SAN Roadshow Q&A 12/11/14 Afternoon Session
Section 3 – Scope
Q: Could a manager/supervisor fly on a sequence with a deadhead?
A: Yes, but the provision would require they fly as an extra.
Q: Is allowing manager/supervisors a union busting tactic?
A: No.
Q: What about allowing a side letter to allow managers to fly outside of the provisions in the agreement?
A: AFA leadership and MEC are not in the position to put in place side letters without membership ratification unless there is a benefit to all Flight Attendants. Please review the Constitution and Bylaws. Live LTFA is an example.
Q: Is this opening a door for management flying?
A: Supervisors/managers that are FAA certified as a Flight Attendant may already sit in jump seats. They typically choose to sit in passenger seats. They are also able to participate in IOEs and checkrides.
Q: How many flights in the last 3 years have cancelled due to Flight Attendants?
A: None. Typically cancellations are due to pilot shortage, pilot duty limitations, weather and mechanical.
Section 8 – Hours of Service
Q: Did you review how the 4k and 15 minute debrief would affect the flying in each domicile?
A: Yes
Q: What pairings may be affected by the 15 minute debrief based on today’s flying?
A: ORD, MCI, STL, AUS, SAT, DFW, SJD.
Q: What pairings are affected by 4k based on today’s flying?
A: SEA-DTW, SEA-IAH, PDX-PVR.
Q: Why did the Company want both the 15 minute debrief and 4k?
A: They are different applications and provide protections in regards to number of legs, sit time, reassignment, JA just as an example. The 4k and 15 min debrief are contingent on the pay scale and length of steps during the bargaining of the agreement. This is part of your overall consideration. You can see the letter directly from Shane on the Negotiations Blog where he answers this question.
Section 9 – Junior Availability and Premium OT
Q: Is JA done by the overall system or base specific?
A: Just like today JA is based on the domicile. However under TA2 Crew Scheudling will be required to look at all of those legal and available on duty within the specific domicile from which they are JA’ing.
Section 10 – Scheduling
No questions
Section 11 – Reserve
Q: If a reserve offers to do a 4k how does that work?
A: On the LTFA a reserve would opt in for 4k flying on LFTA.
Q: If a Reserve flies a 4k what is their minimum rest on RON and at Domicile?
A: RON rest is scheduled no less than 10 hours for ALL sequences. Domicile rest for Reserves under the current agreement is 9 hours, however, under TA2 Reserves will receive domicile rest of 11 hours and 30 minutes.
Q: Under the current contract if a lineholder calls in well they may sometimes be connected to their sequence at another point within the sequence, is this changing?
A: No, this will remain the same application as today.
Section 12 – Exchange of Sequences
Q: If CS takes a trip do they have to go in seniority order or will they go by the comments field?
A: They will go in seniority order.
Q: Could we take a survey to see if we like the new OT or want cancellation within the 12 month period?
A: That would be a decision by your MEC. This is not a requirement in the current contractual provisions.
Section 14 – Vacation
Q: Is my vacation included in my 960 for an extra week of PTO at 25 years?
A: Yes.
Section 16 – Sick Leave and On the Job Injury
Q: If I picked up 4 days of reserve sick leave make up and I restore my sick leave overall total prior to completing all of my reserve days am I required to remain on reserve?
A: Yes, unless you submit a personal drop and the drop is granted.
Section 21 – Compensation
Q: Will we receive longevity premium pay on sick leave or vacation?
A: No.
Q: Is longevity premium attached to a 480 application?
A: No, longevity premium is a separate line item, paid exactly like reserve flying premium. The longevity premium is not paid on vacation or sick leave.
Section 22 – Expenses
No questions
Section 23 – Insurance
Q: Can you coordinate with FMLA for the 480 look back for benefits?
A: Yes, review 15.M and 15.N.. There is typically a medical leave where you are coordinating benefits or not coordinating. If you call in FMLA for a trip, that occurrence will NOT be considered as an event that would require a look back. There must be coordination of sick leave to trigger the 480 look back.
Section 27 – General Association
Q: Will there be a specific phone number designated to reach the Scheduling Chair?
A: We have not work out a specific number to call, would be safe to assumed availability through a cell phone and email. Also your LEC officers are available for local issues.
Q: Since the operation runs 24/7 will there be more than one full time scheduling chair?
A: No. There is only one scheduling chair that will oversee the operation. S/he will be expected to work a full schedule in the office and available to assist as needed. In special circumstances such as JA the Scheduling Chair is notified prior to assignment being issued and will take an active role in specific times of need.
Section 32 – Attendance Policy
Q: If I have a 3-calendar day trip because my release is after midnight on the 3rd day and call in sick how many points would I receive?
A: 1.5 points, it is .5 point per calendar day. Some 3-day calendar trips may be reduced to 2 day trips due to the 15 minute debrief. The sick call is based on how the trip is scheduled. This is the same practice as today.
Q: I read there is ability to have a supervisor/manager contact me and I must return contact in specific situations, why is that?
A: In difficult times it is sometimes challenging to ask for help or know resources such as medical leaves or FMLA. We have seen circumstances where the lives of Flight Attendants were saved because of AFA/management reaching out to FAs in special circumstances. In addition, we also see many grievances where if resources were used Flight Attendants jobs may have been saved.
Random Q&A:
Q: Does sick child or sick family count towards vacation accrual?
A: No. But sick child and sick family TFP credit would count towards 480 for insurance.
Q: Is there any limit on CPA flying by SkyWest or Horizon operating as Alaska Airlines?
A: No.
Q: Does CPA flying concern AFA?
A: The smaller planes we are not as concerned. If AAG was to purchase larger aircraft and operate as a separate company is concerning but we did not achieve any more favorable application than the Alaska Airlines pilots.
Q: Do we have protections in TA2 in case we are absorbed by another airline?
A: Yes.
Q: Did you improve deadhead language?
A: Yes, there is a requirement to provide a passenger seat if the deadhead is in excess of 4 hours.
Q: Would we get retro on minimum pay rules since the implementation says no later than May 1st, 2015?
A: There is no retro on the minimum pay rules, however you may put in an activity claim for the sit time.
Q: What happens if the date of implementing minimum pay rules exceeds past May 1st, 2015?
A: AFA would file a grievance and would ask for monetary penalties, but there is no guarantee we would be successful in achieving those penalties. Contractually there is no requirement to pay a penalty.
Q: Are Jet Bridge trades only between FAs of same domicile?
A: Yes, the FAs and the pairing must be the same domicile.
Joanne DeCicco says
I do not understand this question. Will you please explain it? What is CS.? Crew Scheduling? Can you please use fewer abbreviations.?
Q: If CS takes a trip do they have to go in seniority order or will they go by the comments field?
A: They will go in seniority order.
Lisa Pinkston (ANC LEC Vice President/Negotiating Committee Member) says
Yes. CS is Crew Scheduling.
Please see Section 12.D. Crew Scheduling Access to Flight Attendant Sequences Posted to Bulletin Board.
CS will have the ability to look at the trips posted by FAs for pick-up and they may pick them up and assign to a reserve. They would do this in seniority order based on the number of days/am or pm trip they were looking to assign the reserve. CS will call the FA if it is requested in the comments field as well.
Example: There are 5 pm 3 day reserves. CS can go in an pick up 3 day PM trips to assign and will do so in seniority order.
This would be done after all Personal Drops have been awarded. If CS picks up the trip and assigns to a reserve, the FA can still pick up other flying. This would be just like a FA picking up a trip posted on the bulletin board. Hope this helps explain and please let us know if you still do not understand this provision.