March 3, 2018
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Yesterday afternoon management released details of their 2018 Operational Performance Rewards Program known as core4 Score Rewards.
Since details of the program were released, the adverse reaction of Flight Attendants, in fact all employees, to this program has been swiftly and clearly expressed on the company’s website. During this same time period, we’ve heard from many of you questioning why the leadership of the Union appears not to have spoken out against the changes to the company’s more traditional Performance Rewards Program which has historically been more inclusive of all employees.
Over the past week, the officers of the Union were presented with some of the details of this new Performance Rewards Program. When first presented with these details of the program, our reaction was one of surprise. It was clear to us that this was a significant change to the program that provided management with significant cost savings over the previous programs. The lottery type nature of the awards caused us to be concerned for many of the reasons that have been publicly stated by employees and that are best captured in employee remarks indicating a lack of inclusiveness.
Our strong recommendation to management was to reconsider the chosen path forward. To our dismay, not only were the preliminary details of the program communicated to employees, the company’s announcement was the first time we heard many of the more restrictive details contained in the announcement.
To be clear – this program was not negotiated with the Union. It was unilaterally determined by management. While we were surprised by some of the components of the program, there is no part of the reaction by Flight Attendants and other employees that surprises us. It is exactly what we expected and predicted.
Yesterday, without endorsement or criticism, we made a conscious decision to report on the company’s program stating only the facts of the program. Essential to understanding this decision is knowing this followed efforts on our part to persuade management to take an alternate course, to avoid damaging the improvements to the labor/management relationship that were well underway as well as any action that would create the perception of employees being pitted against each other by a program that should recognize the contributions of and unify all employees in the success of our company. Yes, we are disappointed that management has instead elected not to seek an alternate pathway forward.
In the absence of a change in course, a message of dissatisfaction has been overwhelmingly delivered by a unified voice of the employees who are daily responsible for the success of our airline. We are not disappointed by the message delivered in the absence of any provocation or encouragement by your Union.
Imagine, if you will, how different the outcome could have been had the program been designed to recognize all employees instead resulting in a unified employee voice of support.
In Solidarity,