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Proportional Domicile Staffing

Master Executive Council (MEC)

The AFA Alaska MEC sent a letter to Alaska Airlines management last week advocating for growing each domicile proportionally via vacancy awards and new hire domicile assignments through 2023. We have all read and heard “we appreciate you” and “we care” in one form or another, but management must now demonstrate its values to do the right thing by turning those words into action. Management acknowledged receipt of the MEC’s letter and indicated they will respond early this week.

Staffing Adjustment Leave, Low Bid Option or …?

Legal disclaimer

Because of the complex interaction between the administration of the various state unemployment insurance (UI) programs; the components of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act; and the Company’s response to claims, AFA Alaska leadership can neither provide definitive advice for filing UI claims nor assurance of receiving a benefit. The information provided in this communication does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. We will, however, provide as much information as we can and be as transparent as possible about the options.

Thank you for your patience 

Many of you are looking to AFA for insight into staffing projections and for guidance whether to apply for one of the COVID-19 leaves of absence (or potentially to extend if you are already on one), the COVID-19 Staffing Adjustment leave of absence (LOA) or the Low Bid Option…or to hold out for the potential of “something else.” The Master Executive Council (MEC) sincerely thank you for your patience while we’ve taken the better part of this past week to understand all the pieces of the puzzle and to determine management’s intent. We know the deadline to apply for the May COVID-19 Staffing Adjustment LOA or the Low Bid Option is very soon: Monday, April 6, 2020 at 9 AM PT. 

No paid voluntary staffing adjustment or “Early Out”

As of this writing, there is no “something else” pending in the near future: neither a paid voluntary staffing adjustment leave nor an early retirement (“Early Out”) package. AFA initiated preliminary discussions with management about an Early Out, but management is not interested in actively exploring an AFA-driven retirement package at this time. The MEC is aware that management is developing a Company-wide incentive for early retirement, but management has not provided any additional details. 

May staffing

We’re going to level with you that the May schedule is even more significantly reduced than anticipated and the staffing outlook is bleak. As of this writing, AFA’s “back of the beverage napkin” calculations suggest that out of 6000 Flight Attendants, there will be approximately 1700 FAs on a staffing adjustment leave, 360 FAs on various other leaves, 1250 regular Lineholders, 200 Low Bid Option (LBO) Lineholders and 2490 Reserves. These projections are based on a 75 TFP line average in every domicile. The confidence level in our calculations is roughly plus or minus ten percent (+/-10%), and the numbers could shift if more FAs go on leave or apply for LBO. 

May scheduling and pay

Individual Lineholders will receive a line award of no less than 75 TFP plus or minus 10 TFP. Individual LBO Lineholders will receive a line award of no less than 37.5 plus or minus 5 TFP. [Click here for the §10.Q Low Bid Option LOA (12/19/2017) > ] The reserve pool will potentially encompass the bottom two-thirds of the seniority list of bidding FAs. Reserves are guaranteed 90 TFP for 18 days of reserve, and management is not offering LBO Reserve at this time. (See Inflight Mobile Device > Goodreader app > Supplemental Folder > Reserve Survival Guide for additional reserve resources.)

No involuntary furloughs?

Airlines (and airport companies that employ workers) may access federal aid for the sole purpose of continuing pay and benefits for employees. A condition of airlines accepting payroll grant money under the CARES Act isthat the accepting airline may not involuntarily furlough or reduce pay rates and benefits for US-based workers through September 30, 2020. Alaska Airlines management has gone on record that the Company is applying for the aid money. [See “Financial relief: you have questions and we have (some) answers” (AAG login required) for more info.] However, there are several burdensome stipulations being made by the Department of Treasury as conditions of airlines accepting the money. Although there are no indications at this time that Alaska Airlines management will decline the aid, the outcome is yet to be determined.

Unemployment insurance benefits under the CARES Act

Unemployment benefits are determined by the state in which you are domiciled

There are several increased unemployment insurance (UI) benefits under the CARES Act (or COVID-19 Relief Act). Read more >

UI benefit eligibility, payments and duration of benefits vary by state. The number or proportion of reduced hours to qualify for UI benefits such as under the Low Bid Option also varies by state. UI benefits are determined by the state in which you are domiciled and not the state in which you reside if that is a different state. Click here for eligibility requirements in your state >

UI benefits are very likely for voluntary or involuntary leaves or reduction in hours due to COVID-19

If you take a voluntary or involuntary leave or a reduction in hours because of COVID-19 (that reason is key), then you are very likely eligible for UI benefits under the CARES Act. However, you are probably ineligible for the COVID-19 UI benefits if you are receiving paid sick leave or other forms of paid leave (such as when coordinating sick leave or vacation/Longevity Paid Time Off). Most states have loosened or eliminated job search requirements to be eligible for unemployment related to COVID-19.

Unemployment Insurance typically does not cover employees who took a leave or left their jobs voluntarily unless it was in response to the COVID-19 downturn. That is why it is important to have a verification letter stating the leave/furlough/reduction in hours is due to COVID-19. It is also crucial when applying for UI benefits that you state as often as you can that you are on a leave/furlough/reduction in hours “due to COVID-19.”

Management to “remain neutral” on unemployment claims

Management has committed to “remain neutral” on unemployment claims, which means the Company will not contest claims and therefore the state will exclusively determine eligibility for UI benefits. The MEC is aware of a popular misconception that the state will automatically deny UI benefits if the employer reports the leave as voluntary, but that is not true. 

Reason provided by the Company for the LOA or reduction in hours

Management has informed AFA that the Company will provide the state with the following reason for the respective leave of absence (LOA) or reduction in hours: 

  • “Due to a school or childcare closure because of COVID-19” [School/Childcare Closures or Educational Disruption LOA (EDLOA)]
  • “To self-isolate due to COVID-19” [Self-Isolation or Voluntary Quarantine LOA (VQLOA)]
  • “Voluntary leave of absence in response to a reduction in capacity related to COVID-19” [COVID-19 Staffing Adjustment LOA] 
  • “Due to a reduction in capacity related to COVID-19, the employer has reduced hours for this employee” [Low Bid Option]

Written verification of your leave status

If you do or did not receive a written verification of your leave status or your reduced schedule when approved for the leave or reduced schedule, you may request such verification through the HR/People Resource Line by calling 1-844-899-3617 or emailing HRBP@alaskaair.com. 

Weekly UI payments

The weekly UI payments that eligible workers can receive was increased by $600 through July 31, 2020. The $600 UI payment from the federal government is over and above the UI payment from the state. Combining the federal and state UI payment, it is possible to receive nearly the same income or maybe even more than if you are working depending on your state (Washington is very favorable) and your income during the qualifying period. As stated earlier, you are probably ineligible for the COVID-19 UI benefits if you are receiving paid sick leave or other forms of paid leave (such as when coordinating sick leave or vacation/Longevity Paid Time Off). UI benefit payments are taxable income. Taxes are usually withheld from UI benefit payments at 10% by default unless the employee opts out of withholding.

Which option is best?

Every situation is unique, so the answer will be different for everyone. [Visit the Company’s Alaska AFA COVID-19 Leaves page to learn more information about your leave options, including a side-by-side comparison document: COVID-19 Employee Leave Programs Comparison (AAG login required).]

School/Childcare Closure or Educational Disruption LOA (EDLOA)

  • Duration: Length of the school/childcare closure
  • Documentation: Leave application, proof of closure may be requested
  • Health insurance coverage: Continued and maintained by paying the active employee rates
  • UI benefits: Almost definite yes if unpaid. Very likely ineligible if paid (i.e. coordinating sick leave or vacation/Longevity PTO)
  • Travel privileges: Suspended for FA but remains in effect for dependents

Self-Isolation or Voluntary Quarantine LOA (VQLOA)

  • Duration: Self-selected for up to 30 days but leaves are being extended upon request. (If you desire a longer leave, indicate “30 days but requesting to extend to xx days”)
  • Documentation: Leave application. No additional documentation required if selecting “I wish to remove myself from the workplace due to exposure to COVID-19 but I have not been diagnosed with COVID-19 or am symptomatic.”
  • Health insurance coverage: Continued and maintained by paying the active employee rates
  • UI benefits: Almost definite yes if unpaid. Very likely no if paid (i.e. coordinating sick leave or vacation/Longevity PTO) 
  • Travel privileges: Suspended for FA but remains in effect for dependents

COVID-19 Staffing Adjustment LOA

  • Duration: Bid month
  • Documentation: Leave application
  • Health insurance coverage: Continued and maintained (i.e. paid) by the Company
  • UI benefits: Confidence is high but still untested 
  • Travel privileges: Remain in effect
  • 240/480/960: “Double 480 credit” of 2.667 TFP per day or 82.7 TFP for May

Unpaid VQLOA vs. Staffing Adjustment LOA

On the balance, an unpaid VQLOA is the most flexible leave option and the most likely to be eligible for a UI benefit payment. Flight Attendants can also apply for the VQLOA now—no need to wait until May. However, the Flight Attendant must pay the active employee rate for continuation of health insurance and her/his pass privileges are suspended while on the leave. 

If a Flight Attendant is willing to accept a little risk by potentially going without an income (no UI benefit) for the month of May, then s/he can apply for a Staffing Adjustment LOA. If s/he is successful in obtaining the UI benefit while on this leave, then the FA will have Company-paid health insurance coverage and retain her/his travel privileges in addition to having supplemental income from the UI benefit payment. 

Another option to consider is to go on a VQLOA now through the end of May. If other Flight Attendants have been successful in obtaining a UI benefit payment while on a Staffing Adjustment LOA in May, then one could apply for a Staffing Adjustment LOA in June.

These are very difficult and stressful times for all of us.  This has been a fluid situation, but please know that we are committed to achieving the best solutions possible for our Flight Attendants.  We’ve tried to give you as much current and factual information as possible but there is no ‘right answer’ for everyone.  Each decision must be based on your best assessment of the available options. 

If you are confused by the many opinions and inaccurate information being offered, you are not alone.  Your AFA representatives are committed to ensuring that you have the information you need and will be happy to answer questions.   If you have a question, please reach out to your LEC Officers, either by phone or email.

In Solidarity,

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

Holiday Flying/AFA Get Together

With the Holidays fast approaching, your AFA Officers want to be pro-active in helping you navigate through the challenges that you might be faced with over the next few weeks. Be it weather, staffing shortages or the possibility of Junior Assigning (JA), it is important that YOU know your contract and stay informed!  We are always here to assist, but YOU ultimately are your own best advocate and must understand your contract.

Your MEC recently communicated this information, but it is a good idea to read and understand before, rather than after, a potential change to your schedule:

  1. Assignment cannot be built over 10.5 hours. – §8.E. (Except 4k – §10.DD.)
  2. Re-assignments cannot be built over 12.5 hours. – §8.E/§10.R. A minimum of 10 hours rest must be built into any remain over night (RON) at the time that the new trip is given. – §8.J.
  3. If you are unable to fly your sequence as scheduled for more than two hours due to weather, mechanical or to suit Company convenience, you may be eligible for Stranded Pay. – §21.N. If stranded to a RON with a duty period commencing on a scheduled day off see also §9.D.1.d.
  4. Unscheduled overnights – §10.R.7.
  5. Minimum days off – §10.E.1.a.
  6. General block and ground delays are generally paid automatically at 0.5 TFP per hour. You must manually submit for block delays that exceed one hour, that cross midnight or if you are deadheading. – §21.J.
  7. If your duty day exceeds 12.5 hours you will receive “double out” rest at the end of your sequence. If you choose to waive “double out” rest and complete the scheduling obligation that would have been dropped by such rest, you receive 1.5x the rate of pay. – §8.H.
  8. If you are on a multi-day sequence and receive less than 9:30 rest at RON as measured from release to report, you will receive 2.5x premium for flights flown for the entire sequence. However, if your sequence has a Sequence Interruption Point (SIP) and Crew Scheduling (CSKD) removes you at the SIP, you will be pay protected for the remainder of the sequence at straight time. If CSKD attempts to contact you after your debrief and prior to your next report in order to adjust your report time, you are not required to be contactable pursuant to §8.Q until your scheduled report time.  If you contact CSKD and your layover is adjusted so that you receive 9:30 rest or greater, the 2.5x premium does not apply. – §8.K.
  9. You cannot be required to work a trip that has a duty day projected over 14 hours while you are at a Flight Attendant domicile or co-terminal. – §8.G
  10. If you are on duty at 4:29 AM local time you cannot be required to remain on duty past 8:30 AM initial departure station time of that duty period (wherever your pairing started that duty period)–except for APSB. Other “Night Rule” provisions may also apply if you are on duty at 4:29 AM local time. – §8.I.
  11. If you are pay protected due to weather, mechanical or to suit Company convenience, you may pick up additional flying on the day(s) you were pay protected, and you will receive both pay protection and the value of the additional scheduling obligation. – §21.M.
  12. If you are unable to make it to work due to impassable weather conditions, you may request a management drop, which is without pay and attendance points are assessed if the drop is granted. – §32.C.14.

​

Your AFA Officers invite you to join us at Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza, Liberty Station, 2401 Truxton Road on December 27th from 11:00 to 2:00 to enjoy some pizza, de-stress, decompress and visit with fellow Flight Attendants and to ask any questions or concerns you may have for the end of 2016 and for the upcoming year. Up to date committee reports will be available as well as information regarding the Merger. Please send any questions or agenda items to Melanie.Buker@gmail.com by December 26th.

​

In Unity,

​

Brice, Melanie & Stephen

December 2016 “No Junior Assignment” Pledge

Let’s face it: Staffing last December turned into an absolute mess. Consequently, the AFA Master Executive Council (MEC) and Alaska Airlines management have had multiple conversations over the past several months about how to improve the experience this December.

We are pleased to announce that management took to heart the advice of the MEC and the AFA Scheduling Committee, and the parties have agreed to the following between December 15th and December 25th (inclusive of the 15th and the 25th):

  • No junior assignment (JA) off of any trips originating between December 15th and December 25th; and
  • Inflight management employees holding an FAA Flight Attendant certificate may perform Flight Attendant duties and be part of the minimum crew in order to avoid invoking JA provisions (temporary change to CBA §3.D [Scope of Agreement: Scope]).

>>> You may view the “December 2016 No Junior Assignment Pledge Memorandum of Understanding” by clicking here. <<<

This agreement may be extended through the end of the year by mutual consent of AFA and management if all goes well.

If you haven’t seen the “2016 Holiday Staffing Message from Crew Scheduling” video, check it out here: http://bit.ly/2016CrewSchedulingHolidayPlan.

The MEC is disappointed that management failed to recognize AFA leadership’s efforts to reach the “No JA pledge,” but we are pleased to see the Scheduling Committee’s contributions mentioned in the communication. We thank management for being willing to take on additional risk in order to avoid JA around the holidays.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact one of your local AFA officers or Scheduling Committee members. Wishing you a much less stressful holiday season than last year!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee; and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones

 

afa-mou-2016-11-03-december-2016-no-ja-pledge

Summer 2016 Staffing Challenges

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) has received numerous requests from Membership for us to respond to the latest communications from management regarding pairing construction and schedules (April 27 “Division Communication: Staffing & Scheduling Info” and May 7 “Division Communication: June Schedule Summary”). The MEC completely understands how upsetting these communications are to Flight Attendants. Your AFA Alaska officers and committee members have also been extremely frustrated.

 

Management has produced a lot of statistics in the past month and a half trying to convince you that staffing levels and the pairings really aren’t that bad. Management has even made (not so?) veiled suggestions in various forums that staffing would be okay if sick leave utilization would just go down. AFA could waste a lot of words picking apart the numbers and critiquing management’s approach, but really…what’s the point?

 

The MEC is just as done with the charts and graphs as you are, and we’re tired of Flight Attendants being blamed for using their earned sick leave, which is a negotiated benefit. It’s as simple as this: Summer staffing is a mess and the pairings really have been that bad. ‘Nuff said, right?!

 

For those of you who want more detail, here is the “straight scoop” from AFA’s perspective:

 

  1. Management grossly overestimated the impact of the new contract on staffing requirements during the budget-planning season last year.

 

Based on staffing projections made at that time, several classes planned for 2016 were put on hold. Consequently, management hired many less Flight Attendants than originally planned, which caused a domino effect. In constructing a staffing model for the upcoming budget year, it probably would have been more prudent for management to use a rolling average using several years of data rather than less than a full year of experience under a new contract.

 

  1. After many updates to eMaestro, Open Time programming was finally corrected early this year to the negotiated OT Trial.

 

During this past fall and early winter, Open Time was mis-programmed with more liberal trading rules than negotiated, which led to a false sense of trading flexibility.

 

  1. Line averages started creeping up at the same time as Reserves numbers were lowered.

 

Staffing, fairly rapidly, went from personal drops being offered on most days to Premium Open Time being offered on most days and much higher Reserve utilization. Flight Attendants became increasingly reluctant to pick up, started holding out for premium, and during this time Open Time was more restrictive than in the previous months.

 

  1. During this same period, management selected pairings solutions for several months based more on lower cost and better statistics (from their perspective) than on Flight Attendant satisfaction.

 

To be fair, lower costs will always be a primary driver in pairing construction, but AFA strongly believes management could have been doing more to achieve both.

 

  1. In response to a grass roots letter writing campaign by Flight Attendants protesting the poor quality pairings, management wrote some communications that in AFA’s opinion were extremely “tone deaf” to our group.

 

Flight Attendants don’t want to be told that they are being asked to work “less than one extra day” per bid month. What does that even mean, anyway? Plus, don’t provide us with statistics based on duty periods rather than calendar days. Flight Attendants bid and trade based on calendar days, and we know when numbers based on duty periods don’t match up with our everyday experiences.

 

Finally, don’t throw the Negotiating Committee under the bus by making it seem like they signed off on more 4-day pairings in exchange for Minimum Pay Rules. Yes, the possibility was discussed that achieving MPRs could lead the pairing optimizer to construct more 4-day pairings. However, your Negotiating Committee knew Flight Attendants want it all and said as much to management: We desire more productive pairings (using our definition of “productive” not management’s) and a mix of pairing lengths that suits the needs of our diverse group.

 

So where does this leave us?

 

The good news is management has come to the realization that we are understaffed. Vice President of Inflight Services, Andy Schneider, recently sent out a communication and produced a video that went a long way towards taking ownership of the situation. She authorized spending a decent amount of money in order to select AFA’s one-position and three-position pairings solutions for the month of July with the hope of improving quality of life and Flight Attendant satisfaction. She also approved hiring several more classes this year.

 

The bad news is that adding new classes now is too little, too late—at least for this summer. The flight schedule is ramping up to maximum block hours very shortly, so any additional Flight Attendants on the rosters will not significantly lower the ever-increasing line averages or reserve utilization system-wide for several months. In fact, the line averages are not expected to start coming down in any noticeable way until fall—and this is mostly likely true for reserve utilization as well.

 

AFA will continue to advocate to management that constructing and selecting pairings solutions with a reasonable emphasis on Flight Attendant satisfaction is money well spent. The MEC is also open to exploring mutually agreeable creative solutions with management in order to improve the summer staffing challenges. Finally, your AFA leaders are actively following your feedback regarding the Open Time Trial.

 

 

The MEC applauds Andy’s recent efforts to turn around the summer staffing challenges, and we are hopeful she will continue the trend.

 

In Solidarity,

 

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

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