Greetings,

AFA 66 eCommunication - Thursday, August 27, 2009

September 2009: Forty-Third Month of Merged Contract Negotiations

Merged contract negotiations continued this month with meetings held August 18-20 in Charlotte, North Carolina.  AFA continues to wait for the company to counter AFA’s rescheduling and reroute language in the Scheduling proposal.

While the Scheduling proposal was still not complete, AFA negotiators were adamant that if management was serious about moving these negotiations forward they needed to deal with some open sections and make some decisions now.
 
AFA presented a package proposal to the company that resulted in the reaching of tentative agreements in five sections:

1. Grievance
2. Moving Expenses
3. Seniority
4. Safety and Health
5. Missing, Prisoner, Hostage

When a section has been tentatively agreed to between AFA and the Company, it means that at this point both parties have agreed to the language of the section.  Keep in mind as you read the highlights of changes in those sections, that the agreement is “tentative” and based upon reaching the overall contract, therefore the language is subject to change in the final agreement and completed contract.

1. Grievance- AWA Section 30/USA Section 24

There were a few issues outstanding in this section, which was originally tabled in June 2006. The Union sought to simplify the grievance procedure and the Company finally agreed to the Union's process. Language improvements included:

- Union will have 30 days to file a grievance over discipline instead of ten business days.
- Union will have 90 days to file a non-discipline grievance instead of 30 business days.
- Hearings shall be conducted at least once a month.  This will help decrease the lengthy process for grievances.
- Decisions must be made by the company within 15 days.  The previous policy was ten business days, which could take anywhere from 12 to 18 calendar days.  This also will help speed up the grievance process.
- Derogatory letters will be provided to the flight attendant within ten calendar days from date of receipt instead of ten business days.
- Letters must include name of person who wrote the letter or complaint.  No more anonymous letters!
- If flight attendant’s challenge to document is justified the document will be destroyed.
- Flight attendants will not have to give an immediate response to complaint letters.
- Discipline will be removed from file after 12 active months instead of 36 months, provided no subsequent discipline was issued in connection with the original discipline.

2. Moving Expenses - AWA 5 Section /USA Section 24

This Section was based upon East contract language with some improvements. Time spent on a leave or inactive status will not be counted for the three year period of time to make a move is displaced.  In addition, the Company will provide positive space roundtrip pass for the Flight Attendant, spouse/domestic partner and children for the purpose of a house finding visit for those qualifying for moving expenses.

3. Seniority - AWA 19 Section/USA Section 16

The major delay with this section was due to the arbitrations with both the East and the West flight attendant groups regarding the Company’s change in the Pass travel policy from First Come/First Served to Date of Hire on the West and from Date of Hire to Year of Hire on the East.  This section could now be closed out after reaching settlement of those arbitrations.
Additional language in this section deals with transferring to non-flying or supervisory duties and how seniority will be handled in these cases.  The intent of the JNC has been to provide language that encourages experienced flight attendants to apply for these positions with the accrual of longevity and seniority based upon their length of service as a line flight attendant.  Retaining flight attendant seniority would require those in supervisory positions to maintain their flight qualifications and work one trip each quarter at their seniority.

4. Safety and Health -  AWA Section 26 /USA Section 27

Issues at hand in this section included who assumed responsibility for lodging, meal and other expenses incurred by Union accident investigators.  AFA and the company agreed that such reimbursement would be consistent with Company policy for other Company personnel who assisted in accident/incident investigations.  Additionally, improved contract was added with regard to what happens in the aftermath of a serious accident or incident. 

Language also agreed to included:

- In the event of an accident or incident a flight attendant would be provided notification of their right to union representation; 
- a flight attendant would be released from further duty after an accident for the remainder of their trip or two duty periods if trips are back to back.

5. Missing Prisoner Hostage - USA Sideletter 20

A major issue holding up the tentative agreement in this section was the pay component for flight attendants when being held hostage or presumed to be held hostage by any terrorist, hijacker, insurgent kidnapper or foreign government. AFA was requesting that a flight attendant be paid 85 hours per month.  AFA and the Company agreed to the greater of the monthly maximum or the average of credited hours for the previous six (6) months.  With this issue resolved, we reached a tentative agreement on this section.

Another issue potentially impacting negotiations is the FAA plan to rewrite pilot duty time Federal Air Regulations. The FAA has been tasked to rewrite the regulations as a result of several recent accidents and it is anticipated that the rewrite will be published by the end of August. A panel of the FAA, airline managers and pilot labor representatives have been meeting to determine the new regulations. 

With that information, the JNC did not find it advisable to move forward with discussions on Hours of Service at this time.

The JNC will meet again in two sessions in September.

Closed Sections- Tentative Agreements

1. Air Safety and Health
2. Charters
3. Common Domicile
4. Deadheading
5. Dues check off/Collective Bargaining
6. Probation
7. Employee Assistance Program
8. Filing of Vacancies
9. Flight Pac/Pegasus
10. Grievances
11. Medical Examinations
12. Moving Expenses
13. Missing, Internment POW
14. Seniority
15. Union Security
16. Voluntary Contributions

Tabled Sections

1. LODO
2. Grievance
3. System Board
4. Hotel and Transportation
5. Reduction in Personnel
6. Training
7. General
8. CRAF
9. TDY
10. Leaves of Absence
11. Uniforms




mec@afa66.org

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