November 26, 2024
Participants for AMFA
Chuck Clum – Airline Representative
James Lambert – Negotiating Committee Member
Lucas Middlebrook – Legal Counsel
Peter Manikowski - Economist
Participants for Horizon Air
Cheri Ruger – MD, People & Labor Relations
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 Airlines. This is the only officially authorized source of negotiating communications by your Committee.
AMFA and Horizon met in Seattle November 18-19, 2024, to continue bargaining toward a successor CBA. At the beginning of Day 1, the Company presented a counterproposal on Article 8 – Field Trips and Training; Article 14 – Sick Leave and Article 23, Paragraph B as related to 401(k) terms. Article 14 was previously entitled Extended Leave (EL), but the parties are negotiating to replace EL with a sick leave system. The Company negotiators also indicated they were still in discussions with payroll on the PTO-Vacation and EL-Sick Leave conversion details and would be prepared at our December session with a response on those issues. In addition, the Company presented an on-the-record economic term sheet, which memorialized its previous off-the-record supposal positions. Unfortunately, the Company failed to increase its economic offer by a single penny from the position it has maintained for months. The Company persists with its non-movement on economics and continually repeats its opinion that the current economic proposal would earn your ratification vote. We make no comment in that respect, except to point out that you, the members, will be the ultimate determination of what is acceptable. AMFA then presented a counterproposal on Article 13 – Vacation (formerly PTO Article), and the parties appear close to agreement on this Article with a few important language items remaining open. The parties spent time in caucus before AMFA returned counterproposals in response to the items presented by the Company that morning.
In the afternoon of Day 1, AMFA presented counterproposals to Article 8 – Field Trips and Training, Article 14 – Sick Leave and Article 23, Paragraph B as related to 401(k) terms. With AMFA’s responses on Article 8 – Field Trips and Training and Article 23, Paragraph B, the parties appeared to be aligned and close to tentative agreement (TA) on those issues. Article 23, Paragraph B codifies the matching and non-elective contributions you currently receive in your 401(k) accounts. And, among other items, Article 8 – Field Trips and Training includes tentatively agreed to language that would guarantee you double time for all hours away from your Base Station while on a Rescue/AOG Mission and payment at your All in Rate when you are relieved from duty and provided a hotel room on such trips. AMFA’s counterproposal on Article 14 – Sick Leave brought the parties closer to a TA on that article, but there are a few areas of disagreement on language that remain. Finally, AMFA presented a counter to Horizon’s most recent economic term sheet, which made movement in the Company’s direction while still maintaining a compensation package we believe your hard work has earned, including full retroactive pay to the amendable date in 2024. The Company then returned a counter to Article 13 – Vacation and the parties engaged in productive dialogue on the remaining open issues in that article.
The parties spent the morning and early afternoon on Day 2 engaged in off-the-record discussions and working in caucus. In the afternoon, AMFA presented a counterproposal on Article 13 – Vacation, which was intended to seek compromise on the remaining open issues. The Company now owes a counter on that article, and we are hopeful Horizon will approach its counter with an eye toward compromise to allow the parties to reach a TA at our next session. AMFA also presented language intended to memorialize the selection of and pay for the On the Job Training Instructor (OJTI) and Designated Trainer (DT) positions. The Company presented Article 8 – Field Trips and Training, and with that response, the Parties have reached tentative agreement on this Article. The parties also confirmed they were aligned on Article 23, Paragraph B, which memorialized 401(k) contribution terms. The Company, to close out the day, returned another economic term sheet proposal. Yet again, however, the Company did not increase its compensation packages on wages or any applicable premiums or differentials. With this pass, the Company has made clear its intention to move no further on wages. The Company did, for the first time in these negotiations, propose a ratification bonus as part of its economic term sheet. However, Horizon’s proposal in this respect was, in AMFA’s opinion, not only substandard but also highly questionable in the manner with which it was structured.
The Parties were productive during this session having reached a TA on Article 8 – Field Trips and Training, alignment on Article 23, Paragraph B and closing some gaps on Articles 13 and 14, which are both close to tentative agreement with some additional movement. Despite this productivity, the Company continues with its stubborn failure to move on its economic position. Our next session is scheduled for December 16-18 in Seattle. AMFA will be prepared to respond with a counter to Article 14 – Sick Leave and with a comprehensive response to the Company’s most recent economic term sheet.
The Committee would like to extend an invitation to all Horizon members to attend and watch the process of negotiation. Space will be limited to room capacity, so please contact AMFA-Horizon Air Airline Representative (ALR) Chuck Clum if you are interested in attending. We would like to thank everybody for your continued support and messages of solidarity – together we will achieve a contract your hard work has earned. If you have any questions or input related to these negotiations, please do not hesitate to contact your ALR.
Fraternally,
Your AMFA Negotiating Committee