Special COLA Request Waitlist to be processed on Thursday, August 6, 2020
Flight Attendants who submitted a request for a September Special COLA after the August 3rd, at 08:00 a.m. CT deadline can still submit a request to the waitlist. As a reminder, waitlist requests are processed on a first-come, first-awarded bases.
Management expects to award additional requests from the waitlist starting on Thursday, August 6th.
Voluntary Furlough Bidding Closes on Monday, August 10, 2020 at 8:00AM CT
Last Wednesday, United management agreed to delay the closing of the window to submit a bid for voluntary furlough. The new submission date deadline has been extended to Monday, August 10 at 8:00 AM CT. View the updated timeline and the reduction in force activities on the COVID-19 Recovery page on our MEC website.
Work Positions on Operational Pairings
Position Bidding Supplement Guide
Flight Attendants continue to ask for clarification regarding work positions associated with Operational Pairings which can be identified as pairings in the 8000 - 9000 range. Most commonly in the 9000 range.
Operational Pairings are positions created due to operational issues such as needing to re-crew a segment(s) due to weather delays/cancellations or perhaps replacing a position that became vacant due to illness down-line; or any other operational need that occurs.
Operational Pairings do not have work positions assigned to them and are considered unassigned positions, which will be determined during briefing.
If only one position is an Operational Pairing, The Flight Attendant assigned the Operational Pairing assumes the one open position that exists.
During briefing, when there are multiple Flight Attendants with Operational Pairings, those Flight Attendants who have the Operational Pairing numbers are to fill the remaining open positions in seniority order.
If all Flight Attendants working a flight have Operational Pairings, ALL positions will be filled in seniority order during briefing by qualified Flight Attendants. With the exception of those work positions that are determined by the company and included in the monthly bid packet (Section 9.G.5.a.1.), work positions are also determined in seniority order. Examples of these pre-determined work positions that are included in the bid packet are those assigned to language qualified Flight Attendants or the International Purser.
*NOTE: Flight Attendants who assume premium pay positions (IP, Purser, LQ, Galley 757 or Widebody) will contact Crew Scheduling prior to departure if time permits. If unable, submit an Override Pay Exception via Help Hub at earliest convenience.
REMINDERS:
- Positions obtained through the bid award and trade process are NOT considered unassigned positions with the exception of the Purser position. Flight Attendants who pick up the domestic Purser position from Open Time CAN be senior opted out of the position by a more senior lineholder at the beginning of the pairing; provided the more senior lineholders’ pairing contains identical segments.
- If there are multiple base-pairings assigned to a flight, the base-pairing that was originally assigned to the flight will work their positions. The remaining positions assigned Operational Pairings are filled in seniority order.
- Operational Variable Staffing Pairings (9XI_ or 9XS_) are not included in the bid process and are added based on economy cabin load factors. These specific pairings are not considered unassigned positions and the Flight Attendant will fill the Work Position according to the pairing number on the Staffing Sheets.
- 9XI signifies an International Variable Staffing Position
- 9XS signifies a Domestic Variable Staffing Position
Flight Attendants are encouraged to reference the Position Bidding Supplement Guide, Established Staffing Guidelines, Staffing Sheets and the Bid/Work Position Matrices inside the Bid Packet Cover Letter.
Passenger Consumption of Personal Alcohol while on the Aircraft is Prohibited
As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the company to reconsider the services provided on the aircraft as a means of minimizing the touch points between Flight Attendants and passengers. These health precautions have curtailed several service options on many of our flights, including the offering of a variety of choices in alcoholic beverage options. With this reduction in service some passengers have developed a misunderstanding that, in place of what is offered for sale onboard, they can simply “bring their own supply onboard.” In fact, this is not permitted. Passengers cannot, under any circumstances, consume their personal alcohol on board United Airlines flights. Our passengers can only drink alcohol that a working Flight Attendant has served to them.
In an instance where you are confronted with passenger(s) consuming their own personal alcohol, first inform them of the policy and ask them to refrain from doing so. If they continue, report the incident to the Purser, who will inform the Captain and will act accordingly and file the IOR.
Additionally, alcohol purchased form Duty Free must remained sealed and stowed.
Submitting a Request for a Personal Drop (PD) or Personal Time Off (PTO)
Flight Attendants who may be unaware of the process of submitting for Personal Drops or Personal Time Off or who need a refreshed on the award process are encouraged to review the information available on our
website.
To submit a request Login in to CCS - Trading - EBB. Directly under the Electronic Bulletin Board title, on the left-hand side you will see a small arrow next to the word Market. Click here for the dropdown menu and select requests. Keep in mind, Flight Attendants must submit for either a Personal Drop or PTO, not both.
For additional information on these negotiated schedule options, re-examine the details provide in the following publications:
Personal Time Off and Personal Drop Clarified
PD Applied to Supplement when Remaining PTO Days are Insufficient
Impact of Personal Time Off (PTO) on Reserve Availability (Section 7.AA.4.)
Day at a Time Vacation (DATV)
Keep Calling! Tell the Senate: Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program
MEC Government Affairs Committee
Today, August 4th, amid pressure from our Union Government Affairs activists and volunteers with the support of other labor unions, Senator Cory Gardner [R-CO] has committed to lead a letter to the Leadership in support of the Payroll Support Program extension.
This is great progress and inches us closer to our goal. But we need to keep the pressure on the Senate. The next two days will be critical. All Flight Attendants, their family and friends, should be strongly encouraged to call their Senators.
Keep up the pressure! Phone calls are extremely important and effective. Call both your Senators daily to make sure they support an extension of the Payroll Support Program through March 31, 2021. Voicemails are not enough! Keep calling until you reach a person in your Senator’s office and urge your family and friends to call. Our jobs and thousands of aviation jobs are at risk!
Senate - 1-888-848-4824
(You will need to call this number twice to be patched through to each of your Senators.)
Sample Script:
“Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask my Senator to help save my job as an essential worker. Take legislative action in July to extend CARES Act Payroll Support Program for aviation workers to avoid massive job loss on October 1, 2020. Keep us connected to our jobs, paychecks, & healthcare”.
Tell Congress NOW to keep our industry intact to ensure aviation can help fight the virus and contribute to economic recovery as opposed to adding to an economic depression.
Read
Aviation Unions Letter to Congress.
Click Here to read more on this very important issue.
Advanced Vacation Fly Though Due by 10AM Tomorrow, August 5
Flight Attendants interested in electing to fly through their September vacations are encouraged to review the two types of Vacation Fly Through Options. Advance Notice Fly Through & Operational Fly Through prior to selecting a request.
The deadline to notify the company of your request for Advanced Vacation Fly Though is August 5, 2020, at 10:00AM CT.
Mask Training Video Requirement Part of 3rd Trimester CBT
The company has issued a required training video pertaining to United’s mask standards and the correct way to wear your mask. Although this video is a required training for all employees, Flight Attendants will be required to complete the video as part of our next Continuing Qualification (CQ) training CBT. Flight Attendants may complete the training early, however pay is tied to the completion of the third trimester CBT requirement.
Register to Vote! – It’s your Right.
MEC Government Affairs Committee
Your right and privilege to vote is not automatic, you must register to vote, and you must ensure your registration record is up to date.
Voter registration deadlines vary by state but can be as early as 30 days prior to an election. Click Here to continue reading the details on completing your voter registration.