11/21/2024 

In this issue:

• Two (2) Tentative Agreements reached
• Open items on five (5) other sections passed at this month's negotiations 
• Next Steps
• Negotiation Overview
• Upcoming Dates (UPDATES BELOW)
• Action Items

Dear Avelo Flight Attendants:

The Pace Picks Up

Last week, we finished a jam-packed mediation-negotiations session with Management that resulted in us coming to an agreement on two sections: Vacancies and Union Activities. Our federal mediator kept the pace moving by putting pressure on both teams to put proposals on the table and respond to those given. We exchanged 14 proposals in 1 day!  That is significant and we engaged in a lot of good discussion in which AFA advocated for and voiced concerns concerning Avelo Flight Attendants!

Participating in this session for AFA: George Stumpf (Avelo BUR based FA, AFA Negotiation & Scheduling Committee Member), Noël Gibeau (Avelo HVN based FA, AFA MEC/LEC President, Negotiation Committee Member), and Paula Mastrangelo (AFA Senior Staff Negotiator)

Participating in this session for Management: Jeff Painter (Avelo Head of Inflight), Sean Hopkins (Avelo Head of Contracts), and Susan Kramer (outside counsel from F&H Solutions)

Tentative Agreements on Sections:

[We negotiate the contract in separate “sections” and reach tentative agreement on an entire section at a time. Once all sections are tentatively agreed-to, then Avelo Flight Attendants will vote on the full “tentative agreement”] 

Vacancies:  This section addresses how Flight Attendants can bid for and be awarded vacancies. We wanted to ensure that sufficient notice is given, vacancies are awarded in system seniority, you have adequate time to get to the new base, and that all vacancies are offered to existing Flight Attendants prior to new hires. 

1. Some highlights: secured a minimum of 30 days from time of transfer award to date expected in the new base (improvement from today), secured a minimum 60 day notice period prior to awarding transfers to a newly-opened base, giving absolute priority to existing Flight Attendants (no language today), secured seniority based award (newly added language to playbook, but now protected). 

2. Shout-out to all who participated in our “transfer focus group” – your experience and suggestions helped us craft proposals that addressed those needs.

Union Activities:  This section puts in place processes so that Avelo Flight Attendants who are serving as your AFA leaders and representatives have the tools to represent you and advocate for you. Additionally, it establishes regular meetings with Management and your Avelo AFA leaders to meet with Management and advocate for Flight Attendant interests and represent individual members.

Sections Discussed and Still in Play:

Moving Expenses:  This guarantees that any Flight Attendant required to change bases involuntarily (base closed, downsized, etc.) would receive adequate moving days and moving expenses. The Negotiation Committee interviewed a number of Flight Attendants who have experienced an Avelo transfer/move to get perspective and make sure our proposal was on track with their experience and addressed any concerns and stress points. This was extremely helpful and enlightening. We are still apart on how much the company must pay to cover moving expenses, broken leases, how far from the airport the new residence must be.  With all the rumors rolling around, this is an important section. We will continue to fight for you!

Uniforms:  Honestly, we are so surprised this is still being discussed! We have made a lot of progress, but outstanding issues are 1) our ability to choose which AFA pin to wear on our uniform; 2) required heel-height maximum (yes, this is 2024!!); and 3) how new-hire uniform costs are handled. It's baffling that Management still insists on controlling our footwear choices, especially when the primary concern should be finding shoes that are comfortable and safe for a job that requires us to spend the majority of our time on our feet. We hope this one is resolved soon!

Expenses:  Only two previsions remain open in this section: parking and internet access at RONs. AFA and the Company agreed that base parking will be provided, however we are apart when it comes to dual base parking. The Negotiation Committee feels strongly that if Flight Attendants are assigned or picking up Open Time at a dual base, in turn helping out operations, parking should be provided. Both sides agree that someone at one dual base would receive parking if assigned to cover a trip at the other dual base. The Negotiation Committee will review this proposal for next month's negotiations. The negotiated per diem rate will be addressed when we negotiate the compensation section.

Hours of Service:  This section spells out parameters and limitations on our daily work, including minimum days off in a month.  We have a few open previsions in this section regarding minimum rest, report and release time, and minimum days off. Of course, we are proposing better than we have now, but are running into resistance from Management. Our goal is to make Avelo a better place to work and we will keep plugging ahead.

Vacation:  We have made some minor gains in this area, but still have work to do. Management is pushing back on our fight for more vacation allocation. Two weeks is not enough, especially given the demands of our job. We have, however, come to the agreement to provide vacation on a longevity scale. In other words, the longer a Flight Attendant stays with the Company, the more vacation she/he/they will be granted. Longevity is typically a huge incentive to stay with a company. And currently, Avelo has not demonstrated they value longevity. We see this with our current vacation grant and our compensation scale where wages are more competitive at year one, but decrease in competitiveness the longer you stay with the Company.  

Next Steps:

Our next session is December 16th, and your Negotiating Committee has two prep sessions scheduled with our AFA Staff Negotiator to prepare. Thanks to everyone who attended our Zoom Update Meeting and to all of you who continue to support AFA and offer your suggestions for negotiations. Together we will make Avelo an airline where Flight Attendants will want to spend their career.

Negotiations Overview:

Section Progress Chart:

 

[image above of AFA Status Chart at Avelo updated 11/15/24 - displays each of the current 26 sections up for negotiation and there status as TA'd, open and management's turn to respond, open and AFA's turn to respond, or to be proposed] 

Negotiation Road Map:

 

[image above illustrates the negotiation process bound by the Railway Labor Act (RLA). These procedures serve as a roadmap, showing both the starting point and the end goal—presenting Avelo AFA Members with a Tentative Agreement for ratification, as indicated by the light blue boxes on the roadmap.] 

Upcoming Dates:

UPDATE: December Negotiations with management Tuesday, December 16 - via Zoom

UPDATE: December Negotiation Update Meeting via Zoom Wednesday, December 18, 2024 18:00-19:00 ET (15:00-16:00 PT)

Future Negotiations and Subsequent Update Meeting Dates 

January 22-24 in Orlando

Negotiation Update Meeting (possibly in-person+Zoom) Thursday, January 23, 2025 18:30-19:30  ET (15:00-16:30 PT)

February 25-27 TBD Location

Negotiation Update Meeting via Zoom Wednesday, February 26, 2025 18:30-19:30  ET (15:30-16:30 PT)

March 25-27 TBD Location (possibly changing - will update in next newsletter)

Negotiation Update Meeting via Zoom Wednesday, March 26, 2025 18:30-19:30  ET (15:30-16:30 PT)

April 22-24 TBD Location

Negotiation Update Meeting via Zoom Wednesday, April 23, 2025 18:30-19:30 ET (15:30-16:30 PT)

Action Items:

1. Become a member

2. Wear your AFA pin (click here if to request an AFA Unity Pin through any of our platforms or contact us page)

3. Stay informed (check!): newsletters, update meetings, and word of mouth are currently our primary method of committing our progress, history, and goals with members. So make sure you've completed step one so you are added to the mailing list). We also hope to make improvements to our website to help make all the hard work we have been doing together more accessible and user friendly. Thank you for your patience as we undertake this project. Shameless plug-- we are open to any help :)

4. Already knocked out action items 1-3? Amazing! These steps alone are huge for building our unity and collective bargaining power. But if you’re ready to take it even further, give me a call. Let’s connect you with leaders at your base and keep growing our solidarity.