January 2015 uniform credit applied under the 2013 Uniform Changeover LOA

There has been some confusion in regards to the January 2015 uniform credit. The uniform credit was applied under the 2013 Uniform Changeover Letter of Agreement (LOA), which is still in effect and supersedes some of the new contract provisions for now. As a reminder, AFA entered into that agreement in late 2013 in order to transition Flight Attendants out of the TwinHill uniform and into the Land’s End Business Outfitters (LEBO) interim uniform in early 2014.

Flight Attendants will receive uniform credit under the new contract rules after this coming July. The next scheduled credit is slated for $700 on January 1, 2017, and will last for two years. If the aggregate uniform costs increase, the uniform credit will be increased proportionately. If we transition to a new uniform before January 2017, the Company will bear the cost of the replacing the uniform. Additionally, the uniform allotment will be reset to $350 and increased proportionately if the aggregate uniform costs increase.

Relevant language from the Uniform Changeover LOA

Flight Attendants who meet the requirements of [Contract 2010] Section 13.D.1.g [the 480 TFP requirement from 2014] will receive an additional $300 uniform allotment (plus applicable sales tax) on January 1, 2015, in addition to a credit for two (2) shipments at a flax rate of $14.50 (inclusive of shipping tax) per shipment for a total of $29.

 

Flight Attendants will be allowed free returns associated with each shipment.

 

If the interim uniform has not been replaced by July 1, 2015, an additional $300 uniform allotment will be given to all Flight Attendants who meet the requirements of [Contract 2010] Section 13.D.1.g [the 480 TFP requirement from 2014]. The Company will bear the burden of shipping, shipping tax, and applicable sales tax for any orders submitted on or after this date.

 

In the unlikely event that the interim uniform has not been replaced by January 1, 2016, Flight Attendants will begin receiving a uniform allotment consistent with Section 13.D.

 

It is understood the contractual citations stated in this agreement refer to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement or the applicable citation in a successor agreement.

2014 uniform rollover credits not displaying in allocation lookup

Uniform rollover credits from 2014 are not currently displaying in the uniform allocation lookup (Inflight webpage –> Links –> Uniforms-Land’s End –> Shop Women’s/Shop Men’s –> Allocation Look Up). The look-up function is only displaying the January 2015 credit. If you complete an order, then the correct total credit inclusive of 2014 and January 2015 is displaying on the back end when the order integrates. LEBO is aware of the issue and is working on a fix as soon as possible.

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In solidarity,

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Uniform Chairperson Bob Moore

As part of a strategy to improve critical staffing, AFA and Alaska Airlines management have agreed to remove the limitation on the number of out of domicile pick-ups allowed for each Flight Attendant on all sequences that report in the remainder of the December 2014 bid month. The waiver also extends to all Voluntary Junior Available (VJA) and Premium VJA sequences. Because eMaestro will not process more than two out of domicile pick-ups in a bid month, such trades will need to be handled manually by Crew Scheduling.

The relevant contract language that is temporarily negated is 12.H. of the 2006/2010 Contract: “Flight Attendants are limited to two (2) out-of-domicile pick-ups in a bid month.” The relevant language temporarily negated in the 2014 Contract is also 12.H.: “Flight Attendants are limited to a combined total of two (2) out-of-domicile pick-ups (including charters) in a bid month.”

This temporary agreement is effective at midnight Pacific Time on Sunday, December 21, 2014, and will remain in force through the end of the December 2014 bid month.

In solidarity,

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

Premium Open Time is scheduled to go into effect along with the other changes to Junior Available (JA) on January 31, 2015. In the interim, AFA has agreed to implement “Premium Voluntary Junior Available” (“Premium VJA”). Flight Attendants will be compensated a minimum of twice the trip rate (2x) on all eligible TFP (e.g. flights flown, etc.) in a VJA sequence departing on a Premium VJA day. This is a win-win for all parties in that Flight Attendants who volunteer to assist with critical staffing will receive additional compensation and the operation benefits from the improved coverage.

AFA anticipates that management will likely utilize Premium VJA on at least some of the coming days. Premium VJA may be offered on one day, not the next and then once again on the following day. VJA will be processed and awarded using normal procedures, so there is nothing for you to do differently. Management or Crew Scheduling will notify Flight Attendants of Premium VJA via Inflight bulletins, messages on the Inflight splash page, et cetera.

The increased premium should be paid automatically but just in case AFA recommends you also submit an Activity Claim Form once you fly the sequence. This is really just a backup to ensure proper payment. A Flight Attendant who works a regular VJA sequence on a premium holiday such as Christmas will receive two and a half times (2.5x) the trip rate on eligible TFP that day. A Flight Attendant who works a Premium VJA sequence on a premium holiday such as Christmas will receive a minimum of three times (3x) the trip rate on eligible TFP that day.

Further details are in the Premium VJA Memorandum of Understanding.

In solidarity,

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