Source: ourunited.org

The Joint Negotiations Committee (JNC) has just completed two weeks of bargaining in Houston. The facilitated problem solving process remains the same, however it did not yield much during our time with the company for this session. 

Throughout the two weeks subcommittees worked on Reserve, Hours of Service, Training & Meetings, Vacation, Benefits and Language Qualified, some worked more than others.  Each subcommittee is in a different phase.  For example the Benefits subcommittee just started their work last month so they are in the early stages of developing options for their interests, but the Vacation subcommittee is wrapping up and is worked to convert their consensus recommendations into draft Contract language.  When that is done and the JNC approves the language, their work will be complete. The rest of the subcommittees are somewhere in between these two phases. 

The JNC continues to try and find whole Contract sections to adopt for use in the new Joint Contract.  This session we continued to work on “adopting and amending” the sections on Grievance, System Board of Adjustment, Filling of Vacancies, Reduction in Personnel and Expenses, Transportation and Lodging.  We have not yet reached any agreement on these sections.

Overall, we would have to say that progress has slowed since our session last month.  AFA subcommittee members continue to develop solutions that address Flight Attendant interests as well as the company’s, but we don’t see the same efforts being made from our company counterparts.  We are working to put two different Contracts together and the company is trying to develop concepts that don’t exist in either book today.

Yesterday the JNC and the company had a status conference with the National Mediation Board (NMB) to discuss what progress we have made since we last met with them in January, and we are waiting to receive the NMB's feedback.

We will resume negotiations on April 13^th in Houston. 

In Solidarity,