10 March 2009

 

 

SPECIAL HOTLINE - 2 1/2 TO 8 HOUR CALL AND RESERVE CHANGES

 

There was some good news today in our Company email regarding the elimination of the 2 ½ to 8 Hour Call Procedure and an increase in duty free commission for Northwest flight attendants.  Unfortunately however, the Company is not willing to codify these changes by adding them to our legally binding contract.  In the past management has rebuffed union attempts in negotiations to eliminate this second call-in requirement, however we are not about to look a gift horse in the mouth - just as we didn’t in the case of the parking pass improvements.  We are pleased to see much deserved improvements for all of us, even if these changes have been timed like they have been often in the past at Delta – when there is a union representation campaign.  (Note: Despite what you may have heard to the contrary, a "free" vest uniform piece was not offered to Northwest flight attendants.) However, we look forward to keeping the legal right to enforce or renegotiate each of these changes in the future.   Improvements that come in a legally binding contract, which can't be changed at the drop of a hat, are a "change" we look forward to at the new Delta. 

 

In order to accomplish the elimination of the 2 ½ to 8 Hour Call for Northwest flight attendants, the Company has decided to implement the long dormant On Premise Reserve language from Section 7- Reserve of our contract.  Management stated in their memo today that our OPR is similar to the Delta Airport Standby Duty, which is part of Delta's Access Day (Reserve) policy.  The OPR language was first negotiated in our previous IBT "Yellow Book" contract and implemented by the Company over the years with "zero participants."  Some may like the activation of the OPR provisions and some may not - either way we would like to educate all Reserves regarding our contractual rights.  The Company plans to begin OPR on May 1, 2009. 

 

Please review the On Premise Reserve language in our contract and don’t hesitate to call upon your local union representatives and fellow flight attendant volunteers in the Reserve and Scheduling Committees with any questions. 

 

Required On Premise Reserve Facilities:

  1. An on-premise “quiet area” lounge separate from the main FA lounge OR
  2. A similar “quiet area” in a hotel or nearby facility that provides quick access to the airport OR
  3. A day room at a nearby hotel 

Required On Premise Reserve Amenities:

  1. Parking if Reserve is required to begin OPR at other than the airport
  2. A beeper loaned upon request and returned at the end of OPR duty or return of the pattern assigned during OPR duty. 

 

NWA AFA CBA SECTION 7 - RESERVE - OPR PROVISIONS

Please click HERE for our current contract language or visit the Reserve Committee page or the Resources tab (Contract) at www.nwaafa.org.   

 

 

 

DELTA ACCESS DAY (RESERVE) POLICIES

Click HERE for current Delta A-Day policies.  For Delta A-Day Requirement percentages and numbers by base, please click HERE.  These documents can also be found on the Resources tab (Policy Manual) at www.nwaafa.org.