Latest FAQs
- Can you discuss pay rates, inflation, and the cost of living?
- Do I need 40 TFP over my line award in each PPP trimester/4-month block, or can I make up some TFP for one trimester in another trimester?
- When other industries get pay increases, they get full back pay – why not us?
- Can you explain the significance of reducing the top of scale to 14 years from 16?
- How did the NC determine the TA pay scale, and what percentage did the NC and MEC think was an acceptable increase?
- If you call out and use your state sick bank during a verification period, but weren’t able provide verification within the 10 day requirement, are we subject to disciplinary actions?
- Why did we lose a Point Reduction Form?
FAQs By Contract Section/Topic
Merger / Ratification
- It seems like a majority is waiting on approval of the merger to decide yes or no.
- Could the National Mediation Board claim that entering into JCBA negotiations is sufficient to meet “good faith negotiations” and not bring back to the table the parties for an attempt for a TA2?
- Other than the imminent HA merger, what opportunities worked for you that made it possible to firm up the TA now? How long are we able to use the HA acquisition as a leverage?
- Is it true that in JCBA negotiations, neither Flight Attendant group can be “harmed”? As in, what they have that’s better should remain.
- Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines recently filed a couple different applications. One was an exemption to operate under common ownership pending approval of mutual transfer of routes. The other was in regards to international flying. Does either affect their ability to delay a JCBA?
- With other mergers, how long did it take to negotiate a JCBA?
- If the TA is not ratified and the merger is approved, could the NMB essentially table our current negotiations in favor of the JCBA?
- If the TA doesn’t pass, can all sections be opened and negotiated for the second TA? Is it possible to lose some of the gains?
- Are we staying on TFP or going to block at merge? What are strategic plans for the JCBA to add to this TA?
- What is the timeline to get back to the negotiating table if this TA is voted down?
- If the contract is voted down by the members: 1. Can we still engage in CHAOS? 2. Can the company choose to hold off on further negotiating our current contract and focus on the JCBA?
- If we accept the TA will we be able to negotiate for better pay, etc., with the joint contract later?
- Why did the Negotiating Committee and Master Executive Council decide to present this Tentative Agreement to membership?
- If we don’t agree on this TA what is the potential on how long the Company can draw out this already long process? From what I understand or thought, the Hawaiian merger cannot be completed unless our contract negotiations are finished.
- If we ratify this contract and the merger goes through, can we trust AFA representatives to fight hard for us in the next negotiations? Please address this general distrust – I’m concerned as a new union member.
- Is it possible to explain why there is so much distrust that a TA2 would be presented within a reasonable amount of time if this contract gets voted down? Why would it be legal to continue to JCBA and NOT to a TA2? That would set us back probably another 3 years.
- Will Paula (AFA Senior Staff Negotiator) have to split her time with HA and have less availability to meet with our Negotiating Committee and AS and perhaps fewer meetings to negotiate for us if this TA does not pass, thereby extending how long our reaching TA2 would take?
- Is there any guarantee that all the sections obviously needing improvement in this TA would be opened back up in JCBA negotiations? Will AS cherry pick what they want to open & we have to simply accept their decision?
- If this TA isn’t ratified and we go back to the table, could we lose any improvements?
- If this TA is voted down and the cost savings is greater keeping us on this old contract than what Alaska would get with a ratified JCBA, they could drag that process out.
- Is there any situation when AS could keep AS and HA Flight Attendants separate instead of a single operating certificate?
- If the Tentative Agreement is not ratified, is the Negotiating Committee going to change or continue for the second TA?
- If the TA is voted down, what is the timeline/process of what happens next?
- If the TA is voted down, can we start CHAOS or does the process start over?
- If this TA doesn’t pass, did the Company say they won’t return to the table?
- What is the timeline for the start of the JCBA – is it shorter than negotiating a TA2?
- Is there a point during negotiations where Flight Attendants/AFA can be considered as negotiating “not in good faith”, such as refusing all concessions, not agreeing to any changes from management, etc.?
- Do we have a Transition Process Agreement (TPA) for the merger?
- In regards to the “having to use money from the JCBA merger to increase current pay rates if this TA does not pass” does that imply that whatever money was put aside for current negotiations is null and this TA would be scrapped to complete a JCBA instead?
- Did you receive pressure from the company to settle this agreement within a certain time frame? Did the union prefer to keep negotiating rather than present this agreement to membership?
- If this goes to TA2, are there already ideas as to what will be renegotiated, what could be conceded, and what will be kept?
- Is there a limit on an increase in total compensation from the NMB? Does that limit how much more we can realistically ask from management if we were to move on to a TA2?
- Can you clarify merger vs. acquisition?
- Will there be retro if this TA isn’t ratified and a TA2 is negotiated?
- Will we go to block or better? HA pilots and Flight Attendants and AS pilots all use block.
General Negotiations
- Can vote be changed once it is cast – up until voting closes?
- Has the National Mediation Board released any airlines recently?
- What were the top items the Company wanted to change?
- What is the total cost of this Tentative Agreement, and how much actual dollars does that equate to? How does the percentage compare to other workgroups’ recent contracts?
- How long will it take for the Company to implement changes, including with pay components? Are there any implementation penalties?
- Was a provision added to require “penalty pay” whenever the Company doesn’t comply with the contract (tech errors)?
- With the economic changes since 2014, it seems “unrealistic” to hold to a 46% all-in total increase since we have a large time span to make up. Did we push harder for a higher all-in?
- How many provisions within the agreement are left to management discretion, and why?
- Can you explain the LOAs at the end of the contract – can the company extinguish?
- What was the Company’s attitude during negotiations – were they professional and motivated?
- Was it normal for Constance and Sara Nelson to be at the last mediation session in D.C.?
- Can you explain what it means to have published the “final text” of the TA?
Section 4 – Status of Agreement
Section 8 – Hours of Service: General
Section 8 – Hours of Service: Contactability
- With the update to Positive Contact, will personal phones be included?
- Why does interrupted rest qualify after the second contact and not the first?
- What does positive contact mean?
- With Microsoft Teams for APSB, is the Company exempt from calling?
- If CS calls during deplaning (or sends a B2B message), I don’t have to call until the last pax is off the aircraft, correct?
- What protections exist for the new B2B messaging?
- With B2B messaging, what does “flight open” mean? What if wifi is inoperative?
- Re: contactability on ground time – What if I leave the airport?
Section 10 – Scheduling: General
- When working into a day off, does the reason for delay matter?
- What qualifies for 2.5x pay for flight(s) touching a day off?
- When bidding, is there a way to cap the amount of TFP in my line award? And/or a preference to waive above the line average?
- Why do we not have an AFA representative in the room with Crew Scheduling to help them understand our contract like the pilots do?
- Can you clarify “greater of actual or scheduled” – does this apply to any sequence, awarded or picked up? Do the CBA protections apply to any sequence?
- Can you explain what the FDTY code is used for?
- Can the Company create a pairing, or does it have to be visible in Open Time when I call for a pre-cancel to be pay protected?
- What is a retime?
- For DHD flights, when do they need to book and put the code, so we can select meals and seats?
- How can we prove accurate times for our flying schedules – like Sit, ground or block delay, etc.?
Section 10 – Scheduling: Reassignment
- If Crew Scheduling changes a Linholder’s safety position after they report, is that a reassignment?
- What happens if a flight(s) is removed from the Flight Attendant’s sequence and they arrive back at domicile 4 hours later as a result?
- If a flight(s) is removed from my trip, and it doesn’t count as a reassignment, do I keep the original TFP?
- If reassignment penalties are part of the all-in cost of the Tentative Agreement, how is the Company calculating this cost?
- How does pay work if I choose to decline a reassignment?
- Why do we have exclusion language for reassignments but there is no inclusion language, like short staff?
- If I have a reassignment and it goes into a day off, does the reassignment premium pyramid on the premium for flying into a day off?
- When can reassignment occur?
- If you have the same city pairs, but operate a later flight with a different flight number – is that an exception to the reassignment premium?
- Why does reassignments now say we may be JA’d any time?
- Is it a change for the reassignment “Like Sequence” to not be within the 2-hour footprint?
Section 10 – Scheduling: Pre-Cancellation
- The Company is required to provide a hotel/transportation if a multi-day trip is reassigned to multiple trips with RON at domicile – is the same true for a pre-cancellation?
- With pre-cancellation self-assign, what if there is nothing in Open Time?
- Can we still be pay protected during a Pre-Cancellation?
- Are we still able to decline and waive pay during a Pre-Cancellation?
Section 11 – Reserve
- Is the Reserve Guarantee still 5 TFP per day?
- If a Reserve is assigned a trip and they post it for grab, is a Lineholder able to pick it up?
- Can a Reserve trade positions for the same flight under the new provision for “Release to Report”?
- A Reserve currently can ask to be released after the last flight departs on the last day of their block. Now Crew Scheduling won’t have to grant the request?
- Reserves on ER aren’t currently allowed to self-assign – is that changed, or only for APSB?
- If a Lineholder picks up a single Reserve day and it becomes ER, or a Reserve combines an AM and PM block and the first day becomes ER, do they get 2x pay?
- How many days can a Reserve be assigned ER during bidding?
- Is a Reserve eligible for reassignment pay? For instance, if they are tagged on their last day?
- What protects Reserves from being converted to ER multiple days in a row, now that the conversion cap is removed?
- Was the cap on ER conversion removed?
- Are we the only airline allowing Reserves to be tagged for additional flying?
- Is there still a 2 hour minimum call out for Reserve?
Section 12 – Exchange of Sequences
- Was there discussion of automating jet bridge trades on Crew Access?
- Section 12.G regarding SIPs, am I reading the addition correctly? What happens if the Flight Attendant who picked up the trip is a No Show?
- Are there any changes to Open Time/Crew Access, such as Back to Book/day-for-day trading?
- Is there a way to get a better system or upgrade of Crew Access?
- With the TSN updates, is this a contractual minimum increase? Or is the number based on actual size, meaning potential fluctuation (i.e. seasonal ANC growth)?
Section 13 – Uniforms
Section 14 – Vacations
- If the Tentative Agreement passes, will Flight Attendants at 25+ years be bidding for 6th week of vacation for next year?
- If a Flight Attendant has between 240 TFP – 480 TFP flown/credited for the year and receives only half of the vacation allotment – will it be paid?
- Is the 6th week of vacay at 25 years based on company or occupational service?
- If the Tentative Agreement is ratified, will 25% of vacation count toward vacation 480 for 2025?
- Can you clarify the use of vacation payout on a leave of absence?
- With the change of 1/4 vacation going toward the 480 requirement, is it not 100% today?
- Why does vacation not accrue based on hours worked – such as a proration of the accrual if we don’t make the 480?
- Was there any attempt to increase vacation TFP?
Section 15 – Leaves of Absence
- If a Flight Attendant is using sick leave to coordinate a leave of absence, which bank is used?
- Why did we have to remove the provision about a pregnant Flight Attendant being removed from work after 28 weeks? What if the Flight Attendant has difficulty getting the proper paperwork from their Doctor to be removed?
- Does a “Serious Incident” include a diversion due to a combative passenger?
- Why wasn’t maternity leave negotiated?
- When on a leave coordinating vacation for pay, will dues and insurance premiums be paid automatically instead of like now, where we have to write a check or remember to go online and make payments?
- Can you explain coordinating a leave and what changed?
Section 16 – Sick Leave/On the Job Injury: General
- If I have 1500 TFP of sick leave at retirement, do I get 100% on all TFP or just the portion above 849.9?
- Did the Negotiating Committee consider a full value payout regardless of sick leave value?
- When a Flight Attendant retires, is the sick leave payout inclusive of both banks?
- Why is sick leave not paid out 100% when I retire?
- If a Flight Attendant is 62 or older and has 1000 TFP in their sick leave bank, are they able to use a portion for Retiree Insurance and have the rest paid at 100% upon retirement?
- Is there an annual transfer of 40 TFP into the State Bank?
- If I don’t use my State Bank sick leave, am I able to cash it out?
- How much did the increased sick leave cap cost in the overall deal – what did we leave on the table?
Section 16 – Sick Leave/On the Job Injury: Sick Banks
- When would the changes to sick leave be implemented – state vs. CBA bank, point reduction form, verification periods?
- If I don’t have enough in one bank to cover the sick call, am I able to start with one bank and switch to the other?
- With preventative care (Dr. appointments) – is that only from the state bank sick leave?
- What happens if the Flight Attendant does not choose to elect cash out or transfer of the excess over 40 TFP in the State Bank?
- When calling out FMLA, which sick bank is the best to use?
- If I have less than 40 TFP in my sick bank, what will happen when the State Bank is implemented?
- Where would we track our State Bank balance?
- Do we need to indicate what we are calling out for when using the State Bank?
- Why do we need two separate banks for sick leave – why not all under one bank?
Section 16 – Sick Leave/On the Job Injury: Sick Leave Laws
- Do the state sick leave provisions apply to all Flight Attendants, regardless of base?
- If our current sick leave policy is not compliant with state law- what isn’t compliant? Also, if the Company is not adhering to laws right now, isn’t there a basis for lawsuits or a grievance?
- Could the WA/OR state sick leave laws change where they have a CBA carve out like CA? If so, and we do not have these more generous provisions (e.g. bereavement, school closure, non-punitive system, etc.) in a ratified contract, would we lose the ability to negotiate them in?
- Do AS pilots have two sick banks to comply with state law?
Section 21 – Compensation: General
- Behind The Numbers: Straight Pay Rate Increases
- If we have a drug or alcohol test into a day off – or with a long, delayed process – is there any additional compensation?
- Is there any premium pay added for redeye flights?
- What changed with Longevity Pay?
- Is the TFP value of a flight calculated the same in the TA as it is today?
- The Company promised “industry leading” – what happened?
- Can you explain the New Year’s Holiday? It doesn’t seem like a loss or a gain. Did we try to get additional holidays?
- How does the pay scale compare to Delta?
- I don’t want to keep checking my pay to ensure it is accurate! Is there any change to ensure everything is paid automatically, and to address transparency and accountability in pay?
- How does Longevity Pay benefit Flight Attendants? It doesn’t seem adequate for years of flying, and it’s only paid on actual flying.
- How did the NC determine the TA pay scale, and what percentage did the NC and MEC think was an acceptable increase?
- Can you explain the significance of reducing the top of scale to 14 years from 16?
- Do I need 40 TFP over my line award in each PPP trimester/4-month block, or can I make up some TFP for one trimester in another trimester?
- Can you discuss pay rates, inflation, and the cost of living?
Section 21 – Compensation: Boarding Pay
- Does Boarding Pay count toward the 504 duty hours needed to qualify for FMLA?
- Does premium apply to Boarding Pay?
- Does a Reserve on APSB receive Boarding Pay for a preboard?
- How was 0.42 TFP calculated for Boarding Pay?
- How is Boarding Pay calculated for Delta Flight Attendants?
- Why is Pre-Boarding 0.5 TFP and Boarding Pay 0.42 TFP?
- Do we receive Boarding Pay if our flight is pre-boarded?
- What happens to Boarding Pay during a mechanical?
- Boarding Pay adds an average of 8% to overall pay – what does that mean?
- Why is Boarding Pay frequently being shared in conjunction with our raises?
- Does Boarding Pay count toward 480 requirements?
- Does Boarding Pay TFP count toward sick leave accrual?
- With the addition of Boarding Pay, is there any change to Sit Pay or Pre-boarding Compensation?
- Does Boarding Pay TFP count toward line bid?
- With Boarding Pay, if you go back to the gate and get more passengers – is that additional Boarding Pay?
- Do you think management agreed to Boarding Pay to save money with premium? For example on the milk run pairing that’s an additional 5.4 TFP but if it went premium at 1.5x it would be even more.
- Management proposed “industry standard” RIGs. What was proposed, and why did we focus on Boarding Pay instead?
- Did achieving Boarding Pay affect our negotiated pay rates? In other words, if we went all in on pay, would we have seen a bigger raise across the board?
Section 21 – Compensation: Retro Pay
Section 23 – Insurance Benefits
- Could you explain more about how the updated insurance rates will work if the TA is ratified?
- Was there any discussion about IVF benefits?
- With the addition of adoption benefits, would that apply to an adoption prior to ratification?
- Is our health insurance self-insured, administered by a third party?
- What do other workgroups pay for insurance premiums?
Section 26 – Association Security
Section 28 – Domiciles
Section 29 – Performance Based Pay and Retirement
Section 30 – Training
- Will a Registered Air Commuter get positive space travel for attending training in base?
- With the move toward all training in SEA, won’t the provision about hotel reimbursement for training be redundant in a short period of time?
- Can you elaborate on 50 straight line miles for training hotel reimbursement in domicile? I live over 50 miles from the training facility by highway, but if I knew how to fly over water it would be less.
Section 32 – Attendance Policy: General
- Do we keep all of our current bank points?
- Does Record Improvement still apply if I don’t call in sick for a quarter?
- Will the Point Reduction Form be 3 times a year, or once every 4 months?
- Does the Point Reduction Form need to be used immediately, or can we apply it at the end of the trimester on the longest absence?
- Why did we lose a Point Reduction Form?
Section 32 – Attendance Policy: Verification Periods
- Is Teledoc acceptable for verification? And what would be used for verification during an evacuation?
- When will the Verification Periods happen (holidays, summer, etc.?) and are they the same for everyone?
- My Doctor is not covered under my insurance and the cost is $150 per visit out of pocket. Will the company cover that if verification is required?
- If there is a death in my family and I use the state bank, would the Company expect a death certificate during a Verification Period?
- Doesn’t HIPAA protect personal medical information? How can an employee be protected regarding privacy?
- When using State Bank sick leave during a Verification Period, what counts as “consecutive workdays”?
- If you call out and use your state sick bank during a verification period, but weren’t able provide verification within the 10 day requirement, are we subject to disciplinary actions?
Section 34 – Lodging and Transportation
- How do we receive the new compensation for delayed transportation or delayed hotel room?
- When I am waiting for a hotel per the new provision and I decide to self-help and reimburse my own room, when does the delay clock stop?
- If I have an issue with my hotel room (after I receive the key) and I need to wait for a new room, does the new hotel room delay provision apply?
- Is the delay pay for hotel and transportation prorated?
- When do the hotel improvements for classification and long/short stay go into effect?
- Does CS adjust our rest if we have a delay with hotel transportation or hotel room availability?
Jumpseat & Pass Privileges
- Does the current seniority order still apply for the jumpseat?
- Will the ability to potentially jumpseat on OAL end up being a commuter failure if we don’t take the jumpseat (if available)?
- With non-revenue boarding seniority based on company policy – does that allow management to expand that at their discretion?
Management Immersion Program
- What was the reason for adding the Management Immersion Program LOA?
- Is the Management Immersion Program an opportunity for them to test service and propose equipment?
- Is there any scope risk with the Management Immersion Program?
- How many managers participate in the Management Immersion Program, and how often would they fly?
- What routes would management fly for a Management Immersion Program experience?
- Is there a discipline risk to Flight Attendants with the Management Immersion Program?
Miscellaneous
- Are any of the Negotiating Committee lawyers and if so, what type? If not, why don’t we have lawyers representing us?
- Is there an “early out” provision for retirement?
- Do AFA representatives receive any bonus from ratifying the Tentative Agreement?
- Can the Company make any changes to the contract once it is ratified?
- Were any of the proposals regarding Flight Attendants who transferred from Horizon accomplished?
- For the Legacy Retiree Pass Privileges LOA, who is considered “legacy”? Has the retirement age changed?
- Will the 480 calculators be updated?
- Can you explain the VX Red Circle LOA?
- Can you explain what happened with the section addendums?
- Can you share a list of what was given up in this Tentative Agreement?
- Are there any requirements for rideshare car quality (Reserve with less than 3 hour call out, delayed transport to/from hotel, etc.)?
- Can you explain the calculation of the TFP/Block conversion rate?
- Is it possible to add a provision for negotiations delays, such as retro pay for the next negotiations or automatic increases if they fail to negotiate in a certain time?