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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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AFA Special Update – Negotiations

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In This Edition (October 25, 2019)

  • Open Time Negotiations – October 22 Recap
  • Back to Book
  • Fixing Crew Access

Open Time Negotiations – October 22 Recap

Your AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee resumed Open Time negotiations with management on October 22 in Seattle. The Negotiating Committee started out the day with high hopes based on the progress we made in the prior session. Although the parties made their best effort to maintain our momentum, we were unable to break through to an agreement on the final terms and found ourselves at an impasse.

The AFA Negotiating Committee had a mandate from membership to preserve direct dropping into Open Time, eliminate trading codes, allow day-for-day or greater trading in Open Time and to address “super closing” of days. The parties discussed several variations of new and prior proposals, but management firmly believed that all of them would potentially create an unacceptable operational and financial liability for the Company.

Back to Book

Consequently, AFA and management agreed we will be going “Back to Book” as soon as possible. The current Open Time trading rules will remain in place until the Back to Book trading rules can be programmed into Crew Access. The Back to Book trading rules are outlined in the second Section 12 [Exchange of Sequences] of the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA), labeled Back to Book (BTB) Section 12. (Yes, there are two Section 12s.) The Back to Book trading rules are found under (BTB) Section 12.F [Trades with Open Time]. Those rules are further modified by the “Withholding Open Time Award” (No. 36-99-02-18-11), which is found at the back of the JCBA under Grievance 1.

Most Flight Attendants today were not flying at Alaska when those Open Time trading rules were last in effect, so naturally there are many questions. Be on the lookout for a future communication dedicated to Back to Book Open Time trading rules.  

Fixing Crew Access

Open Time trading is essentially ineffective without the real-time, stable trading system that management is obligated to provide. Your AFA Master Executive Council (MEC) had a very encouraging meeting with management and Ken Sain, President of Digital Solutions and Analytics for Boeing Global Services, and members of his team. Management will be communicating the details of that meeting.

Although the MEC is tentatively optimistic that the Crew Access issues are finally getting long-overdue attention by the right people, we’re not relying on sincere apologies and handshakes to get us there. You can help by sending a letter to management to fix Crew Access. It’s super easy—just click the link below.

>> Click here to send management your letter <<

We must stand together and speak with one overwhelmingly loud voice to ensure that management hears our message—that they need to honor their obligations and fix Crew Access NOW!

Coming Soon

Stay tuned for the following AFA negotiations special updates (order of release subject to change):

  • Block hours vs. TFP
  • Block or Better vs. Block Delay
  • Incentive Pay vs. Productivity Premium Program (PPP)
  • Inflight Team Leader (ITL) Pay vs. “A” Pay
  • Section 6 Negotiations Overview
  • Negotiating for Our Future
  • Back to Book Open Time Trading Rules

AFA Special Update – Negotiations

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In This Edition (October 22, 2019)

  • Open Time Negotiations October 9 & 10 Recap
  • Send Your Message to Management: Fix Crew Access NOW!
  • Block or Better vs. TFP—and Other Concerns

Open Time Negotiations – October 9 & 10 Recap

Your AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee resumed Open Time negotiations with management on October 9 & 10 in Seattle. The Master Executive Council (MEC) pulled the Open Time Tentative Agreement (TA) in May of this year over concerns that AFA and management had different interpretations of how a day would open and close for Open Time trading. The parties are re-negotiating Open Time trading rules to replace the Open Time Trial, which was officially actually canceled by AFA back in the summer of 2016. The Open Time Trial trading rules remain place today.

The parties made a lot of progress during the two-day session. In order to maintain the momentum of that session, the negotiating teams are meeting today (October 22) in Seattle.

Send Your Message to Management: Fix Crew Access NOW!

Regardless of the progress on Open Time negotiations, any possible changes to contractual trading language will mean nothing without a real-time, stable trading system that management is obligated to provide.  Your AFA Master Executive Council (MEC) is calling upon all Flight Attendants to stand together and let management know that we are tired of the excuses and ready for management to act!

Click here to send management your letter

As of today, only 25% of Alaska Flight Attendants have submitted letters to management demanding that immediate programming fixes be made to Crew Access.  That means that on a 4-person crew, only one Flight Attendant has taken action to stand up and fight back.  Spread the word and share the campaign and the link above with your flying partners and fellow Flight Attendants.  We must stand together and speak with one overwhelmingly loud voice to ensure that management hears our message—that they need to honor their obligations and fix Crew Access NOW!

Block or Better vs. TFP—and Other Concerns

Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) Flight Attendants have brought forward concerns that at least some contractual pay provisions may not be as generous as the related pay provisions in the now-defunct L-VX Work Rules. The chatter about “Block or Better” vs. TFP is just one example of several. All educational materials out there at the moment—including pay calculators—are grassroots efforts and have not been vetted for accuracy and are not endorsed by AFA leadership.

We are just one year away from serving notice to engage in Section 6 negotiations. Discussion and debate about potential negotiations topics is not only expected but also beneficial—as long as the conversation remains respectful and factual. Be aware that management often gains access to the “secret” social media venues, so we recommend that Flight Attendants refrain from discussing negotiations “wish list” items on social media due to the potentially negative strategic impact.

AFA Alaska will publish a series of educational articles covering some of the topics being talked about on the line, such as “Block hours vs. TFP” and “Block or better vs. block delay.” See the “Coming Soon” section for a more comprehensive list.

Coming Soon

Stay tuned for the following AFA negotiations special updates (order of release subject to change):

  • Open Time Negotiations – October 21 Recap
  • Block hours vs. TFP
  • Block or Better vs. Block Delay
  • Incentive Pay vs. Productivity Premium Program (PPP)
  • Inflight Team Leader (ITL) Pay vs. “A” Pay
  • Section 6 Negotiations Overview
  • Negotiating for Our Future

AFA Special Update – Negotiations (October 9, 2019)

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In This Edition

  • Open Time Negotiations Resume October 9 & 10
  • A (Not So) Brief History of Open Time

Open Time Negotiations Resume October 9 & 10

Your AFA Negotiating Committee resume Open Time negotiations with management today and tomorrow in Seattle. As you may recall, the Master Executive Council (MEC) canceled the Open Time Tentative Agreement (TA) back in May of this year. Unfortunately, October is the first opportunity that management and AFA have had since then to reconvene their respective negotiating committees. If you are interested in reviewing the entire Open Time saga, check out “A (Not So) Brief History of Open Time” below. Otherwise, skip to the next section.

A (Not So) Brief History of Open Time

Coming Soon

Stay tuned for the following AFA special updates dedicated solely to negotiations:

  • October 9 & 10 Open Time Negotiations Recap
  • Block or Better versus TFP…and Other Concerns

SFO Co-Terminal Negotiations Update

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Back in January, AFA communicated that management had approached AFA regarding their desire to negotiate a co-terminal agreement for the SFO domicile.

Read more >

The Master Executive Council (MEC) then conducted interviews for three Special Negotiating Committee (SNC) members and appointed them in February.

Read more >

The SFO Co-term SNC met in early April for negotiations training and preparation. During that session, the SNC determined that a proposed SFO Co-terminal Agreement would have to contain significant improvements for all Flight Attendants (not just for those in the SFO domicile) in order for a tentative agreement to have a chance of ratification by a majority of the membership. With that prerequisite in mind, the SNC developed a conceptual proposal (a non-binding proposal, or “supposal”) and passed it to management for their consideration.

Management recently responded to the conceptual proposal:

Thank you for sending us AFA’s conceptual proposal to consider while negotiating co-terminals for SFO.  It is our understanding that the Special Negotiating Committee strongly believes we would need to implement many of the items listed in the proposal in order to have the SFO co-terminals voted in by AFA membership. 

As you know, the difference in savings is relatively small between opening a SJC FA base, and opening SFO co-terminals. Given that, we have very little to play with in order to implement items in AFA’s Conceptual Proposal, while still achieving savings and efficiency for the company greater than (or equal to) those that the company would gain by opening an SJC base. 

As such, it would appear that continuing to negotiate a deal between the two parties in order to achieve SFO co-terminals is not productive. Please let us know if you’d like to continue the discussion, or if you agree that the parties should respectfully walk away at this point and acknowledge a deal could not be reached at this time on SFO co-terminals.

The MEC concurs with management’s assessment that the parties should respectfully walk away from further negotiations. We sincerely thank the SFO Co-Terminal Special Negotiating Committee members for their service.

The MEC has been holding off on publishing these details in deference to management’s desire to take the lead on communicating plans for a San Jose Flight Attendant base. However, the MEC has become aware via social media that Inflight executive management has been openly talking to line Flight Attendants about such plans. Consequently, we feel an obligation to get in front of potential rumors and confirm to our members that the reports are true: Management intends to open a SJC base in the next year or so.

We know our members will have many questions. Once management provides the MEC with more concrete information, we will pass those details along to you.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Open Time TA is Canceled

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The Master Executive Council (MEC) is canceling the Open Time Tentative Agreement 2019. Voting will be discontinued as soon as AFA Membership Services at the International Office has an opportunity to pull down the ballot.

Why?

AFA representatives and management have been collaborating on the development of “user stories” in preparation for the programming of new trading rules into Crew Access if the TA were to pass. This ‘pre-work’ was being done in order to get a head start on implementation. User stories guide the programmers by describing the various trading scenarios and expected behavior of the system.

During a review of proposed user stories, a dispute arose regarding which trips count towards the Daily Count and therefore the closing of Open Time. The parties were very close to settling the dispute by agreeing to AFA’s position. However, management was also requiring that Jeppesen take another look at the implementation timeline before management would agree to resolve the dispute.

The implementation timeline reassessment is estimated to take several weeks, which would definitely not be completed until well after the ballot closing date of May 31. Although the MEC could choose to extend the balloting period, Department of Labor rules do not allow a vote to be changed once the ballot is cast. In light of the fact that two major issues are technically unresolved while the ballot is live (which trips count towards the closing of days and the implementation timeline), the MEC strongly believes it is in the best interest of the Membership to pull the TA and voted unanimously to do so.

What’s next?

The MEC, the Negotiating Committee and management will meet to discuss next steps as soon as possible. Stay tuned for further developments.

In Solidarity

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Attorney/Negotiator Kimberley Chaput

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Yet Another System Malfunction (This Time Vacation Trading)

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Your Master Executive Council (MEC) is aware that the vacation trading system malfunctioned for approximately 25 minutes just as vacation trading opened for Seattle around 2 PM PT. Just like with the recent Crew Access malfunction, this all went down despite a whole crew of IT personnel monitoring the vacation trading system. Access was restored immediately […]

AFA Special Update – Negotiations

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In This Edition (October 25, 2019) Open Time Negotiations – October 22 Recap Back to Book Fixing Crew Access Open Time Negotiations – October 22 Recap Your AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee resumed Open Time negotiations with management on October 22 in Seattle. The Negotiating Committee started out the day with high hopes based on the […]

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