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.

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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!

What goes into effect today, Saturday, January 31, 2015?

New Junior Assignment provisions

If the operation requires flight attendants to be Junior Assigned, Crew Scheduling will no longer call flight attendants at home in addition to JA’ing F/As on duty. JA will move exclusively to F/As on duty only in inverse seniority order of those legal for the assignment. If your phone rings and you are off duty, no more worrying about whether or not it is CSKD!

Voluntary Junior Available (VJA) is still in effect through the April bid month. Premium Open Time will replace VJA in May.

Management flying as an extra

Management may fly as an extra position. The program is likely to start slowly but Inflight management’s latest goal is for each base supervisor to fly one sequence per month with one overnight sequence per quarter. However, there is no limit to the number of times a supervisor may fly as an extra.

Inflight has pledged a good faith effort to notify crews in advance of the flight that a supervisor will be part of the crew compliment as an extra position. Although there is no contractual requirement, notification is being targeted for the day prior if possible. Members of senior Inflight leadership such as Ron Calvin are determining the supervisors’ assignments.

Discipline may not result from a supervisor working as an extra being a “sole source” of discipline. This means in order for crew to be subject to discipline there would have to me multiple sources of information to corroborate an observation made by a supervisor working as an extra. Safety issues will be eligible for submission under ASAP. If you have less than a positive experience with a supervisor working as an extra, please contact your LEC leadership to provide feedback so AFA can pass this along to upper management.

Section 3 Scope D.1.c.1-4:

 

3.D1.c.   Inflight management may work as a Flight Attendant on a sequence under the following provisions:

 

(1.) The Inflight management employee may work a scheduled sequence only in an open position as the D FA on a three (3) person crew or an E FA on a four (4) person crew.

 

(2.) S/he will be considered a working member of the crew and must follow all requirements in the Flight Attendant Manual (FAM) and all limitations in the applicable Sections of the CBA (e.g. duty and rest provisions). S/he will be considered a “crewmember” for the purpose of this provision. Her/his effective seniority will be considered to be the most junior Flight Attendant on that flight.

 

(3.) The Inflight management employee must work an entire sequence or a portion of a sequence broken at a SIP. The sequence must be legally constructed out of a Flight Attendant domicile.

 

(4.) No single-source discipline may result from the Inflight management employee’s presence on the sequence. Safety issues will be eligible for submission under the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP).

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In solidarity,

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