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United & AFA Reach TA For Flight Attendants-24 June 2016 - ratified 12 Aug 2016

Old Jun 24, 2016, 9:03 am
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http://unitednegotiations.com/

AFA - United is United
We have a ratified contract. With some of the highest numbers in AFA history, over 90 percent participated in the vote with 53% voting to ratify the agreement. You have participated in a historic vote and there is no doubt that every single one of you is deeply engaged and cares about our future.

United Airlines Flight Attendants Ratify Joint Contract

August 12, 2016

CHICAGO, Aug. 12, 2016 – The flight attendants at United Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), today ratified a contract covering 25,000 flight attendants. Over 90 percent participated in the vote with 53 percent voting to ratify the agreement. This agreement was reached on June 24, 2016, with assistance from the National Mediation Board.

“The high participation in this historic vote demonstrates the deep care Flight Attendants have for their future at the new United Airlines. The contract provides immediate economic gains, sets a new industry standard and ensures Flight Attendants can achieve the benefits of a fully integrated airline," said Sara Nelson, AFA-CWA International President. "This contract would not have been possible without the commitment of Oscar Munoz to unite United Airlines. We appreciate his leadership and the assistance of National Mediation Board Chair Linda Puchala, who was instrumental in helping the parties reach agreement. With the ratification of this contract, we look forward to a great spirit of labor relations at United that fully recognizes the contributions of the people who breathe life into the friendly skies."

Under the new agreement, all United flight attendants will be joined by a single contract, and united by a shared purpose to build the best airline in the world.

“Our flight attendants are the best in the business and deserve this industry-leading contract. I want to recognize the efforts of both negotiating teams, and in particular AFA President, Sara Nelson, for her strong partnership to get the agreement done to move us all forward together in the new spirit of United. When I took this job last year, I promised to turn the page and write a new chapter in our approach to labor and management relations at United. What matters is proof, however, not promises. Thanks to today’s vote, I am proud to say that so far this year we’ve ratified new agreements covering more than 65,000 of our employees,” said Oscar Munoz, United Airlines President and Chief Executive Officer.

The five-year agreement includes double digit pay increases, enhanced job security provisions, maintains and improves healthcare, protects retirement and increases flexibility.
AFA's "Comprehensive Summary of Our Tentative Agreement" - July 2, 2016 (31 pages)

Complete TA - July 11, 2016 (373 pages)

AFA-CWA United Airlines 2016 Tentative Agreement Video


United And AFA Reach Agreement For Flight Attendants

CHICAGO, June 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- United and the Association of Flight Attendants announced today that they have reached an agreement on terms of a joint contract that would bring the airline's more than 25,000 flight attendants together into a single work group. The agreement is subject to approval by the Joint Master Executive Council, including all Local Presidents, after which it will become a tentative agreement and will be put out for ratification by flight attendants. The parties will work this weekend to finalize the contract language.
"Today's agreement honors the invaluable role that our flight attendants contribute to United's success and brings us closer than ever to uniting them under a single contract," said United President and Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz. "It's been a long journey and I'm grateful to our outstanding flight attendants – the most talented and professional inflight team anywhere in the world – for all they do to keep our customers safe and comfortable."
United thanks both negotiating teams and the National Mediation Board for working to reach this agreement.
United has joint collective bargaining agreements covering the majority of its represented employees and has reached new agreements with three work groups so far this year. Recently, the company's employees who are represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted to ratify new contracts. Earlier this year, United's pilots voted to ratify a contract extension more than a year ahead of their contract's amendable date, following an expedited negotiations process with the Air Line Pilots Association. The company's dispatchers also voted recently to ratify a contract extension. Additionally, the airline is engaged in mediated negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
AFA statement - June 24

A few moments ago, our Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and the company came to an agreement on the terms of a joint collective bargaining agreement. The parties will work to finalize the language this weekend for review by the Joint Master Executive Council (MEC), including all (CAL, CMI, UAL) Local Presidents. These directly elected leaders of all 25,000 Flight Attendants, will meet in Chicago on Monday and Tuesday, June 27 & 28.
AA Joint MEC Unanimously Approves Tentative Agreement - June 28

AFA contract site

Some of these provisions include:
  • Improved single pay scale with base rates topping out in the 13th year at $62.00 and moving to $67.11 throughout the agreement.
  • $2.00 international override per hour and reimbursement for Global Entry.
  • $5.00 incentive rate of pay for all flying between 200 and 330 hours in a quarter.
  • Preserved our Flight Attendant-specific healthcare plan, with additional Medical Plan options.
  • Profit Sharing
  • Protected Scope language that defines Flight Attendant work as belonging to AFA members on the United Airlines System Seniority list – all CAL/UAL/CMI.
  • No Furlough Letter for all Flight Attendants on seniority list at date of ratification.
  • Holiday Pay for 5 holidays each year.
  • Per diem at $2.20 Domestic / $2.70 for International with automatic $0.05 increase every other year
  • Three (3) hours flight time pay and credit for training, plus up to five (5) hours deadhead pay each way to and from training.
  • Industry-leading Reassignment protections and pay.
  • Commuter Program without usage limit and cabin jumpseat qualifies as an available seat for commuting purposes.
  • No weight restrictions for CJA.
  • 12 days off for Reserves and 12 hours free from duty at home between trips.
  • Reserves have ability to trade assigned trips with Lineholders or other Reserves.
  • New ability for Reserves to pick up flying from Lineholders on days off.
  • Domestic 10 hours free from duty on layovers, with at least 8 hours place of lodging at hotel.
  • 12 hours free from duty at home between trips for Domestic Lineholders, but waivable at Flight Attendant option to 10 hours when trading or picking up.
  • Contractual hotel standards with downtown/downtown-like hotels for layovers of 19 hours or more.
  • Hotel Gainsharing, domestic and International
  • Vacation days ranging from 12 days to 40 days, with an additional 7 day Flex Vacation and optional Vacation Fly Through.
  • Maintained and improved Retirement Plans
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United & AFA Reach TA For Flight Attendants-24 June 2016 - ratified 12 Aug 2016

Old Jun 24, 2016, 10:11 pm
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by fly18725
That's a bit shortsighted on their part because there's no scenario where they can immediately hold a line under a joint contract unless the process drags out for another five years or so.
The ones who hired under the sCO contract the last couple years were already holding lines within a month of graduating.
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 10:26 pm
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
The ones who hired under the sCO contract the last couple years were already holding lines within a month of graduating.
I was pointing out it's unrealistic for that to continue under a merged seniority list.
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 11:32 pm
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by sbm12
They finally agreed internally on what the rules would be for this. One of the biggest sticking points was that one side recorded the seniority date as when training ended and the other as when training started. For the former group they didn't always know when training started so they spent a lot of time and energy researching that so the lists would use the same reference point for everyone.

ETA:https://unitedafa.org/news/details.aspx?id=16967
Wow...do they seriously have an FA(s) with a start date of 1956??? At a certain point, AFA (or government) need to start enforcing a max age if the primary job of FAs is safety. What do pilots get forced out at, 60? that would go a long way toward helping with safety, customer service and making sure the new hires get regular shifts more quickly. It's nice someone wants to keep working, but maybe an internal shuffle to club lounge greeter after 70.
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 11:48 pm
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by mike1968
What do pilots get forced out at, 60?
Used to be. Now, it is 65.
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Old Jun 24, 2016, 11:55 pm
  #35  
 
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So far, I have yet to talk to an FA that thinks this is a good offer. Considering it is has been the best part of 10 years since last one, the pay increases are poor and a number of other hurdles. My guess is that this will not go through in first vote.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 12:08 am
  #36  
 
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I know it's not a done deal, but this seems like major progress after such a long time.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 12:39 am
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by Baze
Is there any record of an airline splitting into 2 airlines? If they can't come to some compromise and get a unified contract might as well become a separate company.
Coexit?
Uaexit?
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 12:54 am
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
The ones who hired under the sCO contract the last couple years were already holding lines within a month of graduating.
Additionally, much of the 787 flying is currently occurring on what were historically extremely high seniority sUA routes. The sCO LAX and SFO bases are very junior, by comparison.

One of the last big pushes by Smisek was to move the 787 flying to the West Coast. This move, along with the closure of the SEA F/A base and the buyouts offered to high seniority F/As, all within a year's time, appeared to be a concerted effort by the management team to make things very difficult for the high seniority sUA flight attendants who were reportedly fighting for their contract's work-rules to carryover. Remember, there were more sUA F/As than sCO, and the Smisek management team has made it very hard to be an sUA flight attendant (from the furloughs, the base closures, and then the movement of the highest seniority flying to sCO).

So yeah, the junior sCO flight attendants currently enjoying their trips to Australia have it good. And obviously, any merged seniority list is going to see them bounced by senior sUA F/As immediately.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 1:18 am
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by northwesterner
Additionally, much of the 787 flying is currently occurring on what were historically extremely high seniority sUA routes. The sCO LAX and SFO bases are very junior, by comparison.

One of the last big pushes by Smisek was to move the 787 flying to the West Coast. This move, along with the closure of the SEA F/A base and the buyouts offered to high seniority F/As, all within a year's time, appeared to be a concerted effort by the management team to make things very difficult for the high seniority sUA flight attendants who were reportedly fighting for their contract's work-rules to carryover. Remember, there were more sUA F/As than sCO, and the Smisek management team has made it very hard to be an sUA flight attendant (from the furloughs, the base closures, and then the movement of the highest seniority flying to sCO).

So yeah, the junior sCO flight attendants currently enjoying their trips to Australia have it good. And obviously, any merged seniority list is going to see them bounced by senior sUA F/As immediately.
The Australia routes won't go 100% sUA anybody who is able to bid for that route will be able to fly it.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 4:07 am
  #40  
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Originally Posted by halls120
we won't have to ask who came from which side. It will be fairly obvious in the near term.
In general, yes.

Originally Posted by halls120
Good news regardless.
I disagree. Being able to select flight and equipment based on subsidiary has driven what's left of my UA international business travel over the last few years.

I have to be really pushed into a corner to book a long-haul international on UA in a premium cabin with sCO metal. On sUA metal, I'm a bit more willing.


Originally Posted by mduell
The level of in-fighting is incredible.
Not really. It's two divided workgroups with two different sets of priorities based on the circumstances that brought them there.


Originally Posted by Baze
Is there any record of an airline splitting into 2 airlines? If they can't come to some compromise and get a unified contract might as well become a separate company.
Why? It's been a tad inefficient, but for the most part, it's worked for the past several years. No need to throw the whole thing out if this takes a bit longer to settle.


Originally Posted by fly18725
I was pointing out it's unrealistic for that to continue under a merged seniority list.
Sure, but it's also a byproduct of how they managed the last 5 years. Perhaps there is a concession necessary to accommodate that group.

If you've been working 10 hour daytime shifts an office for the 3 years after you were hired, and all of a sudden, your boss says you have to move to shorter, graveyard shifts because you're the low man on the totem pole, you're not going to be happy about having worse hours and having to work more days to bring home the same money.

If this sort of thing is unilaterally imposed on them, you would expect a number of them to leave. If they have a say in the matter, you would expect them to not be happy and want to preserve the status quo. So it should come as no surprise that they would try vote no on any sort of merged agreement.


Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
The Australia routes won't go 100% sUA anybody who is able to bid for that route will be able to fly it.
Now yes. But when the lists merge, it could be a much higher concentration of sUA. And that's the problem it seems.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 4:56 am
  #41  
 
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Originally Posted by Baze
Is there any record of an airline splitting into 2 airlines? If they can't come to some compromise and get a unified contract might as well become a separate company.
You could look at the US Airways East and West pilot agreements as a form of splitting. Parker could never resolve that one and it continued right up to the merger. Some of the similarities in the two cases are striking. Younger, smaller airline takes over much older, faltering airline. Similarly sized unions. If I remember one detail correctly from the US example, the argument over start date (start of training versus start of paid flight duty) was never resolved.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 8:50 am
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
The ones who hired under the sCO contract the last couple years were already holding lines within a month of graduating.
With the number of new and used planes joining the fleet in the next 12 months, I'd guess that anyone on the seniority list now will be able to hold a line when a new contract is signed.

It might not be LAX-SYD or SFO-HKG but at least they'll have a line they can hold.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 10:45 am
  #43  
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Originally Posted by luckypierre
Similarly sized unions.
Didn't pay much attention except that I flew a lot on US to get UA miles due to their cheap fares, but I though US was quite a bit bigger.

UA was MUCH larger airline than CO, flew larger planes so one would think much larger union.
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 10:50 am
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by JOSECONLSCREW28
The ones who hired under the sCO contract the last couple years were already holding lines within a month of graduating.
Sorry for the ignorance, but what does "holding lines" mean?
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Old Jun 25, 2016, 11:01 am
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by 1kBill
Sorry for the ignorance, but what does "holding lines" mean?
A line of flying is a fixed sequence of flights for the month that you choose in advance, picked by seniority. If you are not senior enough to "hold a line," then you are "on reserve," and the airline tells you each day you are on duty where you will fly. This includes fill-ins for vacation, sick calls, IRROPs, etc.
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