Your AFA Negotiating Committee recently tentatively agreed (TA’d) Section 32 Attendance Policy. We will take this opportunity to share with you the newly agreed provisions and concepts:
Management may reach out regarding points accrual with the intent to ensure the welfare of a Flight Attendant, though s/he is not obligated to respond except under specific circumstances. Management presented a compelling argument that many disciplinary and termination actions could be avoided if an Inflight manager/supervisor had an opportunity to make contact with a Flight Attendant before s/he was in attendance points jeopardy. For example, the Flight Attendant could be eligible for Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits, etc.
The Negotiating Committee agreed that a Flight Attendant could possibly benefit from outreach by Inflight management provided there was no requirement by the Flight Attendant to have a discussion. In almost all circumstances the contact will be similar to the “get well messages” currently being sent by management when a Flight Attendant goes out on Sick Leave. Just like today, it will be the Flight Attendant’s option to respond except in the case of rapid points accrual as indicated by six (6) points in two (2) consecutive calendar quarters and No Shows.
The Negotiating Committee reviewed the definition of No Show and agreed to move “being unavailable for contact while on reserve, during scheduled or unscheduled ground time” to its own provision labeled “Unavailable for Contact” which was reduced from two and a half (2.5) points as a No Show to one (1) point per “Unavailable for Contact” occurrence. The number of attendance points for a “true” No Show was increased from two and a half (2.5) to four (4).
“Failure to Report” was renamed “Late Report” since most FAs did report to work, but after his/her scheduled time.
A reported illness using quarterly point reduction will be subject “blackout dates”: the Flight Attendant paid holidays under Section 21.G. When an absence—including a single continuous occurrence of illness—touches a Flight Attendant paid holiday (meaning on the holiday and not simply next to the holiday), the FA may not utilize a point reduction form. Also please note when utilizing a quarterly point reduction form you must have available sick leave to cover the sequence(s) in order to be eligible for points reduction.
Examples:
FA has a 2 day trip on 12/24-25. The FA will not be able to submit a quarterly point reduction form for this occurrence because the trip falls on a paid holiday (currently Christmas Day 12/25).
FA has a 2 day trip worth 12.0 TFP, but only has 6.0 TFP of available sick leave. The FA will not be able to submit a quarterly point reduction form and will accrue one (1) point (2 days @ 0.5 point per day) for the occurrence.
Ability for commuters to call in a Might Be Late (MBL). When a Flight Attendant calls in a MBL but scans in on time after calling in, no points will apply. If the Flight Attendant chooses to proceed directly to the gate or does not scan in on time, points will apply.
Established new language regarding Management Drops which replaces Emergency Drops at a half (0.5) point per day, and Operational Incident Drops will be without points. The new language provides more flexibility for supervisors/managers to assist in giving you the time off you require in unforeseen circumstances.
In the current agreement there is a reference under “Final Warning” of point accumulation that states an employee may be terminated for overall job performance. This sentence—“possible termination for overall job performance”—has been deleted. The Attendance Policy is now a pure point system that does not encompass other work-related performance issues.
In Record Improvement a Flight Attendant who is credited a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) Worked TFP including vacation/PTO pay and has no chargeable occurrences during the calendar quarter will have two (2) points deleted from accumulated points until the total reaches zero (0). The number of bank points will increase from four (4) to six (6). At the end of each calendar year any Flight Attendant who has achieved a combined credit of eighty (80) Worked TFP including vacation/PTO pay in November/December will have her/his record reduced to zero (0) points; s/he must have four (4) or fewer points and cannot have accumulated any points since November 1st of that year.
New language provides sequence recovery provisions for a Lineholder who “No Shows.” A Flight Attendant and Crew Scheduling can work together to recapture the “No Showed” sequence or look at alternatives.
Your Negotiating Committee spent countless hours reviewing, discussing and enhancing the provisions of Section 32. True, some movement was made towards management’s position in this section but we also secured many positive benefits. The result is balanced. Some of the changes:
- Commuters may utilize a Might Be Late (MBL).
- Zero (0) points for MBL call if scanned in on time.
- Added new language regarding “Unavailable for Contact” and carved it out of No Show with a lower point penalty of one (1) point (vs 2.5 points); true No Show now four (4) points.
- Increased the number of bank points from four (4) to six (6).
- Removed the possibility of being terminated for overall job performance in conjunction with point accumulation.
- Quarterly and annual points reductions now have flying requirements; however, taking a leave in a quarter no longer automatically precludes one from record improvement.
- Added language regarding sequence recovery for No Shows.
The Negotiating Committee is optimistic that once we present a TA to the membership for ratification, Flight Attendants will read over Section 32 Attendance Policy and understand the complete depth of the changes and improvements.
In solidarity,
Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo
“Five Bases, One Voice”
