Negotiations: Update Eleven

Fellow Spirit Flight Attendants,

This past week, your negotiations committee met with the company in Fort Lauderdale for another session of collective bargaining.  Joining us this week in person was David Bedene, our MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson, and Andrea Watt, our MEC Benefits Committee Chairperson.  We also conferenced in Brennan Williams, our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Professional Standards Committee Chairperson.  

This week, we discussed Section 5: Uniforms, Section 6: Seniority and Probation, Section 10: Training and Meetings, and Section 21: Union Activities, Union Security, and Dues Check-off.  We are pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement on Section 6: Seniority and Probation!  The company had also promised us a Section 18: Benefits proposal for this week (hence our Benefits Committee Chairperson joining us for this session), but the company informed us that they required some additional research, and they were not prepared to give us any proposal this time, but we have already scheduled a remote session in two weeks so that the company can present their proposal before our next scheduled session together.

Section 5: Uniforms

We are very close to an agreement on uniforms; however, the only open issue concerns the additional uniform credit that we proposed for flight attendant who fly more than 600 hours per year.  As you are all aware, the company is constantly auditing our appearance, and with only a $150 annual uniform credit each year, it is difficult for us to remain compliant with the company’s policies without spending a whole bunch of money out of our own pockets. Especially if you also happen to need new luggage.  The current uniform credit is not enough to cover the cost of a roll-a-board bag.  Flight Attendants shouldn’t have to choose between a new shirt or a new bag, especially if they are highflyers who accumulate additional wear and tear on their uniforms and luggage every year.

Section 6: Seniority and Probation – TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED!

We have reached a tentative agreement on Section 6!  One of the biggest improvements we have made in this section is closing the “revolving door” for flight attendants who want to bump back and forth to management.  Flight Attendants who choose to go into supervisory or managerial rolls will now have their seniority and longevity “frozen” after 90 days, so flight attendants who are actually working as flight attendants will be able to advance ahead of them in seniority.  We also limited the amount of time these supervisors and managers will remain on the seniority list before being removed completely.

We also further defined how flight attendants on “special assignment” continue to accrue seniority.  Any flight attendants performing duties outside of being a flight attendant for more than 89 days in a rolling calendar year will also have their seniority frozen, so those actually working all year long as flight attendants will have the opportunity to surpass them on the seniority list.

Just to be abundantly clear; we do not want to discourage anyone from advancing their career at Spirit with additional opportunities.  However, there needs to come a point in which you decide if you are a flight attendant, or you are something else.  And only flight attendants should be listed on our seniority list.  

We continued the current protections on seniority and longevity for those flight attendants serving in training, standards, and development rolls with the company.  Most would agree that the best flight attendant instructors are those instructors that were once flight attendants themselves.  So, the way seniority and longevity accrue for these individuals was not modified from the way it currently is today.  

Section 10: Training and Meetings

We continue to have conversations with the company at length regarding pay for training and the number of hours we can be in training per day.  We also disagree on the amount of time and pay for home study.  We are still in disagreement and, although we have moved closer together on some issues, we are far from agreeing on this section.

Section 21: Section 21: Union Activities, Union Security, and Dues Check-off

The company’s latest proposal did not have any changes from their previous proposal, so we are considering the section to still be in their court.  Since the company didn’t make any move on their positions, the issues remain the same as the last time…  We have not moved any closer at all on this section.

What’s Next?

We plan to meet with the company virtually on June 29th to receive their Section 18: Benefits proposal.  The next full session of collective bargaining is scheduled to take place July 26-28 in Fort Lauderdale.  

Don’t forget that you don’t have to “wonder” what is going on with negotiations.  If you have questions or concerns you would like us to address, you can always email negotiations@SpiritAFA.com. Everyone who emails will receive a reply from a committee member.  

Also, remember that if you are not current on your AFA dues, you may not get to vote on this contract when it is done.  You may have an opinion on social media, but it will mean nothing if you cannot cast a vote.  If you are unsure of how much you owe or how to pay, contact your local officers.  You can find a complete list of your local officers at SpiritAFA.org.

Finally, please remember to show your support and WEAR YOUR AFA PIN on your UNIFORM whenever you are at work!    

In Solidarity,

Your AFA Negotiations Committee -

Jason Kachenmeister

Colleen Burns

Rick Santiago

Paula Mastrangelo