March 23, 2018
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Over the past few months, we have been aware that many of you have voiced concerns about illicit trip brokering where certain individuals have been improperly “parking” and holding trips for their personal gain. We’ve heard your frustration and recognized how many of you have exercised restraint in reporting this egregious activity to management because we are unionists.
While we have worked with our EAP/Professional Standards peer professionals to address this behavior, it is disappointing to learn that those involved in this activity have elected to put their personal gain ahead of the wellbeing of our greater collective. The noise on this subject has continued to grow to a point where management has been left with no alternative but to investigate these concerns and to take the necessary actions to address these ongoing concerns.
It is true that the majority of us follow the rules when picking up pairings and we have every intention of flying the trips traded into or picked up. Understanding that we can’t always control the events in our lives and that our chosen career often makes it necessary for us to adjust our schedules at the last minute, we’ve negotiated industry leading flexibilities to allow us the opportunity to adjust our schedules to achieve that necessary work life balance and to care for our families.
However, what has not been negotiated is the increasing parking of pairings with the intent to broker, buy or sell the pairing to another Flight Attendant. Our JCBA includes a provision that expressly prohibits parking. Those individuals who are participating in this activity are creating a disservice to the entire Membership.
The use of all company systems is proprietary. There are no transactions that you conduct on company computers, including your personal smartphone or personal computer, that are not subject to scrutiny under company policy. This includes the sharing of passwords to allow others to act on your behalf or to use your line to advance their scheme. While your contractual right to trade is provided for under the terms of our Contract, this does not convey to anyone the right to subvert the terms of our Contract or to minimize the rights of others under the Agreement.
Flight Attendant eBB postings offering payments, coded enticements and suggestions that “expressions of appreciation” are an expectation to those who trade away the pairings in their lines have been pointed out not only to your Union leadership but to management. The buying and selling of pairings is expressly prohibited by company policy. All of these activities are violations of company policies, and the company has advised us there is zero tolerance; the behavior will not be tolerated. We are asking that you stop.
Flight Attendants have now been provided notice by management that this behavior is prohibited. If you are found to be participating in these actions, that is parking, buying, brokering or selling pairings or sharing your password, you are subject to investigation and action by management, up to and including discharge. We want you to know that our flying partners who are being disadvantaged by these activities have grown tired of the behavior and have lost interest in acting to protect those who will not act to protect themselves.
We support our Members who have conveyed to us their aggravation, frustration and concern with the continuing nature of these schemes that take advantage of some Flight Attendants while disadvantaging others. The time to stop is now.
In Solidarity,
United Master Executive Council Officers,