PFAA Calls It "Win-Win"

The Professional Flight Attendants Association has come to an agreement with Northwest Airlines on how to recall furloughed flights attendants.  The idea is to replace active flight attendants who take long-term leaves-of-absence wiith those who've been laid off. It also calls for Northwest to extend laid-off workers' health care benefits and travel pass eligibility.

In order to ensure service levels, especially during the high-traffic holiday season and illness-prone winter months, Northwest has agreed to offer voluntary, non-cancelable "convenience leaves" of up to 11 months, with starting dates in January 2004. The leaves will be awarded to applicants based on seniority.

For every flight attendant who takes a voluntary leave of six months or more under this agreement, the airline will recall at least one furloughed flight attendant, according to Guy Meek, interim PFAA president. The recalls, which are voluntary on the employees' part, will have effective dates starting on December 15, 2003 and in no case later than March 1, 2004. An employee who declines a recall offer will remain eligible for future recall offers.

For furloughed flight attendants currently paying COBRA health care premiums, Northwest will extend the COBRA benefits eligibility period through March 2005. COBRA eligibility normally ends 18 months after an employee is laid off. In addition, they will have their travel privileges extended to March 2005.

Northwest has the right to re-furlough recalled employees until March 1, 2005 without an unpredictable "force majeure" event. After that date, however, flight attendants recalled under the agreement and still on active status become permanent employees. (Employees who are on active, non-furloughed status today cannot be furloughed except in the case of a force majeure event.)

"It's customary for flight attendants to take voluntary leaves for maternity and other personal reasons. We saw a way to expand this to benefit our furloughed members," said Peter Fiske, interim member-at-large.

"This 'win-win' agreement is a model for cooperative problem-solving between labor and management," added Jose Arturo Ibarra, interim vice president. "You would not see a traditional union taking a creative approach like this." He said the special agreement does not affect the flight attendants' labor contract or PFAA's determination to resolve other issues, such as Northwest's failure to permit union dues to be deducted from flight attendants' paychecks.

Earlier, the PFAA had sent an open letter to Northwest, suggesting the airline kick off relations with the new union on a good note by recalling flight attendants. The letter said, "We would remind the executives at Northwest Airlines that we currently have 1,961 professional flight attendants on layoff status who have been anxious to return to work since the day they were furloughed. Additionally, those crewmembers working short-staffed flights would appreciate the much-needed help on those flights."

The letter concluded by saying, "We urge Northwest Airlines to do the right thing. Recall flight attendants to help staff our flights properly and put the focus back on the people; extend the pass benefits for all furloughed workers beyond the end of the year; allow furloughed workers to make COBRA payments for much needed health insurance; and treat the employees at NWA like you would like to be treated—with dignity, respect and fairness. There is no better time to start a new working relationship than with a new union. Do the right thing."

FMI: www.pfaa.com