AFA & Company Reach Settlement Agreement

MEC Grievance case #22-99-2-106-02 was filed in the year 2002. The case was arbitrated on November 17, 2003. The case challenged the company’s continued action of scheduling of flight attendants over 91 hours, under the provisions of our previous collective bargaining agreement.

The Union’s position in the matter was that no flight attendant (reserve or lineholder) could be involuntarily scheduled for more than 91 hours of flight time in a bid month.

The Company’s position was that the 91 hour restriction was limited to that of the building of the bid lines contained within the published monthly bid package. Other than that, they believed they were free to schedule flight attendants in excess of 91 hours per month at any time.

Both the Union and the Company waited for a decision from the arbitrator, for over two years. By the time we received contact again from the arbitrator, our new collective bargaining agreement was in effect.

At this point the Association approached the Company with the intent to discuss a possible settlement. The new collective bargaining agreement sets a hard cap of 100 hundred hours, thus this dispute would not be relevant under the newly agreed to language.

I am happy to report that the Association and the Company have reached a settlement agreement that will compensate nearly 200 Flight Attendants including those no longer with the Company.

Under the terms of the settlement, Flight Attendants will be compensated 50% of the total amount of time flown in excess of 91:00 hours and will be calculated at the rate of pay earned by the Flight Attendant at the conclusion of the month during which the overly occurred.

If you were entitled to compensation under the terms of this agreement, such compensation will appear on your May 31, 2007 and will be identified on a separate line item entitled “grievance settlement 99-2-106-02.”

Congratulations!

In Solidarity,

Debora Sutor

AFA MEC Grievance Chair