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Contract Negotiations Update

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Source: AFA

Date: May 07, 2016

Source: Our Contract

The JNC has completed another week of negotiations in Chicago.  With the two comprehensive proposals AFA and the Company passed to each other over the previous two weeks as a backdrop, our discussions this week focused on the outstanding issues that divide us.  Mike Bonds, Executive VP of Human Resources and Labor Relations, joined the Company team at the bargaining table on Tuesday May 3.   

This week’s talks centered around the remaining unresolved operational issues, and a great deal of time was spent on the continuing discussions, that began last week, regarding the Company’s economic evaluation of our proposal.  AFA disagrees with the methodology, and underlying assumptions, United is using to value our proposals. With the help of our financial analyst Dan Akins, we have been challenging their calculations. The JNC clearly understands that debating economic analysis can quickly become a modern day version of, “How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?”, and we do not want to fall down that rabbit hole.  However, the debate has helped the parties better assess the value of Flight Attendant work.  

The discussion resulted in the JNC making another comprehensive proposal to the Company on Wednesday that refined our previous proposal from two weeks before and more directly addressed issues they view as being important.  The JNC made this second comprehensive proposal in hopes that our actions would be met in kind by the Company. 

On Thursday afternoon CEO Oscar Munoz met with the JNC to discuss the state of negotiations. While our time with Mr. Munoz was short, it was beneficial. This was the first time he has heard directly from the JNC, and our conversation with each other was not filtered by other representatives or departments.  

Friday morning, the Company gave us another comprehensive proposal. Like the one AFA made earlier in the week, the Company’s was a refinement of their first proposal.  While we are still apart on a number of key issues, this proposal more directly addressed Flight Attendant interests. We will review the Company’s proposal as we prepare for our next session.

The JNC would like to thank all the Flight Attendants who have taken the time to communicate with us and with the Company.  Your voices are important and they are being heard.

Negotiations will resume on May 16 in Reston, Virginia.

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