Status of Negotiations - Comparison of Proposals

2012-2016 Contract

2016-2021 Tentative Agreement Joint Negotiations Concluded


Joint Tentative Agreement Resources


How Did We Achieve the Joint Tentative Agreement?


Prior Negotiations
Industry Negotiations


Updated: July 22, 2011

At the opening of our negotiations back on April 6, 2009, we presented United management a 148-page Opening Proposal of the Contractual improvements you determined were our priorities through Member negotiations surveys, discussions at the Roadshow in the fall of 2008, feedback to your Local Council and direct interaction with our Negotiating Committee.  On the same day, management presented a 4-page letter of generalities with concessionary verbiage in reference to pay, healthcare, work rules, job security and quality of work life.

After 115 weeks of negotiations, management continues to delay, with their concessionary proposals and counter proposals, in order to frustrate and wear us down.  We have completed a review of all Sections of the Contract and management has reviewed 34 of 35 Revised Sections of our Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

During one of our recent mediated sessions, AFA came up with an innovative way for Flight Attendants to have the ability to waive our 8-in-24 rest provision by trading into or picking up from open flying.  We wanted to make it waive-able only on the part of the Flight Attendant.  This was discussed in Section 7 – Hours of Service & Contractual Legalities.  Management was of course against this provision, wanting to eliminate it completely, giving them the ability to create ID’s, build lines, reassign without regard to the 8-in-24 rest provisions.  Section 10 – Reserve Scheduling Procedures was also another Section that was discussed with extensively with regards to Reserve preferencing.

The following is a summary of our proposals set in contrast to the proposals made by management to this point.  This is just a summary, and may not include a full review of our collective goals as contained in our 148-page Opening Proposal.  You may view our Opening Proposal document and video anytime at: www.unitedafa.org/contract/negotiations.

Each Section of the Contract will achieve a “T.A.” or “tentative agreement” between the parties prior to a final agreement.  Sections tentatively agreed (T.A.) upon are not final until a final agreement has been reached.  A Tentative Agreement must be ratified by the AFA Members in order to take effect.

We continue to advocate for the priorities which you have told us that are important to you in these negotiations.  We remain inspired by your willingness to do Whatever it Takes to achieve the industry leading Contract which we deserve.

Red = Updated changes from July 22, 2011         Book = Current Contract

Section 1 – Recognition

Section 2 – Definitions

AFA

  • Book

 

United Management

  • Book on Recognition
  • Establish subsidiaries and alter ego airlines not staffed with Flight Attendants on the seniority list
  • Restrict Flight Attendants’ right under the Railway Labor Act to strike if the Company engages in a conduct deemed to be a major dispute
  • Restrict Flight Attendants’ right under the Railway Labor Act to engage in a sympathy strike
  • Double the cap on the number of Foreign Nationals from 1.5% of the seniority list to 3%
  • Eliminate the requirement for ForeignNationals to be released before a voluntary furlough of Flight Attendants on the seniority list

AFA

  • Increase holidays
  • Same day reassignment (“fake 3-day” fix)
  • EWR/JFK/LGA Co-Terminals (Agreed)
  • Domestic Partner Definition

United Management

  • EWR/JFK/LGA Co Terminals (Agreed)
  • No revised proposal

Section 3 - Union Activity

Section 4 – General

AFA

  • Increase FPL
  • Union office space
  • No use of disapproved hotels

United Management

  • Limit scope of Union Travel and number of Union Reps
  • Eliminate Union involvement in hotel selection
  • Reduce activities eligible for FPL
  • Reduce required LEC information

AFA

  • Increase PTO
  • No fee for CJA
  • Reciprocal Cabin Seat Agreements
  • Recording of Crew Desk
  • International domiciles direct deposit
  • International On-Board rest facilities improvement
  • Signature required mail
  • Current Book for $50 minimum reimbursement check (Agreed)
  • Reciprocal Cabin Seats (Agreed)

United Management

  • Eliminate PTO
  • Eliminate Pass Travel for opposite gender Domestic Partners
  • Eliminate Pass Travel Surviving Spouse
  • Company’s unilateral ability to change Pass Travel
  • Ability to substitute companion for spouse for Pass Travel
  • Eliminate checked luggage on International trips of 4 days or more
  • Free local calls, Wi-Fi in existing Domicile crew lounges
  • Eliminate crew lounges at non-Domicile locations
  • Expand tidying requirements
  • Eliminate staffing guidelines and minimum bid positions
  • CJA denied for weight restrictions

Section 5 – Compensation

Section 6 - Expenses, Transportation & Lodging

AFA

  • Increase pay
  • Increase Reserve guarantee and override
  • Merged pay scale
  • Longevity
  • Drafting pay
  • Penalty pay
  • New “ground pay”

United Management

  • No proposal

AFA

  • Increase expenses
  • Greater of $40 or 40% of cost of room for not using layover hotel (counter-proposal)
  • Downtown for layovers over 15 hours
  • Increase crew meals
  • Actual reimbursement for cab or transportation
  • Increase parking reimbursements

United Management

  • $20 payment for not using layover hotel
  • No Downtown layover requirement
  • Eliminate ability for self help if room not ready
  • Hotel room for sits over 5 hours or 4 hours if between 2100 and 0559
  • No per diem rate proposal
  • Per diem not paid for training at domicile
  • Parking provided at Domicile only.  Ability to choose $30 commuting payment in lieu of parking
  • Eliminate taxi reimbursement between 2200 to 0800 departure and 2000 to 0600 arrival
  • Eliminate short call taxi reimbursement
  • Eliminate domestic crew meals
  • Payment when required international crew meal not provided

Section 7 - Hours of Service &
Contractual Legalities

Section 8 - Minimum Pay and Credit

AFA

  • Increase RSV # of days off
  • Shorten duty day
  • Increase legal rest
  • Improve crew rest
  • Key-in-Hand legal rest on layovers
  • Ability to waive 8-in-24 through trade or pick up from Open Flying
  • 5 hours of pay if day above minimum infringed upon
  • Contractual crew boarding time

United Management

  • Eliminate Quarter System
  • Eliminate rest provisions:
  • 8-in-24
  • 30-in-7
  • 1-in-7
  • Extend Maximum Duty Time to 16 hours, or more when last segment is Deadhead
  • Reduce Legal Rest to 8:45 hrs actual on layover
  • Weaken the limitations on Night-Into-Day Flying
  • Reduce LH minimum days off to 8, RSV to 10

AFA

  • Increased duty rigs
  • 8.J. reassignments
  • Drafting pay
  • Increase call out pay
  • Full pay for holding

United Management

  • Eliminate minimum duty rigs (5/10/15/20)
  • Reduce trip rig – time away from home (1 for 4) only when ID has pre-scheduled layover of 29 hours
  • Holding time paid after 30 minutes. Eliminate limit on max holding
  • Expand EOM reassignments
  • Expand drafting criteria
 

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Section 9 - Flight Assignments &
Scheduling Procedures

Section 10 – Reserve Scheduling Procedures

AFA

  • Increase staffing
  • Reassignment pay
  • Trip trading improvements
  • Lower line averages
  • No conversion from DHD for service enhancement
  • Eliminate required Purser qualification for Domestic
  • Limited critical coverage provisions (Agreed)
  • Increase Trades with open allocations and ability to trade above allocations
  • Unlimited same day trades
  • Jetway Trades
  • Partial ID trades

United Management

  • Increase max line value
    Dom: 95:15
    Intl: 99:54
    • Eliminate minimum bid positions
    • Prevent trades that lower lines below 40 hours
    • Mix Intl and Dom IDs
    • Limited critical coverage provisions (Agreed)
    • Expand definition of Domestic
    • Eliminate minimum guaranteed trades with open flying & trades will be denied if Crew Desk determines RSV coverage is insufficient
    • Eliminate cap on number of LQs on Domestic flights
    • Jetway Trades
    • Partial ID trades

AFA

  • Improve Reserve Scheduling Scheduling procedures - preferencing
  • Improve Reserve trading procedures
  • No more than 3 conversions to Ready per month unless all other Reserves in group also have 3
  • No more than 2 Standby assignments per month unless all other Reserves in group also have 2
  • Increase Reserve days off
  • Reserve guarantee 90 hours
  • Increase Reserve Override
  • 4 or 5-hour pay per vacation day based on hours paid in previous year
  • Eliminate second assignment
  • Ability to trade Reserve assignments

United Management

  • “A Reserve is always subject to reassignment”
  • Straight Reserve
  • All Ready Reserves.  “Call out Reserve” is Ready Reserve for 8 hours a day.  All Reserves on 24-hour call for 1st 3 days of month and holiday periods
  • Reduce Reserve days off to 10 with 6 movable days
  • Reserve guarantee 83 hours
  • Eliminate Reserve override
  • Reserve bumped from assigned IDs by Lineholder
  • 2-hour call out, 1:40 actual
  • 6-hour airport standby, paid for 4 hours.  Trip may be assigned up to 2 hours beyond 6 hour standby; or longer if insufficient Reserve coverage
  • Airport standbys to board, deplane and perform pre-departure
  • All Reserves subject to board, deplane, perform pre-departure at the end of assignment
  • No order of assignment/time accrued
  • Eliminate 8-hour free from contact on layover
  • Must remain phone available for possible reassignment after receiving assignment
  • Eliminate Christmas wish list
  • Expansion of second assignment rights
  • Reduce legal rest
  • No monthly cap for Reserves
  • Ability to pick up trips departing before 1100 when returning from days off.  May be subject to reassignment at check-in

Section 11 – Deadheading

Section 12 – International

AFA

  • Seating assignments and upgrade procedures
  • Economy Plus and exit row seat booking for Economy

United Management

  • Booked in Economy for all DHD. Exit row and seat assignment priorities
  • Upgrade per “Chain of Command”: Captain, then other pilots, next Purser, and lastly, other Flight Attendants in seniority order
  • No drinking while DHD at any time
  • Restrict DHD deviation

AFA

  • Reassignment & drafting pay
  • Reduce duty day
  • Increase legal rest
  • West Coast and Hawaiian turn restrictions
  • Eliminate selection and increase Purser Training
  • Purser discretion for Onboard rest
  • No Qualified Purser on Domestic flights
  • Purser Relief Lines.  Awarded to Qualified Pursers.  Closed position

United Management

  • Increase duty day
  • Decrease legal rest
  • Shrink definition of International
  • No cap on number of LQs per flight
  • Pay system senior Flight Attendants extra for ability to increase number of LQ positions
  • Restrict LQ schedule flexibility
  • LQ’s only to bid and be awarded LQ line or Reserve in primary language
  • Pursers only to bid and be awarded Purser line or Purser Reserve
  • No Qualified Purser on Domestic flights
  • Eliminate minimum flying assigned to US Domiciles
  • Company designates flights with Purser override
  • Current Pursers not grandfathered into new program
  • Discipline free to become Purser
  • Interview for Purser
  • Purser disqualified for LOW 2 or per management decision
  • Purser Reserves 12 days off scheduled, 10 days minimum
  • Purser training at company discretion
  • Restrict Purser schedule flexibility
  • Max 4 Flight Attendants on crew rest at any time except on 747
  • Pay if crew meal not provided

Section 13 - Military Airlift Command

Section 14 - Temporary Duty Assignment (T.A.)
  • Book
  • Book

Section 15 - Training and Meetings

Section 16 – Uniforms

AFA

  • Full pay for training and travel
  • Pay greater of trip(s) dropped, 5 hours or 1 for 1.2
  • AFA approved hotel
  • Ability to trade even if did not bid
  • Increase IST Training
  • Home study paid at the greater of 1 hour or 1 for 1.2
  • Travel to training in the form of an ID

United Management

  • Eliminate 3-hour min pay guarantee
  • Paid at 2:30 hours
  • 1-hour pay for home study regardless of length
  • Eliminate restriction on training at night and length of training
  • Eliminate 1-in-7 protection
  • Must trade or drop conflict or removed without pay
  • Must attend RET on must go month or subject to discipline
  • Space available travel when returning from training unless flying the next day
  • Travel to training in the form of an ID

AFA

  • No advertising on uniforms
  • Clarify uniform points (Agreed)
  • Clarify replacement due to wool allergies (Agreed)
  • Limited exception to distinctly different uniforms (Agreed)
  • Make winter coat part of basic uniform (Agreed)

United Management

  • Clarify uniform points (Agreed)
  • Clarify replacement due to wool allergies (Agreed)
  • Limited exception to distinctly different uniforms (Agreed)
  • Make winter coat part of basic uniform (Agreed)

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Section 17 – Seniority

Section 18 – Vacations

AFA

  • Lesser of six 6 years accrual or time in service, but in no case less than 3 years, while on Medical Leave of Absence

United Management

  • Flight Attendants who transfer to Onboard Management to retain and accrue seniority indefinitely
  • Increase probation period to 8 months
  • Flight Attendants on special assignment or who transfer to positions in Onboard accrue seniority indefinitely
  • Medical Leave of Absence maximum, shorter of 6 years or time in service

AFA

  • Increase vacation days for under 5 years and over 30 years
  • 4:00/5:00 per vacation day based on increased flying levels
  • Vacation work through
  • Increase allocation for interim bids

United Management

  • Max 37 paid days – reduce accrual based on min flying levels, 7 unpaid days
  • 3:15 per vacation day
  • Eliminate interim bid process
  • Eliminate vacation pay advance
  • Maximum 5 splits
  • Vacation fly through
  • Eliminate vacation buy back
  • Eliminate DAT

Section 19 - Sick Leave

Section 20 - Physical Examinations (T.A.)

AFA

  • Increase monthly sick leave accrual to 5/6 hours based on increased flying levels
  • Occupational bank
  • Long term bank
  • Rapid re-accrual
  • Direct deposit for Occupational reimbursement
  • Cash out of sick leave bank at retirement
  • Use of sick leave for family member
  • Turbulence related injury occupational process

United Management

  • Sick leave accrual to 4 hours decreased based on flying level
  • Occupational bank rapid depletion
  • Catastrophic bank
  • Rapid re-accrual
  • No sick leave accrual on sick leave status
  • Use of sick leave for spouse and children
  • Reduce use of sick leave pay to supplement Occupational benefits
  • Sick leave make up within same month only
  • Monthly sick leave and occupational pay capped at 83 hours
  • Benefits under COBRA after 30 days of unpaid sick leave
  • Book

 

Section 21 - Reduction in Personnel

Section 22 - Filling of Vacancies

AFA

  • Book

United Management

  • Benefits under COBRA while on voluntary furlough
  • Furlough by domicile - may displace junior Flight Attendant in other location
  • No specific length of time when awarded voluntary furlough. Terminated if not recalled within 5 years
  • Flight Attendants on special assignment may not subject to furlough
  • Restrict system-wide voluntary furlough awards for International Domiciles
  • Restrict voluntary furlough awards for Pursers and LQ
  • No requirement to create vacancies where Flight Attendants can legally work

AFA

  • Right of return to closed domiciles
  • Right of return for surplus
  • Ability to transfer while on leave
  • Secure visas for Intl Domicile closure

United Management

  • Eliminate hotel for new hires or for newly established domiciles
  • Eliminate annual BP-3 for Intl Domiciles
  • Eliminate COMAT allowance
  • Settling time to be taken within a month of transfer
  • Inability to transfer if on LOW 4 discipline level
  • New hires may transfer before incumbent Flight Attendants
  • Ability to force transfer to international location

Section 23 - Leaves of Absence

Section 24 - Moving Expenses

AFA

  • Medical Leave: lesser of 6 years or time in service but no less than 3 years
  • Maternity, paternity, adoption leave extension of up to 180 days
  • FMLA improvements
  • Ability to be awarded new leave from leave status

United Management

  • Medical Leave of Absence maximum, shorter of 6 years or time in service
  • Educational seniority accrual reduced from 270 days to 90 days
  • Reduce ability to fly until 31st week of pregnancy to 27th week
  • Eliminate maternity leave extension for the health of the newborn child
  • Maternity leave extension up to12 month. Seniority accrual stops the later of 8 weeks after delivery or after 90 days on leave
  • Benefits under COBRA after 30-days unpaid status

AFA

  • Expanded language

United Management

  • Eliminate moving expenses for new domiciles
  • Reduce reimbursement for moving expenses from actual to $500 maximum without receipts of $10,000 with receipts for moving at company request
  • Flight Attendants excluded from moving expenses policy extended to other employee groups and management

Section 25 - Personnel File (T.A.)

Section 26 - Grievance Procedures
  • All complaint letters/inflight observations removed after 12 months
  • Extend time to place reports in Flight Attendants’ Personnel File by 6 days after receipt at domicile

 

AFA

  • Book

United Management

  • 30-day statute of limitation to file LEC and MEC Grievance

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Section 27 - System Board of Adjustment (T.A.)

Section 28 - Missing, Internment,
Prisoner of War Benefits (T.A.)
  • Provision to ensure 80 days of System Board are used
  • Book

Section 29 - Worker's Compensation Benefits (T.A.)

Section 30- Union Security
  • Book

 

AFA

  • Clarify dues collection

United Management

  • Probationaries to pay dues
  • Eliminate appeal process for termination for non-dues payment

Section 31 - Safety and Health and Security

Section 32 - Savings Clause (T.A.)

AFA

  • Fatigue protection
  • Pesticide protection
  • Communicable Disease Policy (Agreed)

United Management

  • Communicable Disease Policy (Agreed)
  • Book

Section 33 – Benefits

Section 34 – Retirement

AFA

  • Premiums lowered & capped
  • Coordination of benefits
  • Improve prescription drug program
  • Modernize health and wellness charts
  • Short term disability
  • Lower retirement age to 50

United Management

  • Eliminate Contractual provisions. All benefits and terms offered at company discretion
  • Increase Flight Attendant cost
  • Company to pay no more than 80% of aggregate cost of Medical Plans, if plans offered:
    • “Notify the Union in writing in advance of the effective date of such changes”
  • Eliminate all other Contractual requirements:
    • Medical
    • Dental
    • Vision
    • Prescription drugs
    • Long term care
    • Flexible spending
    • Long term disability
    • 24-hour
    • Special hazard
    • Life (term)
    • Group Universal Life (GUL)
    • Caps on annual increases for medical and prescription drugs
    • PPO, HMO and Dental
    • Maximum deductibles, out of pocket, co-insurance amounts
    • Home healthcare, extended care facilities, hospice, auditory, preventative care, psychiatric and substance abuse and all other covered expenses
    • Definition of provider
    • Definition of dependent
    • Survivors’ benefit
    • Post-Medicare medical benefits and life insurance for future retirees
    • Retiree Medical Board
  • Eliminate requirement for Union consent to modify any benefit program

AFA

  • Increase direct contribution and match to 401(k) or equivalent
  • Roth IRA
  • Annuity feature

United Management

  • 401(k) 3% direct contribution / 3% match
  • Eliminate Contractual provisions. All benefits and terms related to offered at company discretion
  • Eliminate all other Contractual requirements:
    • Vesting
    • Enrollment
    • Loan features
    • In-service withdrawal
    • Quarterly statements
    • Expedited dispute resolution process
    • Retirement Board
    • Contributions to be made each pay period
  • Eliminate Union consent prior to changes to the plan
  • Company indicated they will shift all plan expenses to participants

 

Section 35 - Duration (and Letters of Agreement)
Letters on which we have reached
Tentative Agreement=Current Book

Hotel Standards
  • AFA Staff Travel
  • Commuter Policy/Personal Emergency
  • Donation Check-Off Procedures
  • Extended Duty Time International
  • Low Cost Operation
  • Non-U.S. Tax Deferral  Recognition of International Domicile Issues
  • Safe Airlines
  • 747 Dumbwaiter
  • Taking Tickets Off Aircraft
  • Wage Garnishment

 
  • Commuter Policy
  • Distribution Agreement (Equity)
  • Duty Free Commission
  • Duty Free Employee Discount
  • International Flying Distribution
  • Onboard Research
  • Reserve Pagers
  • Resignation Special Pass Benefit
  • Special Assignment Calculation
  • Training Jumbo Qualification

 

AFA

  • Incorporate into Agreement

 

United Management

  • Eliminate Hotel standards including safety, amenities, food and all required standards
  • Eliminate all Union involvement

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Partnership Program

Partnership / Jobshare

AFA

  • Company to offer Extended Partnership to avoid furlough (current program)
  • Monthly Partnership by Domicile, independent of furlough situation
  • Partnership awarded based on seniority of senior partner
  • Line awarded based on seniority of junior partner
  • Flight Attendants with different qualifications may be partners
  • Half Sick Leave and vacation accrual
  • Monthly max: 46/48:30/50 hours
  • Reserve Guarantee: 5 hours per day of availability
  • Procedures to shift vacation if partners’ vacations overlap

United Management

  • Extended Partnership to avoid furlough
  • Monthly partnership by Domicile, independent of furlough situation
  • Flight Attendants with different qualifications may not be partners
  • Company may deny award based on qualifications
  • Vacation and Sick Leave accrual reduced based on flying level
  • Monthly max: 50 hours
  • Reserve Guarantee: 41:30 regardless of days of availability
  • Reserve line split in the middle (ie.1-15/16-30)
  • No provision to shift vacation if partners’ vacations overlap

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