Source: OurUnited.org

The JNC has completed 3 days of negotiations in Denver.

As we told you in our last update, all of the components of a Joint Contract have been passed between the parties, and many, if not all, of these sections have already been worked on in the Facilitated Problem Solving process.  In many cases Sections are complete except for portions that are economic in nature (like the value of a Vacation Day) and must wait until we discussing the complete financial package, which comes at the end of any negotiations.  The JNC is committed to, and focused on, resolving open issues in as many sections as possible in an effort to move these negotiations into the final phase: Economics. We appreciate the efforts the Company has made this week to work with us towards that end.

With the goal of resolving as many non-economic issues as possible, the parties exchanged many proposals this week.  During this session the Company gave AFA proposals on Hours of Service, Scheduling and Reserve, as well as the General section, Union Activities, and an alternative dispute resolution process to be added to the Investigations & Grievances section.  AFA made proposals on Sick Leave, Vacations, the Expenses, Lodging and Transportation section, as well as a proposal to finalize the Job Share/Partnership section.  

The JNC and the Company are trying to get past simply passing proposals back and forth and working at having discussions with those proposals.  To be honest, it’s a task that is not always easily accomplished. However, this week we were able to do that with the Scheduling sections, Sick Leave, Vacations, Job Share/Partnership and the General section.  

By the end of Thursday’s session we reached a Tentative Agreement on the General section.  “General” might sound mundane, but this section includes agreements and language covering:

• Cabin Jumpseat Authority (CJA)
• Company Business Assignments (COBUS)
• Copy of the Agreement
• Crew Lounges
• Crew Scheduling Recordings
• Crossing Picket Lines
• Date/Time Stamps
• Deadhead
• Duty Free
• Electronic Bulletin Board
• Electronic Communications
• Emergency Assignments
• Flight Attendant Checked Baggage
• Special Transportation
• Fly For (Displacement)

• Insurance Indemnification
• Locking Compartments
• Mailboxes
• Management Rights
• New Equipment
• Nondiscrimination
• On-Board Rest
• Parking
• Passes
• Passports, Visas & Immunizations
• Paychecks
• Railway Labor Act
• Savings Clause
• Temporary Duty (TDY)
• Tidying

All of the subjects covered by the General section are important to Flight Attendants and are critical to delivering the best service possible to our passengers.  We have been negotiating over some of the subjects listed above since the beginning of 2013, so you can see the Company’s decision to join us in resolving as many non-economic issues as possible has shown some results.

We will continue to focus on completing more sections in the sessions ahead.  As we clear away the less complicated subjects, we will obviously be left with the more challenging ones, but we can report that for now, the Company appears to share our desire to have the hard talks and move forward.

All of you have contributed to this change at the bargaining table.  The JNC realizes Flight Attendants want these negotiations to come to an end as soon as possible, but that the result must be one that addresses Flight Attendants’ core issues, and not just the Company’s. Your actions and involvement across the system have not gone unnoticed and we appreciate your support and commitment.  If all of us focus on the task at hand, yours out on the line and in the field, and ours at the table, the JNC continues to believe final agreements can be reached quickly.