FROM THE DESK OF:

NICOLE ZIMMER, IBT/ RAH CHIEF STEWARD  

UPDATE #22—8/1/2007     < open in pdf format >

Hello again!

It was another busy week in Indianapolis. We had several cases to present to the System Board of Adjustment; all of them discipline/discharge cases. The System Board is the 2nd step in the grievance process covered in Articles 18 & 19. The System Board is comprised of one Company board member and one Union board member, who meet quarterly to hear our cases.

Most disciplinary grievances are filed because either the Company did not follow progressive discipline, or failed to offer union representation to ensure a fair process. Anytime the Company begins an investigation into a matter that could potentially lead to discipline, they should be offering the Flight Attendant union representation and they should also be promptly notifying the union. When they fail to do that, we have no way to be certain the Flight Attendant’s rights are protected. The union wants to ensure that all FA’s are treated fairly and equally under the contract. Help us do that by exercising your right to representation EVERYTIME you are contacted by a supervisor. This is the right of ALL FA’s, including those F/a still on probation.

This week I would like to talk about your obligation to be available to the Company, either while on duty, during your legal rest, or while enjoying your time off. The contract is very specific about who is required to be available to the Company and when.

Article 6 M 6 says:
“A reserve period will consist of a twelve (12) hour, same-day callout period. The Flight Attendant will be responsible for maintaining her availability during this period to cover potential assignments from Crew Planning/Scheduling.”

Article 6 M 7 clarifies even further –
“A reserve Flight Attendant will respond within twenty (20) minutes of the first contact from Crew Scheduling. Once a Flight Attendant receives notification of an assignment, she is no longer responsible to be available for contact prior to such assignment until report time.”

There are other places in the contract which outline the circumstances under which the Company “may attempt” contact (Art 6 J, Art 24 E), however only a reserve Flight Attendant during her reserve call out period is required to be telephone available to the Company. This means all other FA’s have no obligation to answer their phone. We proposed a different scenario during negotiations, but the Company has never been willing to pick up the expense of a cell phone or pager for a Flight Attendant. For that reason, language does not exist in the contrct that compels a Flight Attendant to make herself available, whether on duty, or off.

The Company may, and does, “attempt” contact through other means. For example, while you are on layover they may leave a message at the hotel front desk, or slide a note under your hotel room door. This does not constitute “direct contact.”

“Direct contact” may come in the form of an ACARS message to your pilots to be passed on to you before you duty-off. If you are unfortunate enough to have this happen to you, failure to call scheduling as directed (and can be verified) could result in a charge of insubordination, which could be a terminable offense. Please use your common sense.

Please also know that Scheduling does check your CrewTrac ™ activity. Every log in is recorded and although a CrewTrac™ log on does NOT constitute notification; management will attempt to use it against you if they think you are playing games.

It’s never fun to be rescheduled. But it is the nature of the business. Know your rights under the contract and ask them to adhere to the rescheduling provisions. Don’t answer your phone when you are not obligated to do so, and always use your common sense when dealing with the Company. We would prefer that you not be one of our next cases for System Board.

Finally, please keep the family and friends of our STL based Capt. Boubacar Fall in your prayers and remember that life is so precious, don’t waste a minute of it on foolishness. That’s all for this week! Keep smiling and taking care of each other. Be a mentor and a friend! Treat everyone the way you would have them treat you.

Until next week!
Nicole Zimmer

Chief Steward - RAH/IBT Local 135

nicole-zimmer@sbcglobal.net

989-980-9911 (cell)

989-343-1576 (fax)