August 12, 2025
Participants for AMFA
Jason Salazar – Airline Representative
Ernest Harris – Member at Large
Lucas Middlebrook – Legal Counsel
Peter Manikowski – Economist
Participants for Spirit Airlines
Robert Jones – Vice President, Labor Relations
Barney Whaley – Regional Director, Maintenance
Joe Harmon– Sr. Manager, Maintenance
Kimberly Maya – Human Resources
Tabitha Rybacki – Paralegal
The AMFA-Spirit Negotiating Committee (the “Committee”) is providing this update to the Membership at Spirit Airlines (“Spirit”). This is the only official source of negotiating communications by the Committee.
The Parties held a three-day bargaining session, August 5-7, 2025, in Chicago to continue bargaining toward a first collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the Spirit group. This was our tenth session in mediation with the National Mediation Board.
On Day 1, the Company made its first counterproposal on Article 13 – Vacations. The Union initially proposed Article 13 as part of its comprehensive proposal of June 2023. The Company’s Vacation proposal focused on capturing the current practice at Spirit. The Parties engaged in productive discussion to understand the Company’s proposal and determine where areas of alignment could be in advance of any AMFA counterproposal. The Company then presented a counterproposal on Article 4 – Classifications. Additional alignment was found on certain job descriptions. However, the Company remained opposed to a Lead Inspector Classification, and more work was needed on open issues related to the Senior AMT designation. AMFA presented a counterproposal on Article 5 – Hours of Service, wherein issues remained related to shift start time changes and notice to the Union in the event of a temporary assignment. In addition, AMFA continued to push for guardrails of a shift trade/swap system to be included as language within the CBA. The Parties engaged in helpful discussion on all articles presented on Day 1 and spent the remainder of the day in caucus preparing counterproposals.
On Day 2, AMFA presented a counterproposal on Article 4 – Classifications. AMFA continued to propose Lead Inspector as a classification, but increased the ratio required for the position in the event the bargaining unit grows in the future. The Parties were able to move closer to alignment on the Senior AMT designation with fewer issues remaining open. Following a lengthy dialogue between the Parties related to the open issues within Classifications, the Company presented a counterproposal on Article 5 – Hours of Service. The Company moved slightly on the remaining shift start time changes and temporary assignment issues. However, for the first time during these negotiations, the Company did not simply strike the shift trade/swap language proposed by AMFA. This led to a productive discussion on the issue for which more negotiation is needed before reaching tentative agreement.
AMFA presented its first counterproposal on Article 13 – Vacations at the beginning of Day 3. AMFA spent considerable time in caucus preparing this counterproposal to ensure an orderly bidding process for vacation. In addition, AMFA proposed the ability for you to carry over and be paid out for a certain number of vacation hours. The Company had only proposed a use-it-or-lose-it model. AMFA also proposed the ability to use vacation hours on a day-at-a-time (DAT) basis in certain circumstances. The Parties engaged in considerable discussion regarding AMFA’s Article 13 counterproposal in an effort to reach conceptual alignment before the Company returns a counterproposal at the next session. The Company then presented a counterproposal on Article 4 – Classifications, which found additional common ground related to the training/authorizations associated with the Senior AMT designation. However, issues of importance remain open in this article. AMFA closed the session with presentation of another counterproposal on Article 5 – Hours of Service, which sought to bring alignment on the open issues related to shift start time changes, temporary assignment notice to the Union and shift trades/swaps. The Parties, following productive dialogue, both expressed the sentiment this article may be close to tentative agreement pending further negotiation on certain items that will be held until economic discussions.
For the next session, scheduled for September 23-25 in Chicago, the Mediator requested the Company to be prepared with counterproposals on Article 5 – Hours of Service; Article 13 – Vacations; Article 6 Overtime, and Article 12 – Furlough and Recall, and AMFA to be prepared with counterproposals on Article 4 – Classifications and Article 11 – Vacancies.
Thank you to everybody who has reached out to your ALR, Jason Salazar, and your Negotiator-at-Large, Ernie Harris, to offer your strong support for this Committee. As we mentioned in the last update, no question or concern is too small, and if you need information, your ALR and this Committee are here for you.
Remember – stay engaged, remain informed, and continue to support the Negotiating Committee, as that support increases the ability to bargain a CBA that your hard work deserves.
Fraternally,
AMFA–Spirit Negotiating Committee
