Quarterly Meeting Minutes
Monday, September 22, 2014
10 AM – 2 PM
Room 227, Alaska Airlines Flight Operations Building, Seattle
We have protections in our AFA Contract at Alaska. Our contractual scope language protects our jobs. Scope language ensures that work traditionally performed by Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants remains our work every day we board a plane, close a bin, brief an exit row, and conduct predeparture equipment checks and services along with many other duties. However, the language itself does not ensure the protection of our jobs.
Together We Protect our Jobs
Together we can enforce our contract and protect our jobs. As Union members we have this responsibility to each other. Each of us individually enforcing our contract is always important work. Our efforts are especially relevant when we consider our collective efforts to negotiate Contractual improvements.
Who may perform Flight Attendant duties?
Only Flight Attendants on the Alaska Airlines System seniority list except that Inflight management employees may perform Flight Attendant duties during their Initial Operating Experience (IOE) concurrent with the Initial Flight Attendant training class. Management employees holding an FAA Flight Attendant certificate may also perform duties while conducting a check ride or an IOE.
Where am I able to locate current Scope and Labor Protective Provisions?
Section 3 – Scope
Section 4 – Labor Protective Provisions
How does the Boeing Aircraft Order letter of agreement from TA1 assist Flight Attendants?
This letter of agreement guarantees that Flight Attendants on the Alaska Airline FA seniority list will continue to perform Flight Attendant duties on those aircraft ordered under the agreement. Approximately 73 additional aircraft will be added to the current fleet. This order is projected to take Alaska Airlines through 2020.
Is there any protection under the current agreement for these aircraft?
No
How does the Alaska Air Group (AAG) letter of agreement from TA1 assist our Flight Attendants?
This letter of agreement binds Alaska Air Group to the important Scope protections that we make with Alaska Airlines. It prevents the parent company from taking actions to circumvent agreements made with a subsidiary such as Horizon Airlines (QX).
Do we have any Scope protections linking AFA agreements with Alaska Airlines to Alaska Air Group?
No
How does the Job Protection LOA from TA1 assist Flight Attendants?
In the event Alaska or AAG acquires another air carrier, they cannot transfer the flying to the acquired carrier and furlough Alaska Flight Attendants. The effective date starts in any contract during which the acquisition happens and extends through the current contact duration plus one additional year. Protections in the event of a merger or acquisition are in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
We want to be paid for additional duties and on-board sales; I heard SWA is paid for additional duties and on-board sales?
SWA does have a scope clause that reads: “Prior to the Company engaging in future product or service sales conducted or transacted by Flight Attendants on-board any aircraft operated by the Company which would affect the ability of Flight Attendants to fulfill their overall duties and responsibilities, the Company agrees to bargain with the Union concerning the terms and conditions of these additional responsibilities.”
Do we have a current provision for on-board sales or additional duties in our contract?
No. There is currently no language or protections for on-board sales or additional duties.
Did we ask for this same provision or similar during the negotiation process?
Yes, your committee did ask for additional scope language regarding on-board sales. In TA1 we were unsuccessful with achieving a provision in Scope regarding on-board sales. We will reevaluate comments, concerns and suggestions while proceeding accordingly in our next session in October.
We should be paid for our additional duties! What is the committee doing with all the new added duties on the aircraft?
The negotiating committee does understand the importance of being paid appropriately for the additional job duties that are being required on-board and expect compensation to reflect the new requirements. Duties remain a separate issue from on-board sales and are maintained by the Company through our Flight Attendant Manual (FAM) under Section 7 Standards and Duties and Section 8 Service.
The recent events in Los Cabos, Mexico have impacted us all. It placed many of our Flight Attendants in the hurricane’s path and has required long duty days to remove crews, customers and aircraft from harms way. We know that many of our members have friends and family that have been seriously impacted as well.
As of September 22, 2014 Alaska Airlines has temporarily suspended all flights to Los Cabos, (SJD) Airport. They plan on resuming daily flights from LAX to SJD as soon as the airport opens for commercial use.
This will impact Flight Attendants in following ways:
- All but a few flights into SJD have been cancelled through the end of October 2014.
- Crew Scheduling received the cancelation notices yesterday and has begun to work through all the pre-cancelation sequences.
- The only flights to SJD that have not been canceled are one daily turn from LAX (LAX-SJD-LAX). They will be cancelled on a day-to-day basis. Management is hopeful that when the SJD airport opens these will be the first flights to operate.
- All pairings for November 2014, which previously contained SJD layovers, have been rebuilt in order to avoid any Flight Crews laying over in unacceptable conditions. This may occur in December as well depending on the rebuilding progress.
Pre-Cancelation and How It Affects You
Those Flight Attendants that have sequences containing a canceled flight segment will receive notice from Crew Scheduling that there is a pre-cancelation within their pairing. Please be advised that Section 10.T of the Collective Bargaining Agreement dictates your options.
Section 10.T.2 states:
When Crew Scheduling makes contact with the Flight Attendant regarding the cancellation(s). The Company may offer the Flight Attendant an alternate assignment to open positions that may include multiple sequences on the same day or days as the flights cancelled… The Flight Attendant may select the from the following options:
a. Accept the alternate assignment. (In which case you are pay protected for the greater of scheduled or flown)
b. Decline the alternate assignment and waive pay protection.
c. In the event that the alternate assignment contains a check in that is more than two hours earlier and/or release time that is more than two hours later than those contained in the Flight Attendants line of time, the Flight Attendant may decline and agree to contact Crew Scheduling between 6 pm and 8pm on the night before the first day of the flights canceled… to receive an alternate assignment. Such assignment must operate within the check-in and release times at domicile of the flights cancelled from the Flight Attendant’s line of time. If no such assignment is available at that time, the Flight Attendant will be pay protected under Section 21.N. and will be relieved from further obligation on the days of the flights cancelled…
There are additional provisions included in Section 10.T, we encourage Flight Attendants to read the entire section found on pages 43-44 of the contract. You can access the contract on the AFA Alaska website at http://afaalaska.org/contract.
SEA-SJD Charter Turns in November
Management hopes that flights will resume operating to SJD by November but has anticipated that the infrastructure in the local community will take some time to repair. Consequently, there will be no layovers in SJD in November. In the process of rebuilding pairings, management was unable to build the SEA-SJD-SEA flying on four Saturdays into a sequence that did not involve a layover in SJD. As a single sequence, this turn exceeds our scheduled 10:30 duty day maximum.
The MEC has granted management a one-time exception to build these sequences into turns that will be bid, paid, and scheduled as charters despite the fact that they contain scheduled flights. These charters will be bid outside PBS using the FA Charters conference in FirstClass and will operate on November 8, 15, 22 and 29. If you are interested in bidding for these sequences, please watch for them to be posted in the FA Charters conference.
Questions?
Please reach out to your Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers if you have any questions regarding the pre-cancelation language or how it applies. Contact information can be found under the Local Councils menu at http://afaalaska.org.
In Solidarity,
Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt
Vacation Bidding Now Available Until September 24 at Midnight
Due to a communication error posted earlier today on the Flight Attendant website, management has reopened the first round of vacation bidding. Vacation bidding is currently available on the Flight Attendant website and will remain open until 12 AM on Wednesday, September 24.
The Negotiating Committee reviews all comments, concerns, suggestions and questions. We appreciate you taking the time to contact us. By channeling our voices in one direction the negotiating committee is able to evaluate and use feedback in our bargaining. Please use the feedback form and encourage others to as well. This way we will have the feedback we need in one location.
Mobilization Volunteers carry a hard copy of the form, that can be turned in to any bases’ lockbox. It can also be submitted online here:
http://afaalaska.org/negotiations/feedback
Comment
Do not give up working conditions
Comment
Please do not make the change in contract on Charters. I do not believe we should be able to bid charters while on vacation. Please note that I could have bid the charter this weekend Aug 1 but am on vacation. This allowed more junior FA to hold this charter. I hear on the line that it is not fair the same people always hold the charters. That is true but seniority should be upheld. However if FA would take the time to look up charters they would find that they could and have held them when those senior are on vacation. This gives them the opportunity and I believe this should stay the same. To be paid for vacation plus get double time for a trip does not seem right to me. Give those that don’t normally hold one an opportunity. Again this has and did affect me this weekend but I am happy for the bid number in the 400’s for holding it. PLEASE no charters while on vacation and this is from bid number 20!!
Comment
Really wants to see the quartile, or something similar, implemented for open time
Comment
Thank you to all of you for all your hours of hard work for all Flight Attendants. I don’t think I have heard this much chatter on a contract in my entire career as this one…
I am also writing to ask if there is communication that I may have missed that listed the results of the latest survey for this next round of negotiations..
Comment
My concern is that company continues to beat the drum that they want productivity out of the membership. Are we communicating to management that we are and have been productive and continue to operate at high level of productivity and despite our disappointment with the lack of management cooperation in reaching a TA worthy of a Yes! Vote. We continue to maintain a higher level of service as noted by our customers in the industry. Please, please, please. Make management aware that the Unproductive Party here is them not US, with their worthless tfp trips. That warrants rigs style compensation in our trips. Enough with the trip Optimizer Excuses!!
Comment
I know our negotiators know what they’re doing but I just had a question/concern about wording. As I understand it a “signing bonus” is taxed at a higher rate than “retro pay”. I think, ideally, for the long term, we simply need more money in our paychecks. If we are trying to get back pay for extending the contract, I just want to be sure we’re using the right words to protect us from having it all eaten up by taxes.
Probably a mute point but I’d hate to see “signing bonus” in our contract and kick myself for not bringing it up!
Comment
Please, please, please!!!!!! Include compensation for all of the new and future duties the company has in store for us!!!!! This dog an pony show is getting out of hand and it will only get worse if we don’t provide perimeters in our contract and get compensation for all of our new and future (not safety related but company profit related) duties.
I have heard our NT will not negotiate anything that was not included in the survey.
That IS NONSENSE! We pay nearly $50/month for our team to negotiate our contract and it needs to encompass new and ongoing issues that arise as we go along. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. PLEASE include it!
Comment
I cannot understand why we are protecting people from JA because they traded their day away. What we are doing is putting traded days ahead of HELD days off! Does no one see this? If I plan for my dr appt and HOLD it off and someone else can’t get the day off but trades their day away, they are protected but I am not! So in order to make sure I will have a certain day off I will now have to bid to work it, then give it away! That’s insanity!
We’re chasing our own tail on this one and not addressing the real issue of who and when to JA.
Comment
First and foremost- thank you all for doing what you’re doing!!! I’ve been a part of the mobilization committee since May, and am ready to do some informational leafleting ASAP!!!! Meanwhile, as we get closer to the roll out of our new electronic devices, I must stress, among w/others, how important it is to ensure the language of our contract is very clear and concise; and if ANY additional duties are expected of us on top of what is already in the contract, we need to be paid accordingly. In addition, language as far as scope is also very important. Yes, pay is important, but it’s MOST DEFINITELY NOT the only thing!!!! Our time is now, and as someone has said “the concession stand is now CLOSED!!!” and that should be one of our new slogans!!!! We have given SO much, and now we deserve to actually be paid for what we do in the present, and for what they expect in the future. Thanks for listening!!!! Just my 2 cents! 🙂
Comment
Just read the latest negotiation email. The CURRENT open time trading system with the company being able to close ALMOST all days after 24 hrs is TOTALLY unacceptable in my opinion. I remember when you could trade a MTW trip for a TFS trip! This checkerboard calendar is ridiculous. This current practice of the company HOLDING trips and leaving ONLY one or two days open on our calendar MUST change. The flight attendant group WILL stand up for change on this! Also you think a 15% cap increase PER YEAR is acceptable over a 5 yr. contract? Do the math —- that means our healthcare can increase up to 75%. Management says we are THE BEST—- well let’s get the contract we finally deserve!!!!
Comment
I for one am generally pleased with the “openers.”
However, would it be possible to clarify under the JA portion exactly what is meant by “limited immunity” from JA on traded or given away days from a FA original line? This appears to be a radical departure from what is current book.
Also, language regarding record improvement on holidays will need to be tightened to indicate which holidays are being referenced and whether or not days touching the holiday are meant to be part of that calculation.
Comment
We need operational duty maximums. I just came off a difficult two day where a reserve was tagged in an out station at our report time due to sick online. Then subsequent four-hour mechanical delay. She had worked nearly 15 hours. D FA got rescheduled for additional assignment (not a reserve) above 12.5 hours (not due to subsequent delay). The company doesn’t care what happens to us or about fatigue because we have no language to back it up. I am hearing way to many “horror” stories out on the line of 18-20 plus hour duty days. This would not happen at any other carrier because they have duty maximums. Now today FA’s across the system are being stranded with unlimited duty days in the bay area. Alaska is the ONLY airline that I know of that does not have operational duty maximums. We need to be able to “walk” at an out station or diversion city due to delays like every carrier. IMO, 12.5 hours plus projected day is reasonable. This gives the company plenty of time to get a “game plan.” Scheduling does whatever they want with our duty day when the operation goes south because we have little language to protect us.
Comment
I haven’t been able to get my volunteers to do much. It seems Facebook and TA Talk is the avenue of choice.
Comment
I have been receiving all correspondence and or emails from AFA regarding current events, however, many on social media are saying they don’t get anything regarding upcoming events from AFA, I m hearing loud and clear. We are fed up with not getting a contract, we so well deserve!! Long over due!!!
Question
Are the number of UM’s allowed per flight regulated at all? If so, is it the FAA or the individual airline? Thank you for responding.
Answer: No, there is not a regulated amount of UMs per flight.
Comment
APSB for Reserves, hoping that you will keep the changes in TA1 for reserves. The 5 hours isn’t great, but having to be scheduled within an hour is good. Also a limit on APSB during the month. Some reserves can go day, after day, after day, being forced to sit APSB. There needs to be a limit on this. ER days, would love for them to just GO AWAY but if they have to stay, please protect the reserves with the changes that were in TA1 for the ER days.
Comment
The new bins that hold more bags concern me. Already on the ER even with the ‘assist’ overheads it is difficult and I have pulled my back, as I know others have. If they are going with the huge bags then we need bins that close automatically because otherwise we are putting FAs health at risk.
Comment
Retro pay, retro pay, retro pay since giving concessions three years ago!!
Comment
When injured and off on workers comp the company needs to pay FA insurance for the duration of the injury, not just three months!
How many Sections are closed?
28 of 35 Sections are TA’d.
What Sections are open and what are major topics in each?
Section 3 – Scope (Management Flying)
Section 11 – Reserve (ER days, Reserve reposition calendar)
Section 12 – Exchange of Sequences (Open Time trial period)
Section 14 – Vacation (480 provisions, accrual, 960 tfp for extra week)
Section 16 – Sick Leave/On the job injury (Two sick leave banks, 480 provisions, 12 mo look back)
Section 21 – Compensation (Step Rates/Scale, Signing Bonus, Retro pay)
Section 29 – Retirement (401K matching increase)
Where is the next negotiation meeting being held?
Chicago, IL
If I have questions or comments for the negotiating committee where else am I able to post besides Facebook and Twitter?
The negotiating committee is looking to engage Flight Attendants by using our new website www.afaalaska.org and on the negotiations blog. If you have questions or concerns there is also the ability to visit the website and send in a feedback form or email the committee directly.
Dear Seattle Flight Attendants,
We had a fantastic RED HOT Summer and showed the company that we are Five Bases Standing Strong! Our solidarity is stronger than ever and we need to continue showing that strength!
There are several events in October and November where we can come together and demonstrate our solidarity and our strength:
October 2nd- Andy’s Town Hall Meeting and Reception
Place: TBA
Time: 3pm- 6pm
Seattle LEC Officers will host a meeting prior to this event- Details to follow
October 9th- Seattle Employee Reception
SEA Employee Meeting & Reception
Intended Audience:
All AS & QX employees
Event Date:
10/9/2014
Event Time:
3:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Event Location:
Seattle
Event Address:
TBD
Get map and driving directions
Additional Information:
3:00pm – 4:30pm Employee Meeting
4:30pm – 6:30pm Employee Reception with light appetizers
Join your co-workers as you hear senior leaders talk about the Company’s progress and where we are heading.
As always, RED HOT AFA t-shirts are provided at the venues! If you do not have one and plan on attending please send one of you LEC Officers an email with your shirt size.
October 16th- Maternity Roundtable
Seattle LEC Maternity Co-Chairs, Beth Hogger and Danni Peterson, are hosting a maternity roundtable!
When: October 16th
Where: Flight Ops Building Room 230C (upstairs near the lunchroom)
Time: 12:30pm- 3:30pm
October 24th- Council 19 Meet and Greet
Where: Seoul Room (SEA TAC Conference Center, Mezzanine Level)
Time: 11am
Parking is paid on all levels except 4
Join your LEC Officers for discussions on:
· Updates from the negotiating table
· Current events recap
· Planning for November 12th System Wide Event
November 12th Save the Date!
Please mark your calendars for the system wide AFA event on November 12th. Details to follow….
Please contact any of your LEC Officers if you have any questions on these events!
Have you checked out the new and improved AFA Alaska website? We have added a negotiations blog! Check it out: http://afaalaska.org/negotiations/blog
AFA Alaska: http://afaalaska.org/
One last reminder- if you are behind on your union dues you will not be able to vote on a Tentative Agreement. Please make sure you contact Linda Christou if you have questions on your AFA dues account so you can exercise your right to vote!
In solidarity,
LEC President-Laura Masserant, LEC Vice President- Jake Jones, LEC Secretary- Linda Christou, Council Rep- Stephanie Adams, and Council Rep- Adam Clarey
How does Sick Leave Make-up work?
A Flight Attendant who calls in sick, whether line holder or reserve, who accessed their sick leave bank will have the ability to restore the sick leave by picking up Sick Leave Reserve Days.
Who will designate Sick Leave Make-up Days and the number of days?
Crew Scheduling will designate the number of days available which will be 1, 2, 3, or 4 days AM/PM blocks.
How many times will there be an opportunity to make up sick leave?
There will be no fewer than four (4) days designated per month. These four (4) days will be designated with at least 24hrs notice. Additional days, if designated, may be declared at any time.
May I choose to sit fewer days of reserve than what I called in for sick ?
Yes. There is a formula and calculation to determine that maximum number of days allowed and you will be able to sit less days to make up your sick leave.
May I pick up Sick Leave Reserve Days on the same day(s) as the trip/reserve day(s) for which I called in sick ?
No, you may not. A Flight Attendant may not pick up available Sick Leave Reserve Day(s) within 24 hrs of reporting sick. If you call in sick and subsequently are able to fly, you will call in well and the provisions of calling in well will apply. For any sick leave used prior to calling in well you will have the opportunity if you choose to utilize the sick leave make-up provisions.
How much time do I have to make up the sick leave?
A Flight Attendant will have the current bid month and up to the next two (2) bid periods to restore sick leave.
What if I am given an assignment which is in excess of my sick leave make-up?
A Flight Attendant who makes up sick leave shall have their sick leave restored to their sick leave bank on a TFP for TFP basis. You shall receive pay and credit for any time flown as sick leave make-up in excess of sick leave restored.
If I pick up Sick Leave Make-up Reserve day am I considered a lineholder or reserve?
Any Flight Attendant who sits Sick Leave Reserve Day(s) shall be considered a Reserve Flight Attendant on that day.
How does this program benefit my sick leave accrual?
In the contract you accrue sick leave based on tfp which is 1tfp sick leave for 10 tfp flown or credited during the month, sick leave will not be accrued on TFP credited for sick leave. If you were to call in sick for a trip that required use of 20 tfp, it would take you 200 tfp to restore it. This rapid accrual allows you to sit 4 days of reserve (in this example) to make up sick leave in a few days what could potentially require months of flying or credit.
Which Section of TA2 will I find provisions regarding Sick Leave Make-up?
Section 16, Sick Leave/On The Job Injury
What are some of the changes in Section 32 during the last session? I am hearing different things on the line…..
Do we still have to fly a leg prior to calling in sick online at domicile for check-in?
In the last negotiating session the committee told management that many changes were required to meet our Flight Attendants expectations. The committee brought forward concerns regarding the requirement to fly the first leg of a sequence to call out “sick online”. We were able to remove the requirement, however there is a .5 point associated with calling out sick online at domicile prior to flying the first leg of a sequence. An example is if you had a 4 day trip, it would be 2 points total for the sick call plus the .5 point for calling out sick at domicile prior to flying a leg for a total of 2.5 points. Points for the sick online could be mitigated by calling in well. If you have a FMLA on file or you are injured in the workplace (workers compensation) you will be exempt from the additional .5 point.
Do we still have black out dates attached with our quarterly doctors note?
No, the committee was able to remove all black out dates!
Is there a quarterly or year-end (annual) flying requirement to receive record improvement?
For quarterly improvement there is no flying requirement. In TA1 there was a 120 tfp requirement which is now eliminated.
Year-end record improvement does require on December 31st that you meet your 480 tfp (including vacation, excluding sick leave) for the calendar year. You must avoid any occurrences in the months of Nov/Dec as described in TA1 and if you have 4 points or under will have your points reduced back to zero.
How many bank points will I be able to accrue?
The committee was able to maintain the improvement of 6 bank points from TA1.
Under the current contract I am penalized when I call in sick using my doctors note because I have bank points, is anything being done about this?
Yes, under TA2 you will not be penalized. You will have the ability to choose whether you use your bank points for the occurrence or the quarterly note which will remove the points and continue to maintain your banked points.
With the provisions of TA2, what are the changes regarding a Single Continuous Occurrence?
A Single Continuous Occurrence will be valid for ten (10) consecutive days beginning from the day of the sick call. If you are going to be out for any length of time and qualify you should consider taking a medical leave. The medical leave handbook is currently being revised to reflect the current practice. If you have questions or concerns regarding medical leaves please contact your AFA Benefits Representatives by visiting us online at http://afaalaska.org/benefits.
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