SEA Roadshow Q&A Afternoon Session 12/5/14

Section 3 – Scope

Q: Any department or just inflight?

A: Just inflight FAA certified supervisors.

Q: Can inflight managers/supervisors buddy bid?

A: No, they are on as extra to compliment the crew.

Q: How are supervisors/managers paid?

A: Their salary.

Q: Do you think there will be requirements by management to require a minimum amount of supervisors flying?

A: Yes. Not aware though.

Q: How many pairings roughly do we have in a month?

A: 14,000

Q: Did you discuss how this provision could affect commuters?

A: Yes.

Q: Since supervisor is most junior to preboard?

A: Supervisors are able to pre-board flights. Yes we would affirm that position. Language doe not specifically say that.

Q: The supervisor 2% is based on what?

A: The overall Flight Attendant numbers.

Q: Under the first TA it said 1%, TA2 is now 2%, why?

A: They have exceeded the current situation. There is a grievance filed. We either have to go forward with the grievance or make adjustment. Looking at combination of supervisors they need to hire.

Q: Why do you think this is important to Brad?

A: What he says is what he believes. Wants to improve relationships and job performance.

Q:   How are they going to determine what flights they work as an extra?

A: Management discretion.

Q: Could a supervisor DHD over to OGG to cover a cancellation?

A: No, the supervisor must fly as an extra.

Section 8 – Hours of Service

Q: Does irregular operations make the contract void?

A: No, however our contract is very operationally friendly.

Q: Has notification while on JA changed?

A: No. But the times of 15 minutes is less.

Q: What has changed with pre-boarding end of sequence?

A: Must start boarding within your 15 minute debrief.

Q: Who determines when last person walks off aircraft? Clear in the rear.

A: When the last Flight Attendant has confirmed no passengers are on the plane.

Q: What is the savings to the Company?

A: 4k and 15 min debrief about 1.5 to 2.0 million. (40% in 4K and 60% in 15 min debrief) mostly hotel cost savings.

Section 9 – Junior Availability and Premium OT

Q: When does the premium for JA go into effect?

A: Immediately if ratified.

Q: There is no more calling at home?

A: Correct.

Q: We have a policy of fly now, grieve later, what happens if I am JA’d out of order?

A: If you are given a directive you need to comply. Contact the LEC representatives of your domicile or the AFA Scheduling Chair.

Q: Shouldn’t the Company use Reserves to cover flying?

A: The Company does use Reserves 13-15% coverage. We use to operate at 20% or more. The Company believes Flight Attendants use sick leave to adjust their schedules.

Q: Is there proof of sick leave abuse?

A: Company believes they have data that shows we use sick leave increasingly more than other carriers. In addition sick leave prior to holidays increases but on the actual day when FAs receive the premium pay sick leave is reduced. AFA does not agree that there is abuse of sick leave, however this is management’s position.

Section 10 – Scheduling

Q: So if you bid by 4k pairing, does not open up to JA or Reassignment?

A: No. You are only waiving during the bidding process. You would have to actively pick up the trip or say you were willing to fly it.

Q: What if you bid for it, get it then subsequently want to trade or give away are you restricted?

A: No restriction to trade or give-away.

Q: Do we know how 4k provision will affect flying? Anyway to understand impact?

A: Complex question.

Q: Is there a cap on the number of pairings built 4k?

A: No, but there is practicality

Q:   What about Chicago 4k flying?

A: Chicago is not a core market for AS. Contractually possible though. There is limited gate availability in ORD. Have to go head to head with American Airlines and United.

Q: How did the 15 min and 4k come up?

A: I can tell you that a comfortable majority doe not want to fly over 10:30. There is a minority that is willing to fly in excess. Not divulging the numbers. It was a package deal. The rates along with other provisions for the 4k and 15 min for both parties to come to agreement for a TA.

Section 11- Reserve

Q: Clarification on picking up a reserve day as lineholder at LTFA?

A: Lineholder will opt out of LFTA, you must opt in to be part of list. If not flown you get the 5 tfp guarantee per day.

Q: The Reserve implementation is 2016, why?

A: We are moving to a new tracking system. Unfortunately Jeppeson has announced system is delayed to memory issues. This is beyond AS Management control. Been in meetings and conference calls with vendors. System is not ready.

Section 12 – Exchange of Sequences

Q: If we negotiate a subsequent OT if the trial fails will we vote on that new system?

A: Yes. The current MEC would have our FAs vote on a subsequent OT system.

Q: Is it a one year OT trial?

A: Yes and if it is not discontinued within that time period will remain as the system in place.

Q: When is OT implemented?

A: August 1, 2015

Section 14 – Vacation

No questions

Section 16 – Sick Leave and On the Job Injury

Q: Can sick leave make up be on the same days I called in sick?

A: No. However you still may call in well on days you’ve called in sick.

Q: Will they post sick leave make up days?

A: Yes. You can pick up days that are available.

Q: How much notice will we receive regarding sick leave make up?

A: 24 hours.

Q: Would it behoove them to offer Sick Leave make up before Premium OT and JA?

A: Yes.

Q: Is sick leave make up first come first serve?

A: Yes.

Section 21 – Compensation

Q: If TA passes on the 17^th, implementation for pay?

A: Signing bonus paid on Dec 22^nd. Pay rates would be effective right away. Sit pay would have ability to file activity claim. QPP starts tracking Jan 1^st, 2015.

Q: Company wouldn’t entertain going higher on Top of Scale?

A: Management was unwilling to go there. TOS is 30% of overall. They don’t want to compare in industry above number 2, even though there is a lot of room.

Q: On longevity pay your vacation does not get paid the premium?

A: Correct. It is a flying premium. It compares to the Reserve premium.

Q: If I cash out my vacation am I able to adjust my QPP?

A: No. Cashed out vacation still counts toward your bid award.

Q: Minimum pay rules do count for QPP?

A: Yes

Section 22 – Expenses

No questions

Section 23 – Insurance

No questions

Section 27 – General Association

No questions

Section 32 – Attendance Policy

No questions

Random Q&A:

Q: Implementation of minimum pay rules in May do we not receive?

A: You will have to submit manually for sit pay. The others you will not receive until May 1^st, 2015.

Q: Implementation of extra week will I bid it with regular vacation?

A: Longevity PTO is vacation. Bid for just like vacation in your bid. You would accrue Jan – Dec 2015 for benefit in 2016.

Q: What happens if TA2 turned down?

A: Another negotiations survey. Make up of the committee. Still in mediation and ask NMB for additional dates. Up to NMB to schedule dates. Doesn’t stop us from talking to management without NMB. We are not looking at going into arbitration.

Q: Does the money from buy on board cover our wages?

A: No.

Q: What were top concerns in survey after TA1?

A: Money, Sick Leave and JA provisions.

Q: Can we approach the company to change provisions before we vote?

A: We have but were not successful in changing any provisions.

Q: Are there guidelines in the Constitution and Bylaws surrounding side letters and membership ratification?

A: Yes.

Q: Jet Bridge trades must be same domicile no earlier than 3 hours, what happens if I am flying a long haul?

A: The person you are trading with would be the one to initiate the call.

Q: Are there duties that have to be discussed outside of negotiations?

A: Yes, such as the new devices and iphones.

Q: If I have 30 years and have a longevity premium of $3.00 am I receiving a premium on the longevity pay?

A: No, the $3 is paid on the straight time.

Q: If we have to start doing duties that are CSA related what will happen?

A: IAM and AFA will jointly file grievances and we are confident we will win and our positions will be upheld.

Here is management’s response:

Jeff,

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your question and to clarify the reasons both provisions remain important to us.

It has been our goal throughout these negotiations to improve productivity.  Our belief is that we should have rates of pay that rank high within the industry along with the industry’s highest productivity.  That is a long-term sustainable formula for AS and has been a principle we’ve advocated for in all recent CBAs we’ve negotiated.

A second part of this philosophy is that any savings achieved through productivity are returned to the contract through our economic proposals and that was certainly the case in TA2.  We have always strived to have win-win solutions and understand that personal productivity of your flying needs to be important as well.  As much as we want to achieve productivity to position us well over the long-term, we are acutely aware of the need to balance quality of life.  We believe these provisions increase average TFP value per duty for FA’s which is consistent with increasing FA personal productivity.

Both provisions provide value independent of the other.  The long turn language helps us today and in the future to maintain on a year-round basis markets that alternate between turns and 2-day trips and open up additional possibilities for mid-continent two leg single duty pairings from all bases in the future.  This is important as scheduled block times can fluctuate materially due to weather, air traffic control, hub airport congestion and other reasons.  The fifteen minute debrief would not resolve all of those issues in these markets.  With this provision we can build high-time, efficient turns for both the company and FA and because we understand they will not be for everyone they are optional (a point AFA was emphatic about at the table).

The fifteen minute debrief helps produce more efficient pairings of all types, not just those that are long stage length in nature.  This should produce higher average value pairings during line building as well as provide better tools for close-in and day of scheduling issues.

Shane Tackett

It was added to reflect current policy which is that USERRA governs military leaves  for Flight Attendants. The language brings no material change the language is not detrimental to the FAs.

We did try to secure a waiver for military personnel for the 1/12 reduction towards vacation, however we were not successful in getting this waiver.

As you will notice, we added quite a few new definitions to Section 5.  We also added a headers throughout the body of the TA.  This was all in an effort to make the contract more readable and a much better reference tool.

ANC Roadshow Q&A 12/4/14

Section 3 – Scope

Q: Are we able to write up safety and service concerns specific to behaviors or actions of manager/supervisors flying?

A: Yes. File an incident report.

Q: How did management embrace the final TA regarding management flying?

A: They were upset there were restrictions within the provisions specifically related to the cancellation language. They were ok with the flying as an extra.

Q: Do you see this as an open door for the next contract?

A: No.

Q: If a manager is laid off would could they come back to being a Flight Attendant?

A: Only if they were eligible and were originally a Flight Attendant who transferred to management and then subsequently transfers back to a Flight Attendant.

Q: Will they wear uniforms?

A: They may, there is no contractual requirement that they do wear a uniform.

Q: How often to expect to be exposed to management flying?

A: Unknown. There is no contractual requirement. Managers/Supervisors must adhere to the duty hour limitations of our agreement and CFRs. Duty in the office will count towards duty on the aircraft. They don’t receive additional compensation.

Q: Will Brad, Ben or Andy be a manager flying?

A: No. They have not gone through the training to be a FAA-certified Flight Attendant.

Q: Why has Andy not gone through training?

A: We’ve been in negotiations for a majority of the time she has been our VP of Inflight. There is a commitment to attend training once a TA is ratified.

Section 8 – Hours of Service

Q: On the 15 minute debrief could they shrink the bases?

A: There are so many factors to say yes, no or maybe. There could be an affect on hiring in the future. There wouldn’t be enough flying pulled back with the 15 minutes to have a huge affect. It could affect, in professional opinion not a drastic affect.

Q: Can a supervisor step on the plane within the 15 minute debrief and tell me I am JA’d?

A: Yes.

Q: There is not ability to use debrief adjustment to be JA’d?

A: No. That is our position.

Section 9 – Junior Availability and Premium OT

Q: If I am on a scheduled sit and scheduling is paging me over the PA could I be JA’d on my sit?

A: Yes, you are to remain contactable during ground time.

Q: Am I required to be contactable on my layover for JA?

A: No. However, in some circumstances you are required to return contact within a specific time period. See Section 8.Q. Contactability while on duty or on a layover. The benefit of accepting a JA assignment allows someone the ability to post the trip with the premium for pick up.

Section 10 – Scheduling

Q: What 4k turns is ANC legal for?

A: You are eligible for 4k duty periods. Currently there are no ANC 4k turns. The 4k duty periods would be contained in multiday sequences.

Q: Why a 90/10 split?

A: NC wanted to ensure flying was rotated to other domiciles.

Q: What protects us from the company making a mistake and assigning 4k pairings?

A: The language is very clear. In disputes we file grievances if the error is not corrected. Iron clad in the agreement that 4ks cannot be assigned to a line holder.

Q: Are we opening the door for changes such as duty day and 480?

A: In any negotiation process the parties may change their positions and priorities. If a subsequent TA3 was negotiated the Company could change 480 to 600 and 10hrs 30 minutes to 12 hrs 30 minutes. There are always what ifs, pros and cons to each argument. It is part of your overall consideration. The changes however do not happen unless the membership ratifies the changes to the agreement.

Q: Is 4k opt in a month to month instruction?

A: Yes. You must opt in either in your monthly bid or default to be awarded or bid for pairings.

Q: Can the Company give more than 10% 4k rotation?

A: Yes, the 10% 4k rotation is a minimum.

Q: What are the hours of a 4k night preference?

A: The same as a redeye today. A redeye departs between 1400 and 0400 and arrives between 0200 and 12 noon. We will be adding a definition in Section 5.

Section 11 – Reserve

Q: Do hours on APSB count towards double out rest?

A: Yes.

Section 12 – Exchange of Sequences

Q: When will new OT be implemented?

A: August 2015.

Q: Will this new OT system be in emaestro or a subsequent system?

A: Initially this will be part of emaestro and then when the new system is ready in August 2015 we switch to Enterprise.

Q: So will the new trading times take effect immediately or in August 2015?

A: In August 2015.

Q: Some penalty if they don’t meet the implementation?

A: We would file a grievance. They cannot willfully drag their feet. No monetary penalties.

Q: How long does a grievance take to be heard?

A: Depends on the grievance. AFA has some discretion over grievances and which would be next on the agenda. This is a priority.

Q: Can management after two weeks cancel the OT trial?

A: No. The parties have to mutually agree to decrease or increase threshold numbers while continuing to test the system.

Q: With the ability for Crew Scheduling to pick up trips in one ways does that eliminate personal drops?

A: No. Personal Drops are still available.

Q: What is a Jet Bridge Trade?

A: Entire sequence or part of sequence you trade under 3 hours all the way up to boarding.

Q: Why is the Jet Bridge trade allowed between FAs of the same domicile.

A: Crew Scheduling has to create a limo. One destination created to another destination. Sick Online is an example where the limo you. It is a manual process. Once scheduling because more comfortable with the process we plan to expand this program.

Q: On a Jet Bridge Trade where there is a layover, who receives the hotel?

A: The hotel situation will need to be worked out between the two parties.

Q: Can I pre-plan a Jet Bridge trade?

A: With another flight attendant in your domicile, yes. You will not pre-plan with Crew Scheduling. You will make the call to scheduling to complete the trade.

Section 14 – Vacation

Q: As a NC did you try to increase our vacation daily value?

A: Yes in the amount per day we asked for more. We were not successful in achieving a provision that increased the value of a vacation day.

Section 16 – Sick Leave and On the Job Injury

Q: If I call out sick for a 4 day trip, receive 2 points, but subsequently call in well for 2 days, how many points am I assessed?

A: 1 point, .5 point per day.

Q: Will sick leave make up start immediately if TA ratifies?

A: Yes.

Section 21 – Compensation

Q: Is it true that some of the steps only received a little above or equal to $5.00?

A: Yes. Some of the newer steps and top of scale. Different percentages.

Q: Will our SEA 3 day be worth 8 TFP?

A: No, the minimum pay rule will build and pay 12 TFP with the Multiday Sequence Minimum.

Q: What does not count toward my line award in PBS?

A: ADPG and Sit Time

Q: Will the ADPG and Sit time be counted towards achieving the QPP?

A: Yes

Q: Does my QPP qualify for a 401K matching?

A: Yes. It is paid as regular income

Q: Does my QPP qualify towards my PBP?

A: Yes

Q: Will Minimum Pay Rules be automated?

A: Yes

Section 22 – Expenses

No questions

Section 23 – Insurance

Q: What is self insured?

A: Means the Company assumes the risk. Receives a benefit. Keeps rates lower. There is oversight and requirements to remain self insured.

Q: After 2020 will our rates stay frozen?

A: Yes, the dollar amount you pay stays frozen.

Section 27 – General Association

Q: Is the Scheduling Chair a full time position?

A: Yes

Q: What happens when the Scheduling Chair is on vacation?

A: Another member of the MEC will cover the position.

Q: Will we be able to contact the Scheduling Chair.

A: Yes, for some situations you may also want to make contact with your Local Officers.

Section 32 – Attendance Policy

Q: Does sequence recovery for a no show mitigate the points?

A: No

Q: Is counseling disciplinary?

A: No. It is not impactful to attendance for step of discipline.

Random Q & A:

Q: Is the 1/12 reduction still the same application as current as in TA2 for vacation accrual?

A: Yes

Q: Is there a flying requirement to use my point reduction form?

A: No. Same application as today.

Q: How are we protected from outsourcing of SkyWest? Can we stop it?

A: If Alaska Airlines purchases other aircraft and operates as Alaska Airlines then we are protected. Unless Alaska Airlines pilots achieve seat protections we will not have additional scope. The ship set sail when AAG purchased QX and ultimately added CPA flying using SkyWest for those specific protections.

Q: What is the maximum amount of points I can occur in a single continuous occurrence?

A: 2.5 points.