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Management Failures Cause Critical Coverage

AFFECTED DOMICILES SENIORITY DATES AND STANDBY PERIODS:

**CRITICAL COVERAGE DECLARED FOR DEC. 29 AND 30 (SEC 9.J.)***
AFFECTED DOMICILES SENIORITY DATES AND STANDBY PERIODS:

DOM SEN DEC. 29 STANDBY DEC. 30 STANDBY
 BOS 8/20/89 1600-1800 1600-1800
 DCA 3/21/77 1600-1800 1600-1800
 DEN 1/26/76 1600-1800 CANCELLED
 JFK 6/17/90 1600-1800 CANCELLED
 LAX 7/13/86 1600-1800 1600-1800
 LHR 8/18/87 1600-1800 CANCELLED
 ORD 3/1/76 1600-1800 1600-1800
 SFO 5/28/77 1600-1800 CANCELLED

As a result of additional failures by United management, the company finds itself in a position of being critically short on Flight Attendants at the end of the December schedule month. AFA, through the MEC Officers and the Central Schedule Committee has repeatedly made recommendations to optimally use the Contractual provisions available to cover all known flying and avoid critical scheduling harmful to our airline and our Members. As early as August 31, 2003 , over a year ago, we had discussions over the large number of Flight Attendants being furloughed and registered our concerns. Since that time we have continuously sought additional information and responses to our recommendations to no avail -- causing a call for Critical Coverage first in August of 2004 and now in this December Holiday month. Our concerns include:

• Developing a coverage plan that continually depends on the use of high time lines to fly the schedule.
• Construction of IDs that push the outer edge of Contractual limits and increase the probability that the ID will not be flown as scheduled.
• Construction of IDs in this manner and high line averages increase the likelihood of reassignment and create the need for additional reserve coverage – minimizing the productivity gains demanded by the company during the previous negotiations and effectively wasting a significant component of our massive sacrifices.
• Failing to call for make-up of ANP until the 22nd of December.

Had the company seriously considered the points we have raised, Critical Coverage may not have been necessary. This latest move by the company may be added to the growing list of their failures further impacting Flight Attendants. While they continue to make our work lives difficult, we have the opportunity to address this problem together. It’s important to note that the Contractual benefits AFA negotiated after the company declared Critical Coverage in 2000, helped us almost entirely avoid an adverse impact on Flight Attendants during the Critical Coverage called in August of this year. Taking advantage of the following Contractual provisions may help to lessen or eliminate the impact of Critical Coverage this month as well. Specifically the parameters of Section 9.J. provide:

• Flight Attendants based at domiciles where Critical Coverage has been declared, will be paid time and a half based on their rate of pay and the type of open flying picked up and departing between 00:01 CST December 27 and December 31 at 15:59 local domicile time, including any overlap time into the new month. This will be paid whether or not they opt.
• Flight Attendant lineholders may opt for an additional 15 hours over the opted quarterly maximum by calling the crew desk. A lineholder who does so and picks up open flying, will earn the time and a half rate for the entire ID(s) picked up and flown.
• Reserves who opt for the additional 15 hours over their 97-hour opted quarterly maximum for December, will be paid time and one half for any hours over the quarterly maximum. Reserves may opt by calling the Crew Desk.
• Reserves will be paid time and one half for any ID(s) they pick up on their days off, as provided for in Section 9.I.6.

We encourage those who are able, to use the provisions of Section 9.J. to pick up trips from open flying to improve their pay and reduce the impact on those who will be affected by the Critical Coverage period.

The affected domiciles, seniority dates and designated standby periods are listed below. The seniority range is based on the projected need for Flight Attendants at each domicile.

The standby period applies to all lineholders with seniority at or junior to the dates stated above.

Within the identified seniority range all lineholders will be subject to call and assignment if:

• You have five (5) or more hours (2 hours on the last day of the month) remaining between your quarterly projection and your quarterly maximum, and;
• You are not scheduled to fly during the ensuing 24 hours following the daily two-hour designated standby period.

Flight Attendants are not required to remain available for the designated two-hour standby period if:

• You have fewer hours available than the time above, or have already reached your quarterly maximum, or are on days off in conjunction with vacation, or already have a trip within the 24 hours following the daily two-hour designated standby period; or
• You have been on duty for six consecutive days prior to either call date without an intervening 24 hours free from duty to ensure FAR 24-in-7 compliance.

How are assignments made during Critical Coverage?

Crew Scheduling may assign flights for the 24-hour period following the two-hour standby period. For example: Flight Attendants standing by for a Critical Coverage assignment between 1600 – 1800 on December 29, may be assigned to trips the evening of December 29 with check-in times up to 1759 on December 30. The Contractual six-hour drafting provision does not apply in Critical Coverage situations.

How can I be affected if I am a reserve?

Reserves can only be assigned on their reserve days. Reserves will be paid time and one half for any ID(s) they pick up on their days off or any hours flown over the first month 97-hour maximum for days on RSV. Reserves may opt by calling the Crew Desk.

>> See also: United's critical coverage announcement  (.pdf) 137 KB - 4 pages