Negotiations: Update Six

Fellow Spirit Flight Attendants,

This has been a big week for all of us here at Spirit. Your Negotiations Committee was scheduled to meet with the company this past Tuesday through Thursday, but with the big announcement on Monday, much of our first conversations when we met together on Tuesday were about the potential merger. Any of the “new” information we received on Tuesday was addressed in the company’s “town hall” broadcast on Wednesday.

Despite the merger announcement, contract negotiations continue. We began the week by discussing our previous proposal for Section 25: Commuter Policy in more detail. We had a very collaborative discussion with the company on the needs of ALL flight attendants, regardless of how you commute to work.  At the cornerstone of our commuter proposal are provisions for those flight attendants that commute by means other than air (although we also have additional proposals for air commuters as well).  However, regarding “ground commuting,” we collaborated with the company on an alternative to “getting a ‘no show’ (NSH)” when you’re caught in a snowstorm/hurricane/dust storm or other highly unusual events while on your way to work; and you’re unable to arrive on time through no fault of your own.  We believe that the company is beginning to understand our position, and although no agreement has been reached on a commuting policy yet, we believe we are moving in the right direction.

The company also provided us with their proposals for Section 9: Reserve and Section 8: Scheduling.  Not surprisingly, their proposals mirror the theme of their earlier proposal on Section 7: Hours of Service.  The company is seeking to eliminate many of the steadfast and unequivocal contract provisions that we have been maintaining for years.  At the forefront of the company’s assault on our current language, is our right to schedule integrity; or the ability to fly your line and return home on schedule.  Although the company has been attempting to erode this right from us ever since August, seeing their new vision of the future for line holders and reserves was quite disheartening, especially after having just finished such a productive conversation regarding the commuter policy…  

We spent most of our time this week preparing our own proposal for Section 9: Reserve.  It should be completed by the next collective bargaining session scheduled to take place on March 1st through March 3rd.   Once our proposal is completed and passed to the company, we will be able to share more details on our vision for the future…  I’m afraid we can’t yet get into the specifics yet, but we can assure you that our plans for reserves are quite contrary to the dark dystopian world of “at crew scheduling’s discretion” that the company has painted for us with their proposal.

We will also be preparing another survey to go out to all the flight attendants in the coming weeks.  To ensure that you receive a copy of the survey, you will need to verify that we have your correct email address.  If you are receiving this email, chances are, we have your correct address.  However, if you’re reading this on social media (without receiving an email) or this was forwarded to you by someone else, please click the bottom of this newsletter under "Manage Your Subscription" to sign up or manage your subscription. Also, if you owe back dues and you are no longer in good standing, please make payment arrangements by CLICKING HERE to get yourself current.  Don’t miss out!  If you have further questions, please reach out to your Local Officers.  Their contact information is always available at www.SpiritAFA.org.

In the meantime, please continue to wear your AFA pin on your uniform!  And remember, if you have thoughts, ideas, questions, or concerns about contract negotiations; you can always contact your negotiations committee directly by emailing negotiations@spiritafa.com, emails sent to this address go to all committee members and every email we receive is responded to.  

Thank you again for demonstrating your support for the committee by WEARING YOUR AFA PIN every day that you are at work!

In Solidarity,

Your AFA Negotiations Committee

Jason Kachenmeister

Colleen Burns

Rick Santiago

Paula Mastrangelo