11.25.20 – Monthly Vacation Buyback Offered

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Monthly Vacation Buyback Offered

Today, we were notified by American that, due to a number of factors, there will be staffing shortages throughout the holiday weekend. As a result, the Company will offer vacation buyback for the remainder of November and December 2020, as outlined in JCBA Section 8.F. A Letter of Agreement accompanies the buyback offer due to the late notification.

We have made it crystal clear to Management, time and time again, that the worsening of our work lives is not the answer, yet they continue to ignore APFA feedback. As a result of three and four leg duty days, duty days pushed to the max, short layovers, and long sit times, Flight Attendants are not only exhausted, but are being exposed to COVID-19 and consequently removed for pandemic leave at a higher rate than anticipated. Four leg duty days greatly increase potential exposure. As a result of the failure of Flight Service Management to work with APFA and anticipate these issues, Flight Attendants are being rescheduled, worked into Reserve off days, and treated as if they are expendable.

The easy answer, and the ultimate goal, is to call back involuntarily furloughed Flight Attendants as quickly as possible. However, contractual constraints and Department of Transportation return-to-work requirements prohibit that as a short-term option for this holiday season. You can be sure we will not stop pushing until every single furloughed member is returned to active status. With the increasing amount of red flagged sequences, worsening pandemic numbers, and the poorly thought-out scramble to combine wide-body and narrow-body flying, American Airlines is facing a staffing debacle.

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Interested in vacation buyback?

If you are a Lineholder and you have vacation this month (already taken, or in the remainder of the month), or for December 2020, you may relinquish any vacation days during either month in order to pick up more time. If you are a Reserve Flight Attendant, you may only relinquish vacation days not yet taken, and only a full block at a time. A Reserve Flight Attendant may not relinquish a vacation block if she/he has already picked up an ETB trip(s) on any day(s) within the block.  Once a Reserve block is cancelled, the Flight Attendant will be obligated for all Reserve days within that block.

How do I sign up for vacation buyback for November and/or December?

Flight Attendant requests submitted to [email protected] by 1000 CDT will be processed daily and based on status for the month, in which the vacation is scheduled, in accordance with the following:

November Vacation Buyback

Reserves and Lineholders should submit requests as indicated above. Requests will be processed daily.

December Vacation Buyback

For the December bid month, requests must be submitted using the process noted above with the following deadlines:

Reserves must submit vacation buyback requests by no later than 1000 CT on Friday December 4, 2020.

Lineholders must submit vacation buyback requests by no later than 1000 CT on Friday December 18, 2020.

A Flight Attendant awarded a vacation buyback will have the designated vacations days removed. Pay for the block of days of vacation relinquished and the block of days of vacation remaining will be paid in accordance with the following:

A Flight Attendant will be paid for the relinquished vacation day(s) within the normal pay cycle at her/his applicable rate, excluding any premiums. Relinquished vacation days will be paid at four (4) hours per day for blocks of seven (7) or more consecutive days and three and one-half (3.5) hours per day if less than seven (7) consecutive days.A Flight Attendant will be paid for any scheduled vacation days remaining on schedule at her/his applicable rate, including applicable premiums. Schedule vacation days remaining on her/his schedule at four (4) hours per day if in blocks of seven (7) or more consecutive days and three and one-half (3.5) hours per day if less than seven (7) consecutive days. Premium pay (Lead, Purser, Aft, Galley, Speaker, International and CRAF) will be paid for scheduled vacation days remaining on her/his schedule.

A Lineholder Flight Attendant may relinquish any vacation days during the month.

A Reserve Flight Attendant may only relinquish vacation days not yet taken, and only a full block at a time. A Reserve Flight Attendant may not relinquish a vacation block if she/he has already picked up an ETB trip(s) on any day(s) within the block. Once a Reserve block is cancelled, the Flight Attendant will be obligated for all reserve days within that block.

The payment for vacation day(s) will be above the monthly guarantee for a Reserve and in addition to the Flight Attendant’s pay and credit for the full month. The vacation payout will not apply to the monthly maximum for the Flight Attendant.

If you have carry-over vacation between two months, e.g., November/December, and you are a line holder in one month and a reserve in the other month, you must follow the guidelines established for Reserves and request the entire block in advance of the scheduled vacation.

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Please remember, we have 7,985 involuntarily furloughed Flight Attendants at American Airlines.