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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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New Open Time User Guide

Some big changes are coming with our new Open Time system. To help with the transition we’d like to point out some highlights and give helpful hints.

 

Open Time Video

 

For a full review of the new Open Time, check out the video that was produced during the TA-2 Roadshows:

Correction: Trading for any newly established domicile(s) would begin at 9am, not 3pm as stated in the video.

 

Fundamentals

 

  • Flight Attendant to Flight Attendant and the new Open Time trading will begin simultaneously on the 15th of the month prior to the month in which the flying will occur. Trading remains unlimited. Access to trading will begin as follows: SAN at 9:00am PT, PDX at 10:00am PT, ANC at 11:00am PT, LAX at 12:00pm PT and SEA at 2:00pm PT.

 

  • Flight Attendants may post trips at 8:00pm PT on the 14th of the month.

 

  • Every sequence in the new Open Time is coded with a reason code: e.g., TO (trades with Open Time), CP (Coupon Drops), SL (Sick Leave), UB (Union Business) and CB (Company Business). There could be other reason codes, but these are the most common. The CP code will likely be very rare since drop coupons haven’t been issued in years.

 

  • The “Threshold Sequence Number” is based on domicile population (see Section 12.F.3 [Open Time Trial]) and is currently calculated as 10 in Seattle and 3 in Anchorage, Portland, Los Angeles and San Diego. This means that when the total number of sequences coded as TO/CP in Open Time on that day meets or exceeds the Threshold Sequence Number, the day will be “limited.” Remember, only the first day of TO/CP sequences counts towards the Threshold Sequence Number and therefore the limiting of Open Time. The Threshold Sequence Number can change based on the number of Flight Attendants in a base; however, there will always be a minimum of 3. Any other type of sequence: SL, UB, CB, etc., does not count toward the Threshold Sequence Number.

 

  • A Flight Attendant is able to reduce his/her schedule by a net 40 TFP as a result of dropping to or trading with Open Time each bid month. There is no cap on how much TFP can be dropped as a result of dropping to or trading with another Flight Attendant.

 

Open Days

 

  • On any calendar day that is “open” and not “limited” (closed under the old contract), all sequences with that day of report may be picked up, traded or dropped into Open Time without respect to the number of flights, the number of days and/or duty periods, TFP credit or any other parameters.

 

  • If you wish to trade a sequence with a sequence on a different calendar day, the only day that needs to be open is the day in which you report for your sequence. For example, you have a 3-day trip beginning on October 4th and you want to trade for a 2-day trip beginning on October 17th, as long as October 4th is open, regardless of the reason code, you can make this trade.

 

Limited Days

 

  • Once a day is limited because the Threshold Sequence Number has been met, all trips coded other than TO/CP will be converted to a reason code of TX.

 

  • If a day is limited it can be reopened if a Flight Attendant picks up a TO/CP sequence from that day.

 

  • Any sequence reporting on a calendar day that is limited and is coded other than TO/CP may only be traded for a sequence (with the same date of report) of the same or greater number of days. For example, if a sequence is coded TX, SL, UB, CB, etc., and you wish to trade with that sequence and the day of report is limited, you could only trade your 2-day trip reporting on October 4th for a 2, 3 or 4 day trip reporting October 4th, and you could not trade for a turn.

 

  • Any sequence reporting on a calendar day that is limited and is coded TO/CP then that sequence may be traded for another sequence with the same day of report regardless of the length of trip. For example, if you wish to trade your 4-day trip reporting on October 4th with 1-day trip reporting on October 4th, it would be approved provided the Open Time trip is coded TO/CP.

 

Miscellaneous

 

  • All things being equal, it is to your fellow co-workers’ benefit if you are going to pick up a trip you do so out of the Flight Attendant to Flight Attendant trade box, or if you pick up out of Open Time, that you pick up a trip that is coded TO or CP. This will open the day if it is limited, allowing another flight attendants to drop a trip into Open Time.

 

  • All of this information can be found in the Collective Bargaining Agreement in Section 12.F. [Open Time Trial].

 

* * *

 

Questions? Contact your Local Executive Council (LEC) officers or your local Scheduling Committee members.

 

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt; MEC Grievance Committee chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl and MEC Grievance Committee member Stephanie Adams

Your Contract Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

AFA Alaska

New Open Time System Delayed Another Month Until September for October

Open Time initially delayed until August for September

 

According to the Contract Implementation Schedule, Open Time (OT) was originally scheduled for implementation in July for the August bid month. AFA Alaska received notice in June that Open Time was delayed until August 15 for the September bid month. See the communication from June 13, 2015, “New Open Time Trading System Implementation Delay” for more information. You may access an electronic copy of that notice (that lists all the technical reasons for the first delay) here.

Open Time now subsequently delayed until September for October

 

Unfortunately, AFA received official notice from management yesterday that implementation of the new OT trading system will be delayed another month—until September for the October bid month. You may access an electronic copy of the most recent notice (that lists all the technical reasons for the delay) here. Therefore upcoming Open Time will commence on August 18th using the existing rules.

 

Alaska Airlines management and AFA do not want to go live with a new Open Time trading system that has the possibility of crashing not only Open Time but also electronic trip trading in general. Although this additional delay is a disappointing development, we all want the new Open Time system to be a success. The good news is that management reports being “very confident” that Open Time will be implemented in September for October. As a reminder, the trial period of the new Open Time trading system begins once the system is actually implemented.

 

* * *

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact one of your Local Executive Council (LEC) officers.

 

In Solidarity,

 

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; MEC Grievance chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl; and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput

Your Contract Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

7.29.15 OT Delay Letter to AFA

AFA Alaska

New Open Time Trading System Implementation Delay

Just when you thought implementation of the new contract was going (relatively) smoothly…

According to the Contract Implementation Schedule, Open Time was scheduled for implementation in July for the August bid month. Unfortunately, AFA received notice from management yesterday that implementation of the new Open Time trading system will be delayed at least one month.

 

You may access an electronic copy of the notice (that lists all the technical reasons for the delay) here.

 

Reasons why it is taking so long

AFA has participated in almost all of the implementation meetings and updates and we can assure you that management and Jeppesen (the provider of Maestro and eMaestro) have been working on updating the crew tracking and trading system ever since the contract ratified.  There are several reasons why it is taking so long to reprogram the system:

 

  • Alaska will begin transitioning to a new crew tracking system later next year but until then we have to manage to get along with our current system.

 

  • Maestro/eMaestro is antiquated and fragile. All parties are being cautious with any changes because there is concern that significant new programming will destabilize the system enough to completely crash it. For those of you who have been around long enough, can you imagine having to go back to email trades? Not good!

 

  • There are very few programmers left at Jeppesen who even work with the underlying framework of Maestro/eMaestro. Only two carriers use this system (one being Alaska). That means there are limited resources that can be allocated to reprogramming.

AFA and management believe it is prudent to wait another month

Alaska Airlines management and AFA do not want to go live with a new Open Time trading system that has the possibility of crashing not only Open Time but also electronic trip trading in general. Although this is a disappointing development, we want the new Open Time system to be a success. Therefore AFA and management believe it is prudent to wait another month in order to provide more time to properly debug the system. As a reminder, the trial period of the new Open Time trading system begins once the system is actually implemented.

 

* * *

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Scheduling chairperson Jake Jones

6.12.15 OT Delay letter to AFA

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Negotiations FAQ – July 24, 2014

SECTION 9 – JUNIOR AVAILABLE

Q Can we have “limited immunity for trips traded off of FA’s original line” from the opener specified more thoroughly?

Sure.  We are proposing that if a Flight Attendant trades away – with Open Time or another Flight Attendant – a trip and does not replace flying on those days, then any days on which s/he does not replace flying (i.e. pick up new flying) would be immune from JA.  Today, a Flight Attendant could trade around her/his entire line and be immune from JA for the entire month (extreme case) even though s/he was flying a full schedule.  This happens today and it sometimes forces JA very senior.

In the survey, members were very adamant that immunity from JA should still remain for days on which a trip was dropped for a special event or to extend vacation/ holiday time off. 

SECTION 11 – RESERVE

Q Being on reserve for two years I feel like I can speak for the majority of reserves that ER days are not wanted. The last tentative agreement that was proposed had a lot of great changes for reserves, most importantly getting rid of awarding reserve days on lines, but still being able to convert. The biggest thing I didn’t like about the reserve portion of the contract was getting rid of the reserve premium.

Based on feedback, we are reviewing ER days vs conversions in the overall context of the TA.  We have already added discussion of ER days/ conversions back onto the agenda for the next meeting.  Additionally, we have secured the reinstatement of the Reserve Premium from management. 

Q Another issue for reserves is not having transparency in open time for trading reserve days.  My previous airline used a system for trading and reserve coverage which gave a lot of information.  Each day showed the reserve coverage if it was open for drops was listed in green.  The number of reserves available each day was shown as well as the threshold. Is this possible?

That is pretty much exactly what was negotiated in TA1.  The OT system was completely transparent with all open/closed days, reserve thresholds, reserve usage, etc. listed.  For reserves, if the reserve trade board listed the day open, you would be allowed to trade – through automation.  No more submitting a request and waiting for a response.  We have proposed retaining that system from TA1 and so far, management is on the same page. 

SECTION 12 – EXCHANGE OF SEQUENCES (and Open Time)

Q Why would we be going back to current practice instead of what was negotiated in Sec 12 of TA1?

In the survey, Flight Attendants overwhelmingly conveyed that reverting to the current OT system would be preferential to changing to another system that they did not know.  However, it is important to remember that if either party cancels the OT ‘Test’ system, AFA and management would immediately sit down to negotiate a new system – using all the information from the ‘Test.’  During that time, the OT system would revert to the current practice.  Once a new system is negotiated, that new procedure would be submitted for membership vote and put in place once ratified.  So the “going back to current practice” part would only last as long as negotiations for new system- which FAs would vote on. 

NEGOTIATIONS UNDER THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT (RLA) (including policy/procedures, solidarity activities, the National Mediation Board, etc.)

Q Why are the full survey results not being published?

The actual results of negotiations surveys done by AFA are never published to the membership.  In 2011, before the opening proposals were written, the Negotiating Committee sent out the negotiations survey to all members.  Those results were used by the Committee to learn your bargaining objectives and priorities.  If AFA had published those results, then management would know which provision was more important than another and that would be detrimental to our bargaining strategy.

The Hart Survey was basically another negotiations survey, one scientifically done with a much lower margin of error by a very highly regarded professional polling company.  Because we do not want management to know your exact priorities in negotiations, we will not be publishing those results either.

Q How was the opener for this second round of negotiations derived?

The opener was created using the priorities in the Hart Survey.  When a tentative agreement fails to ratify, the subsequent negotiations for a new agreement focus on ‘fixing’ the provisions which were not acceptable.  It is not about going back to the beginning and starting all over.

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