The overage is actually 110 but they are saying RIF to only 60? How will that work? What about the overage this will create for the LGA domestic FAs? Are overage leaves on the way?
Here's the letter:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To All JFK FAs:
We have been advised that this Friday, Sept 16th, 2011, AA will announce a JFK Reduction in Force effective November 1, 2011 for up to 60 FAs.
In speaking with the Planning/Manning Dept along with Interim Regional Managing Director Frank Campagna yesterday, I was advised that this is the step they must go.
Originally, the plan was for up to 100 FAs however, after much discussion, the company did agree to reduce that number to 'up to' 60.
They advised that in doing so, there is still the potential of up to 40 Fall Offs each month.
It is our hope that the remaining possible Fall Offs will be off-set by Bid Leave requests each month.
Additionally, we are hopeful that of the 'up to' 60 number for the RIF will be filled by some volunteer FAs looking for a temporary, (hopefully no more than 6 month) change.
In the month of September 2011, there were 45 Fall Offs and 49% of them were volunteer. There was also 40 man months (40 full time jobs) given out in bid leaves.
For the month of October, Planning is hoping to have upwards of 40 man months (40 full time jobs) in bid leave requests. We will have Fall Offs for October as well.
Now, the questions. I will try to provide the answers as best I can.
1. How do I find out if I may be subject to the RIF?
Go to the Flight Service page on JetNet and click on "Web Roster" under the Helpful Links section which may be found on the right hand side of the page. Once the Web Roster page opens up select New York JFK under "Crewbase" then go to the "Sort by" option and select Seniority Number. Once the list is brought up - it should be 38 pages - go to the last page (38) and count backwards 60 people.
2. Why the RIF?
We have an overage of roughly 110 positions due to HND not coming back until JUN 2012. When there is that large of an overage, per the contract, if there is a steady foreseeable overage for longer than 6 months, the company can do a RIF.
3. Why then did the company have proffers into JFK this spring and summer?
Simply put, we could not cover the current and new flying that we had in April 2011. We did not have enough people at JFK to cover the 2nd BCN or the BUD trip. We repeatedly asked if other bases could cover one or two of our more consistent trips (such as LHR or some of our Caribbean flying so as to not take on more FAs and possibly run into an overage in the fall) and NONE of the other INT'l bases could cover the flying. IDF, IMA, IOR were all in the same boat as us. Any additional flying transferred from our base to another base would cause them to have a proffer in order to cover the flying only to leave them with an overage later in the year. This is something that clearly, the respective Chairpeople would fight. If AA wanted to transfer flying to JFK temporarily and it would result in a necessary proffer for us, I too, would have fought it tooth and nail. The difference here is that these 2 new trips originated and terminated at JFK. They were essentially, our flying. Further, the planning dept had expected that HND would come back after the initial delay of the service and more importantly, FCO was supposed to remain all year. That subsequently changed, with HND being suspended until JUN 2012 and FCO going back to seasonal flying and being suspended from NOV to April.
4. Am I subject to RSV at LGA if I am RIF'd regardless of my rotation at JFK?
Yes, as many of you know, if and until that language gets changed in our next CBA, a RIF is a transfer in base and you are subject to RSV if your seniority warrants it regardless of previous service. However, unlike in 2009, there are now many newly recalled FAs at LGA who are junior to even our most junior FA at JFK. These FAs of course will be below you on the RSV list at JFK. We are hopeful that this will alleviate any change to your current rotation.
5. Does the APFA have the power to stop a proffer or stop a RIF?
Absolutely not! Contrary to what many believe and all the emails that I will receive asking me how I could let this happen, I, as the Chairperson, nor the entity of the APFA, DO NOT possess the authority, the power, nor the magic wand to make it stop. I can kick, scream, pound my fist, jump up and down, stand on my head, and ultimately, the Company will do what they deem necessary to cover the operation. That being said, I do think that they will take into consideration what I have to say on the matter and I believe that they did with this RIF. I made it perfectly clear, that if necessary, I would rather see all FAs remain based at JFK and for them to do Fall Offs each month as needed. They said they could not do that. The original overage and thus calling for the RIF was 100. After my pointing out to them that I believe there will be a number of FAs who will volunteer to Fall off each month during the holiday months coupled with what I believe will be a higher number than normal of FAs who will request bid leaves during the holiday months, the company agreed to drop that number to 'up to' 60 rather than 100. They are hopeful it may even be less than 60. I asked about additional VCs via move up requests to be granted to offset the overage but that provides minimal relief due to budgetary restraints on the allotted vacations per month.
Now, all that being said, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news and it is our biggest hope that there will be some who will volunteer to go back to domestic for the change which will offset the Forced RIF'd FAs and it is our hope that all who wish to be back at JFK will be recalled by April 1st 2012.
In Unity,
xxx yyy
Here's the letter:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To All JFK FAs:
We have been advised that this Friday, Sept 16th, 2011, AA will announce a JFK Reduction in Force effective November 1, 2011 for up to 60 FAs.
In speaking with the Planning/Manning Dept along with Interim Regional Managing Director Frank Campagna yesterday, I was advised that this is the step they must go.
Originally, the plan was for up to 100 FAs however, after much discussion, the company did agree to reduce that number to 'up to' 60.
They advised that in doing so, there is still the potential of up to 40 Fall Offs each month.
It is our hope that the remaining possible Fall Offs will be off-set by Bid Leave requests each month.
Additionally, we are hopeful that of the 'up to' 60 number for the RIF will be filled by some volunteer FAs looking for a temporary, (hopefully no more than 6 month) change.
In the month of September 2011, there were 45 Fall Offs and 49% of them were volunteer. There was also 40 man months (40 full time jobs) given out in bid leaves.
For the month of October, Planning is hoping to have upwards of 40 man months (40 full time jobs) in bid leave requests. We will have Fall Offs for October as well.
Now, the questions. I will try to provide the answers as best I can.
1. How do I find out if I may be subject to the RIF?
Go to the Flight Service page on JetNet and click on "Web Roster" under the Helpful Links section which may be found on the right hand side of the page. Once the Web Roster page opens up select New York JFK under "Crewbase" then go to the "Sort by" option and select Seniority Number. Once the list is brought up - it should be 38 pages - go to the last page (38) and count backwards 60 people.
2. Why the RIF?
We have an overage of roughly 110 positions due to HND not coming back until JUN 2012. When there is that large of an overage, per the contract, if there is a steady foreseeable overage for longer than 6 months, the company can do a RIF.
3. Why then did the company have proffers into JFK this spring and summer?
Simply put, we could not cover the current and new flying that we had in April 2011. We did not have enough people at JFK to cover the 2nd BCN or the BUD trip. We repeatedly asked if other bases could cover one or two of our more consistent trips (such as LHR or some of our Caribbean flying so as to not take on more FAs and possibly run into an overage in the fall) and NONE of the other INT'l bases could cover the flying. IDF, IMA, IOR were all in the same boat as us. Any additional flying transferred from our base to another base would cause them to have a proffer in order to cover the flying only to leave them with an overage later in the year. This is something that clearly, the respective Chairpeople would fight. If AA wanted to transfer flying to JFK temporarily and it would result in a necessary proffer for us, I too, would have fought it tooth and nail. The difference here is that these 2 new trips originated and terminated at JFK. They were essentially, our flying. Further, the planning dept had expected that HND would come back after the initial delay of the service and more importantly, FCO was supposed to remain all year. That subsequently changed, with HND being suspended until JUN 2012 and FCO going back to seasonal flying and being suspended from NOV to April.
4. Am I subject to RSV at LGA if I am RIF'd regardless of my rotation at JFK?
Yes, as many of you know, if and until that language gets changed in our next CBA, a RIF is a transfer in base and you are subject to RSV if your seniority warrants it regardless of previous service. However, unlike in 2009, there are now many newly recalled FAs at LGA who are junior to even our most junior FA at JFK. These FAs of course will be below you on the RSV list at JFK. We are hopeful that this will alleviate any change to your current rotation.
5. Does the APFA have the power to stop a proffer or stop a RIF?
Absolutely not! Contrary to what many believe and all the emails that I will receive asking me how I could let this happen, I, as the Chairperson, nor the entity of the APFA, DO NOT possess the authority, the power, nor the magic wand to make it stop. I can kick, scream, pound my fist, jump up and down, stand on my head, and ultimately, the Company will do what they deem necessary to cover the operation. That being said, I do think that they will take into consideration what I have to say on the matter and I believe that they did with this RIF. I made it perfectly clear, that if necessary, I would rather see all FAs remain based at JFK and for them to do Fall Offs each month as needed. They said they could not do that. The original overage and thus calling for the RIF was 100. After my pointing out to them that I believe there will be a number of FAs who will volunteer to Fall off each month during the holiday months coupled with what I believe will be a higher number than normal of FAs who will request bid leaves during the holiday months, the company agreed to drop that number to 'up to' 60 rather than 100. They are hopeful it may even be less than 60. I asked about additional VCs via move up requests to be granted to offset the overage but that provides minimal relief due to budgetary restraints on the allotted vacations per month.
Now, all that being said, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news and it is our biggest hope that there will be some who will volunteer to go back to domestic for the change which will offset the Forced RIF'd FAs and it is our hope that all who wish to be back at JFK will be recalled by April 1st 2012.
In Unity,
xxx yyy
