As 2012 draws to a close and the New Year approaches, we are mindful of a number of outstanding issues and disputes that have dominated our attention over the past several months.  

This week, we’ve reached an unprecedented settlement on a number of disputes that have been the center of attention and a big concern to Flight Attendants; and have successfully concluded another bid and award for Voluntary Furlough and a new Partnership flying period. 

Discussions with Inflight management have produced results on the following issues:

Reserve Vacation Pay Grievance Resolved
Our new Contract provides for improvements in Reserve Vacation Pay (Sections 5.D. & 18.K.).  Unfortunately, following the implementation of this improvement, management failed to properly apply the new Vacation Pay improvement for Reserves.  Specifically, the company reduced a Reserve Flight Attendant’s guarantee of 78 hours when a Reserve had vacation in certain circumstances. 

In March of 2012, we filed an MEC Grievance (5-12) disputing the company’s misinterpretation.  In addition to the filing of this Grievance, we continued to work to address our concerns through all avenues to achieve resolution to this dispute.
This week management agreed to resolve this outstanding dispute and Inflight Scheduling is now compiling the data necessary to issue checks for the back-pay settlement to the affected Flight Attendants.  By the time the automation is in place to correct the programming that reduced a Reserve Flight Attendants minimum guarantee, it is expected that the value of this Reserve back pay will be approximately $1,000,000. 

For example, a Reserve Flight Attendant on vacation in April 2012, upon the award of their Line of Flying, showed a reduced minimum of 71 hours, due to the company reducing their guarantee as a result of vacation.  The company will restore that minimum to 78 hours, and pay the 7 hours in a separate adjustment check as soon as possible. 
The end result will be the company will restore the Reserve minimum to what it should have been from the beginning of the dispute, which began April of 2012.  We expect the automation to be in place to eliminate a Reserves minimum guarantee being reduced due to vacation by the February schedule month.  That will ensure a Reserves minimum will not be reduced below 78 as a result of vacation.  

Along with MEC 5-12, we also filed two additional Grievances.  MEC Grievance 6-12 related to the company not providing Flight Attendants a Legal Rest to, or greater than, for Domestic Duty Period which exceed 10:30 (Sections 2.T., 7.J.1.e., 7.K.).  We also filed MEC 7-12 which deals with the company not providing Flight Attendants with appropriate Legal Rest at their next layover point of at least 16 hours when they exceed 8:30 in a 24 hour period (Section 7.D.1.).  We have been successful in scheduling System Board of Adjustment dates for these cases and they will proceed to the System Board of Adjustment in early spring.

Also in the area of dispute resolution, we will be working with the company to reduce the number of outstanding grievances on file by utilizing the National Mediation Board’s grievance mediation services beginning early next year.
 
Uniform Update
As the deadline approaches to order our new uniforms there is another issue where we challenged the company’s ability to have a common uniform.  We have resolved that disagreement and we will now share a common uniform with Continental and Continental Micronesia Flight Attendants.  Additionally, we have been successful in getting the company to agree to extend a 25% discount for the uniform dress through June 2013.

With this resolution it’s important to remember that, unifying under the world's leading Flight Attendant Agreement is crucial as we continue to build our future together at the world's largest airline.  It was in our collective interest to not allow a distraction from that goal as we remain focused on negotiating a successor Contract to our current Collective Bargaining Agreement that is industry leading in compensation, work rules and benefits. 

An outstanding grievance on an issue such as a uniform has given rise to those who are of the misunderstanding that all Flight Attendant groups are not united in our pursuit of a new Contract and further builds upon the expressed desire to show unity.  Some have demonstrated their desire to embrace change and unity through the exchange of ties and scarves. 
While sharing a common uniform is symbolic, real unity comes by uniting under the world’s leading Flight Attendant Agreement.
 
New Aircraft and New Report Times
In anticipation of new aircraft entering the fleet in 2013, we have been working United on training and a number of logistical issues.  United’s new 737 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in 2013 and we have worked with the company to determine the report times for these aircraft. These new replacement aircraft are being added to the United fleet in accordance with terms of our Contract and related Agreements. 

These new B737 aircraft are similar in capacity and configuration to United’s 757 fleet and the report times will be consistent with that aircraft.  The 737 aircraft will have a 1:15 report time at the home domicile and 1:05 at a layover location.  Additional details will be provided in the cover letter and key pages when these aircraft enter service. 

Additionally, beginning with the March 2013 schedule month, the start of duty for narrow body aircraft (A319 and A320) will be extended by 0:05 due to operational performance issues.   Commencement of duty will be 1:05 prior to departure at the home domicile and 0:50 minutes at a layover point.