JCBA Negotiations and updates for AA Fleet

[AANOTOK]

We bid all vacation/ dat days by seniority.

I'm not sure where I heard it, but some airline does it the other way. Everyone bids a week and then it
starts back over.

 

[robbedagain]

I think ive heard that too but not sure I know at LUS and (I believe AA too ) its done in one day (for US in NOV typically) by seniority order

 

[Kev3188]

That would be DL... we bid in rounds.

We go in seniority order. In the first round, you can bid your entire allotment, but all the weeks have to be consecutive. Otherwise, just one week at a time. Once the juniormost guy has bid, Round 2 starts. There are as many rounds as needed to make sure everyone bids all of their allotted weeks. You can also take some block weeks as DATs (they're called "IV days" here) if you want....

Edit: I should also note that our vacation year runs from April 1st- March 31st...

 

[robbedagain]

Thanks Kev. Ours is January to December

 

[AANOTOK]

Thanks Kev, robbed.

 

[robbedagain]

welcome bro

 

[T5towbar]

I just wanted to ask you guys if your vacation bidding is either via computer; or in-person bidding process.

We used to have bidding in rounds via the computer, and everybody seemed to get what they wanted in either consecutive weeks or individual weeks. You could change any of your weeks (if available which you can clearly see what is available by seniority) in subsequent rounds (which we had six of them - your DAT week(s) choices was Round 2). The process is fair and of course honors seniority. And we used to can do it from home as well. But the last couple of years, we went to the in-person bidding process, and IMHO, it sucks. Especially for the Leads.
I would love to go back to the computer based process, so you don't have to come in on your day off to bid. I don't know if this process is system wide, but we've been doing this for three years now at my hub.

 

[Slopoke]

I believe if you look at the recently ratified Sims Tech contract, you will get your answer.
http://media.wix.com/ugd/b9d21e_8a706287170c4cadb3ca8b8f9d0d749e.pdf

robbed, when it comes to vacation bidding, do you guys bid all your vacation at once based on seniority, or do you bid a week, then the next guy in line bids and so forth and once everyone has bid a week it comes back to you for week two.
At AA, we bid all at once. I bid my five weeks, then the next person (by seniority) bids his five weeks.

I do know that if you want to bid "Round Robin" style. For example the senior most person bids a week, then the person below him or her bids a week and so on until everyone has bid once and the cycle starts all over again. You also can bid more than one week at a time, but they have to be adjoining, like two weeks in July or Three in July, etc.

You just have to make a motion to hold vacation bids Round Robin style for your work group at a union meeting and have it seconded. It then goes to a station vote. One drawback is that it will make the bid process a long affair.

I'm in AC Maint at AA and do know that some depts in some cities do it this way.

 

[robbedagain]

for Fleet we do it in person the only computer thing is we choose the vacation weeks and or DAT days

 

[cltrat]

here in CLT it's done by seniority and you bid however many weeks you have at that time.

makes me not have any sympathy for the board by seniority crowd

 

[ograc]

AAnotok
Not trying to change your opinion on the association as it seems your pretty clear on how you feel about it. But just trying to brief you a little better. Some issues once you narrow them down so far basically then get tabled. In other words, once you have exchanged them 6 - 8 times you basically tell the company not to bother passing it back if they aren't willing to move on the last one or two remaining issues. A few months ago in a email briefing I warned about this due to the issues that were coming up and that was currently on the table. Bottom line is that several of these articles are or will get to a point that the company just has to decide the cost and if and what they are willing to spend. IMO once they start to move on these last issues of articles, you will see many fall in place at the same time. Or close to the same time frame. Until then you basically start opening up other articles and narrowing the gap down to the biggest issues on them as well. It is a frustrating process, but it is just how this company negotiates. So unless you want your committee to just lay down and accept what we think would be a concession to one side or the other side of the association. Then we move forward and start working on other articles.

CB. Correct me if I'm wrong, but according to the latest update, there are 7 outstanding Articles, where there have been no exchange of proposals. If I read this right; the membership should expect the process to take awhile IMO. I expect my committee, acting on my behalf, to stand up and not accept what is perceived to be a concession to the membership. Haste makes waste. Let's strive to get the best JCBA possible. Let's get it right. The JCBA will be the starting point for future contract negotiations. Important to build a solid foundation.

 

[AANOTOK]

ograc, according to the update, you are correct, looks like seven that have not been brought to the table at all. You include those with the ones that AA refuses to even respond to along with the proposals from AA that the Association can't even agree upon between the TWU and IAM (and yes, they do exist) then the reality is we are a long long way off. While I agree, we are not in the mood to give anything up, I'm also here to say many of us are on the down side of our career, you included I believe. I would like to see a contract before I die or am put out to pasture before I worry about those yet to walk on the face of the earth. Don't anyone twist or spin what I'm saying either. I'm not saying don't look out for future workers, and I'm not saying take a concession or two to get this deal done. What I am saying is how about this powerful strength in number Association start acting like a strong representative and put a ton of pressure on the company. Every time I see Parker explain the hold up in our negotiations, I swear I see him smirking at the Association. I for one am tired of hearing the "combining to contracts excuse". All that tells me is the TWU and IAM cannot work things out. With the Holidays coming up, I think we all can agree that negotiations will slow even more. So why can't they meet every week until then, it is absurd. I see the last negotiation scheduled is the week of December 7th-12th. When would they meet again, sometime in Jan or Feb.
None of us old folks are getting any younger, we would like to enjoy a decent contract or two, we deserve it! Put pressure on the company Association and take care of your damn members.

 

[robbedagain]

if Dec 7-12 is last that sure does make for an extended holiday vacation Me thinks they could go another week or week n half in negoiations

 

[AANOTOK]

I double checked robbed, my bad, it is the week of 12-16. Oops

 

[robbedagain]

thanks bro! hopefully they'll make more progress