May 30, 2024
Participants for AMFA
Earl Clark – Region I Director
Will Abbott – Region II Director
Chuck Clum – Airline Representative
James Lambert – Negotiating Committee Member
Lucas Middlebrook – Legal Counsel
Participants for Horizon Air
Cheri Ruger – MD, People & Labor Relations
Audrey Kahawai-Kekipi – Sr. Labor Relations BP
Baron Converse – MD, Maintenance Operations
Latrice Lee – Legal Counsel
Kyle Moline – Director, Financial Planning & Analysis
The AMFA-Horizon Negotiating Committee (the “Committee”) is providing this update to the membership at Horizon Air. This is the only officially authorized source of negotiating communications by your Committee.
AMFA and Horizon met in Seattle on May 20-22, 2024, to continue bargaining towards a successor collective bargaining agreement (CBA). On Day 1, AMFA presented a counterproposal to Article 8 – Field Trips & Training, including language regarding the transport of tools to/from Field Trips and how that process would be coordinated with the Company. In addition, the counterproposal tentatively agreed to a significant reduction in limitations on how long you can be mandatorily required to be away on a field trip. AMFA’s Article 8 counterproposal also focused on minimum hotel standards (including certain amenities) when employees are sent on field trip assignments for more than three nights. Finally, AMFA continued to propose a double time rate for hours worked on Rescue/AOG trips and a daily per diem in accordance with Governmental Services Administration (GSA) rates and guidelines.
The Company caucused and was prepared with a counterproposal on Article 8 in the afternoon on Day 1. The Company’s counterproposal made progress toward tentative agreement on the issues of tool transport and minimum hotel standards. Unfortunately, the Company’s counterproposal fell short on both Rescue/AOG pay and per diem. While the Company proposed a 1.75 rate for these trips, it did not include that compensation for time at a hotel. AMFA explained that its proposal sought to align this pay with what is in the new Alaska CBA, which does not include an exception for time at a hotel. In addition, the Company continues to resist agreement to GSA per diem rates. Instead, the Company proposed an hourly per diem rate that falls short of providing you with funds to appropriately feed yourself while on these trips.
AMFA presented another counterproposal on Article 8 wherein the parties were close to alignment on the tools and hotel issues. AMFA, to align with the new Alaska CBA, counter-proposed a 1.75 rate for Rescue/AOG trips with no exception when sent to a hotel. In addition, AMFA proposed a higher hourly rate for per diem in the continental U.S. and GSA rates when outside the continental U.S. The Company returned another Article 8 counter at the end of Day 1 and reached tentative agreement on the tools and hotel issues. Yet, once again, the Company’s counter maintained its earlier position on Rescue/AOG rates and only slightly increased its hourly per diem rate proposal. AMFA informed the Company it would be prepared with an Article 8 counter on the morning of Day 2.
At the beginning of Day 2, AMFA delivered another counterproposal on Article 8. The remaining two issues involved the Rescue/AOG rates and per diem. In an effort to reach tentative agreement prior to economics, AMFA proposed the 1.75 rate with straight time paid when the technician is sent to a hotel. As to per diem, AMFA proposed separate higher hourly rates for trips within and outside the continental U.S. AMFA reserved its right to seek daily GSA per diem rates if the parties were unable to reach tentative agreement on Article 8 before the negotiation of economics. The Company caucused to consider AMFA’s most recent Article 8 counterproposal and AMFA used that time to meet electronically with our economist to begin preparing an economic package proposal.
In the afternoon of Day 2, the Company returned another counter to Article 8. Unfortunately, this counter made no movement on the Rescue/AOG rate and again fell short of proper per diem payment for you while traveling for the Company. AMFA passed its first proposal on Article 2 – Recognition & Scope, which included general cleanups, inclusion of an MRO limitation side letter, and inclusion of the No Furlough side letter into the body of Article 2. However, when moving the No Furlough side letter into Article 2, AMFA removed the force majeure (Act of God) exception to provide you with better protection from furlough, involuntary transfers and/or reductions or downgrades. The Company returned a counter to Article 2, which included the force majeure exception, which would have the effect of weakening the no furlough provision. AMFA advised the Company it would discuss articles 2 and 8 internally and be prepared with a response at the outset of Day 3.
AMFA, at the beginning of Day 3, informed the Company it would “table” the Rescue/AOG rate and per diem issues in Article 8 and include those within its economic package proposal. AMFA felt this was necessary given the Company’s stubbornness on these issues. AMFA returned a counterproposal on Article 2 that once again removed the force majeure exception from the no furlough provision. In addition, AMFA cleaned the Article to remove prior references to furloughs, involuntary transfers and/or reductions resulting from subcontracting to align with the inclusion of the no furlough provision in the body of Article 2. The Company accepted AMFA’s proposals in this respect, including complete removal of the force majeure exception to the no furlough provision, and the parties were able to reach a TA on Article 2. AMFA spent the remainder of Day 3 meeting electronically with our economist to further prepare our economic package proposal.
The parties are scheduled to resume bargaining on June 3-5 and June 24-27 in Seattle. AMFA will be prepared with its economic package proposal at the next session with our economist, Peter Manikowski, present. We continue to extend an invitation to all Horizon members to attend and watch the process of negotiation. Space will be limited to room capacity; please contact AMFA-Horizon Air Airline Representative (ALR) Chuck Clum if you are interested in attending.
Fraternally,
Your AMFA Negotiating Committee
