SAN Roadshow Q&A Afternoon Session

Section 3 – Scope

Q: Why did we not hold onto the provision of requiring management to ask AFA for approval?

A: This was an objective of management’s bargaining unit. Additionally, the NC had objectives as well and overall we had address the top priorities of both parties in reaching an agreement for your consideration. This specific proposal was a requirement bundled with the pay rates.

Q: Other airlines have seat protection flying for mainline, were we able to achieve a scope protection with seat limitations on aircraft?

A: No, there is no scope protection based on seat limitations.

Section 8 – Hours of Service

No questions

Section 9 – Junior Availability and Premium Open Time

Q: When will you have ability to place JA trip into OT, is that part of implementation?

A: This is right away.

Q: Does premium OT go into effect immediately?

A: Yes, the ability to pick up Premium OT will happen immediately.

Q: Can you trade a JA as a Jet Bridge trade?

A: Yes.

Section 10 – Scheduling

Q: What is the requirement for the rotation? Build one DTW turn? Put all 10% in one base?

A: There has to be quality of rotation. This was discussed at the table. The distribution flows more naturally to rotate amongst the domiciles.

Section 11 – Reserve

Q: If I have a 4k preference in LTFA will they skip to meet my preference in a trip becomes available?

A: Yes, Crew Scheduling may skip to meet a 4k preference.

Q: If I am a lineholder and pick up two reserve days may I be converted to ER?

A: Yes

Section 12 – Exchange of Sequences

Q: If I pick up a trip from another FA and dump that trip into OT, does that count towards my 40 TFP net?

A: Yes

Q: If I am dumping a trip into OT, do all the days have to be open?

A: No, only the day of departure must be open to drop the trip.

Q: Can Crew Scheduling pull trips from the Bulletin Board?

A: Yes, they may pull trips. See Section 12.D.

Section 14 – Vacation

No questions

Section 16 – Sick Leave and On the Job Injury

Q: Does it have to be a continuous block for sick leave makeup?

A: No. If you called in sick 4 days and sat 2, 2 day blocks that would be accepted.

Q: Is there point mitigation for sick leave make up?

A: No. This program is strictly for restoration of sick leave. Points will not be adjusted for sick leave make up.

Section 21 – Compensation

Q: If I was awarded 78 TFP, 28 TFP of which is vacation, do I need to work an additional 28 TFP over the quarter to meet the requirement of the QPP?

A: Yes

Q: Why does the QPP not look at the base line average?

A: The NC went back and forth on the applications, but ultimately you are setting the bar by your personal bid award. FAs who receive a bid award less than the average would have been harmed. If you need assistance with bidding, there is the option of bid groups and members of the PBS Committee are able to assist you in adjusting your bidding habits.

Q: If I was out for 3 years and didn’t move up the pay scale will I be made whole?

A: Yes, your pay scale will be reflective of your years of service as an Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant.

Section 22 – Expenses

Q: The 50% off of purchasing food during a duty period, why didn’t we negotiate those items at cost?

A: The discount is roughly equal to the cost of the items.   The NC reviewed the cost and revenue of these items.

Section 23 – Insurance

No questions

Section 27 – General Association

No questions

Section 32 – Attendance Policy

Q: If you take a medical leave how long am I covered?

A: Up to 4 years I am covered for a personal medical leave.

Q: Is medical leave or workers’ compensation run concurrent with my 12 weeks of FMLA?

A: Yes, leaves are run concurrent. However, taking a personal medical leave is a protection provided to our Flight Attendants.

Q: Is FMLA calendar year or rolling 12 months?

A: Rolling 12 months.

Q: Do bank points once accrued fall off?

A: No, bank points remain available to you and don’t have an expiration date.

Random Q & A:

Q: Is reserve self-assignment something they can do manually until implementation?

A: No.

Q: Are there penalties for not meeting the implementation schedule.

A: No, however AFA will file a grievance if the implementation schedule is not met.

Q: Why did you sign off on this agreement?

A: When we were negotiating in Chicago, mediator threatened to pull dates. Controversial provisions were introduced or discussed in last two days of negotiations. Our challenge at the time and today is that negotiations under the RLA is different then in the past. They are not releasing carriers at this time. All carriers are in load factors of 80% or better. There is no other carrier that can replace Alaska Airlines in our markets. We would not be released by NMB because of our route structure and effect on commerce per their guidelines.

Q: How close would we be to the American Airlines FAs in voting down a TA and going to binding arbitration?

A: Not close at all, they had a provision to go to Binding Arbitration. We won’t be going to arbitration.

Q: Could we go back to the table without the mediator?

A: Yes, if both AFA and Company agreed. But AFA does not believe management will agree to meeting without NMB.

Q: Is there growth in other domiciles?

A: Main focus is Seattle. They are not afraid to enter into other markets if profitable. Conservative.

In TA2 please read over Section 14.A.4. and Section 15.M. and 15.N.  These provisions discuss what occurs with leaves with or without coordination and the sections affected by those provisions.

SAN Road Show Q & A

Section 3 – Scope

Q: With managers coming on board the aircraft do they have to pay union dues?

A: No, they don’t pay dues, they don’t get the benefits of your contract. They are not union members. Don’t receive all the protections. They are flying as an extra.

Q: Will they be required to wear our uniforms?

A:   No requirement to wear uniform.

Q: Are managers in charge on the flight?

A: No, managers/supervisors will be the individuals with lowest seniority and directed by the “A” FA.

Q: Why don’t we have enough numbers, we are running very lean? Why is that burden on the Flight Attendant group?

A: Management has the right to run operation as lean as they want. We were unable to achieve any restrictions or provisions regarding restrictions how the company manages their operations. This will afford management the ability to cover flights without having to ask AFA when due to a cancellation. We did attempt to negotiate something different and didn’t achieve it.

Q: What was the discussion around management flying at the table?

A: During the discussions at the table AFA was adamant that managers/supervisors were not going to be part of the minimum crew. Executive management were not willing to have a TA without allowing them to compliment our crew as an extra.

Q: Why is Andy in a video discussing management flying?

A: We asked Andy to participate in the video regarding management flying. Since this was an integral part of their bargaining objectives we required that they have a video discussing their intent. We didn’t edit or add content to their video, it was all done at their discretion.

Section 8 – Hours of Service

Q: I just worked a trip and had 100 people on 800, it took 28 minutes to deplane, what do I do to get paid the difference?

A: Contact Crew Scheduling to have your debrief adjusted. If one crew member contacts CS to make the adjustment, the adjustment is made for all crew members with debrief.

Q: How is block in determined?

A: Parking break set and L1 door open.

Section 9 – Junior Availability and Premium Open Time

Q: How far out can they JA you?

A: No earlier than the calendar day prior. See Section 9.D.2.a.

Q: Does this allow scheduling to hold onto trips?

A: No. Today they do hold trips and there is no penalty.

Q: Is there a penalty for JA out of order?

A: Yes, Two and one-half times (2.5X) the trip rate plus additional one-half times (0.5X) the trip rate for the error for the Flight Attendant who actually flies the JA. The Flight Attendant who should have been JA’d to the sequence will be pay protected at two and one-half times (2.5X) the trip rate for the sequence. See Section 9.D.1.e..

Q: Is there a penalty for Crew Scheduling holding a trip?

A: Yes, if CS withholds a trip and you find the trip then subsequently fly the trip you will be paid an additional 1 TFP. See Section 12.E.1.d..

Section 10 – Scheduling

Q: Do I have to opt out of 4k sequences during bidding?

A: No, it is an instruction to opt in, in you don’t opt in you are opting out of 4k and can’t be assigned one.

Q: Are you allowed to drop the 4k sequences into OT, if awarded?

A: Yes, just like any other trip.

Section 11 – Reserve

Q: If lineholder picks up single reserve day does it still convert to ER?

A: Yes, just like today.

Q: Where do you see issue for our reserves on implementation?

A: Self-assignment and reserve reposition calendar. The timeline is not changing though.

Q: Why are there no implementation penalties?

A: After TA1 failed, management talked to their third party vendors and realized they wouldn’t be able to deliver immediately the improvements negotiated. There is a delay of around 1 year for implementation that is described in the implementation LOA.

Section 12 – Open Time

Q: Is it just back to book and status quo for OT?

A: We go back to book and start negotiating a new OT system. It is in the best interest of both parties to have an OT system that works.

Section 14 – Vacation

Q; Page 16 of the summary 5^th bullet point, why is it Workers’ Comp is added to 12 month look back?

A: You are not paid in TFP. This is actually an improvement. The bulk of your pay is in dollars and not a TFP amount. Typically there is zero or little TFP credit. You won’t be penalized as we don’t count those months and will look into a full 12 months prior to get full look back which will count all flying. This is a more favorable application if you are on medical leave, maternity or workers’ compensation.

Section 16 – Sick Leave and On the Job Injury

Q: Is scheduling required to give you 1 reserve day for sick leave make up?

A: No, they are not required to give you 1 day. There may be multiple or single days available at their discretion.

Section 21 – Compensation

Q: Reserves that meet the minimum for the QPP can still get it without flying the full 90 TFP?

A: Yes, they are paid their guarantee and must exceed their PBS bid award by .1 tfp. Example is 90, 90, 90 plus .1, totaling 270.1 TFP.

Section 23 – Insurance

Q: Is the increase to my insurance going to be more than my pay increase?

A: No. You must calculate your flying habits, pay and premiums to get an overall picture of how much you individually will receive when comparing compensation and insurance between the two provisions.

Section 27 – General Association

Q: Who is applying for the scheduling chair position and who hires them?

A: It would most likely be a Flight Attendant who lives in the greater Seattle area as Crew Scheduling and Crew Planning are located at Flight Ops. The Scheduling Chair serves at the pleasure of the MEC.

Section 32 – Attendance Policy

Q: Are there points related to FMLA?

A: No

Q: Is there an FMLA lifetime accrual?

A: No, it is rolling 12 months. When you qualify you receive either 12 consecutive weeks or 72 intermittent days.

Q: Does the federal requirement under FMLA include vacation and sick leave?

A: No. The federal requirement does not include vacation and sick leave. It requires 504 “duty hours” over the 12 month period.

Q: If I have questions about FMLA who am I able to contact?

A: If you need assistance please contact your local LEC or the MEC benefits chair. You can find their information on the afa website by visiting www.afaalaska.org.

Random Q&A:

Q: Will my sit time be adjusted to ensure I get the sit time pay under the minimum pay rules?

A: Yes, the sit pay MPR will be paid for scheduled or unscheduled sits in excess of 2 hours.

Q: Is OPR and PBP changing?

A: No, there are no contractual changes to those programs.

Q: How many FAs in 2013 for 2014 benefits didn’t meet the current 480 application?

A: 73 (2% overall)

Q: How many FAs in 2013 for 2014 vacation accrual would not have received the requirement with the changes to TA2?

A: 388 (12% overall)

Q: Will a buyout be offered?

A: No

Q: Worst case scenario if it doesn’t pass?

A: The Company may teach us a lesson, not willing to rush into negotiations. Attempt to pull back provisions. NMB would possibly put us on shelf. May not allocate resources to Alaska until June/July 2015 at the earliest. The NMB has said once we act on whether we ratify or decline the contract, they will react. The timeline to this process being completed in the future is unknown. A two (2) month turn around is definitely not happening.

Q: What time will we know on the Dec 17^th?

A: Polls close on 12 (noon) EST. Will know shortly after voting closes.

Each pdf is specific to each domicile and has range maps, 4K and 15 minute pairing examples separated out.

LAX map with 4k & 15 debrief pairing examples

SEA map with 4k & 15 debrief pairing examples

SAN map with 4k & 15 debrief pairing examples

PDX map with 4k & 15 debrief pairing examples

ANC map with 4k & 15 debrief pairing examples