HITI Update

Dear Council 54 Flight Attendants,

[02.15.08] -- On January 16, 2008 an AFA e-news email was sent to you, as well as a hard copy, via your crew room mail file, addressing the current issue and MEC position of HITI limits while building monthly bids through the Preferential Bidding System.

As stated in the letter, AFA requested that the company execute two “test” bids to determine the effect of the elimination of HITI limits. The first of those “tests” are concluded. Because only one hundred forty (140) flight attendants participated, it was necessary to utilize two hundred and thirty (230) standing bids to complete this test.  Unfortunately, due to the lack of participation, the results did not capture the information needed for the purpose of determining whether or not the HITI limit should be eliminated. These “test” results are posted on the AFA website at www.afaaloha.com .

The second “test” bid will be conducted after the March bids are produced, using the March bid packet, and March flight attendant bid preferences. This “test” should provide a more accurate result, as it will reflect participation from all flight attendants. Results of the second test bid will also be available at www.afaaloha.com when complete.

AFA would like to thank the PBS Bid Blockers for their assistance in these necessary tests, as it is above and beyond the scope of their usual responsibilities. We would also like to thank all of you who participated in this effort.

As some of you are aware, an MEC grievance, which would have been representative of all members, was contemplated for the purpose of eliminating HITI limits. Upon further consideration, on January 24, 2008, a grievance was filed on behalf of specified flight attendants requesting an investigation and hearing based upon the company’s violation of “rights to a selection of bid runs in accordance with their preferences and awarded in order of their seniority”. The remedy requested for the named flight attendants and others was that the grievance be upheld, and that the company remove pairing restrictions during the bidding process. The grievance goes on to state that this issue was raised in October 2007 to the MEC, and the resulting assumption was that no limits would apply effective January 2008.

To clarify the background of this grievance, the MEC was contacted by a flight attendant in October 2007, and at that time, agreed that the HITI limit is indeed a violation of seniority, and that the issue would be addressed to the company. Since making that statement, we have further investigated the HITI limit and how it came to be an integral part of our PBS bidding. We realized that the earlier statement, agreeing that the HITI limit was a violation of seniority, was based on an over-simplification of the application of seniority as it pertains to PBS. The HITI limit has historically been adjusted to reflect the scheduled operation, and allows the PBS system to assign as much of the scheduled flying to bid awards, creating the highest amount of monthly bids possible.

It is believed that in order to eliminate the HITI limit, AFA would need to agree to decrease minimum days off at home base by 2, to continue to assign the maximum amount of scheduled flying possible. However, as we are unable to control the scheduled flying, it was determined that further decreasing our minimum days off at home base is not in the best interest of our membership at this time.

Consequently, upon further consultation with members of the PBS committee, members of the prior MEC, and Mark Littleton, AFA Sr. Staff Negotiator, the MEC determined that the elimination of the HITI limit was not possible without a truer understanding of the ramifications on the entire membership. As a result, the HITI limit remains at 9, as it has been since October 2003, and it was further determined that the grievance be withdrawn without prejudice.

A meeting took place on February 1, 2008, at the AFA office; present were Connie Young, MEC Grievance Chair, 5 flight attendants, and Gail Kim-Moe. Also present telephonically, for part of the meeting was Jay Trumble, AFA Staff Attorney and Negotiator. The underlying facts of this grievance were discussed, and while it is clear that we cannot always be in complete agreement as to how to resolve issues affecting the entire membership, it is through the participation and willingness of flight attendants that such issues are raised and resolved in the best interest of the entire membership.  Such participation is an essential component to the success within our union; we would like to thank each of these flight attendants for their time and commitment to this important issue.

Please feel free to contact us if further clarification or discussion would be helpful. We have heard from many of you regarding all aspects of this issue, and fully understand the implications for all, regardless of the outcome. Thank you for your patience as we continue to gather the information needed to determine whether a change is in order at this time.  We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

In Solidarity,

Gail & Robyn

• Click Here for February Test Bid Results