AFA Debrief: October 26, 2023

Date: October 26, 2023

AFA Debrief – October 26, 2023

• Power In Action!
• First Round of 2024 Vacation Bidding – Bid to Cover Yourself
• AFA Welcomes Class 2335!
  
  

Power In Action!

No more delay! Contract NOW!

Flight Attendants have spoken, and it’s time for management to listen. We have made it clear; we are willing to do #WhateverItTakes to get the industry leading Contract we deserve.

Too long we have been expected to give our all to a company that views its workers as numbers and not the backbone of our airline. United continues to profit, and it’s time for them to acknowledge our labor through an industry-leading Contract. Our work and sacrifices have contributed to making United the largest airline in the world. But big doesn’t necessarily mean the best.

We know our worth and know that our work has driven the success of this airline. If we are to be the best, our collective success as an airline can only be achieved through a Contract that reflects the priorities United Flight Attendants have demanded in these negotiations.

Today, thousands of you joined together on the picket line and told management in a clear and unified voice that we will not accept ANY concessions. The status-quo must go, and we demand an industry leading Contract. We showed our strength, solidarity, and unity and made it clear to management that we are a force to be reckoned with. Our power will drive our success, and we will get the job done.

Our show of strength and personal commitment in wearing our RED AFA pin every time we fly, participating in our social media RED out, and supporting each other from around the globe as a part of our virtual picket is the kind of collective action that is driving us forward.

This is Our Time. Our Contract. Our Future. Our Day of Action!

First Round of 2024 Vacation Bidding – Bid to Cover Yourself

The first round of our 2024 Vacation Bidding is now open through 0800 HDT on October 31, 2023.

When bidding, Flight Attendants will have an allocation of vacation days published, by base, for viewing in CCS. The first round of bidding opened on October 23rd. Now that the first round has opened, Flight Attendants are allowed to choose preferences regarding: 

1. The number of days they want in each vacation period.
2. The option to “date slide” the vacation, up to three days in either direction of the start/end dates to ensure they receive the maximum number of days utilizing their initial bids
3. Accept fewer days for the vacation period by specifying the number of days by which the vacation is to be reduced.
4. The start date for each vacation period.

Keep in mind there is an impact if you fail to bid in the first round.

If a Flight Attendant does not submit a vacation bid in the first round of bidding, they will be considered a No Bid. No vacation will be assigned during the first round of vacation bidding. You will, however, be required to bid all of your accrued days in the second vacation bid round. If a Flight Attendant does not submit a vacation bid in the second round of bidding, they will automatically be assigned a vacation.

Keep in mind, the vacation you are assigned will be after the second-round vacation awards have been completed for all Flight Attendants submitting a bid. The assigned vacation will be made in seniority order from December backward through January, with the largest block of days being assigned first.

There is also an impact if you submit bids insufficient to what your seniority can hold.

We strongly recommend that you bid to cover yourself. When a Flight Attendant submits a vacation bid and is unable to hold any of their selections, it is considered an Insufficient Bid. In this instance, vacation is assigned in seniority order from December backward through January after that round of vacation has been awarded to all bidders. The assignment shall be based on the number of days in your bid, with the largest block of days assigned first.

For many of our most junior Members, this will be the first time they have experienced the vacation bidding and award process. Similar to when bidding for a monthly flight schedule, vacation days are awarded by seniority.

The more senior a Flight Attendant is in their base, the more likely they will hold the 2024 vacation period(s) of their preference. Historically, Summer months and holidays have been some of the most desired periods for vacation. As you prepare to make your first-round selection, it is a good practice to bid for multiple periods of vacation time to ensure you are not slotted into a vacation period you do not desire. In addition to bidding your “dream” vacation periods, make additional selections to avoid being assigned.

In short, take the opportunity to explore and bid for ALL desired or acceptable vacation options to improve your options for the 2024 vacation awards. Take a few minutes to look at the overview of the vacation process, broken down by dates and specific activities tied to vacation bidding, which is available from the Vacation section on our website.

2024 Flight Attendant Vacation Timeline

AFA Welcomes Class 2335!

On behalf of our Union, we extend a warm welcome to the newest Members of our Flight Attendant family!

We are thrilled to have new flying partners on board, and we look forward to helping them as they begin this incredible career. Our new Flight Attendants will be based at our domiciles in DEN, EWR, and CLE.

We firmly believe that they will enhance our profession with their unique talents and abilities, further strengthening our profession.

Please remember that these Flight Attendants are on probation. To ensure that they receive the most accurate information to support them, direct them to their AFA Local Council for assistance on Contractual issues.

If you are interested in supporting our newest Members, reach out to your local council to see how you can be a part of shaping their early careers as an AFA volunteer!

Reminders:

OCT – Breast Cancer Awareness Month
OCT 23 – First Round Vacation Bidding Opened
OCT 31 (0800 HDT) – First Round Vacation Bidding Closes
OCT 27 - Open Enrollment Period for Retirees Closes
OCT 29 – Daylight Savings Time 2023 Ends in the U.K. (Turn Back the Clock 1 Hour)
OCT 30 – Third Trimester CBT DUE at 2359 Central Time
NOV 5 – Daylight Savings Time 2023 Ends in the U.S.