OPBSK Consolidation

Our September meeting with management to discuss the OPBSK consolidation began with an overview of the consolidation of scheduling to OPBSK and an explanation of the structure that facilitates system scheduling.

Management’s stated primary objectives are:

• Increase consistency in scheduling procedures
• Effectively allocate manpower resources based on the nature of scheduling at each location
• Participate in management head count reduction by reducing Onboard Scheduling Personnel.

Currently all domiciles are scheduled from OPBSK with the exception of daily operations scheduling for ORD. Day to day activity is still being conducted from the ORDSK desk and will not be fully integrated into OPBSK until early 2007. Forecast Reserve Planning for ORD has been incorporated into OPBSK. After full integration of all domiciles in early 2007, OPBSK’s intention is to leave the ORDSK scheduling area intact with workstations for use in cases of extreme irregular operations and for use in the event the OPBSK facility becomes unusuable due to emergencies such as WHQ buliding fire, etc.

ORDSK had originally been planned for 2006, but now it will not be integrated until all issues associated with the integration of DENSK have been identified and resolved.

Fewer than 25% of existing schedulers from LAXSK, SFOSK and DENSK actually transitioned to OPBSK resulting in an immediate need to hire new coordinators. The training program for a new Coordinator is a 6 week program conducted at the Training Center with an additional 4 weeks of on the job (OJT) training. The OJT Trainer sits next to the new coordinator for one week. The new coordinator is debriefed after each day during the one week period with the OJT Trainer, and then debriefed again after the conclusion of the entire 10 week program.

Each domicile will have an assigned Controller that oversees the practices of all coordinators conducting scheduling activity for the prescribed location.

The Controllers assigned to each location are as follows:

BOS/JFK/DCA/LHR/FRA – Todd Ring 

ORD/DEN – Jim Veart 

LAS/SEA/LAX/SFO – Rory Dames 

HNL/NRT/HKG/SIN/BKK – Dave Hammon 

AFA volunteers at each Local Council will work issues regarding location specific assignments through their assigned Controller. Local Reserve Chairpersons will address local issues with their assigned Controller and in coordination with the MEC Reserve Committee to ensure system-wide consistency and tracking of trends.

The company reports that handling of scheduling at non-domicile locations had not been fully integrated into the consolidation flow-chart. This will be a priority discussion item at our next meeting.

As we move forward through the consolidation process, the has company offered to meet with the MEC Reserve Committee on a bi-monthly basis, or more if necessary.  It was reiterated to management that the AFA Reserve Committee will provide a valuable source of feedback throughout the consolidation process, specifically concerning issues affect the Reserve Flight Attendant.

Blocking-in On-hold Wait Times

We addressed on-hold times, specifically long wait times for blocking-in after a Reserve Assignment. The company confirmed that “abandoned” calls, or calls terminated by the Flight Attendant, had increased 2% since integration of DEN into OPBSK.  The company has attributed this issue to integration of call systems at different locations and asserted that the problem is now resolved with all phone systems now operated by one vendor, Lucent Avaya.

Regardless of their confirmation that the problem is resolved, it is imperative that we establish a process for documenting any outstanding issues regarding excessive hold times, and provide immediate feedback to the company.

If the Flight Attendant has been on hold for a period of time longer than the duty time reflected in their ID (:30 beyond block arrival), they should request an extension to their duty period. Refusals to extend the duty time should be reported to the MEC Reserve Committee through the LEC Reserve Chair/LEC Office. All reports should specifically indicate the name of the coordiantor refusing the extension.

Names and Documentation Crucial

The company treats no documentation as “no problem.”  As we continue to monitor the effect of consolidation to address coordinator training and consistency, documentation willl be essential. The following information is necessary to address issues with the company for resolution:

• ID Date and position(s)
• Name of scheduler/company representative
• Copy’s of both DSL and DSPID information

This information must come in the form of written reports either via email or hard copy.  This is essential until we can transition to a web-based submission form.

Surface IDs Assigned in Violation of FAOM Policy

Each Local Council should know at what time the security check point is opened each morning at their domicile and, if applicable, co-terminal locations.

The company has been assigning early morning check-ins for surface deadhead segments to non-co-terminal locations. These check-in times are scheduled earlier than the time for which the Flight Attendant is able to access the domicile and check the Hotboard and their mailbox due to security screening availability. This violates FAOM policy which requires Flight Attendants to check their mailbox and the Hotboard before each ID.

We advised management of the problem for a resolution that does not violate the FAOM and interfer with a Flight Attendant’s responsibilities.

All Safety and Company Policy related issues on this matter have been forwarded to the MEC Safety Health and Security Committee and we will continue to work closely with this committee on this issue. 

Document ANY early morning IDs built with a surface segment that do not allow the Flight Attendant to access the domicile in order to check the Hotboard and the mailbox. These examples should be sent to the MEC Reserve Committee immediately.

MEC Reserve Committee Conference Calls/Committee Roster

The MEC Reserve Committee will improve communication, coordination and participation with each Local Council through upcoming conference calls.

The first two scheduled conference calls will occur on the following dates:

Call 1 – November 2 @ 6pm EST
Call 2 – December 7 @ 6pm EST

Details for conference calls will be sent via email to each Reserve Committee Member listed on the MEC Reserve Committee Roster and Local Council Presidents.  Participation is encouraged and volunteers are needed for Local Council Reserve Committees.  Contact your Local Council if you would like to volunteer for the committee.

Local 1900 and Move-Up Audits

Audits are an important funciton of this committee in analyzing the Contractually correct implementaion of the following:

1900 CLLR assignment process

• RSVFLY to RSVSKD transition
• Move-up Award Audits

The audit focuses on end-of-month transitions. Multiple reports will need to be pulled each day for an effective aduit, therefore each location needs an adequate number of Local Reserve Committee volunteers, based on the size of your location in order to conduct an effective audit process.  The details of the on-going, scheduled audit will be discussed on the upcoming conference call.

In addition to the issues addressed in this report, I have spoken with many of the Reserve Chairpersons and Officers at each Local Council to identify issues specific to the location. We will trend these issues for system-wide application and will advise in future monthly reports, assist in addressing Reserve issues and help to set a foundation for Contractual negotiations only a few years away now.

As the newly elected MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson, I look forward to building a Committee that will provide support for Flight Attendants on reserve.  I am grateful to Members across the system for expressing passion about these issues and I know that we will make a difference for all of us through a well coordinated Reserve Committee with dedicated volunteers each working just a little bit to make a big difference.

If there are any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

Respectfully Submitted,

Adam Thomas
MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson
reserve@unitedafa.org