3.20.18 – (LAA/LUS) – Rescheduling and Pay Protection

Rescheduling and Pay Protection

Recently, the Company announced the implementation of several provisions of the JCBA related to rescheduling and pay protection. While this implementation is long overdue for the LAA Flight Attendants, it is not without its problems. Since the inception of the Joint Scheduling Implementation Committee (JSIC), we have been able to work through issues regarding the negotiated intent of the contractual language. This is not unusual during the implementation process, and this is the very reason APFA negotiated to have the JSIC. However, during this process, we have had some differences of interpretation that remain unresolved.

The most recent Company communication demonstrates that the Company has elected to proceed to unilaterally implement certain disputed changes to which the APFA JSIC has not agreed, including changes related to which Flight Attendants would be removed and subsequently pay protected when downgraded equipment is substituted on a flight(s). We also differ significantly on how pay protections are calculated in a rescheduled sequence with cancelled flight segments. The Company’s stated position does not reflect the agreement with APFA, and we encourage all affected Flight Attendants to continue to advise APFA of potential violations of our Agreement so that full relief can be sought.

In addition to the above issues, the Company, rather than implement all of the rescheduling and pay protections at the same time, has made the decision to implement them in two phases after years of delays. While some of these may be “quality of life issues”, several are economic issues costing our members money. Some of the items that have been delayed are Last Trip/Last Series pay protection, lack of premium pay on pay protected events, and the elimination of available days prior to full implementation of the new Trip Trade System, Electronic Trade Board, and Reserve Open Time Assignment, to name a few.

Because these and other issues remain unresolved, APFA will be filing a number of grievances, in addition to those already filed, related to the Company’s wrongful interpretation and implementation of these provisions, as well as the delay in the implementation of other provisions.

During this process, the JSIC will continue working with the System Board of Adjustment Department at APFA, as well as keeping the leadership up-to-date on the issues and possible resolution or arbitrations.

In Solidarity,

The APFA Joint Scheduling Implementation Committee:

Alin Boswell
Julie Hedrick
Linda Haertling
Vicki Balistreri