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Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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Your AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met today in Seattle to discuss the impending acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Air Group (AAG) and the planned merger with Alaska Airlines. Your union leaders know that everybody has many questions about the implications of this new direction for Alaska Airlines and its parent AAG. Be aware that the respective Board of Directors at both companies as well as the appropriate regulatory agencies must approve the acquisition and merger, which will take time. We are at the very beginning of this transaction.

 

The MEC held a conference call with our International President Sara Nelson and members of staff at AFA headquarters in Washington, DC. Please be assured that AFA Alaska has the full support and resources of our union at the highest levels. We are here to represent you through the entire process, which is likely to last many months and almost certainly a year or two, and you will receive updates all along the way.

 

What is the difference between a merger and an acquisition?

 

At the most basic level, an acquisition is a purchase. Alaska Air Group, the parent or holding company of Alaska Airlines (AS), is acquiring Virgin America (VX). AAG executive management is planning to operate AS and VX under one certificate, so we’re also talking about a merger between the two carriers. In this case, it is both an acquisition (VX by AAG) and a merger (between AS and VX). After all the transactions have been completed, employees of Virgin America and Alaska Airlines will all be working for the same carrier.

 

What are the next steps in the process?

 

Start becoming familiar with the relevant AFA Alaska Collective Bargaining Agreement language, specifically in Section 4 – Status of Agreement. Also check out Section X – Merger Policy and Related Employee Protective Provisions in the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws (C&B).

 

The MEC will be posting a call tomorrow morning for two Merger Representatives pursuant to the AFA-CWA Merger Policy. As outlined in the AFA-CWA C&B Section X.C.1, the Merger Representatives “shall have the complete and full authority to act for and in behalf of the flight attendants of their respective airlines for the purpose of compiling necessary employment data and a single flight attendant seniority list.” Obviously, seniority is an extremely important factor in a merger, so the MEC would like to hit the ground running.

 

Consequently, there will be a very tight turnaround on expressions of interest for these positions. Applications should be submitted by close of business (5PM Pacific Time) this coming Friday. More information will be in the full posting tomorrow.

 

* * *

 

If you have any questions, contact your Local Executive Council president.

 

Until the next update in the near future…

 

In Solidarity,

 

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and LEC Presidents-elect Tim Green and Brice McGee

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Alaska Air Group announced very exciting news this morning—the purchase of Virgin America! (The transaction is subject to the approval of the appropriate regulatory agencies and the respective companies’ boards.) All the excitement has led to a lot of social media postings.

AFA wants to protect your interests, so we’re reminding the group of the Alaska Airlines Social Media Policy (log in required). Please be respectful and remember that there are management employees on social media—including “secret” groups like the “VX and AS Q&A” secret Facebook page. Otherwise, let’s keep up the playful banter with our new Virgin America family!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; MEC officers-elect Tim Green and Brice McGee; MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl and MEC Grievance Representative Stephanie Adams

AFA Alaska Logo Transparent Background

It’s official! Alaska Air Group is slated to acquire Virgin America, pending the approval of their respective boards and the Department of Justice. Your AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) officers are very, very pleased that executive management is intending to combine the two carriers and operate under a single certificate. In other words, we’re looking at a merger!

Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are both known for providing an exceptional in-flight experience, thanks in large part to the dedication of our respective flight attendants,” said Jeffrey Peterson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Master Executive Council at Alaska Airlines. “The combination of these two award-winning airlines provides an exciting opportunity for our members and for the Virgin America flight attendants, or Inflight Team Members. We look forward to joining together and building on our legacies of customer satisfaction to the benefit of both companies’ passengers.”

The MEC knows everybody has a ton of questions. Please be assured that AFA is here to represent you through the many steps in this process. We are holding a special MEC meeting later today in Seattle in order to review recent events and discuss the go forward plan.

For now, we invite you to start getting to know the new members of our Alaska family. If you see Virgin America (VX) Inflight Team Members (ITMs) or employees in the airport, greet them just like you would any Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant or employee. Strike up a friendly conversation if you have time.

If you are interacting with VX ITMs on social media, take the opportunity to start understanding their rich and unique culture and share ours with them. Although our groups might appear to be very different initially, the MEC believes that you will discover both feel a passionate ownership of and pride in our respective cultures. We also share many of the same core values and an emphasis on customer service.

These are very exciting times we are in. Keep your focus on doing what we do well: operating a safe and on-time airline and providing award-winning customer service. The MEC will be communicating more following our meeting later today.

Congratulations to Alaska Airlines and a warm welcome to Virgin America!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC officers-elect Tim Green and Brice McGee

AFA Alaska Logo Transparent Background

When: Monday, May 16th, 2016

Where: TBD

Time: 11am-2pm

Your AFA Officers are preparing for the annual AFA Board of Directors (BOD) meeting and we need to discuss the agenda items for the BOD and seek your input. We will be posting the agenda items for review and look forward to discussing them with you at the May 16th meeting.

Please bring all your Open Time trading questions for our scheduling experts; we will be having a Q&A regarding Open Time trading.  If you can’t attend our local council meeting send us your trading questions to anc.scheduling@afaalaska.org.

Agenda

I. Call to order

A. Call for late agenda items

B. Late agenda items

C. Announcements

II.  AFA BOD agenda items

III. Local Executive Council (LEC) Update

A. Officer Update

1. LEC President Report

2. LEC VP Report

3. LEC Secretary and Membership Report

B.  Open Time Trading Q&A

If you would like to add an agenda item please email LEC Secretary Laura Rueckert at anc@afaalaska.org by May 8th.  Please RSVP to anc@afaalaska.org so we can get a tentative head count in order to determine a location to hold the meeting.

In solidarity,

Your Council 30 Officers

AFA Council 30 Logo

Just like you, the Master Executive Council (MEC) has been following the various media reports about a possible bid to acquire Virgin America by jetBlue, Alaska Airlines and perhaps unnamed Chinese interests. It seems the rumors and speculation have reached a new level this afternoon with several stories being reported in reputable media outlets regarding an impending acquisition by Alaska Airlines of Virgin America (e.g. WSJ: Alaska Air Nearing a Deal to Acquire Virgin America, Yahoo: Alaska Air nears deal to buy Virgin America for over $2 billion: source).

 

Please know that your leadership is on standby and available if the reports are confirmed. At this point we’re all waiting for more news. As soon as we have any information to share, your AFA leadership will promptly do so.

 

In Solidarity,

 

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC officers-elect Tim Green and Brice McGee

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Completed applications must be received by the April 10th deadline at the following address:

 

AFA Scholarship Fund

PO Box 56

Hartwood, VA 22471-0056

 

Applications and more detailed information can be obtained on the AFA-CWA website:

 

www.AFACWA.org/scholarships

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AFA Alaska just received an update that Maestro/eMaestro was restored and with no apparent data loss. That means all trading activity was unaffected—no need to check your line if you made trades this morning.

Crew Scheduling (CSKD) is still extremely busy recovering the operation, so we ask that you limit non-essential contact with CSKD for the next several hours.

 

In solidarity,

 

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones

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The Maestro/eMaestro Crew Management System is now operative. AFA Alaska has been advised that in order to bring up the system, Maestro/eMaestro had to be restored to an earlier time than the original outage earlier this morning. From all the information we have been given, it seems approximately 45 minutes of trading activity that occurred between approximately 8:30 AM and 9:15 AM PT has been lost and may not be recoverable.

 

Crew Scheduling (CSKD) is extremely busy recovering the operation at this time, so we ask that you limit your contact with CSKD to operational needs only for now. If you have a trip reporting today, please check your line to ensure everything looks in order—particularly if you made any trades between approximately 8:30 AM and 9:15 AM PT affecting today.

 

If you believe there is an error on your line affecting today’s operation, contact CSKD as soon as possible. There will be an additional update once CSKD has recovered the operation sufficiently enough to look at future days affected by the outage.

 

In solidarity,

 

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones

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AFA Alaska has been advised that the Maestro/eMaestro Crew Management System will be operative shortly around 12:15 PT.

 

In solidarity,

 

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones

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Helpful Hints for Trading

Please refer to Section 12 F for more information and clarification of the codes 

Questions on Open Time and TSN Counts

  1. Is actual opening/closing of days in OT automatic or must it be done manually for each day of the month?

Automatic open/close.  Currently closing at 9:59:59 for reserve self-assignment. This should time should be 1:59:59 but due to programming technicalities Flight Attendants can call and request, on a first come first serve basis, until full implementation this fall.

  1. TSN counts: If it’s manual is it a one time manual fix when OT opens or must it be manually entered daily throughout the month? Are TSN counts only done by managers of CS?  

TSN counts are entered manually into the system.  Crew Planning sends the numbers to Crew Scheduling management to adjust prior to start of Open Time. Flight Attendants may see an increase in TSN counts throughout the month, which allows more trading flexibility. Cannot be reduced below the contractual number.

  1. Can this become automated with new system?  Will new programming software have this ability? 

No, it will always require someone to enter the numbers either maintaining, increasing or decreasing the TSN is required because base sizes may change.

  1. Is there a system to check accuracy of TSN counts throughout the month? Is anyone in CS ensuring TSN counts regarding opening/closing of OT days are correct?

No, there is not a system to check. It is up to Crew Scheduling management to check.  They can alter specific days as well versus the whole month. If an error is located then it is our responsibility to report it and get it corrected.  We rely on them to uphold the contractual requirements but sometimes there is human error.  No one is monitoring the TSN opening and closing of days except for when they pull the trips for the next day operation at 1:59:59 to assign reserves, which in the future will be 9:59:59.

  1. Since coding of trips are automatic TO TX DD CP, is there accountability to ensure its coding counts (assignments) are done correctly?

Yes. All transactions leave a history and are logged by every user in the system.  If a scheduler makes an adjustment the Arctic appears. If it is the FA there is an audit report.  We can track everything. Even if scheduling pulls trips out of OT and returns the trips, they keep the same designation that they left with. You only see the trade codes, but there is a lot of coding in the back end system access you don’t see as a flight attendant.

  1. March 30th discrepancies: TSN count in upper date corner showing 11 but trips listing in OT had a count of 10 TO coding, yet day was showing closed. When TSN count of TO trips went to 9 day was open. Why was this day different than other days in March? Manual entering/programming oversight why?  

Yes, someone entered the information incorrectly causing the issue.  If issues are discovered also requires manual fix

QUICK TUTORIAL ON TRADING

TO is a trade with Open Time that counts towards the threshold sequence number (TSN) for opening/closing a day.

TX is a trip that went into Open Time as non coded, then was subsequently traded when the day was closed and does not count towards the TSN.

CP is a Coupon Drop that counts towards the TSN for opening/closing the day.

DD is a Direct Drop into OT that counts towards the TSN for opening/closing the day.

Non coded is a sick call, illegality, personal drop, Union/Company Business drop, medical leave, jury duty and much more that does not count towards the TSN.

TO/CP/DD may be traded down, equal or more days when the day is closed and the trip on your line shares the same day of check in as the trip in OT (provided you have not exceeded your net 40 tfp trading down with Open Time).

TX/non coded may be traded equal or more days (no down trading of days, provided you have not exceeded your net 40 tfp trading down with Open Time can reduce your tfp of the trip) as long as the trip in Open Time checks in on the same day as the trip on your line or earlier and covers the same days.

TX, or non-coded, trips can become coded as TO when traded with an open day.

DD need same start date as the trip you are giving away if all the days are closed.

Examples

You can trade a 4 day on the 12th for a turn, 2, 3 or different 4 day on the 12th as long as as the trip is coded TO or DD

TX and no codes

Have to cover the same days as your original trip but can be different start dates

Examples

A 2 day on the 5th and a 2 day on the 7th can be traded for a 4 day on the 5th as long as that 4 day trip is coded TX or had no code.. doesn’t matter if days are open or closed.

A 2 day on the 10th can be traded for a 3 day on the 9th or a 4 day on the 8th as long as the trip your picking up is TX or NO CODE

Additionally,

A 2 day on the 10th could be traded for a 4 day TX trip on the 8th.

Then you trade that new 4-day for a turn that’s coded TO or DD on the 8th.

Now your 2-day is in open time, the 4 day is back in open time and you have a turn on the 8th.

OTHER EXAMPLES: ß 

When the days are closed your trading abilities are limited.

Closed day trip in OT coded TO/CP/DD then must trade for example the 15th for the 15th, can trade up, down or equal.

Closed days trip non-coded or TX can trade equal to or greater, cannot trade down. Example:

15, 16 – 2 day on your line. Can trade into a 2 day 15/16, or 3 day 14,15,16 or 15,16,17 or 4 day 13,14,15,16 or 14,15,16,17 or 15,16,17,18. Trips must cover the same days and start on the same day of report or earlier.

You cannot trade down a TX even if you are covering the same days.  Example: 2 day on your line 15/16.  2 turns in OT on 15th, 16th non-coded.  The liability you are putting into OT is larger than what you are taking out.

TRADES WITH OPEN TIME 

You can trade 2 turns on your line for a 2 day TX/non coded in Open Time when the days are closed and you are covering the same days.

You are not able to trade a 2-day on your line for 2 turns.

If you are trading a 2 day TO/CP/DD for two turns in OT then you must first down-trade the 2 day to the turn that shares the same day of check in as the trip on your line, then pick up the turn on the subsequent day. TX/non coded trips may be traded equal or up, no down trading is allowed with TX.  TO/CP/DD allows trading up, down and equal.

Trade:  1 day on the 15th, 1 day on the 16th for 2-day TX in OT on the 15/16 – Approved

Trade:  2 day on the 15/16 for two one day TX in OT on the 15th and 16th – Denied

Trade: 2 day on the 15th for 1 day TO on the 15th – approved, then pick up one-day turn on 16th– approved

TRADING INFORMATION:

A turn on the 24th may only be traded for another turn on the 24th if the day is closed and you have another sequence beginning on the 25th.

If all you had was a turn on the 24th and the days were closed you could trade into a turn, 2, 3 or 4 day on the 24th.

Turns are not as flexible when accompanied by additional turns or multi-days as they were in the previous contract.

Once you set up a configuration of consecutive sequences you are locked in that configuration unless you are able to drop a trip into OT or another FA picks up one of the sequences.

Depending on what you prefer to fly and trade you may want to avoid turns and ask for 3 or 4 day trips and then trade those trips with other 3 and 4 day sequences.  Even multiple 2 day trips back to back, such as the 24/25, 26/27 could not be traded for a 4 day trip coded TO/DD/CP on the 24th if the days were closed.  The multi-trade function is only operational when all days are open that share the report date of the sequences involved for dropping into OT.

WHAT IS FADO? 

FADO is Flight Attendant Drop to Open Time.

This is the net 40-tfp provision, or dropping of 40 tfp into Open Time.  If you show FADO of 30, you can drop 10 more TFP to open to get to 40 tfp net.  If you are -30, you can drop 70 tfp to open (Negative 30 plus your 40 positive.)

This calculates dropping to open days, up trading, down trading and pick-ups from OT.

In regards to the TO/CP/DD those will be combined into one code in JCTE in October. You can only down-trade TO/CP/DD coded trips with same date of departure when days are closed.

No code means the trip is a result of a sick call, jury duty, medical leave, or CB/UB.

If the trip went in to Open Time and then was traded with another trip in Open Time, trip left in Open Time would be coded TX.

Sincerely,

Martin Vance

Rita Tillou

SEA LEC Scheduling CO-Chairs

Trading

 

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