Q.     I just found the LOA of Airbus training bidding.  However I did not see where it told us if that two days of training bid so far in advance counts in our monthly TFP for bid award assignment by PBS, or do we have to be awarded the line average award on top of 2 days at training?  Or do we get 12 TFP pre-awarded in our schedule before PBS starts loading us up with trips?

Does this mean that all Airbus trips will be in PBS to bid and us working them in March 2019, and all FAs will have the same duty day of max. 10.5 hours by March 2019?

A.    Airbus Transition Training for L-AS Flight Attendants will be a pre-planned absence for purposes of bidding in NavBlue with a credit value of 12 TFP.  The TFP value of transition training will be credited toward the line values during the line construction process.  This is per section 10.F.2.a of the CBA.

If the TA is ratified, Full Integration is slated for March 2019 which means that all Flight Attendants L-VX and L-AS will be bidding together (in their respective bases for all Airbus and Boeing flying) at the beginning of February.  All March pairings will be built under the JCBA which maintains all current Alaska Flight Attendant CBA provisions with respect to duty and rest provisions including the 10.5 hour duty day.

Q.    Do the votes have to be postmarked by a certain date?

A.    Voting does not occur by mail.  Voting is done electronically by phone or internet.  When you receive your ballot it includes a 16-digit activation code that you need to vote.

If your voting instructions have not arrived, please contact the AFA Ballot Help Line, Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm Eastern Time at 1-800-424-2401, press 1, and extension 706.  For more voting information see the JNC TA Voting Information Page here:

http://afaalaska.org/merger/jnc/ta/voting

Q. Can you please explain accelerated vesting to me under Sec 29 C. #3?  Aren’t you 100% vested after 5 years service as a fa? If so, why is there a need for #3?  Unless correct me if I am wrong an example -an FA is in the job for 2 years but worked for the company in a different position for 10 years and at 61 1/2 they would get full vesting but if less than 60 years, or less than 10 years, would only be vested at 40% for her 2 years as a FA. Am I understanding correctly?

A. Section 29 of the L-AS CBA: Profit Sharing and Retirement specifies in  29.C. what is the vesting schedule for a Flight Attendant’s 401(k) company matching contributions.  This schedule is based on years of service as a Flight Attendant (often referred to as Occupational Seniority). A Flight Attendant is fully vested (100%) at five (5) or more years of service as a Flight Attendant (of Occupational Seniority).

The language in Section 29.D. references when a Flight Attendant may receive accelerated vesting in their 401(k) company matching contributions.  Specifically number three (29.D.3.) states that when a Flight Attendant has prior company service with Alaska Airlines and is either 60 or 611/2 years of age, then s/he would have accelerated vesting and her/his Company Seniority of either (12 or 10 years respectively) would allow her/him to be 100% vested.  

1.  ACCELERATED VESTING

A Member will be fully vested and have a non-forfeitable interest in the balance credited to her/his Matching Contributions Account if:

• The employee becomes medically disabled; or

• The employee retires at or after age sixty-five (65); or

• The employee retires at or after age sixty (60) with a minimum twelve (12) years of service with the Company Seniority, or at or after age sixty-one and one-half (611⁄2) and a minimum of ten (10) years of service with the Company Seniority.”

In your scenario above  if a Flight Attendant had worked for 2 years (2 years of Occupational Seniority) and had prior company service but was either younger than 60/61 or did not have 12/10 years of Company Seniority then s/he  would only be 40% vested in tthe 401k company matching contributions.

Note:  A Flight Attendant is always 100% vested in her/his personal 401(k) contributions.