9.03.15 – (LAA/LUS) – Contract Implementation Update

Contract Implementation Update – LAA/LUS

The focus of implementation in the first 120 days of the 2014 JCBA was on compensation related items (wages, per diem, premiums, etc.) that benefited both LAA and LUS Flight Attendants so that members could start earning more income as quickly as possible. Priority was also placed on provisions that could be manually processed or do not require complex programming to deliver the benefits sooner to the membership, such as Location Delay Incentive and Sick Pay for OE for LAA Flight Attendants as well as ATC Hold/Code 59 provisions for LUS Flight Attendants. The total value of contract items implemented to date is $197 million, which is consistent with expectations for the first year. Following is a list of contract items implemented to date:

• Wage Scale – LUS 15.9%, LAA 13.2% increase
• Per Diem – increase $2.00 to $2.10 domestic, $2.20 to $2.40 international
• Purser – was LAA $2.08-$3.00 now ranges from Domestic at $4.75 up to International $7.50
• Lead – Domestic $2.50 up to $6.50 International (now paid on S80, 737,757, A321,767, 777,787)
• Aft/Galley – was LAA $0.63 – $0.88 increases to $1.00 – $1.75
• International Override – IPD $3.75 (new)
• Holding Time Pay – $7.00 , now calculated at 1 minute over 30 minutes and compensated for the entire hour after 31 minutes.
• Understaffing Pay – $10.50 an hour was $5.00 per person
• Foreign Language Speaker Pay – increase from $1.25 to $2.00
• Crew Rest while On Duty – now includes flights over 7 hours
• Training Pay – $75 a day, includes up to $75 a day for home study – CQ now paid at $225
• Holiday Pay – $75 for holiday (New Year, Thanksgiving, Christmas)
• Vacation Accrual – increase in number of accrued vacation days at trips missed until PBS for LAA
• Mexico – all of Mexico is considered as International destination with International per diem and international override
• Hotels and Transportation – unscheduled arrivals after 2300- paid transportation / scheduled or unscheduled break of 4 hours for hotel room break
• ATC Pay – LUS
• Defined Contribution Plan – 3% contribution plus 2.5% match – increase for LUS
• Injury on Duty – Six month’s salary continuance
• Retiree Sick – paid out at $8.65 to a max of 1500 hours, total possible pay out $12,975, LAA max was $3750
• Parking – 100 additional cities added to commuter parking reimbursement list
• Satellite Base Coordinator Pay – 15 hours a month
• IPD Location Delay Incentive – New for LAA – over 10 hour delay equals 5 hours extra flight pay, over 24 hour delay additional 5 hours extra flight pay, every 24 after an additional 5 hours extra flight pay. (Pay and Credit)
• Sick Bank Cap increase – 1000 hours increase to 1500 hours
• Sick and Vacation Accrual while on Bid Leave – New for LAA. Considered Active Status while on Bid Leave for travel benefits.
• Voluntary Duty Waivers – New for LAA -Domestic pays 1/2 duty rig in addition to sequence pay, International VE pay 200% of duty period. (Pay only, no credit)
• Per Diem for In Base Training – New for DFW
• Premiums paid at the greater of actual or scheduled, LAA was paid by leg only, not entire sequence, programming almost complete.
• 100% Sick pay for all trips regardless of how picked up, except sick makeup
• Duty Rig – 1 for 2 implemented for LUS
• Red Flag – increase to 150% in pay for LUS
• 2 or 3 Hour Reserve Minimum Call Out –  3 hour call out for co-terminals from time you are contacted by Crew Schedule
• Full Seniority Accrual during Leaves of Absence – LAA previous accrual until 180 days
• Elimination of 420 hour threshold for benefits – for LAA
  

**click image above to open full .pdf implementation schedule**

Currently there are 20 items implemented to date that require manual processing in order to get the benefits sooner. Now these items require programming to automate the process, such as 35 in 7 for Reserves, Sick Pay for OE, IPD/NIPD override, Location Delay Incentive, etc. The IT team is currently working on programming to automate the processing of these items. Once programming is completed it will improve accuracy and reduce processing time. 

The JSIC is meeting weekly with the Company on Pay Protection for LAA and other high priority items, focusing on timeline as well as accurate interpretation and implementation of the contractual language. Pay Protection impacts several sections in the JCBA, such as Scheduling, Hours of Service, Deadhead, International, etc. We are working on a timeline and exploring options to see if certain provisions can be implemented sooner for LAA. JCBA Pay protections are current for LUS Flight Attendants.

There are dedicated budget and IT resources in place for JCBA  implementation and we are not competing with other work groups for resources. Pilots were able to implement more of their contract sooner because their contract was mostly based on LAA and the required changes were not as large compared to our JCBA which was 85% LUS Redbook Contract. To implement the entire JCBA it is estimated to require 542 programming tasks and 350,000 man-hours of work. 

We understand Pay Protection is very important to all Flight Attendants and we want to make sure that it is implemented correctly. In addition to all the IT work, we also need to coordinate with other work groups such as Crew Scheduling and Pay Comp ( Pay Claims) to make sure we are all on the same page in terms of implementation.

In the upcoming weeks, we will provide additional communication to keep you informed of the progress on Pay Protection and other “As Soon as Practicable” items.

Your JSIC team,

Mike Flores – [email protected]

Julie Hedrick – [email protected]

Linda Haertling – [email protected]