Q:     My crew today is all convinced that L-VX FAs will not receive L-AS work rules if the TA is ratified. Each of us is reading it differently. Is it just the money? Or will L-VX FAs get the L-AS contract?

A:     If the TA is ratified, L-VX FAs will start receiving the equivalent of L-AS pay on many of the L-AS contractual pay provisions (converted from TFP to block-hours until L-VX is transitioned fully to TFP). If the TA is ratified, L-VX FAs will also receive many of the L-AS contractual provisions starting at Date of Ratification. However, many of the L-AS scheduling-related work rules will not become effective until Full Implementation, which is currently expected in March 2019. Although the JNC pushed hard for L-AS contractual work rules to be implemented earlier, that is not possible due to programming limitation in Sabre (VX) and JCTE (AS) as well as staffing constraints on the VX partition.  Details regarding the timing of JCBA implementation for L-VX FAs is in the L-VX Implementation Timetable LOA TA.

Q:     If the TA is not passed, will L-AS FAs still experience aircraft differences training this year? Also…the differences training is mentioned many times in the blog as taking place this summer and fall. As summer is approaching (our next bid month is May!), do you have any information as to who will be scheduled and when? Will we have much notice as to when our training will be? If we have recurrent in June, for example, will it be incorporated with differences training? Or will it remain separate?

A:     Transition training (i.e. aircraft differences training) within both partitions will go forward regardless of the status of the TA. All Flight Attendants who are medically able to attend training are required to do so. The ‘live’ portion of differences training (there is also some computer based training) will be two days completely separate from Recurrent Training. The training is anticipated between July and November, with bidding for the training in late April to early May. More information can be found in the Airbus Transition Training LOA. The MEC is also planning a standalone communication to address differences training.

Q:     I can’t seem to find the part in the TA about getting retro pay for L-AS Flight Attendants back to January 2018. Is that true, and if it is, will L-AS FAs be getting the on the April 20th paycheck if the TA passes?

A:     Retro pay for L-AS FAs to January 1, 2018, is located in the L-AS FA Transition Agreement 2018 (located on the Merger TA & Info page) under “JCBA Implementation Schedule.” If the TA is ratified, L-AS retro pay is anticipated on the May 20th paycheck.

Q:     I was trying to find the VX Playbook 2017 revision that is listed on the “L-VX FA Transition Agreement 2018 TA”. It is not on Alaska’s World, in Goodreader on the IMD, or on VX Connect (the 2014 version is the most recent on VX Connect). I believe it used to be accessible through Alaska’s World for Teammates (the VX employee version). Where can I access it now or has it been replaced by the AS “Our People Policy”?

A:     The VX Interim Playbook 2017 has been pulled down by management in several locations because it was replaced by the AS “Our People Policy.” That version can still (as of 3.12.2018 @ 5pm PT) be found on Alaskasworld “Virgin America teammate playbook gets a new home” (September 27, 2017) or directly accessed here (login required).

The relevant language is as follows:

Personal Days (rev. Mar. 2010)

Personal days or personal time are paid hours off to be used at your discretion, with prior team leader approval per your team’s work rules. Personal days are accrued each pay period starting on your hire date, while you are in active, paid status. All regular full-time, non-crew Teammates accrue two eight-hour personal days each year of employment, or 16 hours of paid personal time. Regular part-time non-crew Teammates who work at least 18.5 hours per week will accrue two four-hour personal days per year of employment, or eight hours of paid personal time. Crewmember personal day entitlements are set forth in the work rules for those departments.

The maximum number of personal days that you are able to accrue is capped at 1.5 times the regular rate of accrual.

Non-exempt, non-crew Teammates may use personal days in one-hour increments. Exempt, non-crew Teammates may use personal days in full or one-half day increments. For example, a HQ exempt Teammate who works a standard workweek may take a one-half day off by utilizing four hours of personal days time.

Some examples of what personal days can be used for are holidays that are not designated company holidays for your department, time out of the office for regular doctor or dentist appointments, to supplement sick or vacation time, or for any personal matter. “

In the event that you leave Virgin America, you will be paid for all accrued and unused personal days through your date of separation.

[See also Productivity Premium Program (PPP) [JCBA]]

Q:     I have a question about the new PPP program set to replace the QPP program under the TA. Specifically, I’m concerned about the ability to pick up extra flying since every FA who wants the productivity bonus will need to pick up 5 TFP per month.  It seems like this will make it very difficult, if not impossible, to find any trips either in open time or FA/FA. This is even more troubling given the fact that our awarded monthly lines of flying are continually being built to lower and lower TFP per month.

A:      Average line awards are low at currently because L-AS is temporarily overstaffed in anticipation of aircraft differences training starting in a few months and the summer staffing needs. That situation will not be a permanent condition. A majority of Flight Attendants will benefit from the PPP because unpaid and paid vacation (including Longevity PTO) will count towards achieving the PPP, whereas vacation does not count towards achieving QPP. However, the requirement to fly 5.0 TFP  over one’s PBS bid award equivalent for the monthly blocks and 40.0 TFP over the 8-month block is a requirement of the provision for your consideration under the TA.