[See also Negotiations: General 2 [misc] and Negotiations: General [misc]]

Q:     On the blog, a question was asked regarding whether these negotiations meant that the contract had to be opened. The answer provided was, “Management wanted to negotiate only transition items that would bring the L-VX FAs over to the L-AS CBA.” Can you please expand on what exactly were those “transition items,” and why is it that the JNC took the position that improvements for L-AS absolutely had to be included as well instead of just bringing L-VX into our contract as-is? Because by doing so, is that not what opened us up for concessions like the 2-year extension?

A:     Transition items would be any provisions necessary to bring L-VX FAs into the current L-AS 2014-2019 contract: creation of a sick leave bank, attendance policy transition, training, benefits and implementation dates for hours of service, scheduling, reserve, compensation, etc. The JNC and the MEC were concerned that a “transition only” TA would not get ratified by the full membership (L-VX and L-AS) if there were not improvements for the L-AS FAs over and above the existing agreement. A mid-term agreement with a duration that extends beyond the existing amendable date is not a concession in and of itself.

Q:     Why did the JNC settle for only 4.5% pay increase?

A:     It seems there is a lot of confusion regarding the rate increases in the TA. In Section 21.A [Step Rates of Pay] of the current 2014-2019 CBA, L-AS FAs are currently on contract year 3 (DOS +3) pay rates. The most recent pay increase was on 12/17/2017. We are currently scheduled for an additional 1.5% increase on 12/17/2018, which is the last increase in this contract.

The 2014-2019 CBA has:

• A 1.5% increase on 12/17/2018

The 2018-2021 Merger Agreement has:

• An additional 4.5% increase on date of ratification, retroactive to 1/1/2018
• (The same 1.5% increase on 12/17/2018 as the current CBA)
• An additional 1.5% increase on 12/17/2019
• An additional 2.5% increase on 12/17/2020

At top of scale, this is a ~10.4% increase across the life of the agreement, or an additional 8.7% over and above the current agreement. If you are still receiving step rate of pay increases, the rate increases are even higher. See the rate table below (in TFP):

Q:     Was there any reasoning why the JNC put out a communication for this TA a piece at a time? The first communication read raises for everyone including a hefty TFP raise for our Union Leaders. Wouldn’t you you agree that these calculations for AS were a bit misleading? They included the 1.5% raise we would receive at DOS+4 in 2018 as well as the 1.5% raise on DOS in 2019. However those two raises were already given to us under our current contract. The facts are that the extension doesn’t really give the L-AS side much of a pay increase. We were told at the Union meetings in the Spring & Fall of 2017 that “the Union had their walking papers” and “pay at the top of the scale was a priority.“ It appears that those of us on the upper end of our pay scale are again not getting a fair value assessment of the hard years we’ve given our Company.

A:     See below.

Was there any reasoning why the JNC put out a communication for this TA a piece at a time? The first communication read raises for everyone including a hefty TFP raise for our Union Leaders.

The JNC put out a communication for the TA a piece at a time because we were developing content and reference material as we went. In other words, we didn’t have every document (e.g. TA summaries, TAs, blog posts, etc.) ready for publication when the JNC sent out the first communication on Monday, February 12th “MEC Unanimously Approves Tentative Merger Agreement for Membership Ratification.” See the JNC blog post “Flight Pay Loss (FPL) Increases for AFA Officers & MEC EAP [JCBA]” for more information about the AFA FPL increases.

Wouldn’t you you agree that these calculations for AS were a bit misleading? They included the 1.5% raise we would receive at DOS+4 in 2018 as well as the 1.5% raise on DOS in 2019. However those two raises were already given to us under our current contract.

There was no intent to mislead anyone. It is true that the 1.5% increase scheduled for 12/17/2018 is already ‘on the books’ in the current 2014-2019 CBA, but there is no 1.5% increase in the current CBA in 2019. So it is not true that two of the raises are already given under the current contract. See the Q&A above for more info.

The facts are that the extension doesn’t really give the L-AS side much of a pay increase.

That really depends on one’s definition of what constitutes “much of a pay increase.” Pay increases across the life of the agreement range from ~10.4% to 54.7% when factoring in moving through the step rates of pay. See the chart in the Q&A above for more info. The other factor to consider is that this is a mid-term JCBA. L-AS FAs would not otherwise be due any pay increases other than the 1.5% scheduled for 12/17/2018 (i.e. not the 4.5% now, not the 1.5% in 2019 and not the 2.5% in 2020).

We were told at the Union meetings in the Spring & Fall of 2017 that “the Union had their walking papers” and “pay at the top of the scale was a priority.“ It appears that those of us on the upper end of our pay scale are again not getting a fair value assessment of the hard years we’ve given our Company.

Pay at the top of the scale was and still is a priority. However, there are multiple priorities in this merger, and sometimes even bargaining priorities must also be prioritized. The unfortunate reality is that management was unwilling to agree to targeted increases to the top of the scale. The JNC had to weigh that priority with the fact that a protracted merger negotiations may not be the optimal result for the membership as a whole–particularly because all L-VX FAs are hanging in the balance. See “Merger Negotiations Background” for more info about bargaining rationale.

[See also Negotiations: General [misc]]

Q:     Please explain who were the specific people at the negotiation table for both the union and company.  Did the Company have legal representation/counsel present to review and advise the Company during the negotiation process?  Did the Union have legal representation/counsel to review and advise the union during the negotiation process.  If the Union had legal counsel during negotiations to review and advise is that information made available to us as Flight attendants of who that counsel is?

A:     For the AFA JNC: MEC President Jeff Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Jamie Cogen, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo. AFA Director of Collective Bargaining Joe Burns also joined the JNC for some of the key sessions in which the parties discussed comprehensive economic proposals.

AFA Director of Collective Bargaining Joe Burns is also an attorney. Keep in mind that Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo, although not an attorney, is a professional negotiator and has been bargaining for AFA since the 1990s. The full resources of the AFA Collective Bargaining, Research and Legal departments were made available to the JNC throughout the process, including AFA General Counsel Ed Gilmartin. 

For the Company: Vice President of Inflight & Call Center/Guest Services Jeff Butler, Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays, Managing Director of Labor Relations Elizabeth Ryan and Manager of Labor Emily Kimmel. They were joined at various points by subject matter experts such as Managing Director of Inflight Operations Valerie Jenkins, Financial Planning & Analysis Manager Brittany Schaub, Director of Retirement Services Chrystie Dickens, Retirement Benefits Analyst Jaime Smalley, Virgin America Supervisor of Crew Pay Peter Silberstein.

Management did not have any legal representation/counsel present during any bargaining sessions. To the best of our knowledge, management did not have any legal representation/council present in their caucus room when we were not in joint session. The JNC is aware that Alaska Airlines Legal reviewed the JCBA Supplemental Reduction in Force LOA and advised management via email.

Q:     I hear many L-AS FAs voicing skepticism about this merger TA primarily due to the extension of our current contract and the lack of resolution on our current open time agreement. What is the status of our new open time agreement? Perhaps some more information as to why the JNC and the Company agreed on a 2 year extension to the current agreement.

A:    The JNC believes it is understandable L-AS FAs are frustrated about the lack of resolution regarding Open Time. Be assured that the MEC and the Negotiating Committee are equally as frustrated about the situation, and they have not forgotten about it. Open Time is a ‘meaty’ enough topic in its own right that the MEC will prepare a standalone communication to address the issue shortly. The duration of the mid-term JCBA was addressed in the JNC blog post “Negotiations: Why a Midterm JCBA? [misc]” and also in “Merger Negotiations Background” under “Bargaining Rationale.”

For ANCFAs:

Q:     Do I have to give up my ANC SIDA badge to get the $75.00 parking stipend if I am a commuter from FAI and want it for use of the elevator, but I do not park in the employee lot?

A:     Yes! As of 2/27/2018 management now agrees that you may keep the ANC SIDA badge and still be eligible for the $75 parking stipend. if you decline Company-provided parking. You may be required to confirm that you will not utilize parking in ANC.

Q:     As a commuter from SEA, ANC supervisors told me I could not give up my ANC SIDA badge, which includes parking, so I have been unable to get SEA parking. Will I be eligible to get the $75 stipend/month since I do not park in ANC?

A:     Yes! As of 2/27/2018 management now agrees that you may keep the ANC SIDA badge and still be eligible for commuter parking in another domicile/co-terminal or for the $75 parking stipend if you decline Company-provided parking altogether. You may be required to confirm that you will not utilize parking in ANC.