PDX Roadshow Q&A 12/3/14
Section 3 – Scope
Q: Does there have to be no reserve available within the 2 hour call out?
A: The flight would have to cancel if they couldn’t get a flight attendant to airport. Any time a manager flies the Company must notify AFA and there will be follow up.
Q: Why don’t they have to wear a uniform?
A: Not all of them have uniforms and they are not required. No contractual requirement that they wear uniform.
Q: How are the supervisors paid for flying, TFP? Why don’t they pay union dues?
A: They are paid their salary. AFA doesn’t represent them. They don’t receive the perks of the collective bargaining. They don’t get per diem, no minimum pay rules.
Q: Do they have to be trained FAA certified as a flight attendant?
A: Yes. There are currently 42 approved.
Q: Must the flying managers have a Flight Attendant manual?
A: Yes.
Q: Is there a percentage or a limit? Cap in writing?
A: There is no cap.
Q: When will we know if they are on our aircraft?
A: We will clarify, but there is no contractual notification requirement.
Q: What is single source discipline?
A: Just originates with one person. Refers to one information source, the person who sees it.
Q: Is it one of the functions of the Scheduling Chair to oversee this?
A: Yes, a full time scheduling chair position. S/he is an AFA Alaska Flight Attendant.
Q: May trips be held from bidding or Open Time for management?
A: No.
Q: Supervisors on board, we may have to train them, do we receive extra pay?
A: No extra pay.
Q: Was this a priority for the company in TA1 and TA2?
A: Yes.
Q: As most junior FA on a crew as an extra can managers be tagged?
A: They could only be reassigned if to avoid a cancellation. If not to prevent a cancellation they would not be eligible as they can only fly as an extra.
Q: Is there restriction for IOE or check rides today?
A: No. They have the ability to come onboard during special circumstances.
Section 8 – Hours of Service
Q: For getting through customs can we call and adjust our debrief?
A: No, it is not counted, just as application today.
Q: If Pilots give you ACARs during flight do I have to call?
A: Yes.
Q: Do we get paid for updating manual, bulletins? In future updating new devices off the a/c?
A: No. This will be on your own time.
Q: Could the company arbitrarily adjust my debrief?
A: No. Debrief is coordinated by the crew.
Q: If on separate pairings do we have to call separately?
A: Yes, until we settle into the new procedure.
Q: Is Scheduling going to staff appropriately for our ability to adjust our debrief?
A: I do think they have underestimated how much this is happening. Think they will be overwhelmed at first with the adjustments.
Q: Does the night rule supersede irregular operations?
A: Yes. See Section 8.I..
Section 9 – Junior Availability and Premium Opentime
Q: Could I receive ACARs and be JA’d
A: Yes.
Q: Could they be standing there at your plane to JA you?
A: Yes, within your 15 minute debrief?
Q: Could the company adjust my debrief to JA me?
A: No, the flight attendant(s) may adjust their debrief by calling CS.
Q: Can Crew Scheduling still call me at home to JA?
A: No.
Q: If you do have 2.5X JA trip and drops into OT does that remove the JA premium?
A: If you trade into OT the premium goes away. If traded to FAs premium will stay.
Q: How will you know if JA’d out of order?
A: Strictly by who is on duty and who is legal. You can look at the list to see who was JA’d. The Scheduling Chair must be consulted prior to JA. If the Company JAs out of order there premium pay penalty.
Section 10 – Scheduling
Q: What are the three 4k destinations that would be affected with todays route structure?
A: SEA-DTW, SEA-IAH, PDX – PVR
Q: Can I preference 4k day and 4k night, either or both?
A: Yes. It is instruction command required to opt in to these pairings.
Q: Do you have a list of the new turns, cities affected by 15 minute debrief?
A: We have a list of the 4k, will get a list of the city pairings affected.
Q: Are we opening the door?
A: It doesn’t stop management from requesting a longer duty day in the future. We are governed by the majority. It is a fair assessment.
Q: How I am guaranteed I am not going to fly them?
A: From PBS perspective, if you do not select one or both of the 4k instructions you will NOT be awarded 4k sequence via coverage award, unstacking and secondary line generation. It you do not select instruction you can NOT get the trip.
Q: What do they do with pairings if no one bids the 4k?
A: They will go into OT and will NOT count towards the threshold sequence number for closure of OT unless subsequently traded.
Q: How will LA and ANC be impacted?
A: There will be impact on the flying. There are not many pairings that will fit in turns in LAX, ANC, SAN. With new flying would change flying. Line averages and Minimum Pay Rules will provide protections for unproductive flying.
Q: So a 4K is in the box, they are desperate and out of reserves. Can line holders refuse?
A: Yes you can refuse. Company would have ability to offer with premium OT, break up the sequence to make legal with the 10 hours and 30 minutes or in lieu of cancellation assign to a manager.
Section 11 – Reserve
Q: If line holder picks up single day, does it convert to ER?
A: Yes
Q: Is there a change to crew quarters or sitting area when sitting APSB?
A: No change.
Q: Any protections for turning a turn into a 5 day trip?
A: No
Section 12 – Exchange of Sequences
Q: When will Jet Bridge trades be available?
A: Immediately. It is a manual process.
Q: So if we love new OT system, but Company hates it, they cancel trial period?
A: Go back to todays practice and start negotiating a new system.
Q: Are personal drops and coupon drops going away or being replaced?
A: No.
Q: Can FAs Jet Bridge trade with another FA who is not in their domicile?
A: No. FAs must be in the same domicile to Jet Bridge trade. There may be ability in future to expand program.
Section 14 – Vacation
Q: Today I only fly 260TFP annually what is difference between CBA and TA2?
A: Under current agreement if you do not meet 480 TFP (including vacation and sick leave) you are entitled to full vacation accrual unpaid. In TA2 if you fly the 260 TFP (excluding vacation and sick leave) you are entitled to half vacation accrual unpaid.
Q: I have questions about the 480 TFP and going on maternity, is that covered?
A: If you are coordinating your leave there is a lookback to help you meet your 480. We have a presentation later in the roadshow to walk you through this.
Section 16 – Sick Leave and On the Job Injury
Q: Can you still call in well?
A: Yes
Q: You can still make up the first day of your sick call after calling in well?
A: Yes
Q: Where I will find the Reserve Sick Leave Make Up days?
A: They will be posted. Not sure where they will be posted but FAs will have notification.
Q: Is there point mitigation for sick leave make up?
A: No.
Q: How long do I have to make up sick leave and restore my bank?
A: The current bid month and the two subsequent bid months.
Q: Are lineholders required to opt in to LFTA for sick leave make up?
A: No.
Q: If I only fly turns is it possible to have my options limited for sick leave make up?
A: Yes. Crew Scheduling builds the blocks. At their discretion they could offer one day or more blocks.
Q: If I don’t fly on the reserve make up day how much credit do I receive?
A: 5 TFP per day not used. With a minimum guarantee of 5 TFP per day averaged over the number of days in the reserve make up block.
Section 21 – Compensation
Q: If I am top of scale when do I receive my increases?
A: Every Dec 17th for the duration of the agreement you will receive 1.5% pay increases.
Q: Are CB and UB included in the QPP?
A: Yes
Q: What is the Company benefit of the QPP?
A: On average the hard time flown per flight attendant is 68 TFP. If you can move the average hard time 1 TFP to 69 TFP hard time averaged for all Flight Attendants then the Company would receive the cost savings of 50 full time employees (FTE) in the future for each 1 TFP. This benefit is only received if flying behaviors change.
Q: Is there a blog post to assist with QPP questions?
A: Yes. http://afaalaska.org/negotiations/get-the-facts-productivity-premium
Section 22 – Expenses
No Questions
Section 23 – Insurance
Q: Is there a slide show on the insurance? What is difference between the cost sharing and the year over year cap?
A: Yes. Watch the insurance video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BivL964KYak&feature=youtu.be .
One is sharing of cost that moves each year contractual up to a maximum of 20/80. The year over year cap ensures the employee paid portion does not exceed 15% increase year over year. We receive the more favorable of the two applications.
Q: Is Kaiser still an option and will there be 15% year over year cap?
A: Yes.
Section 27 – General Association
No questions
Section 32 – Attendance Policy
Q: Would the points be removed for the additional ½ point for sick online at check in be removed with a quarterly point reduction form?
A: Yes. That is our position. All points when using a quarterly point reduction form will be removed associated with that occurrence. The language does not specifically say that it will but it is the practice.
Random Q&A:
Q: Is the 480 look back a huge improvement?
A: Yes. We don’t know of any other carrier that has this provision.
Q: Why is implementation taking so long?
A: There are programming and vendor delays. Nothing we can do to get it to happen faster. There is a limitation of programming. Management was even will to pay more to had expedited but money is not the issue.
Q: Why was there a rush to get TA2 done with these implementation issues?
A: They want to have agreement in place. We don’t believe implementation factors into the timeline of coming to agreement.
Q: Is there a minimum bid option?
A: That is removed from TA2. It wasn’t delivering what was promised. Minimum bid was not doing what we expected. Now use bid groups. Contact PBS Scheduling Committee for assistance.
Q: Do we know how FAs will interact with our Scheduling Chair?
A: The position will report to AFA MEC. Will be available to assist if TA2 is ratified.
Q: PBS parameters are 78 – 85 for line construction, plus or minus 10 TFP. Did that change?
A: Yes. In TA2 it is 75 – 85, plus or minus 10 TFP for individual award.
Q: Is Longevity PTO bid with my vacation?
A: Yes
Q: For years of service I came from QX does that count towards longevity PTO and premium?
A: No. It is service as AS Flight Attendant.
Q: Is our PBP bonus going away?
A: No.
Q: The Quarterly Productivity Premium is earned income?
A: Yes
Q: Why are you not confident we will gain more ground?
A: Company says they are over extended. The NMB board is not rushed to give us additional dates. After voting 2 TAs down they are not inclined to spend limited resources on our property. This is based on conversations and signing remorse of specific provisions. They want you to be paid well, not the best. Company feels they over spent in the agreement. Just passing along the information we have. Concerned we roll the dice and get stuck in negotiations for a long time. There is risk involved and this is part of your consideration.
Q: Do you have to present an entire TA versus pieces?
A: Correct. An entire TA is presented for your consideration.
Q: Like trips definition changed, does that include pre-cancellation?
A: Like trip is for reassignment at check in. Pre-cancellation there is no change in application.
