Welcome galley princess!
I like the ideas except the reinstatement of the international division. I was in the international division and thought it was the most retarded thing ever. For the company- why maintain a seperate base of F/As when they can just be qualified for everything? Especially in CLT, have a base for one flight? That is seriously dumb. Why have people sitting around for 20 flights (PHL), or 1 flight (CLT) that you can't use for the hundreds of other daily trips... and paying them all a highly hourly wage to be an 'international' person sitting at home? No...
Secondly, we are not exactly Pan Am crisscrossing the globe performing complex services on 747s. We have twenty widebodies and some 757s to 20 cities in Europe. The services we perform in both classes are on par with other airlines (and our former) transcon product. If someone can't figure out how to use the duty free machine or IFE systems they should not be allowed out in public, much less responsible for people's lives. If you are based in Philly, that's the transatlantic gateway, so that's the type of flying you do... if you like domestic, CLT, Shuttle DCA etc... All F/As should be trained for all aircraft and service regardless of base- when you start 'dividing' things you start to get in trouble with contracts changing and seniority not honored.
My proposal would be shifts of reserve. I believe west has this, and the MDA contract as well. Two shifts of reserve a day- R1 4am-4pm, and R2 4pm-4am. If you are on R1, expect a call at 6am. If you are on R2 be prepared for that returning Venice call at 2am.
As far as rotating reserve, who cares if people walk around saying "that will never pass"? Ok, how about we all say, well, a contract without it will never pass. Big whoop! Our F/As are full of sh*t when it comes to voting anyway. Similar to national politics, most of them don't even vote, and obviously those who do make some pretty dodgy choices. Let Mike Flores say that to me so I can laugh at him. Rotating reserve is pretty much industry standard. The US East people need to realize that our next few contracts, which will be through mergers, will be more like other contracts instead of the odd, Carol Austin style contract we have now. Things like the bid sheet are gone. Like I said earlier, the group has made itself insignificant- not only are we half the size we once were (partially our own fault- give up all to protect the top mentality), the group that benefits from these things is now smaller than the group who will not.
So, they need to get over themselves.
My rough proposal:
* Rotating reserve, or access days, up to 20 years. Our current membership allows 20 year reserves full time right now, so how can they say a month of reserve a year is unacceptable? Ithink the idea is 20 year reserves are ok as long as it's not in your base. I'm sure PIT reserves would agree.
* 2 shifts of reserve as described above, R1 and R2
* 80 hour guarantee
* 4 hour callout.
* 6 hour OPR. There would be at least 6 OPRS at the airport on shifts throughout the day, dependent on times trips leave from that domicile. Pay would be 5 hours. This allows a 4 hour callout time, which gives F/As much more flexibility in living arrangements.
* Who cares where you are if we don't need you. If I'm US Airways, I don't care if you are hitchhiking the Kansas plains or swimming in the Gulf of Mexico while you are on call. I don't care if you come to work on Septa, US Airways, or paraglide off a hot air balloon. Just be there at check in. Otherwise, who cares if you are in base or not. Only adults are allowed to work here. Your job is not to sit in a house with 30 people in Essington looking at a computer and arguing about who's turn it is to walk to Wawa. Your job is to be available to show up for check-in when you are called. If you don't, you are disciplined up to and including termination. Simple. Stop chasing people you aren't using to see if they are in base. A four callout would eliminate a lot of this silliness anyway.
* Call in. Another reserve option I'd have- obviously a senior reserve option- is call-in. Leave a list, then call at 4pm the night before and find out if you have a trip, OPR, or are released. Easy. You have the rest of the day and possibly the next one to get to base. This would obviously be held by the most senior reserves- likely those on thier month of reserve rotation. Hmmm... calling the night before to see if you have a trip or got the one you wanted- isn't that sort of similar to riding the bid sheet and such? That's not something a flight atendant can put up with for ONE month out of the year? Keep in mind the most senior would also bid to do thier reserve month in a month no one flies. Hmmm, 80 hours at topped out pay to not work a single leg or have to come to base? Maybe once or twice a month? That's like being on a 20 hour option but paid for 80. You'd think our folks would be all over that.
* More flexibility in trading. As long as we're legal, why can't we trade trips? Or final legs if someone is commuting? If I'm getting laid in Fresno and Patrick wants to go to the furniture show in Greensboro, what difference is it to the company if we swap?
* Better computer system. If you're an 80's child like me you'll remember playing Oregon Trail in school. Remember? That's what CATCREW reminds me of... Option 18... oh no! I've lost 74 bullets and 2 oxen... and Amy has dysentary! There is much better software available that provides the company and the flight attendant with more real-time information.