Contract

New Open Time System Delayed Another Month Until September for October

July 30, 2015 12:00

Open Time initially delayed until August for September

According to the Contract Implementation Schedule, Open Time (OT) was originally scheduled for implementation in July for the August bid month. AFA Alaska received notice in June that Open Time was delayed until August 15 for the September bid month. See the communication from June 13, 2015, “New Open Time Trading System Implementation Delay” for more information. You may access an electronic copy of that notice (that lists all the technical reasons for the first delay) here.

Open Time now subsequently delayed until September for October

Unfortunately, AFA received official notice from management yesterday that implementation of the new OT trading system will be delayed another month—until September for the October bid month. You may access an electronic copy of the most recent notice (that lists all the technical reasons for the delay) here. Therefore upcoming Open Time will commence on August 18^th using the existing rules.

Alaska Airlines management and AFA do not want to go live with a new Open Time trading system that has the possibility of crashing not only Open Time but also electronic trip trading in general. Although this additional delay is a disappointing development, we all want the new Open Time system to be a success. The good news is that management reports being “very confident” that Open Time will be implemented in September for October. As a reminder, the trial period of the new Open Time trading system begins once the system is actually implemented.

* * *

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact one of your Local Executive Council (LEC) officers.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; MEC Grievance chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl; and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput

Your Contract Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

7.29.15 OT Delay Letter to AFA

Revised Section 21.N Stranded Pay

July 14, 2015 05:00

AFA and Alaska Airlines management have essentially re-written Stranded Pay

AFA and Alaska Airlines management have essentially re-written Section 21.N Stranded Pay in addition to the Addendum to Section 21 #3 “What is Stranded Pay?”. Why?

Background on why Stranded Pay needed to be revised

Stranded Pay was one of the last bargaining objectives AFA wished to address in Section 21 Compensation. Unfortunately, the parties basically ran out of time at what ended up being the final mediation session in Chicago back in October last year. The National Mediation Board (NMB) had put significant pressure on both parties to reach an agreement in that session “or else.” AFA believes it is accurate to say that both the AFA and management negotiating committees were under the distinct impression that future mediation dates were in jeopardy if a tentative agreement was not achieved. We did ultimately reach an agreement but Stranded Pay went completely untouched.

With the addition of all the new Minimum Pay Rules (MPRs) and Sit Pay, the existing Stranded Pay language was inadequate to explain how flight attendants would be compensated in many different situations involving the aforementioned new provisions. Rather than ending up in multiple disputes, AFA and management agreed to address Stranded Pay prior to publishing the final version of the contract. Additionally, Stranded Pay has accumulated fairly significant grievance history in the past two decades. Therefore it was in the best interest of all concerned to clarify and memorialize that history while also taking into account the new provisions.

Revised Stranded Pay language

The following language will be in the final printed version of your contract:

SECTION 21 COMPENSATION

N. STRANDED PAY

In the event a Flight Attendant is stranded, i.e. unable to fly her/his sequence (the sequence that is on her/his line following check-in) as scheduled for more than two hours (2:00), due to weather, mechanical problems, or to suit Company convenience, s/he will receive pay for such stranding (i.e. the act of being stranded) as described below.

1. When a Flight Attendant is stranded, s/he will be compensated on a day-for-day basis except as provided for under 1.e. (stranded pay in a sequence with a Multiday Sequence Minimum (MSM)) and 1.f. (stranded pay in a sequence with an Average Duty Period Guarantee (ADPG)), below, as follows:

a. The TFP value of flights flown including surface deadhead in addition to any TFP added to achieve the Duty Period Minimum; and

b. Sit Pay; and

c. Any applications of the Extended Overnight Rule (EOR) not related to the stranding(s); and

d. If the sequence in which the stranding occurs does not contain a Multiday Sequence Minimum (MSM), the greater of:

1. (Stranded pay:) The TFP value of all instances of stranded pay in the day pursuant to N.2., below; or

2. (Pay protection:) The scheduled TFP value of scheduling obligations not flown or made up that day as a result of the stranding(s) plus the TFP value of any scheduling consequence(s) resulting from the applicable stranding(s) that directly affects any duty or rest period in the same or subsequent sequence(s) (e.g. when related to the stranding: any Extended Overnight Rule application(s), adjustments due to compensatory “double-out” rest or other contractual legalities, etc.); or

e. If the sequence in which the stranding occurs contains a Multiday Sequence Minimum (MSM), the greater of:

1. (Stranded pay in the entire sequence:) The TFP value of all instances of stranded pay in the sequence pursuant to N.2., below; or

2. (All pay protection:) The scheduled TFP value of all scheduling obligations not flown or made up in the entire sequence plus the TFP value of any MSM over the life of the sequence plus the TFP value of any scheduling consequence(s) resulting from the applicable stranding(s) that directly affects any duty or rest period in the same or subsequent sequence(s) (e.g. when related to the stranding: any Extended Overnight Rule application(s), adjustments due to compensatory “double-out” rest or other contractual legalities, etc.); and

f. TFP added to the sequence to achieve the Average Duty Period Guarantee (ADPG).

g. If a duty period crosses midnight such duty period will be credited in the day in which the duty period starts for the purposes of calculating pay protection or stranded pay pursuant to this provision.

2. Stranded Pay

a. Commencing with the time the aircraft blocks in at the gate or is scheduled to depart from the gate, whichever is appropriate, at the station at which it is stranded and terminating with the time the aircraft blocks out of the station at which it is stranded, each Flight Attendant will be paid one (1.0) TFP for each four hours (4:00) of such period (over two hours (2:01 or more) will count as a full four hours (4:00), two hours (2:00) or less will not count).

b. Each stranding will be considered separately whenever possible and calculated accordingly for pay purposes; however if the sequence in which a stranding occurs contains a Multiday Sequence Minimum, all instances of stranded pay are considered across the entire sequence pursuant to 1.e., above. If multiple strandings occur in a sequence such that it is not possible to isolate which scheduling consequence(s) is directly related to a particular stranding for the purposes of determining the greater of stranded pay or pay protection pursuant to N.1.b.2, above, the TFP value of such scheduling consequence(s) will be considered against each applicable stranding separately.

c. Each occurrence of stranded pay between flights in the same duty period will reduced by one (1.0) TFP for Sit Pay already compensated for ground time in excess of two hours (2:00) during the same period pursuant to 21.T. [Sit Pay], below.

d. Unless otherwise provided elsewhere in this Agreement, receiving Stranded Pay will not negate a Flight Attendant’s right to receive other pay provisions.

3. If a Flight Attendant has been given an alternate assignment (such as under Section 10.R. [Reassignments], Section 10.S. [Pre-cancellations] and/or Section 16.L. [Calling in Well], etc.) and s/he is stranded during the alternate assignment, the baseline for the pay protection comparison pursuant to 1.d.2. and 1.e.2., above, is the greater of the following on a day-for-day comparison:

a. The TFP value of the sequence on the Flight Attendant’s line prior to any scheduling adjustment(s); or

b. The TFP value of the alternate assignment flown.

4. If a Flight Attendant is stranded and such stranding leads to a RON that results in flying during a duty period commencing on a scheduled day off, stranded pay under 21.N. will be calculated separately from compensation under Section 9.D.1.d [Company’s Right to Assign JA]. The period used to calculate stranded pay under this Section will continue up to the time the duty period preceding the unscheduled RON was scheduled to end (i.e. the time the final duty period of the sequence that was on the Flight Attendant’s line following check-in was scheduled to end). The compensation under Section 9.D.1.d [Company’s Right to Assign JA] of one (1.0) TFP for every four hours (4:00) until release at domicile will begin thereafter.

Addendum to Section 21 Compensation

3. What is stranded pay?

Stranded pay: If you are on a sequence that does not contain a Multiday Sequence Minimum (MSM) and you are stranded in excess of two hours (2:01 or more) due to weather, mechanical problems or to suit Company convenience, you will generally be paid the greater of (see Section 21.N. [Stranded Pay] for exact details):

The scheduled // TFP value of cancelled flights not flown or made up that same day; or

Commencing with the time the aircraft blocks in at the gate or is scheduled to depart from the gate, whichever is appropriate, at the station at which it is stranded and terminating with the time the aircraft blocks out of the station at which it is stranded, you will be paid one (1.0) TFP for each four hours (4:00) of such period (over two hours (2:01 or greater) will count as a full four hours (4:00); two hours (2:00) or less will not count) //.

The time period for calculation of stranded pay commences at the time the aircraft blocks in at the gate, or is scheduled to depart from the gate, whichever is appropriate, and terminates at the time the aircraft actually departs.

Example: Stranded Pay

Scheduled Sequence

DAY

FLT NBR

ORG

DST

DEP

ARR

BLK TIME

TFP

TOTAL TFP

530

583

SEA

BUR

–

BUR

PDX

1000

1255

1218

1505

218

210

2.7

2.4

5.1

504

553

712

PDX

LAX

PDX

–

LAX

PDX

PHX

0655

0950

1355

0908

1208

1710

213

218

223

2.5

2.9

7.9

725

723

PHX

PDX

–

PDX

SEA

0700

0915

0844

1000

244

2.9

1.0

3.9

TOTALS 16.9 hard-time TFP // + 4.0 TFP Duty Period Minimum (DPM) of 0.1 TFP = 17.0 total TFP.

Assume you fly Flight 725 PHX-PDX on Day Three, and that Flight 725 PDX-SEA cancels due to a mechanical. You deadhead to domicile on Flight 723, departing PDX at 1655. You have been stranded in Portland for over eight hours (8:00). You will be paid the greater of one (1.0) TFP Stranded Pay (two (2.0) TFP Stranded Pay for a stranding over eight hours (8:00) but reduced by one (1.0) TFP already paid as Sit Pay over two hours (2:01+)) or the scheduled TFP value of cancelled flights not flown or made up the same day.

Revised Sequence

DAY

FLT NBR

ORG

DST

DEP

ARR

BLK TIME

TFP

TOTAL TFP

530

583

SEA

BUR

–

BUR

PDX

1000

1255

1218

1505

218

210

2.7

2.4

5.1

504

553

712

PDX

LAX

PDX

–

LAX

PDX

PHX

0655

0950

1355

0908

1208

1710

213

218

223

2.5

2.9

7.9

725

723

PHX

PDX

–

PDX

SEA

0700

1655

0844

1745

244

2.9

1.0

3.9

TOTALS 16.9 hard-time TFP // + 4.0 TFP Duty Period Minimum (DPM) of 0.1 TFP + Stranded Pay of 1.0 TFP + Sit Pay of 1.0 TFP = 19.0 total TFP.

TFP paid for Stranded Pay can be identified on your Flight Attendant Pay Detail by the absence code “SR”. Section 21.N. [Stranded Pay].

What does all this new language mean?

AFA knows the revised Stranded Pay language in Section 21.N is more complex than before. Stranded Pay was already complicated enough to begin with and now it’s even more complicated with all the Minimum Pay Rules (MPRs) and Sit Pay. However, we believe the language provides a more step-by-step walkthrough of how to determine compensation pursuant to this provision. AFA is planning several contract education pieces and Stranded Pay is definitely on the list.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about Stranded Pay you can contact your Local Executive Council (LEC) officers, the Scheduling Committee or your Contract Committee (contract@afaalaska.org). If one of your immediate AFA resources also needs clarification in order to accurately answer your questions, please be patient, as they may need to connect with their own resources until getting comfortable with the provision.

* * *

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; MEC Grievance Chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl; and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput

Your Contract Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

Update Regarding the Printed Contract, Quarterly Productivity Premium Disputes and Stranded Pay

July 13, 2015 05:00

AFA and Alaska Airlines management have resolved the last major issues holding up the publication of the contract

AFA and Alaska Airlines management have tentatively resolved the various disputes regarding the Quarterly Productivity Premium (QPP) and the parties have also clarified the language in Stranded Pay (found in Section 21 Compensation) to include the new Minimum Pay Rules. These were the last major issues holding up finalizing the contract in preparation for publication. The Master Executive Council (MEC) and the Contract Committee met recently to review the pre-indexed version of the contract and we are pleased to report the MEC approved the document for indexing.

Indexing is now underway

Indexing is now underway and should take only two to three weeks. Following indexing there will be a final proofread. Then the contract will be sent to the printer for publication and the electronic version will be made immediately available on the AFA Alaska website as well as on the Inflight Mobile Device. Once printed, copies will be available for pickup in each domicile.

Pending Quarterly Productivity Premium (QPP) settlement

AFA filed a grievance (Grievance No. 36-99-2-26-15) alleging a violation of Section 21.R [Quarterly Productivity Premium] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it excluded Flight Attendants who did not receive a PBS bid award due to leave status from the QPP. Once the parties have officially signed the settlement agreement that resolves the grievance in the near future, we will communicate the details to you.

Stranded Pay

The Stranded Pay (Section 21.N [Stranded Pay]) provision of your contract has essentially been completely re-written to clarify the provision and to accommodate the new Minimum Pay Rules (MPRs). AFA will provide you with the details of the improved Stranded Pay language in a separate communication.

In Solidarity,

Your Contract Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

Where is the Printed Contract?

June 12, 2015 17:00

What is taking so darned long?

AFA is still working as quickly as possible with management to finalize the contract in preparation for publication. So what is taking so darned long?

This is the first negotiations to revise and clean up the contract basically cover to cover since 1994

One challenge is that although there have been several rounds of negotiations since we inherited our contract from Southwest Airlines in 1994, this is the first negotiations to revise and clean up the entire contract basically cover to cover. Based on the negotiations surveys and input from your Negotiating Committees and the Master Executive Council (MEC) leadership, this round of negotiations was mandated to include more “heavy maintenance” than in the past.

The Alaska Airlines management and AFA negotiating committees did their absolute best to meet this mandate prior to publication of the Tentative Agreement. However, the reality is that once the TA2 document went “live” as a working contract the parties found several passages that deserved clarification. Our thought process is that we all have to live with this document for at least another four and a half years, so it’s important we get the printed contract just right in order to maximize readability.

Limited management resources due to Beyond Service Experience

Another challenge is limited management resources due to Beyond Service Experience (BSE). Although BSE is technically unrelated to contract cleanup work, Inflight management is fully immersed in BSE in addition to running the airline. Consequently, scheduling adequate time for cleanup work has been a challenge for the past several months. This isn’t a criticism of BSE but we’re simply explaining the reality of limited time with Inflight management due to BSE. Regardless of BSE, both parties are highly motivated to complete the contract document.

Dispute over the Quarterly Productivity Premium

A third challenge is the dispute over the Quarterly Productivity Premium (QPP). AFA communicated to you about this issue in the “Quarterly Productivity Premium (QPP) Update – April 24, 2015.” In addition to the original issue with QPP there have been some other tangential disputes related to QPP that have arisen since that communication. However, both parties have been working very hard to resolve QPP outside of the arbitration process. Please be assured your MEC will be fully briefed on any terms and will decide how to proceed. Ideally the parties would like to incorporate any modifications to QPP into the final print version, so we’re holding off on finalizing the contract document for just a little longer to see how QPP plays out.

Stranded Pay in Section 21.N

The final challenge is Stranded Pay in Section 21.N. Frankly, the parties ran out of time to deal with Stranded Pay at what became our final negotiating session in Chicago. As a reminder, the parties were under significant pressure from the National Mediation Board (NMB) to reach a deal in Chicago “or else.” (What the “or else” meant in our minds was the very real possibility of no more mediation sessions for quite some time.) With the addition of all the new Minimum Pay Rules, what was already very complicated in Stranded Pay under the old contract became even more complicated. Not only that but there is significant grievance history on Stranded Pay. Both parties believe modified language to 21.N is warranted so that everybody understands how Stranded Pay works.

The good news…

The good news is that we really are very, very close to moving to the next steps in the process. Those steps would include a final walkthrough with the MEC for approval and then the document would be indexed. At that point the final document would be sent off the printer for publication and the electronic version would be made immediately available on the AFA Alaska website as well on the Inflight Mobile Device.

Typical turnaround time for a published contract is somewhere between three months to over a year

As a reminder, the Master Executive Council (MEC) asked AFA International how long it typically takes to publish a contract following ratification and were informed that we’re well within the ballpark: ranging between three months to over a year. We’re still doing our absolute best to minimize the turnaround!

* * *

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

Trading of Junior Available Assignments

February 1, 2015 13:30

Unforeseen kink prohibiting automated JA trades…and a solution

As of this writing there have been twelve Junior Available (JA) assignments in Seattle for “Big Game” Sunday* under the new JA rules that went into effect yesterday. There has been an unforeseen kink in the ability to automatically post and trade JA assignments. The good news is that AFA and management have already developed a workaround until the issue can be resolved through automation.

“P” label prevents automated trades via eMaestro

JA’d flight attendants usually have a “P” label added to their position on the sequence, which indicates premium pay—now at 2.5x premium for JA. New labels are being developed for Premium Open Time. Unfortunately the “P” prevents eMaestro from allowing JA trips from being traded automatically, which would require that any FA wishing to trade a JA to call Crew Scheduling (CSKD) for assistance.

CSKD will remove the “P” label and F/As will use the “Comments” field until the process is automated

Going forward, CSKD will remove the “P” label when a JA is made and CSKD will add the label back in after the trip is flown so that the flight attendant is paid correctly. This will allow flight attendants to trade JAs. However, there will be no visible code to notify other flight attendants that the trip is JA so a flight attendant who posts a JA trip will need to use the free form “Comments” field for now. AFA suggests “JA 2.5x” or something similar.

No need to follow up with CSKD to replace “P” label but submit and Activity Claim Form as back up

There is no need to follow up with Crew Scheduling even if the trip is traded because CSKD has the ability to track the pairing’s history. AFA recommends flight attendants fill out an Activity Claim Form as a back up in order to ensure proper payment. Currently there is no “2.5x” field on the Activity Claim Form, so flight attendants will use the “Other” field for now. AFA will follow up to ensure the Activity Claim Form is updated. Detailed instructions follow.

Activity Claim Form JA instructions

World of Inflight (http://asainflight.alaskaair.com) –> ‘Forms’ –> ‘Pay Forms’ –> ‘Activity Claim Form’. Fill in the “Other: (Trips/Dollars/Explain Below)” field with the appropriate TFP value at straight time and in the ‘Comments:’ field indicate “2.5x JA pay.” You must fill in the other required fields (base / flights / sequence / pay month / activity month / activity day) as appropriate.

***

In solidarity,

Your Contract Committee—MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

*AFA Alaska probably would not be violating any copyright laws by directly referring to today’s “Big Game” event by name (see http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/01/the-nfl-wants-you-to-think-these-things-are-illegal/ for one explanation). However in order to avoid a hassle, AFA is refraining from doing so because of popular misconception about such copyright restrictions. We also are avoiding a potential “cease and desist” letter from the National Football League. P.s. Go Hawks!

Open Time initially delayed until August for September

Open Time now subsequently delayed until September for October

* * *

AFA and Alaska Airlines management have essentially re-written Stranded Pay

Background on why Stranded Pay needed to be revised

Revised Stranded Pay language

SECTION 21 COMPENSATION

What does all this new language mean?

AFA and Alaska Airlines management have resolved the last major issues holding up the publication of the contract

Indexing is now underway

Pending Quarterly Productivity Premium (QPP) settlement

Stranded Pay

What is taking so darned long?

This is the first negotiations to revise and clean up the contract basically cover to cover since 1994

Limited management resources due to Beyond Service Experience

Dispute over the Quarterly Productivity Premium

Stranded Pay in Section 21.N

The good news…

Typical turnaround time for a published contract is somewhere between three months to over a year

* * *

Unforeseen kink prohibiting automated JA trades…and a solution

“P” label prevents automated trades via eMaestro

CSKD will remove the “P” label and F/As will use the “Comments” field until the process is automated

No need to follow up with CSKD to replace “P” label but submit and Activity Claim Form as back up

Activity Claim Form JA instructions

***

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