MEC Reserve Committee
Section 8.K.1. of the JCBA provides a Reserve will be given 15 hours’ notice before departure time at the domicile with the exception that a lesser notice may be given when the need for a Reserve cannot be determined at least 15 hours in advance of the flight.
Section 8.G.1. provides for every attempt to be made to assign a Ready Reserve at least three (3) hours prior to report for duty. While every attempt will be made to assign a Ready Reserve at least three (3) hours prior to report for duty, there occasionally may be circumstances that prevent this. In these cases, nothing in the Agreement prohibits management from assigning a Ready Reserve with less than three (3) hours’ notice (otherwise known as a “short-call”). A Reserve is not able refuse a “short call” assignment. In fact, Section 8.K.2. specifically provides that “a Reserve receiving less than three (3) hours’ notice will attempt to make the assignment.”
NOTE: Scheduling may instruct the Flight Attendant to report to the base or directly to the gate or aircraft.
There is protection for Ready Reserves who receive notice of an assignment less than three (3) hours from check-in time and who make the effort to take the flight but still end up missing it. Each circumstance will be reviewed on its own merits by the Flight Attendant’s supervisor. As a result of the settlement of an MEC Grievance (ORD 7-95), there will be no discipline or attendance points assessed if it is determined that a Reserve has made every reasonable effort to make a “short-call” assignment.
If you have additional questions, please contact your Local Council.
