Collective Bargaining Agreement

2012-2016

CRAF

LETTER OF AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
UNITED AIRLINES, INC.
AND
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
IN THE SERVICE OF
UNITED AIR LINES, INC.
AS REPRESENTED BY
ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS-CWA

This LETTER OF AGREEMENT is made and entered into in accordance with the provisions of Title II of the Railway Labor Act, as amended, by and between UNITED AIR LINES, INC. (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) and the FLIGHT ATTENDANTS in the service of UNITED AIRLINES, INC. as represented by the ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS (hereinafter referred to as the “Union”).

W I T N E S S E T H :

WHEREAS, the Company and Union desire to supplement their Employment Agreement signed December 3, 1997, (hereinafter referred to as the "Agreement") including amendment of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) Letter of Agreement thereof, by providing certain rates of compensation, rules and working conditions with respect to the Company's CRAF Operation.

NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby mutually agreed and understood by and between the parties of this Letter of Agreement that the rates of compensation, rules and working conditions stipulated herein shall be in full force and effect on the Company’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet Operation; and further provided that all provisions of the Agreement, except as specifically modified or excepted by this Letter of Agreement, shall be applicable also to the Company’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet Operation.

  1. CRAF OPERATION
    The term “CRAF Operation” for the purpose of this Letter of Agreement means all flight operations conducted in accordance with the agreement between United Air Lines and the Department of Defense but shall not include the Company’s certificated service or commercial charter service of any other government operation.
  2. CRAF LIST
    1. A System CRAF volunteer list will be bid and awarded and will be the recognized CRAF list until replaced as the result of any later system bid.
    2. The size of the active CRAF list will be determined by the Company after consultation with the Union.
    3. If there are insufficient volunteers for the list the Company may assign Flight Attendants in inverse order of system seniority.
    4. Language qualified positions will not be assigned to CRAF IDs.
    5. The purser position will be filled according to paragraph 3.a. below, Flight Assignments, from the CRAF list, rather than purser qualification. If Purser Qualified Flight Attendants are assigned to the ID in the normal assignment process they will assume the Qualified Purser Position(s) on the ID in seniority order among qualified Pursers.
    6. The Company shall facilitate the procurement of the appropriate security clearances and restricted area identification, including, but not limited to the Geneva Convention Identity Card (DD Form 489) as required by the appropriate Government authority for all Flight Attendants awarded a CRAF bid. Flight Attendants shall be provided any necessary intelligence/safe-passage briefings prior to operating any applicable CRAF trip.
  3. FLIGHT ASSIGNMENTS
    1. After establishing the active CRAF list, ID assignments will initially be made on the basis of seniority and availability. Thereafter, assignments will be made on a FIFO availability basis.
    2. Before bypassing a Flight Attendant, the Company will make;
      1) Two (2) calls to the Flight Attendant’s permanent or alternate number within a ten (10) hour period for assignments more than seventy-two (72) hours in advance; or
      2.) Two (2) calls within a five (5) hour period for assignments seventy-two (72) hours or less in advance.
    3. A Flight Attendant may refuse no more than one (1) CRAF assignment in a calendar quarter (Section 2.A.). A second refusal in a quarter will result in the Flight Attendant’s removal from the CRAF list.
    4. A Flight Attendant may remove her/his name from the System CRAF list with thirty (30) days written notice to the Company.
    5. The Company may draft in inverse seniority order from the active CRAF list if necessary to cover a CRAF ID. If insufficient coverage still exists, the Company may then draft in seniority order from the remainder of the CRAF volunteer list.
    6. The Company will provide NRPS must ride transportation on the Company’s system to position a Flight Attendant to and from the originating point of a CRAF ID. Pay and expenses will be based on required check-in to debriefing for the ID, except that the Company will provide a hotel before and/or after an ID where legality rules would require for Flight Attendants not assigned to the domicile from which the ID originates.
    7. When covering multiple IDs on a daily basis, the Company may assign Flight Attendants from the active list in a manner which will minimize positioning.
    8. The provisions concerning contacting Flight Attendants during legal rest periods contained on page 49 of the Agreement will apply except in emergencies.
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  4. FLIGHT TIME AND LEGALITIES
    Section 12.G., J., K., L., M., and N. will apply to Flight Attendants assigned a CRAF ID.
  5. LINE GUARANTEE
    1. In the application of Section 8.J. and 12.I. of the Agreement, when assigned a CRAF ID, the monthly guarantee for a lineholder will reflect the greater value of the CRAF ID flown or the scheduled ID(s) necessary to be dropped.
    2. If a CRAF ID cancels prior to the departure of its first segment, a lineholder Flight Attendant will cover any ID(s) she/he dropped in order to fly the CRAF ID. If the dropped ID(s) is no longer available, the lineholder will be subject to 8.J. or 12.I. reassignment(s) as applicable.
  6. EXPENSES
    1. Flight Attendants on the CRAF operation will receive expenses per Section 6.A.1.b. of the Agreement.
    2. Crew meals and drinking water will be provided on all international segments. Meals will not be used to reduce the hourly expense allowances and will be at least equal in quality as those provided for passengers, or for pilots where there are no passengers.
    3. When meals, lodging, or transportation are not provided by the Company, Flight Attendants on the CRAF Operation shall be reimbursed for such expenses in accordance with Section 6 of the Agreement.
  7. COMPENSATION
    Flight Attendants assigned to a CRAF ID shall be paid rates of compensation as stipulated in Section 5.A.2. of the Basic Agreement. In addition, Flight Attendants will receive a premium of two dollars and twenty-five cents ($2.25) per hour for all CRAF IDs except for those IDs flown wholly within the United States.
  8. VACATION
    1. Flight Attendants on the CRAF list will maintain their current vacation schedule and at their current rates of pay.
    2. A Flight Attendant who flies one (1) or more CRAF IDs covering sixteen (16) or more days in a given month will receive credit for an additional two and one-half (2-1/2) vacation days for each such month to be taken the following year. Days off between consecutive CRAF trips will count as assigned CRAF days for this purpose.
  9. INSURANCE
    A Flight Attendant assigned to a CRAF ID will be covered by the insurance and pay continuation benefits prescribed under Section 13.D., E., F., G., H. and I. of the Agreement. In addition, except as modified by this paragraph, such Flight Attendant shall continue to be covered by the Company's Group Insurance program.
  10. ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS

    Flight Attendants will continue to fly any CRAF flight deemed essential to the national defense, provided such flights are solely military in nature and carry cargo composed entirely of military requirements even though, at the time such military flights are necessary, the Flight Attendants have for any reason withdrawn from regular air line service.

    1. To assure the movement of a particular flight under such circumstances, the Union will require certification by an appropriate Company official designated by the Company that such flight is in accordance with the specifications set forth in this Paragraph 10. This certification shall be provided prior to movement of the flight where feasible, or, where not feasible, promptly thereafter.
    2. Flight Attendants who fly such military traffic will not lose any benefits accruing to other Flight Attendants which they would otherwise have received upon settlement of an unresolved labor dispute.
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  11. GENERAL
    The Company agrees to meet with the Union to resolve unanticipated issues as may arise during the CRAF operation. Such discussions will include the Vice President Labor Relations if requested by the Union.
  12. DURATION
    This Letter of Agreement shall remain in full force and effect concurrently with the 2012 - 2016 Collective Bargaining Agreement.
  13. CRAF OPERATION – BEGINNING FEBRUARY 2003
    In addition to the above, the following exceptions will apply to the CRAF operation beginning in February 2003, until the U.S. Government deactivates the operation.
    1. MAXIMUM DUTY TIME
      The maximum scheduled and actual duty times of Section 12.L. will be extended as necessary up to the FAR duty time maximums.
    2. ON BOARD REST
      A Flight Attendant will be provided at least two (2) hours on board rest for any combination of flight segments in a duty period which exceed the Section 12.L. maximums.
    3. STAFFING
      The minimum working crew will be increased for any combination of working flight segments in a duty period which exceed the Section 12.L. maximums as follows:

      B747-400 - twelve (12) Flight Attendants
      B777 - ten (10) Flight Attendants
      B767 - seven (7) Flight Attendants

      Staffing levels will be augmented above FAA minimums in accordance with FARs based on the scheduled duty time.
    4. PER DIEM
      In addition to the expenses provided in paragraph 6 above, per diem will be provided from the Flight Attendant’s home domicile until the Flight Attendant returns to the home domicile for all positioning segments for CRAF IDs involved in the 2003 CRAF Operation.
    5. REST FOLLOWING CONCLUSION OF ID
      Forty-eight (48) hours minimum rest will be provided at the conclusion of a CRAF ID returning from outside the United States.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have signed this LETTER OF AGREEMENT this 28th day of February, 2012.

FOR UNITED AIR LINES, INC.


   FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS-CWA

/s/ John Nelson
John Nelson
Managing Director Labor Relations
Inflight Services


   /s/ Gregory E. Davidowitch
Gregory E. Davidowitch, President
United Master Executive Council
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA