Source: www.unitedafa.org

Last week the JNC concluded their 4th direct Negotiations session with management in Houston. The tone of this past meeting was much more reflective of our first session in that management emphasized their preference that our Contract should not be filled with rules. A number of proposals from both sides were exchanged, however not much progress was made. Our JNC expressed disappointed that management's proposals are short and purposefully vague. To that end, management feels that much of the long-standing language in our Contracts should be replaced with company policy. Our JNC is firm: This is not going to happen.

Proposals were traded on the following issues:

• Crew Lounges
• Tidying
• Passports, Visas and Immunizations
• Commuter Policy
• Uniforms
• We received a counter proposal from United on Cabin Jumpseat, and we presented them with our proposal on Deadheading.

To date:

• We have spent a total of 17 days in direct negotiations with management
• We have engaged in four separate direct negotiation sessions with management
• As of November 14, 2012, the Joint Negotiating Committee has completed their work on proposals for a total of 15 subjects. These proposals have been reviewed and approved by the three Master Executive Councils
• Plans are underway for the JNC to present their next set of proposals to the combined MECs on April 4-5, 2013 in Chicago
• We have reached a Tentative Agreement with management on 1 subject

From the beginning, we fully expected this negotiations process would be challenging. It’s important to understand that his is a new ballgame. Forget everything you have previously learned about negotiations from past Section 6 bargaining.

In more traditional Section 6 bargaining, we would be amending our existing Contracts in accordance with the Section 6 process of the Railway Labor Act, triggered by a Contract amendable date. In our current situation, United’s merger necessitated our building a new Contract for the combined Flight Attendant groups.

While our current process is very different from our traditional Section 6, there are common foundational steps that occur in both the Section 6 and the Joint Contract Process:

• The Preparation Step, which includes:
  • Call for Proposals
  • Surveys
  • Direct feedback from Membership
  • Recommendations from Committees
  • Direction from Local Presidents
• Information Exchange Between All Parties
• Negotiating Directly with Management
• Commitment Through an Agreement and Ratification

In addition to recognizing that the process before us would be complex, we also acknowledged that it would take substantial time. To prepare for these complex negotiations, each of the three groups determined the best course forward was to successfully conclude Contract Negotiations and Contract Extensions.

There were other paths we could have chosen, such as immediately pursuing Joint Contract Negotiations. Because we knew the route to a Joint Contract for our Flight Attendant work group would be a massive undertaking, involving time and exacting attention to detail, we secured pay, job security, and improvements for Flight Attendants at each of the subsidiaries through the Section 6 process. This decision locked-down tightly the interests of our Members before the JNC even began the process and work of our Joint Contract Negotiations.

Because of this decision, we have pay improvements in place and structured into the foreseeable future of our negotiations, as the JNC continues their work.

As you recall, the JNC proposed to meet with management twice a month. Management, however, would agree to meet only once a month. At those meetings, the JNC proposes and negotiates the proposals on which all of the MEC they have reached agreement. It’s important to remember, that in-between those sessions the JNC is working on any remaining proposals. Substantial progress has been made, and the JNC will present their next set of proposals to the three Master Executive Councils for their review and approval on April 4th and 5th.

Direct negotiations and coordinated work on the remaining proposals will continue in the months to come. Negotiations, by their nature, are frustrating. Be assured that we are on the right path, working together collectively and our JNC is making progress.

As other work groups at our airline and throughout the industry begin, progress or complete their respective negotiations, these achievements impact the dynamics of our negotiations and potentially propel our momentum forward. Remember, the more Contracts United successfully negotiates at our airline the closer they are to their goal of truly merging. We are on track to negotiate the best Flight Attendant Contract in the world. We will not be dissuaded from our goal.