From: www.unitedafa.org

The latest Purser Recurrent Training (scheduled as “LDR”) has prompted some questions about Contractual provisions for bidding training. Sections 9.P.6 & 12.D.7. of the Contract provide the mechanism for recurrent training for Flight Attendants who are purser qualified. This recurrent training is separate and distinct from the Contractual provision to attend periodic meetings for which compensation is paid based on the language in Section 15.A. Over the past several years, the company has offered optional ‘seminars’, held in the Operations Planning Center in Chicago. Attendance at these seminars has been on a strictly voluntary basis and, over time, Flight Attendants attending these seminars were able to satisfy the requirement to attend periodic meetings.

The training currently outlined in the Bid Package Cover Letter – Purser Recurrent Training – is not a seminar or a meeting. Attendance at Purser Recurrent Training is a requirement and scheduling is accomplished based on the language in Sections 15.G. & H. – the same language that’s used for Recurrent Emergency Training (RET).

Preference months for training were bid and awarded in late 2009. Check your FAINFO screen, field 7, to determine your bid preference month. This bid preference month is the equivalent of the RET “must go” month and bidding is conducted in the same manner. Lineholder Flight Attendants are expected to attend training on days off but are not required to waive any legality to attend training nor are Flight Attendants expected to RDO, trade or PTO IDs to attend this training. If scheduling of this training cannot be accomplished without violating minimum days off or other legal rest provisions, IDs will be dropped to attend training and Flight Attendants will be paid consistent with the provisions of Section 15.G. & H. of our Contract. 

Keep in mind, the company will schedule you to attend training on any dates during the month where scheduling can be accomplished on a day off without the need to pay protect an ID. If you bid for a date that requires waiver of any legality other than the 24-in-7, or the minimum ‘rest before work’ Federal Air Regulations – the legality is considered waived. Pay protection for any ID(s) is based on the original line of flying and does not include ID(s) traded or picked up from open flying or by RDO.

Reserves do not bid. Purser recurrent training is scheduled on days of availability based on the reserve line awarded. There is no requirement to trade days of availability in order for training to be scheduled on the ‘first or last’ days of a reserve block of availability. If it is your preference month, you should be scheduled to attend recurrent based on the dates on which the company has made training available.