q: Do different groups have a separate overall cost benefit?
A: No, the overall cost of the benefit is the same for each employee because Alaska Airlines is self-insured. The cost sharing and actual employee rates are negotiated and set separately by their group.
Q: Do we have contractual benefit to insurance?
A: Yes.
Section 27 – General Association
No questions
Section 32 – Attendance Policy
Q: Why did the 14 days to 10 days switch for a continuous occurrence?
A: There is no requirement to wait 14 days for a medical leave. If you have a qualifying medical condition see a physician and obtain proper documentation to take your medical leave.
Random Q and A:
Q: Is it true all contracts have implementation schedules?
A: Yes.
Q: Does the 1.333 TFP credit towards your 480 requirements still exist for unpaid leaves?
A: Yes, Section 15.N..
Q: Who called off the picketing in November?
A: The negotiating committee. Honestly did not anticipate Flight Attendants would be upset. It was with the best on intent. I, JTP, take responsibility for cancelling the picketing without consulting the MEC. It was mostly around getting the information out to allow Flight Attendants to change their bids.
Q: I am interested in your take on why the LEC Ps had a difference of opinion?
A: Always challenging when different opinions. We have very tense conversations and debate and that is ok. It is challenging as a negotiating committee to present when there are different opinions. The LEC Presidents are in charge of making decisions on behalf of their bases. There were many considerations.
Q: Have there been split votes in the past?
A: I have been here since 1999, I am not aware.
Q: Why are side letters signed outside of the TA?
A: As MEC President I am empowered to sign a side letter with agreement of the MEC. Only time we have put out side letters without ratification is when for example is live LTFA. This MEC is very reluctant to side letter without having membership ratification unless it made sense.
Q: Can the Company just change the language if they choose?
A: No. There must be agreement to change language. There is no open door or loop hole.
Q: Did the survey have our top priority as duty day?
A: It was near the top of the list. We understand there are concerns regarding the 4k flying and wanted to put that out for your consideration.
Q: Why do you think the mediator is turning on us?
A: It is not the mediator, it is the system.
Q: Why no buyout?
A: Cost of Flight Attendant and Company not interested in buy outs.
Q: Why didn’t we get more vacation?
A: We have highest vacation credit for a carrier with PBS. We were number 1.
Q: Why didn’t we get higher day value?
A: We were not successful in coming to agreement because management was not willing to agree to an increase in the provision.
Q: In your opinion what is better, block hours or TFP?
A: In my opinion TFP, paid point A to point B. However, makes things difficult to compare.
