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Official Newsletter of TWU Local 577, the Union of Allegiant Flight Attendants
MARCH 2015
Pilots: Broken
Agreements,
Major Disputes,
Awaiting
Justice
By Andrea Farwell, FLL
In an effort to build
solidarity as a united
force with our pilots
it is important for our
Members to have the
latest information about
the current status of
pilot negotiations and
legal proceedings with
the Company. Below is a
summary to better explain
where our pilots find
themselves in the process
of bargaining under the
Railway Labor Act.
Currently the Pilots have
requested a “Proffer of
Arbitration” from the
National Mediation Board.
In essence, this is a formal
request made to the
National Mediation Board
to have an arbitrator settle
the remaining articles of the
contract on behalf of the
parties in negotiations.
Recently the pilots union
attended a productive
meeting at the National
Mediation Board and are
awaiting a decision from the
three board members on
their request for a Proffer.
Under the RLA, if a proffer
of arbitration is granted,
either party can decline
arbitration. So, even though
the Pilots are requesting
a proffer of arbitration,
neither the Company nor
the Pilots have to agree to
it should a proffer be made
to the parties. If either party
declines the proffer, a 30
cooling off period would
begin before the parties
would be released for self
help, including a pilot strike
or company lock out. There
is no specific time table for
the above meeting, but
history would indicate that
the board should respond
within the next 30 days.
It should also be
mentioned that the pilots
have unresolved “major
disputes” with the company
and it is the Pilots position
that the Company remains
in violation of the status
quo requirements of the
Railway Labor Act. The
Pilots’ pending legal action
against the Company
regarding status quo stems
from their agreement
negotiated by AAPAG, their
former representative.
The Pilots were granted
a preliminary injunction
by a Federal judge in July
of last year, requiring the
Company to restore certain
aspects of the Pilot Work
Rules (the status quo) that
the Company unilaterally
changed since they elected
Teamster representation.
Currently, the Pilots are
awaiting word from the
judge regarding the
Company’s compliance
with his ruling. In this
regard, the Pilots have filed
a motion to amend the
injunction to require the
Company to restore the
PWR’s line bid scheduling
method, as well as a motion
to hold the Company and
senior officials in civil and
criminal contempt for failing
to abide by the Court’s
injunction and failing to
restore the status quo.
Meanwhile, the Company
has appealed the judge’s
injunction ruling that
AAPAG was the Pilots
representative and that the
pilot work rules constitute a
binding agreement.
The Company has forcefully
stated that it was never
its intention for the PWR
agreements to be binding
on the Company and that
it was free to disregard
the negotiated work rules
at any time. Ford and
Harrison attorney Doug Hall
argued for the company
to the appellate court that
the Pilot Work Rules were
a ‘mutually acceptable
arrangement’ that the
company was willing to
enter into but not be bound
by.
cont on next pg...
CONTACT US
questions, shop steward, safety reporting, work place issues
e: [email protected]
w: twu577.org
p: (866) 586-7117
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FLL
ASAP Report
By Tara Mitchell, PGD
The Aviation Safety Action
Program (ASAP)
consists of Allegiant
Inflight Management,
Training Manager, ASAP
Management, FAA Aviation
Safety Inspector, and TWU
Representatives.
The ASAP Program gives
fellow Flight Attendant’s the
opportunity to voluntarily
identify and report
cabin safety regulation
compliance violations
and other safety concerns
outside the scope of
discipline.
Pilots - cont
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IWA
It is important that we
report safety concerns and
issues that occur and that
may be more common
during high flying months
such as March madness.
ASAP is an effective tool
already in place at other
carriers and has recently
been implemented here at
Allegiant.
Recently, employing an often
used Union busting strategy,
the Flight Attendants have
heard assurances of change
from the Company under a new
management team. However,
as these talks were taking place,
the company’s legal team was in
court attempting to undermine
their previous agreement with the
Pilots. To be clear, it is estimated
the company has spent well over
TOPICS
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Why “tell” on myself? In
short, ASAP is a safe place
Crew can help the FAA
and our Company identify
potential risks to make sure
nothing slips through the
cracks. Improved policies
have been put in place
because of this valuable
feedback.
This position by the Company
is a far cry from the Company’s
position when the work rules were
negotiated.
hot
HNL
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LAS
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OAK
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PGD
All reports submitted are
analyzed and reviewed
by the Event Review
Committee, (ERC) to help
improve safety and reduce
deviations from FARs and
company policy. ASAP
reports must be submitted
within 24hours after the end
of your duty day or when
you became aware of the
event.
If you need extra time to
submit an ASAP report
be sure to call the ASAP
hotline 1-702-800-2030.
Please be sure to review
the Flight Attendant work
rules pertaining to fatigue
guidelines and Company
policy.
$100,000.00 to not be forced to
honor their promises. The irony
of such behavior underscores the
importance of having a detailed
and legally binding contract
including language assuring
the support and resources of a
national union to enforce that
agreement.
This is how work rules and
agreements are honored by
management. We need to
continue to fight for a contract that
cannot be discredited and violated
at the whims of management as
our work rules could be treated
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PIE
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SFB
“ASAP reports
are vital in
keeping our
workplace
a safe
place for
fellow Crew
and our
passengers.”
Marilou Resendes, PIE
To ask clarifying questions
about the ASAP program
or to leave us feedback,
please write us at
[email protected] or the
Contact Us page at
twu577.org.
the same way. Let’s ensure FAIR
treatment for all of us, as we stand
united with our Pilots and continue
to fight for our Contracts in 2015!
“The Allegiant Air Pilots Executive
Council is committed to assisting
our union brother and sister
flight attendants and dispatchers
achieve fair and equitable
contracts that recognize all of
our contributions to Allegiant’s
success” FO Cameron Graff,
Chairman.
United We Stand - Contract 2015
577 Town Hall Call - Tuesday, MARCH 31
Get up to the minute updates and be a part of what’s happening with our Union. Time and Dial-in info posted soon.