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AFA Requests Attendance Points Review

Between Winter Storm Maya and the inability to get through to Crew Scheduling in the past couple days, have you received attendance points that you believe are inappropriately assessed considering the challenging circumstances? If so, the Master Executive Council (MEC) would like to hear from you as soon as possible.

Send an email to points.review@afaalaska.org, with your name, Arctic and/or Peoplesoft number and supporting information. Include as much specific documentation as possible.

The MEC has a meeting set up with management tomorrow morning to address several topics of concern. We will use this as an opportunity to review points accrued under extenuating circumstances due to the inclement weather in the Pacific Northwest and the busy phone lines into Crew Scheduling.

It is not necessary that you submit something by tomorrow morning, but we will need it as soon as possible if you are planning on requesting a review of your points. However, it will definitely help the entire review process if we have a collection of compelling evidence to present to management by tomorrow morning.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC Grievance Chairperson Stephanie Adams

 

Introducing Your MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews at the September MEC meeting for the position of MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson. We would like to thank the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the position. After thorough consideration, the MEC has appointed Stephanie Adams to the position.

Stephanie began her career with Alaska Airlines in 1995 as a Reservation Sales Agent, she spent an additional year as a Customer Service Agent, and in 1997 she became a Flight Attendant. For the majority of her career she has been based in Seattle with a brief time in Portland.

Stephanie began AFA work when she was elected as Seattle Council Representative in 2014. In 2015 she also became the MEC Grievance Representative. She felt compelled to begin AFA work as it combines her education with her longtime experience as a Flight Attendant. Her goal is to passionately protect all Flight Attendants under the purview of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Stephanie is a graduate of Seattle University School of Law and member of the Washington State Bar. Formerly, Stephanie acted as a family law attorney. She resides in Renton and enjoys spending time with her kids and traveling.

In her role as MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson, Stephanie will work closely with the Local Grievance Committee Chairpersons, AFA Staff Attorney Kimberly Chaput, and the AFA International legal department to represent and advocate for Flight Attendants. Stephanie’s appointment is effective December 1, 2016, and her term of appointment is concurrent with the term of the MEC Officers. She will report directly to the MEC.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Trip Trading Freeze Part 2

On July 14th in our Trip Trading Freeze communication, the Master Executive Council (MEC) wrote about our frustrations that starting on the evening of September 30th Alaska Airlines management plans to “temporarily” suspend trip trading for up to 78 hours (although management says they plan to open up trading as soon as they believe it is safe to do so). The reason for the trip trading freeze is in order to transition from Jeppesen Maestro/eMaestro to Jeppesen Crew Tracking Enterprise (JCTE)/Crew Exchange.

A trip-trading freeze of this type would be a contractual violation of CBA §12.C.1. [Exchange of Sequences: Trading Procedures]: “The Company will provide and maintain a real-time electronic system for processing sequence trades, pick-ups, drops and give-aways.” That is just one violated provision of many.

The MEC has spent months attempting to negotiate provisions that would help take the sting out of such a major contractual violation and benefit the operation. The MEC has been trying to achieve an eleventh hour agreement that would be acceptable to our members over the past few weeks. At this point we are completely fed up with management and AFA is filing a grievance on the issue.

Trip-trading freeze negotiations

The MEC would like our members to know exactly how this all went down. When we first learned about the trip-trading freeze, the MEC fairly quickly realized this would cause disruption. However, we could not accept up to 78 hours of contractual violations. Of course the MEC started negotiating provisions on behalf of our members that would recognize how impactful this contractual violation would be as well as to minimize operational exposure. It could have been a “win-win” for all parties.

Paid drop coupons or the equivalent

The MEC’s opening position was one day of paid drop coupons or the equivalent in straight compensation for every Flight Attendant on the payroll for every partial day impacted by the trip-trading freeze (approximately three). Management was absolutely shocked we would open on a position that costs approximately $1 million per day. We told them the proposal was to get their attention and to give us a counter proposal. Negotiations continued.

“Super Reserves”

On the operations side, the parties fairly swiftly honed in on a “Super Reserve” concept that allowed Flight Attendants to be on voluntary call with no requirement to call back. This would help supplement the regular complement of Reserves during the cutover. If flown, a “Super Reserve” would receive the greater of 8.0 TFP or actual flying per day—all at premium pay. The only outstanding issue to be resolved was whether premium was double time (2.0x) or triple time (3.0x)—or somewhere in between. The parties also agreed to a liberalized process for resolving attendance points if Flight Attendants were granted Management Drops pursuant to Section 32 Attendance Policy during the cutover.

Positive Space Tickets, et cetera

Back to management’s “counter proposal.” Management refused to counter anything. The MEC attempted to be “more reasonable” (from management’s perspective) by suggesting every Flight Attendant receive an additional complement of positive space tickets (PST) to supplement our current allotment. We even gave them additional options by signaling that we were open to considering a bump to our Employee Choice travel credits. Nada. Management was concerned about setting a precedent for other employee groups asking for pass-related benefits due to contractual violations.

Attendance points credit

Earlier this week the MEC made a last-ditch proposal in which every Flight Attendant receives a credit of two attendance points (including up to two additional bank points if applicable) effective on or around the cutover date. This proposal was completely no cost and fully discretionary within Inflight (as in there would be no need to seek outside approval from executive management). Inflight management rejected the proposal as “too rich” but that they would consider perhaps one point.

What management thinks you are worth…

Inflight management has stated all along they believe the other provisions (the “Super Reserves” and a liberalized points forgiveness policy for Management Drops issued during the cutover) were good enough to make up for the contractual violation. This is what management thinks you are worth in relation to this unprecedented impact to your flexibility: Alaska Air Group will spend several billion dollars to purchase another carrier, but Inflight management can’t give us something that doesn’t cost a penny!

Grievance filed

So…that is why the MEC is done with management for now, and we’re filing a grievance.

>>> Click here to read Grievance No. 36-99-2-24-16: Suspension of Flight Attendants Trades and Denial of Related Contractual Provisions <<<

Considering how Inflight management is behaving these days, the MEC anticipates more grievances coming in the future.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact your LEC president.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

AFA Grievance No. 36-99-2-24-16 Suspension of Flight Attendant Trades and Denial of Related Contractual Provisions

Sick Leave Monitoring

Management once again focusing on sick leave usage

AFA recently received information indicating that management is once again focusing on monitoring sick leave usage. It is unfortunate that Inflight continues to use valuable resources to monitor it’s own employees with little to no tangible results. AFA believes it is important to notify Flight Attendants of the program and their respective contractual rights.

Inflight base management will be keeping track of their specifically assigned Flight Attendants. Base management will have a form recording their Flight Attendants’ trip lengths, commuter status, sick leave usage prior to or following vacation, eMaestro trip trade posting history in eMaestro (or Crew Exchange after cutover to JCTE), social media activity around the time of sick leave, and possibly other unknown factors.

Suspicion of sick leave abuse

If base management is concerned with a Flight Attendant’s sick leave, they will forward the information to the Flight Attendant’s performance supervisor. The performance supervisor will evaluate the information and take action if s/he believes there is suspicion of sick leave abuse. Sick leave investigations which lead to terminations are rare; however, be advised that abuse of sick leave is a terminable offense.

“Welfare check” emails

Base management may send out emails to Flight Attendants whenever they accrue attendance points. These sick leave usage/accrual of attendance points emails have been occurring since the current contract ratified, but the program has been inconsistently applied throughout the system. Inflight management is looking to make the practice more consistent.

AFA takes the position these emails must contain only friendly “just checking on you” tone and content because contractually the purpose of the email is to ensure the welfare of the Flight Attendant. Flight Attendants are not obligated to respond to this type of email.

There are only two instances in which a Flight Attendant is required to respond to an attendance related email:

  1. In the event they have reached four attendance points or
  2. If calling in sick online after scheduled check-in and prior to wheels up of her/his first flight.

A Flight Attendant may also be contacted to receive counseling anytime s/he receives a No Show pursuant to AFA Alaska Collective Bargaining Agreement §32.E.1 [Attendance Policy: Control Procedure], in which case s/he must respond.

Relevant contractual language

CBA §32.A.3-4. [Attendance Policy: Reporting Procedure]:

3.     Inflight management may reach out via electronic communication on the Company intranet to a Flight Attendant anytime s/he accrues attendance points in order to ensure the welfare of that Flight Attendant. The Flight Attendant will not be obligated to respond.

4.     Inflight management may contact the Flight Attendant via telephone or electronic communication on the Company intranet and the Flight Attendant will be expected to return the contact as soon as practical under the following circumstances:

a.     If a Flight Attendant has accrued a total of four (4) points (regardless of points reduction and/or total bank points) within two (2) consecutive calendar quarters; or

b.    If a Flight Attendant calls in sick at or after scheduled check-in and prior to wheels-up of her/his first flight (Sick Leave On-Line at Scheduled Check-In). Inflight management may contact the Flight Attendant via telephone or electronic communication on the Company intranet. 


***

If you have any questions or concerns, contact one of your LEC officers, particularly if you receive any “off script” emails about attendance.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee; MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl and MEC Grievance Committee Representative Stephanie Adams

Order of Reserve Assignment Grievance Granted

Management granted Grievance No. 36-99-2-4-16: Violation of CBA §11.E.9 Order of Reserve Assignment. AFA filed this grievance earlier this year because Crew Scheduling called a Reserve and didn’t wait 15 minutes for the Reserve to return the call. Crew Scheduling then proceeded to assign the next Reserve on the Low Time First Assigned (LTFA) list to the trip that the first Reserve should have received, but management was disputing whether additional pay was due for the second Reserve.

CBA §11.E.9. [Reserve: Order of Assignment]:

Crew Scheduling will assign Reserves in LTFA order as modified by LTFA preferences or reverse seniority order for Lineholder opt-out; if a Reserve is otherwise assigned out of order for any other reason, s/he will receive one and one-half times (1.5x) the trip rate for all TFP flown or credited, or for APSB of which one-half times (0.5x) will be paid above guarantee.

Since the grievance was granted, Crew Scheduling is required to wait a full 15 minutes for a Reserve to call back for an assignment. If Crew Scheduling moves to the next Reserve prior to the 15 minutes expiring, and if the first Reserve calls back during that time, then the second Reserve called and assigned is entitled to 1.5x pay for all TFP flown or credited in that pairing; 0.5x pay will be paid above guarantee.

If you think you have been assigned a trip out of order under these circumstances, take screen shots of the LTFA list, then contact your local Reserve Committee chairperson if you have any challenges with receiving the additional contractual compensation.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee; MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl, MEC Grievance Committee Representative Stephanie Adams; and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Jarod McNeill

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