9.10.21 – APFA PHX Base Brief – Friday, September 10, 2021

Friday, September 10, 2021

***BE VIGILANT & STAY SAFE***

As we approach the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 your PHX Base Leadership asks you to remember our fallen brothers and sisters who were so cruelly taken from us that Tuesday morning in 2001. In their memory, remember to always be alert, vigilant and use situational awareness.

Please wear your APFA/AFA 9/11 commemorative pin during the month of September. If you have not yet received one, please complete a 9/11 Memorial Lapel Pin Request or call Robin Agee at 480-238-2303 or Secorra Flowers at 602-551-8116.

“NO DAY SHALL ERASE YOU FROM THE MEMORY OF TIME” — Virgil

Here is a schedule of 9/11 20th Anniversary Memorial Events in Tempe:

September 10, 2021
Friday Evening Freedom Concert
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Tempe Healing Field
80 W Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281

September 11, 2021
Healing Field Tribute – Reading of the Names at 5:46am
Time: 5:30am
Location: Tempe Healing Field
80 W Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281

September 11, 2021
Candlelight Vigil: Ceremony & Speakers
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Tempe Healing Field
80 W Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281

APFA Phoenix Town Hall Meeting

Please join us for the PHX Town Hall Base Meeting on September 21st at 11:00am. We will send out a link in an email and post it on the AA PHX Flight Attendants Facebook Page prior to the Base Meeting. We will discuss current issues in PHX including reoccurring scheduling and contract issues. Deborah Volpe and Ankit Patel will join the Town Hall to discuss the Contract Action Team and the importance of their committee as we progress through Contract negotiations.

Allocations and Staffing

On September 3rd, we had the monthly staffing call with the Company. In attendance for PHX were members of the APFA PHX Scheduling Committee:

• Robin Agee – [email protected]
• Secorra Flowers – [email protected]

As we do each month, we discussed the available headcount, and number/percentage of reserves deemed necessary.For October the preliminary numbers for the allocations call for PHX were:

• 847 Total Active Flight Attendants
• 676 Lineholders
• 171 Reserves (20.2%)

 

To say that we are displeased to have the highest percentage of Reserves of all the bases, is an understatement. We continue to remind the Company that we are not the same airline, with the same flying that we were in 2019. Therefore, using the percentages from 2019 to project “need” in 2021 is irresponsible. And yes, we did remind the Company when PHX had over 2,000 FAs in base, we did not have the scheduling at nightmare that we have dealt with over the last 6 months since the displacements. We continue to challenge the Company’s data as it is clearly skewed and cannot possibly give a clear picture of what is required in this base at this time. Our goal is to ensure that all of our displaced FA that want to return to PHX will be given the opportunity as soon as possible.

The allocations call to discuss the sequence construction, type of trips (i.e. number of 1, 2-, 3- and 4-day sequences, ODANs, red eyes, etc.), any contractual violations, the length of duty day and overnights, was held on September 2nd. For October we see an increase in 3-day sequences with a decrease in 1- and 2-day sequences. ODANs were very slightly increased, and 4-day sequences remained at 5%. We did see an increase in over 2,400 hours for October.

As for the quality of the sequences, we are pleased that some of our concerns were addressed. The length of duty days was reduced overall, and we see an increase in the length of overnights. Are the sequences perfect? No. But we are seeing a willingness by the Planning Department to work with APFA to build better quality of life sequences. We are pleased to see DTW and CMH turns in our bid package for October. And a reduction in sit time on most of our 4-leg turn days.

Remaining October Bidding Timelines

Frequent Contract Questions

We are still receiving quite a few questions regarding when you can be contacted/assigned a sequence. Per JCBA Section 12.G.3. – “Flight Attendants may be assigned sequences or Standby shifts that report within a RAP prior to the start of the RAP. At the commencement of a RAP, Flight Attendants are responsible for reviewing and acknowledging all assignments through the automated system.“

What this means is you can receive a One Alert prior to the start of your RAP, but you are not required to acknowledge the assignment till your RAP begins.

Which brings us to JCBA Section 12.H.1. – “A Reserve shall be required to report within two(2) hours from the time she/he is notified of a sequence by Crew Schedule.”

What this means is if you are sent a One Alert at 9:25 for a sequence that checks in at 12:05, and your RAP C (11:00 till 23:00) you do not have to acknowledge the assignment till the beginning of your RAP, or 11:00. That makes the latest you can check in at the airport 13:00.

If you have any questions, please call APFA PHX at 800-595-1471. You can also call the Contract/Scheduling desk at APFA National 817-540-0108, or utilize the Live Chat feature on APFA.org.

Contract Reminders

Did you know that should you return to base between 2300 and 0600 due to late operation (delays) of your sequence, you are entitled to actual transportation charges “substantiated by receipts”?  Should you feel you are unsafe to drive home, or you do not want to wake your princess parking driver, you can take an Uber, Lyft or a shuttle. It is in the JCBA in Section 6.C.4.

What is considered positive contact? If you look at Section 10.V.5. the list includes Crew Scheduling(Tracking), a Company designee (member of Management), an FSM or the Captain. It is not a voicemail on your cell phone, a Crew Coordinator or Gate Agent. A Gate Agent can tell you that Crew Scheduling wants you to call; but again it is not positive contact.

Section 11.H. – Minimum Days Off. A Lineholder shall be provided not less than eleven (11) calendar days off in the Flight Attendant’s crew base during each contractual month. Such provision may be waived by the Flight Attendant in PBS, TTS and ETB. However, it cannot be taken under eleven (11) days due to the Company assigning a Reserve sequence into the Flight Attendant’s Lineholder month.

Section 10.J.4. states that once a Flight Attendant crew has originated their sequence, the Company may reschedule such crew to maintain schedule or substitute another crew on a part of the sequence to maintain scheduled operations in accordance with published timetables. This is a mid-sequence reschedule and is legal. However, Section 10.J.7. states that at the time of the reschedule, the Company shall make every effort to schedule such FA crew to arrive back in their crew base no later than the time she/he was originally scheduled to return. In NO EVENT will the FA(s) be rescheduled beyond her/his originally scheduled return unless the Company has unsuccessfully made every effort to provide Reserve coverage to continue the sequence from that point without causing a delay or cancellation.  What does this mean?  If there are Reserves available, whether RAP or Standby, and the Company has sufficient time to put the reserve on that sequence without further delaying the sequence, then you should not be rescheduled from your original sequence.

On Thursday, August 5th an agreement was reached between Labor and APFA that Lineholders would NOT be rescheduled at the end of their sequence. Upon returning to base, the Lineholder is finished and cannot be “tagged” or given an illegal double up. As a reminder, if you are a Reserve once you are past your release time (block in plus 15 minute domestic debrief, or 30 minute NIPD/IPD debrief) you cannot be rescheduled. Rescheduling Issues Part VII: Forced Double-Ups

Per Section 8.G.1. of the JCBA, “A Flight attendant will not be required to work during a vacation.” And Section 8.J.4 “once awarded, vacation shall not be cancelled by the Company”.  These two sections of the Contract are important to note, as in the last two weeks we have successfully kept three (3) Flight Attendants from being scheduled into their vacation due to flying added to the end of their sequence.

If you are on Reserve and get back from an assigned/awarded sequence later than originally scheduled, check your assignment for the next day. If it provides less than your contractual 12 hours rest, it is your responsibility to call Crew Scheduling.

Airport Standby

As a reminder, per JCBA Section 12.F.17.:

“A Standby must be available for immediate contact and assignment while on Standby duty but is not required to be in the Standby room.”

Flight Attendants sitting Airport Standby do not have 15 minutes to call Crew Scheduling back  as we do on a RAP.  Not answering your phone, or immediately calling back, could lead to a missed trip.

APFA PHX Phone Number
800-595-1471

• Ext. 1 – National Office and Contract & Scheduling Desk
• Ext. 2 – PHX Base President Robin Agee
• Ext. 3 – PHX Base Vice President Secorra Flowers
• Ext. 4 – Mandatory Meeting Representation
• Ext. 5 – Medical and Injury on Duty
• Ext. 6 – Reserves
• Ext. 0 – General Questions

 

Save the image below, for when you do not have access to the internet:

Contact APFA National Office for Assistance

APFA Contract & Scheduling Desk
Call or text 817-540-0108
Monday – Friday, 0700 – 1900 (CDT)

APFA Live Messaging
Monday – Friday: 1500 – 2300 (CDT)
Weekends and Holidays: 0900 – 1700 (CDT)
(Link may be found on homepage of APFA.org)

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

In Solidarity,

Robin Agee
APFA PHX Base President
480-238-2303
[email protected]

Secorra Flowers
APFA PHX Base Vice President
602-551-8116
[email protected]