Bidding, A/B Rotation and Reserve Move-up
Reserve (2.CC.)
According to our Contract Section 2.CC., “Reserve Line” means a planned sequence of scheduled days of availability and days scheduled to be free from availability.
Reserve Assignment (10.C.)
Reserve line numbers are 1400-series for Call-In Reserve (CLLR) and 1500-series for Ready Reserve at all locations, both Domestic and International. Some Reserve lines may have more Reserves assigned to them than others. The company determines the number of Flight Attendants to be awarded the specific Reserve lines in compliance with Section 10.C.1.a. This provision requires that a minimum of 65% of the domicile’s Reserves will be assigned Call-in status. Section 10.C.1.c. provides for the Company and the Local Council President to review this ratio monthly. Locations with fewer than 20 Reserves, will assign Call-In and Ready status at a minimum of 50% in compliance with Section 10.C.1.b. on the cover letter published each month. In this case, the number of reserves assigned each line will be indicated in the monthly bid package Cover Letter.
Reserve Rotation (10.A.)
We have a rotating Reserve system called A/B rotation (Section 10.A.). The A/B rotation system ensures that on completion of your fifth year as a Flight Attendant, you are guaranteed to be a Lineholder every other month, if you want and bid accordingly. Upon completion of your fifth year, you are assigned a Reserve letter, either A or B. The letter can be found on the upper right-hand corner of your Unimatic LOFBID screen, on your VACBID screen; and on the domicile seniority list. Reserve letters can change every year. The Reserve letters are updated prior to the vacation bid period for the next year vacation. The new Reserve letter becomes effective for the 12 month period, beginning in February of the next year. The Contract provides for Reserve letter trades in accordance with Section 10.A.6. Reserves looking to trade letters may do so via POSTRD/TRDBRD. Reserve letter trades are submitted via Unimatic DIS*2787.
When bidding each month, determine if you may have a reserve obligation as indicated by the Senior Designated Reserve date listed in the monthly bid package Cover Letter. Reserve months are listed in Section 10.A.1.b. of the Contract. If you are designated as an ‘A’, you have a Reserve obligation in odd numbered months. If you are designated as a ‘B’, you have a Reserve obligation in even numbered months. Flight Attendants with five years or less seniority have a Reserve obligation every month. However, some Flight Attendants with a Reserve obligation every month may be able to hold a line in their Reserve months. Following Section 10.A.5 of the contract, the most senior designated reserves and the most junior lineholder of the same letter should preference both schedule and reserve positions. If it is your Reserve month and you want to do everything possible to avoid Reserve, bid all lines, including RLF. If it is your Lineholder month and some lines are so undesirable you would prefer Reserve, after you bid the lines you want, bid Reserve lines. If you are unable to hold the lines you bid, you will be awarded a line or Reserve pattern consistent with the insufficient bid; the lowest numbered line available at your seniority. As a reminder, you are guaranteed a line in your Lineholder month-- not necessarily the line you may want!
The following are the months you may have a reserve obligation during A/B rotation:
| “A” |
“B” |
| January |
February |
| March |
April |
| May |
June |
| July |
August |
| September |
October |
| November |
December |
Reserve Move-Up to Line of Flying (10.B.)
According to Section 10.B. of our Contract, a Reserve who wishes to move into a line of flying left vacant which may be constructed from other open flying during the month may indicate such preference at the time of bidding by checking the appropriate box on her/his bid screen. Move-up lines will be constructed with either pure Domestic or International IDs. A Reserve elects her/his preference of move-up lines by indicating Domestic, International, or Either on her/his bid screen. Also, Reserves may specify and be awarded up to two (2) protected days in their move-up line of flying. The Reserve shall be allowed to remove her/his name from the move-up list within a specified period of time established at each Domicile following the awarding of bids, as stated in the monthly Bid Cover Page. The Reserve may also remove their protected days by using MOVEUP in Unimatic. In addition, subsequent to the bid award, a Reserve may notify Onboard Scheduling that they wish to be placed on the move-up list. In such instance, the Reserve will be placed on the bottom of the list.
The company shall make up and/or award Reserve Move-Up line(s) at each Domicile. Reserves who have bid for Move-Up lines shall be contacted in seniority order as lines open up. If both of the protected day(s) specified by the Reserve cannot be accommodated, this Reserve will be bypassed and remain on the move-up list in seniority order until such protected day(s) can be honored. The protected days do not have to be days that were in the Flight Attendant’s original schedule. A Reserve who indicates no protected day(s) off, or whose protected day(s) has been satisfied, must accept such assignment. If more than one line is available, the Reserve may be offered a choice of lines. If the Reserve has a vacation or will be on ANP status for seven (7) days or more in the remaining part of the month, she/he will not be moved into a line of flying.
You can monitor the building of move-up lines at your domicile through MUADIT in Unimatic. Be aware that a move-up line can be built up to the monthly maximum for the individual Flight Attendant.
Partial Month Move-Up (10.B.5.)
When there is an imbalance in open flying during a month, a Reserve may be assigned a partial move-up line provided it is for ten (10) days or more. The partial month line holder will revert to Reserve status following completion of this partial line, provided there is insufficient open flying to complete a line up to her/his guarantee for the remainder of the month, or if this is the only means of providing her/his protected day(s) off. A move-up line will not be offered if such would result in a minus projection for planned Reserve needs. In this event, the move-up line will be offered to the most senior Flight Attendant where this situation would not exist and who’s protected day(s) off could be accommodated. Further, a Reserve under this Paragraph may not pick up open flying during the initial move-up period. Move-ups under this Paragraph will not be offered to a Reserve who will be on vacation or ANP during any portion of the initial move-up period, or for seven (7) or more days if the partial line can be extended to a full line.
Monthly and Quarterly Maximums (10.H., 12.U., and 9.E.4.a)
Another consideration is the monthly and quarterly maximums and the implications of opting. You can be scheduled to work up to 92 credited hours the first month of the quarter; 184 hours for the first two months, and 261 hours for the entire quarter. You can opt to 97/194/276 hours. Additionally, a second opt of 100/200/300 is available. Opting during a Lineholder month, including picking up or trading trips that puts you over your MAX for the month, will opt you for the remainder of the quarter. You are credited with 75 hours for each month on Reserve that you work 75 hours or less. If you worked 75 hours or less during the first month of the quarter, your second month MAX will be 109 hours (184 minus 75), or 119/125 if you opted (194 minus 75/200 minus 75). If you were credited with 150 hours for the first two months, you can be flown 111 hours in the third month (261 minus 150), or 126/150 if you opted (276 minus 150/300 minus 150). You can also be flown 87 hours in the third month of the quarter (February, May, August, and November) as a Reserve, regardless of your quarter maximum, even if it puts you over 261/276/300 hours for the quarter (Sections 10.H.2., 12.U.6.). However, if you receive WOP/GWOP for the third month of the quarter, your monthly max will be reduced by the appropriate amount.
When going on Reserve (from a Lineholder to a Reserve month), be careful when picking up or trading for an overlap trip that begins at the end of the old (Lineholder) month and returns at the beginning of the new (Reserve) month. If you picked up the trip prior to line awards for the new month, any days off in the new month the trip may interfere with do not have to be restored. However, if the Company allowed you to pick up the trip after lines have been awarded for the new month, any days off interfered with would have to be restored (System Board of Adjustment decision to HNL 29-78). It is also important to remember if you carry over hours from your Lineholder month into your Reserve month, these hours will work towards your monthly 75 hour guarantee; and will not be ADDED TO your monthly guarantee.
END
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