CWA Negotiations Update
- Thread starter 700UW
- Start date
Black Magic
Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2008
- Messages
- 939
- Reaction score
- 552
The celebration will be short-lived when people realize this contract is locked in for 5 years and the company posts record breaking profits in next year and on. Doug and gang know exactly what they are doing to sew this up now.
eolesen said:
From what I have heard the TA is a pay cut for most of us. 85% of current CSAs can be reclassified CAR. That's 4.00 an hour less than the current TA. If you are in the 15% that remain in the CSA classification it's like winning the lottery at everyone else's expense. But ultimately the Company will be the biggest winner.
One of the reps on the bargaining committee had this to say to someone on FB planning to vote yes. From what I'm hearing he has been booted and will not be allowed to go on the road show?
bob@las-AA
Veteran
You knew this was coming right? I mean for real, this should not have been a surprise at all, I'm from ROC and AA ramp and agents gave way to the lesser, American Eagle 15+ years ago, and this was just one, not to mention what the agents and ramp gave up in bankruptcy. People of US, it's time for your haircut, and yes, there will be pain.usa1 said:
bob@las-AA
Veteran
Don't need to.700UW said:
And yes, AA is making a hefty revenue, but if you had any clue to how the company must continue to earn this revenue and then some, to maintain its viability for year to come, job cuts today, better productivity tomorrow, and bigger profits in the end.
"You are so anti-worker its pathetic."
And yes I'm anti over paid, do nothing, union loyalist slugs.
Let's not forget your just a stock boy, and I will express my views regardless.
bob@las-AA
Veteran
And this means nothing to me, your limited, at best, ability to compose a sentence that does not contain the words700UW said:
"clueless, idiot", and a litany of other carefully chosen superlatives, allows me to form the belief that you may not have, served in the capacity you described, but never the less, I hold to the notion that the agents at US will subsidize the pay raises with cuts.
From what I have heard the TA is a pay cut for most of us. 85% of current CSAs can be reclassified CAR.
What If We Don’t Ratify?
The Railway Labor Act covers airline workers, like other workers in the transport industry. That labor law spells out the process for bargaining, contract ratification, and mediation if a contract isn’t reached. The National Mediation Board administers the law.
If a majority of agents vote to ratify the contract, it becomes effective soon after ratification. If a majority of agents do not ratify the contract, we would continue to work under our existing work rules and at our current pay and benefits while the negotiations resume. At that point, the National Mediation Board could get involved. Sometimes the union or management will request the Board’s services, or sometimes the Board decides to intervene on its own.
Once the National Mediation Board is involved, negotiations would continue until a new agreement is reached or the Board determines that mediation hasn’t been successful. The Board could call for a thirty-day cooling-off period. After that, either side could take action such as a strike or lockout.
http://american-agents.org/news/member-update-and-ta-summary/
What If We Don’t Ratify?
The Railway Labor Act covers airline workers, like other workers in the transport industry. That labor law spells out the process for bargaining, contract ratification, and mediation if a contract isn’t reached. The National Mediation Board administers the law.
If a majority of agents vote to ratify the contract, it becomes effective soon after ratification. If a majority of agents do not ratify the contract, we would continue to work under our existing work rules and at our current pay and benefits while the negotiations resume. At that point, the National Mediation Board could get involved. Sometimes the union or management will request the Board’s services, or sometimes the Board decides to intervene on its own.
Once the National Mediation Board is involved, negotiations would continue until a new agreement is reached or the Board determines that mediation hasn’t been successful. The Board could call for a thirty-day cooling-off period. After that, either side could take action such as a strike or lockout.
http://american-agents.org/news/member-update-and-ta-summary/
You are clueless and ignorant, you have t and won't ever get involved nor help out your union brothers and sisters in anyway.
You are the IGM crowd and would sellout your coworkers in a heartbeat.
If there are cuts an eight year guy will be out the door before a 20 year guy.
Hey Doug needs his car washed, hurry up and run over there.
You are the IGM crowd and would sellout your coworkers in a heartbeat.
If there are cuts an eight year guy will be out the door before a 20 year guy.
Hey Doug needs his car washed, hurry up and run over there.
hp-csr-phx
Senior
Here is the letter from the CWA:
[SIZE=10.5pt]October 10, 2015[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Dear Sisters and Brothers,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We would like to set the record straight with regard to the tentative agreement that we reached with American Airlines last week. Below, we will summarize in detail what has been agreed upon, including wages, job security, scope of work, health insurance, and other items.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]First, let us say something about the process. We, your elected bargaining committee members, along with other staff of CWA and IBT, worked diligently to negotiate this agreement for nearly 10 months. We've been proud and honored to take on this challenge because this is the commitment we made, to do everything in our power to negotiate a fair agreement for Passenger Service Employees at the new American Airlines. With one exception, we believe we have reached that goal and we’re proud of this tentative agreement.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]American Airlines management came to the table with several goals: to cut labor costs by closing more than 30 small stations, to gut our scope of work language, and to eliminate our job security protections. We fought back, and with support from members who mobilized throughout the system, we were able to save all 30 of the stations the company wanted to contract out. We secured double protections for Baggage Service employees by providing No Furlough and No Displacement protections. And we kept important job security provisions in the new agreement.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]But negotiations are a give and take. Of course, it would be much simpler if we didn’t have to deal with the company, but the fact is we have to negotiate to reach a collective bargaining agreement. Imagine if we had no union, we would have no voice and no seat at the table. The company could unilaterally implement terms and conditions of our employment, including wages, health insurance, and work rules.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]As in every negotiation, neither side got everything it wanted. Last week, after a major battle over scope of work, we—again, with one exception—concluded that we’d reached the best possible agreement based on the leverage we brought to the table. We decided to conclude the negotiations and bring the tentative agreement to you, the members, for a vote.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]As we prepare for the ratification process, which will begin later this month, we will continue to provide accurate information in a variety of formats, including e-mail, a video presentation, and in-person explanatory meetings at several work locations. All members of the bargaining committee will participate in the video production, and all members of the committee will participate in the explanatory meetings. To be clear, every bargaining committee member will not attend every explanatory meeting because of the logistical challenges of holding several meetings in a short time frame. Therefore, we’ll divide up into teams, and a few bargaining team members will present at each meeting.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Despite what you may have heard, we are not holding back the tentative agreement in a nefarious effort to obfuscate and manipulate the membership. The fact is it takes time for union and company attorneys to carefully craft precise contract language based on the tentative agreement we reached at the table. This is completely normal. As soon as the agreement is complete, we will post it at our website for everyone to download and read.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]In the meantime, we hope the details below clear up some of the confusion and correct the misinformation that has spread over the past week.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]In unity,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Ron Collins, Bargaining Co-Chair, CWA-IBT Passenger Service Association[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Andy Marshall, Bargaining Co-Chair, CWA-IBT Passenger Service Association[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Ken Grunwald, CWA Bargaining Representative, LAA-SERO[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Vickey Hoots, CWA Bargaining Representative, LUS-INT [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]David Mays, IBT Bargaining Representative, LAA-HBR-Tucson[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Brian Nicoll, IBT Bargaining Representative, LUS-PHX[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Richard Shaughnessy, CWA Bargaining Representative, LAA-MIA[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Kimberly Barboro, Vice Co-Chair, CWA-IBT Passenger Service Association[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Marge Krueger, Vice Co-Chair, CWA-IBT Passenger Service Association[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]This agreement delivers industry-leading wages across the board for all agents. These wage rates are unprecedented at our airline and in the industry. Wage rates in every job category now are set at the “new Delta” rate for agents plus 3 percent. For many of us, this is a life-changing improvement. Note that the most recent increase at Delta was 16.5%. American matched that plus 3%. The weighted increase across all titles and scales is 30%.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Overtime[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We also gained major overtime pay improvements. You will now receive double time on a daily and weekly basis, determined by the number of hours you work on a daily and weekly basis.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Daily double time qualifier example: [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]You worked 6 hours of overtime today, your daily double time qualifier will begin after your fourth hour of overtime on any day. In this scenario, you will receive 1.5 times your hourly rate for the first four hours and 2 times your hourly rate for the next 2 hours of overtime that day. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Weekly double time qualifier example:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]You worked 3 hours overtime each day of your assigned week, for a total of fifteen hours of overtime. You would not qualify for daily double time because you didn’t work more than 4 hours each day. However, your weekly overtime total exceeds 8 hours. You will receive 1.5 times your hourly rate for the first 8 hours of overtime that week, and you will receive 2 times your hourly rate for the additional 7 hours of overtime that week. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The number of paid hours that you would receive on your paycheck using the weekly qualifier example would be your 40 hours of regular work week, an additional 12 hours for your regular overtime, and 14 hours for your double time, for 66 total hours paid to you. In this example you worked a total of 55 hours and you will receive pay for a total of 66 hours. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Mandatory overtime hours for reservations agents is limited to 12 hours, unless there is an extreme situation. In that case, 14 hours would be the maximum allowed for mandatory overtime.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Premiums[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We made significant gains in shift and position premiums. For the first time in many years at American, agents will get premium and shift differential pay. Agents will be compensated for using their foreign language skills on the job, or for working later shifts. LUS agents will see an increase in premiums.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Employees who work second shift (1200-1759) will now receive a premium of $0.55 per hour. Third shift (1800-0459) will receive $0.62 per hour and fourth shift (open time/relief) will receive $0.65 per hour.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The language premium will be $1 per hour. Customer Service Coordinator (CSC) premium will be $2 per hour; Premium CSC will be $2 per hour; and Lead Premium CSR will be $1 per hour. RES Elite Desk will be $1 per hour, and RES Escalation/Tariff will be $1.50 per hour.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Sick Leave[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We made tremendous gains in sick leave. Some of us remember having zero sick days, and many of us currently have just five while others have 10. Now, all agents will receive 12 sick days per year. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Vacation and Holidays[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We were not able to increase the number of vacation days. Agents earn a maximum of five weeks of paid vacation per year. We were successful in negotiating LUS option 2 for all agents that work holidays, which provides for 2 additional weeks of vacation. We gained the flexibility to set aside additional vacation days and reduced the amount of vacation that must be bid. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Health Care[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The American management team was dead set on converting all Passenger Service Employees of the “New American” to the LAA healthcare coverage. We had several discussions with the employer about changing healthcare plans, but they wouldn't hear of it. As you may know, we are in the middle of open enrollment for your healthcare. The parties thought it would be best to leave all employees as status quo as it relates to healthcare coverage. We will present a comprehensive healthcare proposal covering medical, prescription drug, and vision care by June 2016. We believe the proposal will provide the same or an improved level of benefits at a reduced cost to the employer and the members. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Swaps[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We will be allowed up to 32 “give up or swap off” trades per quarter. However, any “exchange” or trading with another employee does not count if within a 30-day time frame. At airports, trades must be turned in by 4pm the day before. In Reservations, employees may trade with up to 4 others, and trades have to be submitted at least 1 hour prior to the start of the trade. However, for “extenuating cases” local policy may be less restrictive.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Home-Based Agents[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We negotiated excellent improvements for the Home-Based Reservations Agents. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]As many of you know, in some cases they were treated like second-class citizens. Home-based reservations agents, many of whom had no benefits at all, will receive the same benefits as other Passenger Service Employees, including vacations, sick time, and holidays. The hourly wage for HBR is slightly lower than for OBRs because the HBRs do not have to drive to the office or abide by dress codes while at home. The salary is competitive with other airlines that offer home-based agent work.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Scope of Work[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Bargaining the scope portion of our agreement was very difficult, and we appreciated all the mobilization members did to support the Save Our Scope actions. The bargaining committee pushed hard on scope of work issues. In the give-and-take of negotiations, we agreed to the limited outsourcing of some jobs in order to save jobs in 30 cities, and there will be no station reductions. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]As you know Baggage Service at LAA is contracted out. The new agreement will allow the company to contract out Baggage Service at the LUS stations where agents currently do that work. This impacts a total of 403 jobs. However, all 403 jobs will be protected by no furlough and no displacements. In total we saved over 1000 jobs.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]American Airlines proposed expanding CARs' work by adding 27 new responsibilities and duties. The bargaining committee was successful in restricting the CARs' expanded duties to just five additional duties. This is a huge victory from where the company started to where we landed. There will be no CARS working at the gates, period. CARS will be restricted to the Kiosk in front of the ticket counters and the Resolution Centers.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Nearly 2,500 “red coat” contractors at ticket counters throughout the American system will be eliminated within 12 months of ratification. That work and other work will be done by union members in the bargaining unit, i.e., “in-sourced.” The company intends to hire additional people--who will be represented by our union--to pick up the work for the 2,500 red coat contractors. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]No Furlough[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]There will be no furloughs of any employee over the life of the contract term. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Article 2[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The Article 2 grievance is not part of the contract negotiations. The parties simply agreed to discuss a settlement prior to the close of negotiations. We eventually settled for $5.2 million, which equates to a $1,000 one time payment per LUS full-time employee and a $500 one-time payment per LUS part-time employee. That employee would have to have been on payroll on December 9, 2013, and remain on payroll today. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The company offered the union three options: 1. to withdraw the grievance and continue with contract negotiations, 2. to stop negotiations and arbitrate the case, or 3. to take no money at all. I hope you can recognize that these were not good options. The company said “since we matched the “New Delta” plus 3%, that settles Article 2." The arbitration process would probably have taken six to nine months at best, and then we would have had to wait another three to six months for the arbitrator’s decision. We asked ourselves, would it have been worth waiting another year or more for this case to be heard and a decision rendered in exchange for stopping the negotiations for 15,000 people, of whom 9,000 have no contract and are not affected one way or another by the article 2 grievance? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We were not willing to hold up the negotiations for 15,000 members, of whom 9,000 have no protection under a collective bargaining agreement today.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Even if we took this case to arbitration and won. It is possible the employer would not apply the award of the arbitrator. Our only option at that point would be to litigate. As you all know, litigation within our judicial system can take years, especially if the parties choose to appeal at each step.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The company was adamant that they would not budge on the monetary settlement and it was either take it or cease negotiation and go to arbitration. The result would have been that 9,000 of our sisters and brothers on the LAA side would have been without a contract indefinitely. As it stands today LUS members will share $5.2 million, and we all have an excellent contract. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Seniority Integration[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]LAA and LUS seniority lists will be integrated but will not include previous mergers. The Letter of Agreement ("LOA") between LAA, LUS, and the CWA-IBT Association sets forth a fair and equitable method for the establishment of an integrated seniority list, a requirement of the Allegheny-Mohawk labor protective provisions that is incorporated in the existing CBA between the Association and US Airways.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The LOA protects the seniority of LAA and LUS employees as it now exists, has a fair tie-breaking procedure to be used when employees share the same Date of Hire or Passenger Service Seniority, and provides a process to resolve employee disputes to the integrated list.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]A bad decision was made in 2001 when AA acquired TWA to place former TWA employees under the AA employees on the seniority list. As much as we would like to right this wrong to alter a former TWA employee's seniority now, 14 years later, that move would disrupt the seniority rights of thousands of passenger service employees. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Ratification Process[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We will hold contract explanation meetings at several stations and reservations offices starting October 19 and continuing through November 2. We can’t go to every station and office, but if you have questions after reading the summary and watching this video, contact your Local Union or send an e-mail message to Info@American-Agents.com.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Only members in good standing may vote on the agreement. To be a member in good standing, LUS members must be current on their union dues and LAA employees must have completed a membership form. If you are unsure if you are a member in good standing, contact your Local Union or send an e-mail message to Info@American-Agents.com.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Ballot Point will administer the voting. Members will cast their votes either online or by telephone using a PIN.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The voting period will begin in late October and conclude in mid-November with the results announced within 48 hours of the conclusion of voting. As soon as we input all new membership forms and then deliver a correct and complete membership roster to Ballot Point, we will announce the precise voting dates.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]What If We Don’t Ratify?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The Railway Labor Act covers airline workers, like other workers in the transport industry. That labor law spells out the process for bargaining, contract ratification, and mediation if a contract isn’t reached. The National Mediation Board administers the law.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]If a majority of agents vote to ratify the contract, it becomes effective soon after ratification. If a majority of agents do not ratify the contract, we would continue to work under our existing work rules and at our current pay and benefits while the negotiations resume. At that point, the National Mediation Board could get involved. Sometimes the union or management will request the Board’s services, or sometimes the Board decides to intervene on its own. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Once the National Mediation Board is involved, negotiations would continue until a new agreement is reached or the Board determines that mediation hasn’t been successful. The Board could call for a thirty-day cooling-off period. After that, either side could take action such as a strike or lockout. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]CWA[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]610 S. Industrial Blvd., Suite 250
Euless, TX 76040
817-868-9933 / info@american-agents.commailto:info@american-agents.com?can...bject=detailed-summary-of-tentative-agreement[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]October 10, 2015[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Dear Sisters and Brothers,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We would like to set the record straight with regard to the tentative agreement that we reached with American Airlines last week. Below, we will summarize in detail what has been agreed upon, including wages, job security, scope of work, health insurance, and other items.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]First, let us say something about the process. We, your elected bargaining committee members, along with other staff of CWA and IBT, worked diligently to negotiate this agreement for nearly 10 months. We've been proud and honored to take on this challenge because this is the commitment we made, to do everything in our power to negotiate a fair agreement for Passenger Service Employees at the new American Airlines. With one exception, we believe we have reached that goal and we’re proud of this tentative agreement.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]American Airlines management came to the table with several goals: to cut labor costs by closing more than 30 small stations, to gut our scope of work language, and to eliminate our job security protections. We fought back, and with support from members who mobilized throughout the system, we were able to save all 30 of the stations the company wanted to contract out. We secured double protections for Baggage Service employees by providing No Furlough and No Displacement protections. And we kept important job security provisions in the new agreement.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]But negotiations are a give and take. Of course, it would be much simpler if we didn’t have to deal with the company, but the fact is we have to negotiate to reach a collective bargaining agreement. Imagine if we had no union, we would have no voice and no seat at the table. The company could unilaterally implement terms and conditions of our employment, including wages, health insurance, and work rules.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]As in every negotiation, neither side got everything it wanted. Last week, after a major battle over scope of work, we—again, with one exception—concluded that we’d reached the best possible agreement based on the leverage we brought to the table. We decided to conclude the negotiations and bring the tentative agreement to you, the members, for a vote.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]As we prepare for the ratification process, which will begin later this month, we will continue to provide accurate information in a variety of formats, including e-mail, a video presentation, and in-person explanatory meetings at several work locations. All members of the bargaining committee will participate in the video production, and all members of the committee will participate in the explanatory meetings. To be clear, every bargaining committee member will not attend every explanatory meeting because of the logistical challenges of holding several meetings in a short time frame. Therefore, we’ll divide up into teams, and a few bargaining team members will present at each meeting.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Despite what you may have heard, we are not holding back the tentative agreement in a nefarious effort to obfuscate and manipulate the membership. The fact is it takes time for union and company attorneys to carefully craft precise contract language based on the tentative agreement we reached at the table. This is completely normal. As soon as the agreement is complete, we will post it at our website for everyone to download and read.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]In the meantime, we hope the details below clear up some of the confusion and correct the misinformation that has spread over the past week.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]In unity,[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Ron Collins, Bargaining Co-Chair, CWA-IBT Passenger Service Association[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Andy Marshall, Bargaining Co-Chair, CWA-IBT Passenger Service Association[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Ken Grunwald, CWA Bargaining Representative, LAA-SERO[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Vickey Hoots, CWA Bargaining Representative, LUS-INT [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]David Mays, IBT Bargaining Representative, LAA-HBR-Tucson[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Brian Nicoll, IBT Bargaining Representative, LUS-PHX[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Richard Shaughnessy, CWA Bargaining Representative, LAA-MIA[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Kimberly Barboro, Vice Co-Chair, CWA-IBT Passenger Service Association[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Marge Krueger, Vice Co-Chair, CWA-IBT Passenger Service Association[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]CWA-IBT Association of Passenger Service Employees[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]at American Airlines
Tentative Agreement Summary
October 10, 2015[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Wages[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]at American Airlines
Tentative Agreement Summary
October 10, 2015[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]This agreement delivers industry-leading wages across the board for all agents. These wage rates are unprecedented at our airline and in the industry. Wage rates in every job category now are set at the “new Delta” rate for agents plus 3 percent. For many of us, this is a life-changing improvement. Note that the most recent increase at Delta was 16.5%. American matched that plus 3%. The weighted increase across all titles and scales is 30%.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Overtime[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We also gained major overtime pay improvements. You will now receive double time on a daily and weekly basis, determined by the number of hours you work on a daily and weekly basis.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Daily double time qualifier example: [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]You worked 6 hours of overtime today, your daily double time qualifier will begin after your fourth hour of overtime on any day. In this scenario, you will receive 1.5 times your hourly rate for the first four hours and 2 times your hourly rate for the next 2 hours of overtime that day. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Weekly double time qualifier example:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]You worked 3 hours overtime each day of your assigned week, for a total of fifteen hours of overtime. You would not qualify for daily double time because you didn’t work more than 4 hours each day. However, your weekly overtime total exceeds 8 hours. You will receive 1.5 times your hourly rate for the first 8 hours of overtime that week, and you will receive 2 times your hourly rate for the additional 7 hours of overtime that week. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The number of paid hours that you would receive on your paycheck using the weekly qualifier example would be your 40 hours of regular work week, an additional 12 hours for your regular overtime, and 14 hours for your double time, for 66 total hours paid to you. In this example you worked a total of 55 hours and you will receive pay for a total of 66 hours. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Mandatory overtime hours for reservations agents is limited to 12 hours, unless there is an extreme situation. In that case, 14 hours would be the maximum allowed for mandatory overtime.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Premiums[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We made significant gains in shift and position premiums. For the first time in many years at American, agents will get premium and shift differential pay. Agents will be compensated for using their foreign language skills on the job, or for working later shifts. LUS agents will see an increase in premiums.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Employees who work second shift (1200-1759) will now receive a premium of $0.55 per hour. Third shift (1800-0459) will receive $0.62 per hour and fourth shift (open time/relief) will receive $0.65 per hour.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The language premium will be $1 per hour. Customer Service Coordinator (CSC) premium will be $2 per hour; Premium CSC will be $2 per hour; and Lead Premium CSR will be $1 per hour. RES Elite Desk will be $1 per hour, and RES Escalation/Tariff will be $1.50 per hour.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Sick Leave[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We made tremendous gains in sick leave. Some of us remember having zero sick days, and many of us currently have just five while others have 10. Now, all agents will receive 12 sick days per year. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Vacation and Holidays[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We were not able to increase the number of vacation days. Agents earn a maximum of five weeks of paid vacation per year. We were successful in negotiating LUS option 2 for all agents that work holidays, which provides for 2 additional weeks of vacation. We gained the flexibility to set aside additional vacation days and reduced the amount of vacation that must be bid. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Health Care[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The American management team was dead set on converting all Passenger Service Employees of the “New American” to the LAA healthcare coverage. We had several discussions with the employer about changing healthcare plans, but they wouldn't hear of it. As you may know, we are in the middle of open enrollment for your healthcare. The parties thought it would be best to leave all employees as status quo as it relates to healthcare coverage. We will present a comprehensive healthcare proposal covering medical, prescription drug, and vision care by June 2016. We believe the proposal will provide the same or an improved level of benefits at a reduced cost to the employer and the members. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Swaps[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We will be allowed up to 32 “give up or swap off” trades per quarter. However, any “exchange” or trading with another employee does not count if within a 30-day time frame. At airports, trades must be turned in by 4pm the day before. In Reservations, employees may trade with up to 4 others, and trades have to be submitted at least 1 hour prior to the start of the trade. However, for “extenuating cases” local policy may be less restrictive.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Home-Based Agents[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We negotiated excellent improvements for the Home-Based Reservations Agents. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]As many of you know, in some cases they were treated like second-class citizens. Home-based reservations agents, many of whom had no benefits at all, will receive the same benefits as other Passenger Service Employees, including vacations, sick time, and holidays. The hourly wage for HBR is slightly lower than for OBRs because the HBRs do not have to drive to the office or abide by dress codes while at home. The salary is competitive with other airlines that offer home-based agent work.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Scope of Work[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Bargaining the scope portion of our agreement was very difficult, and we appreciated all the mobilization members did to support the Save Our Scope actions. The bargaining committee pushed hard on scope of work issues. In the give-and-take of negotiations, we agreed to the limited outsourcing of some jobs in order to save jobs in 30 cities, and there will be no station reductions. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]As you know Baggage Service at LAA is contracted out. The new agreement will allow the company to contract out Baggage Service at the LUS stations where agents currently do that work. This impacts a total of 403 jobs. However, all 403 jobs will be protected by no furlough and no displacements. In total we saved over 1000 jobs.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]American Airlines proposed expanding CARs' work by adding 27 new responsibilities and duties. The bargaining committee was successful in restricting the CARs' expanded duties to just five additional duties. This is a huge victory from where the company started to where we landed. There will be no CARS working at the gates, period. CARS will be restricted to the Kiosk in front of the ticket counters and the Resolution Centers.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Nearly 2,500 “red coat” contractors at ticket counters throughout the American system will be eliminated within 12 months of ratification. That work and other work will be done by union members in the bargaining unit, i.e., “in-sourced.” The company intends to hire additional people--who will be represented by our union--to pick up the work for the 2,500 red coat contractors. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]No Furlough[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]There will be no furloughs of any employee over the life of the contract term. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Article 2[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The Article 2 grievance is not part of the contract negotiations. The parties simply agreed to discuss a settlement prior to the close of negotiations. We eventually settled for $5.2 million, which equates to a $1,000 one time payment per LUS full-time employee and a $500 one-time payment per LUS part-time employee. That employee would have to have been on payroll on December 9, 2013, and remain on payroll today. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The company offered the union three options: 1. to withdraw the grievance and continue with contract negotiations, 2. to stop negotiations and arbitrate the case, or 3. to take no money at all. I hope you can recognize that these were not good options. The company said “since we matched the “New Delta” plus 3%, that settles Article 2." The arbitration process would probably have taken six to nine months at best, and then we would have had to wait another three to six months for the arbitrator’s decision. We asked ourselves, would it have been worth waiting another year or more for this case to be heard and a decision rendered in exchange for stopping the negotiations for 15,000 people, of whom 9,000 have no contract and are not affected one way or another by the article 2 grievance? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We were not willing to hold up the negotiations for 15,000 members, of whom 9,000 have no protection under a collective bargaining agreement today.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Even if we took this case to arbitration and won. It is possible the employer would not apply the award of the arbitrator. Our only option at that point would be to litigate. As you all know, litigation within our judicial system can take years, especially if the parties choose to appeal at each step.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The company was adamant that they would not budge on the monetary settlement and it was either take it or cease negotiation and go to arbitration. The result would have been that 9,000 of our sisters and brothers on the LAA side would have been without a contract indefinitely. As it stands today LUS members will share $5.2 million, and we all have an excellent contract. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Seniority Integration[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]LAA and LUS seniority lists will be integrated but will not include previous mergers. The Letter of Agreement ("LOA") between LAA, LUS, and the CWA-IBT Association sets forth a fair and equitable method for the establishment of an integrated seniority list, a requirement of the Allegheny-Mohawk labor protective provisions that is incorporated in the existing CBA between the Association and US Airways.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The LOA protects the seniority of LAA and LUS employees as it now exists, has a fair tie-breaking procedure to be used when employees share the same Date of Hire or Passenger Service Seniority, and provides a process to resolve employee disputes to the integrated list.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]A bad decision was made in 2001 when AA acquired TWA to place former TWA employees under the AA employees on the seniority list. As much as we would like to right this wrong to alter a former TWA employee's seniority now, 14 years later, that move would disrupt the seniority rights of thousands of passenger service employees. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Ratification Process[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]We will hold contract explanation meetings at several stations and reservations offices starting October 19 and continuing through November 2. We can’t go to every station and office, but if you have questions after reading the summary and watching this video, contact your Local Union or send an e-mail message to Info@American-Agents.com.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Only members in good standing may vote on the agreement. To be a member in good standing, LUS members must be current on their union dues and LAA employees must have completed a membership form. If you are unsure if you are a member in good standing, contact your Local Union or send an e-mail message to Info@American-Agents.com.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Ballot Point will administer the voting. Members will cast their votes either online or by telephone using a PIN.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The voting period will begin in late October and conclude in mid-November with the results announced within 48 hours of the conclusion of voting. As soon as we input all new membership forms and then deliver a correct and complete membership roster to Ballot Point, we will announce the precise voting dates.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]What If We Don’t Ratify?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]The Railway Labor Act covers airline workers, like other workers in the transport industry. That labor law spells out the process for bargaining, contract ratification, and mediation if a contract isn’t reached. The National Mediation Board administers the law.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]If a majority of agents vote to ratify the contract, it becomes effective soon after ratification. If a majority of agents do not ratify the contract, we would continue to work under our existing work rules and at our current pay and benefits while the negotiations resume. At that point, the National Mediation Board could get involved. Sometimes the union or management will request the Board’s services, or sometimes the Board decides to intervene on its own. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]Once the National Mediation Board is involved, negotiations would continue until a new agreement is reached or the Board determines that mediation hasn’t been successful. The Board could call for a thirty-day cooling-off period. After that, either side could take action such as a strike or lockout. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]CWA[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]610 S. Industrial Blvd., Suite 250
Euless, TX 76040
817-868-9933 / info@american-agents.commailto:info@american-agents.com?can...bject=detailed-summary-of-tentative-agreement[/SIZE]
In red .... I want to seeing the "exact wording" in the tentative agreement.
By the way, LAA has the worst baggage service in the industry, worse than United. Delta service is kicking their butt, why would the new company want to double down on what's not working for them now?
