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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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AFA Update – November 22, 2019

In This Edition

  • Changes to 2020 Recurrent Training
  • Violation of Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book Grievance Sustained
  • FINAL REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Changes to 2020 Recurrent Training

Master Executive Council (MEC)

On Wednesday, November 20, management announced changes to how Recurrent Training (RT) will be conducted in 2020.  For many years, RT has been conducted in a single day and was supplemented by home-based study in the form of a workbook and, more recently, a computer-based training (CBT).  Based on new FAA guidance, management has determined that they are unable to contain all of the required elements of RT in a single day and will begin conducting RT as two full, 8-hour days of training in 2020.

Though this change is a shift in practice, it is intended to allow more time to address the necessary regulatory and safety components required by the FAA.  Management has also stated that they will be including some additional service-related content in RT including a follow-up module to the company’s latest Flight Path training held in 2018.

PBS Bidding Credit

Since the inception of PBS in 2007, Recurrent Training has always carried a credit of zero (0) toward PBS line awards.  This means in a bid month containing RT, PBS views RT as having a value of 0 TFP and builds your line accordingly.  Under the language in the collective bargaining agreement, RT carries a value of zero without mention as to the number of days the class itself covers.

We are happy to announce that your Master Executive Council (MEC) was able to reach an agreement with management to provide partial credit for RT for the purposes of line construction.  For RT 2020, the first day of RT will continue to credit toward your line in PBS at 0 TFP, but the second day will credit at the full value of 6 TFP.  During a month that you have RT, PBS will read the 6 TFP value for RT and credit that toward your line award accordingly.

Hotels

The MEC is calling on inflight management to “own safety” and “do the right thing” by providing each Flight Attendant with a hotel room during RT in 2020.  

During Transition Training (TT) in 2018, many of us experienced having to attend two full days of training and then deal with the associated logistics of braving multiple rush hour commutes in some of the worst cities for traffic in the nation.  Those who commute were left to fend for themselves and find a place to stay for the evening as TT did not allow for any possibility of same-day commuting.  Your AFA leaders received reports of exhaustion, fatigue, and stress from numerous Flight Attendants in relation to these and other factors from TT.  

These issues fresh in mind, your MEC is extremely disappointed and outraged to hear that management has refused to provide hotels for Flight Attendants between the two days of RT.  Even when not contractually required to do so, the Company has previously provided Flight Attendants with hotels during multi-day training activities such as Beyond Service in 2015.  Just as we are constantly told to use the “service framework” to assess each situation when dealing with passengers and make a decision accordingly, management has the opportunity to live up to their own expectations and do the same in this case.

The MEC is calling on inflight management to “own safety” and “do the right thing” by providing each Flight Attendant with a hotel room during RT in 2020.  Just like when we are out flying, we need a training environment that sets us up for success by allowing us to get proper rest and focus on safety.  The responsibility for providing this environment falls on the shoulders of management and it’s time for them to step up and act on the same values they expect us to live by every day that we come to work.

Questions?

If you have questions about the changes to Recurrent Training in 2020, please contact your LEC Officers.

Violation of Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book Grievance Sustained

Grievance Committee

On October 31, 2019, your MEC Grievance Committee filed grievance number 36-99-2-163-19, for the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 12.F.9.a [Exchange of Sequences: Open Time Trial], past practice, its sustained response to grievance 36-99-2-35-17 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on July 7, 2017, it sustained grievance number 36-99-2-35-17 (Violation of §12.F.9.a Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book); however it has continually failed to provide sufficient Information Technology (IT) resources for reverting to the Open Time System in place in the 2006-2010 Flight Attendant Agreement as modified by the arbitration award (AFA No. 36-99-2-18-11) [“Withholding Open Time” award]).

In summary, the Company sustained (admitted to the violation) the original grievance (number 36-99-2-35-17) and should have prioritized with IT to program the back to book language, but it did not.  Management has admitted that the current system stayed in place rather than prioritizing resources within IT to make the necessary programming changes to revert to the language outlined in Section 12 as back to book.   Since it failed to prioritize the IT resources, AFA filed the present grievance, which the Company also sustained.  

As a result of your MEC Grievance Committee filing the grievance, the Company is now making immediate efforts to program the back to book trading rules with IT.  The project kicked off on November 4, 2019, and IT is currently developing the technical requirements for the system to provide to Jeppesen by early January 2020.  Jeppesen will then be providing a timeline for implementation by mid to late January 2020.

As of right now, your MEC is presuming that we will have more information regarding Open Time back to book programming to pass along to you by late January 2020.

Questions?

Please feel free to contact your LEC President with any questions that you might have about this grievance or Open Time back to book programming.

FINAL REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

As a reminder, the term for those currently serving in MEC Committee Chairperson roles and other appointed positions will end on December 31, 2019.  Your MEC, of which the six directly elected Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents are voting members, will be conducting interviews for these positions during the December MEC meeting.  The October 4, 2019 AFA Update contained the initial announcement of these upcoming interviews including a list of positions, information about qualifications and duties, and a link to the online expression of interest form.  The deadline to submit an expression of interest is Monday, November 25, 2019 at 5 PM Pacific time.

If you have questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed positions or the interview process, please contact MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at brian.palmer@afaalaska.org.

[pmAS] Trading Recurrent Training To Early Or Grace Months

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants

Recently, AFA worked with management to clarify the ability of Flight Attendants to trade Recurrent Training (RT) into the month before or after your RT base month.   The result of this agreement is the Trading Recurrent Training to Early or Grace Months letter of agreement (LOA).  You can view the LOA by clicking here.

This LOA solidifies the ability of a Flight Attendant to trade RT with another Flight Attendant or with RT classes in OT into the month before your base month (Early month), base month, or month after your base month (Grace month).  JCTE will eventually be programmed to process these trades but until the programming is done, Flight Attendants should contact Crew Scheduling to process trades into Early or Grace months.

Please note that if you trade into your Grace month and are subsequently unable to attend RT during your Grace month and become no longer current, you will receive no pay protection or credit for any trips or scheduling obligations that have to be dropped because you are no longer current.

If you have received attendance points as a result of recurrent training trades since this LOA was agreed to and signed (02/08/2018), please contact your LEC Officers for assistance in contacting your performance supervisor.  If you have any other questions about this LOA, your LEC Officers are also available to assist you.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Violation of CBA §12.C.2-3 [Exchange of Sequences: Trading Procedures]

Late this afternoon AFA was made aware of yet another contractual violation that will occur over the next few days in regards to out of domicile pick ups, trades, drops, giveaways. We also have additional information to share with you about trading Recurrent Training dates.

Currently, AFA and management agree to the following posted schedule:

Posting of Trips
All bases: 14th @ 2000 Pacific Time (PT)

FA-to-FA trading

  • SAN – 15th @ 0900 PT
  • PDX – 15th @ 1000 PT
  • ANC – 15th @ 1100 PT (1000 AKT)
  • LAX – 15th @ 1200 PT
  • SEA – 15th @ 1300 PT

Open Time trading

  • SAN – 16th @ 0900 PT
  • PDX – 16th @ 1000 PT
  • ANC – 16th @ 1100 PT (1000 AKT)
  • LAX – 16th @ 1200 PT
  • SEA – 17th @ 0900 PT

Recurrent Training trading

All bases 18th @ 0900 PT (0800 AKT)

Out of domicile FA to FA & OT

18th @ 0900 PT (0800 AKT)

However, Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) was programed incorrectly, and beginning today the following schedule will occur:

Posting of Trips

February 14th – Already began earlier (prior to 8pm PT) for all bases.

FA-to-FA trading

Same as current schedule in “FA-to-FA trading” above.

Open Time trading

Same as current schedule in “Open Time trading” above.

Recurrent Training trading

Recurrent Training trading will start at the agreed-upon time on the 18th at 0900 PT (0800 AKT). Open Recurrent Training slots are already visible in JCA (the graduation cap icon), but you will not be able to trade into them until the 18th at 0900 PT (0800 AKT).

Out of domicile FA-to-FA

Out of domicile Flight Attendant-to-Flight Attendant pick-ups, trades and giveaways will start on February 15th for all bases at the respective start time for Flight Attendant trades in each domicile.

Example 1: All F/As regardless of where they are based may pick up out of SAN on the 15th starting at 0900 PT.

Example 2: All F/As may pick up out of SEA on the 15th starting at 1300 PT.

Out of domicile OT

Out of domicile Open Time pick-ups, trades and drops will start when Open Time opens for the domicile in which the sequence operates.

Example: A SEAFA picked up a SAN OOD sequence on the 15th at 0900 PT. S/he must wait until the 16th at 0900 PT to trade that sequence with SAN Open Time.

In our continuing effort to defend our contract, AFA has filed Grievance 36-99-2-12-17 Violation §12.C.2-3 Trades, Pick-Ups, Drops and Give-Aways on Incorrect Dates.

Reminder: Change to Trading Timeline in March for April Schedules

Effective next bid month (March 2017), both Open Time and Flight Attendant-to-Flight Attendant trading begins on the 15th of the month.

Read more >

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones; and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

2017.02.14 Grievance 36-99-2-12-17 Violation §12.C.2-3 Trades, Pick-Ups, Drops and Give-Aways on Incorrect Dates

SAN Recurrent Training Travel Pay

Dear San Diego Flight Attendants,

Did you know, that all SAN-based Flight Attendants who attend RT in Seattle or Anchorage are to receive 1 TFP as over duty pay? For each RT you have attended as a SAN-based F/A since the opening of the base, you should have received this pay [Section 30.A.3.b]. AFA recently became aware that this contractual over duty pay was not being automatically paid.

To correct this error, all affected Flight Attendants should have received this past due pay on the July 20th paycheck. Going forward, the over duty pay will be automatically paid to all SAN-based F/As who attend RT in Seattle or Anchorage.

Fly Safe,

Stephen Couckuyt
LEC President

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