In This Edition
Our Contract 2022 Website Launches
Communications Committee
We’re less than a year away from the start of contract negotiations and it’s time for us to start gearing up for the process! In an effort to provide easy access to negotiations news, information, and resources, our Master Executive Council (MEC) is launching a website dedicated to our upcoming contract negotiations. The Contract 2022 website goes live today and can be found at https://contract2022.afaalaska.org.
Negotiating Committee Member Interviews
Master Executive Council (MEC)
Our current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) becomes amendable on December 17, 2022, but also contains an early opener provision for the negotiating process to begin as early as September 2022. In anticipation of early openers, the Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting initial interviews for the Negotiating Committee during the January Regular MEC Meeting, to be held January 4-6, 2022. All three Negotiating Committee positions are up for interview and consideration. Per the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, the MEC President is the chairperson of the Negotiating Committee and rounds out the Committee as the fourth member.
The Negotiating Committee is charged to negotiate and institute the needs and desires of the Flight Attendants into an effective CBA. The Committee should have a good working knowledge of the current CBA and be willing to devote their full time to the Committee during negotiations. After negotiations conclude and a tentative agreement is ratified, the members of the Committee continue to serve as the Contractual Interpretation Committee until a new agreement is completed.
Selection of Committee Members
Committee Members are selected by majority vote of the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents). Candidates for the Negotiating Committee must be active members in good standing and submit a resume to the MEC to be considered. To ensure the broadest representation possible, candidates of all seniorities, experience levels, and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Term of Appointment
The Negotiating Committee remains active until the next Negotiating Committee is selected.
Committee Member Duties & Responsibilities
This list is a summarized version of the Negotiating Committee duties and responsibilities outlined in Section VI.A.2 of the AFA International Policy Manual and Article VII.L of the MEC Policy & Procedure Manual.
Negotiations Preparation & Training
- Update with previous Negotiating Committee Members and review history of negotiations on the property
- Attend training prior to writing the Opening Proposal
- Assess the priorities and needs of the Members
- Meet with MEC Committee Chairpersons
- Gather information for and write the survey
- Review grievances, arbitrations, and mediation settlements
- Utilize AFA facilities and resources and the experience and knowledge of AFA Officers, International Office staff and AFA study committees (e.g., Legal, Retirement and Insurance, Wage and Working Conditions, etc.)
- Establish goals and translate them into the Opening Proposal. Prepare the Opening Proposal with the advice of the Staff Negotiator.
- Communicate objectives to the MEC as part of the presentation of the Opening Proposal
- Communicate objectives to the Members through the Roadshow Opening Proposal presentation
- Determine individual responsibilities within the Negotiating Committee
Communications
- Provide information to and take direction from the MEC
- Be familiar with AFA policy and keep informed about new developments in the industry
- Keep the Members and the MEC informed in a timely fashion throughout the bargaining using established communications platforms
- Maintain contact, through the MEC President, with IAM, ALPA, TWU, AMFA, and other applicable labor unions on property
- Work to continuously understand the wishes of the flight attendant group with respect to wages, working conditions, and work rules. Utilize established feedback channels such as surveys, listening tours, town hall meetings, feedback forms, and other platforms as determined by the MEC.
Documentation & Recordkeeping
- Maintain a current record of the:
- Financial condition of the company
- Management lines of authority and methods of communication
- Operations statistics and experiences of the airline which may be used in bargaining, grievances, litigation, etc.
- Maintain a complete record of the negotiations, including proposals, notes and communications. Collate notes, opener and proposal books for MEC and International Office files (all records are property of AFA).
Tentative Agreement Preparation, Presentation, & Implementation
- Review tentative agreement with the MEC
- Prepare membership summary package and Roadshow schedule
- Present the complete proposed agreement to the Members. Ensure that there are no missing or incomplete sections prior to distribution to the Members.
- Proof CBA language and agree with the Company on implementation and effective dates
- Proof the printed agreement and prepare CBA index
Contractual Interpretation
- Prepare CBA interpretations for new concepts
- Remain available as a resource for interpretations
Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement
Flight pay loss (FPL) reimbursement will be provided to Negotiating Committee Members at the rate of 6 TFP at “A” pay for 8 hours of work. FPL is not provided on days that solely contain travel to/from an activity.
Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling
The MEC will hold initial interviews of eligible candidates during the January Regular MEC Meeting from January 4-6, 2022. Candidates who are selected to advance beyond the initial interview will be invited to a final interview session during a Special MEC Meeting on January 26, 2022. If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate. All interviews will be conducted using Google Meet videoconferencing.
Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, December 28, 2021. After the submission deadline, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.
Please note that to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.
Questions?
Any questions regarding the Negotiating Committee positions or application process should be directed to MEC President Jeffrey Peterson at jeffrey.peterson@afaalaska.org.
Hello All, I have been wondering for decades-why are you not paid for days that soley contain travel days. Thanks for all you do!
Hi Victoria! The provision about Flight Pay Loss (FPL) and travel days is contained in the MEC Policy & Procedure Manual (Article IV.C.3, pg. 11). At the end of the day, AFA work is volunteer work though AFA volunteers may sometimes be eligible for FPL if performing union work and unable to fly. In order to be good stewards of our AFA resources, the MEC adopted the policy that days solely containing travel are a part of the volunteer component of the work that AFA representatives perform and not eligible for FPL reimbursement.