It is an exciting time for all of us as we see growth in our flying schedule and accordingly in the number of newly hired Flight Attendants and new Service Directors. We would like to formally welcome you all to your respective new positions.
In collaboration with your Component Executive this past month we have updated the Reserve Handbook for your benefit. Click HERE to view the updated handbook.
This past month we also held multiple Zoom reserve seminars for the purpose of educating our members systemwide and they were well received by the members in attendance. We intend to run more of these seminars in future months and will provide advance notice of them for your benefit.
We would also like to take the time to introduce the first of a series of educational bulletins aimed at the reserve experience. This addresses the sequence in which flying is awarded, one of the more frequently asked questions we have gotten from the reserve membership in recent days:
Open Flying Award Sequence
The following explanation is based on the Collective Agreement rules provided in B8.22. Please note that the Union is aware that a Crew Scheduler recently posted information on Yammer in response to some reserve questions. However, the Union in no way is accepting the Company’s position as written on Yammer, and always reserves the right to file grievances if it is found that a violation of the Collective Agreement has taken place. Please always check with your Local Union office or Reserve Committee if unsure of your rights or if information provided to you by a Company representative is accurate or not.
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Reserve is the 4th step of the award sequence:
Open Flying Award sequence (B7.04)
1. Blockholder Make-Up/Reserve Preselect
2. Reassignment
3. VE/100 Hours
4. Reserve
5. Draft — Deadhead Crew
6. Draft Sequence
Once Crew Scheduling reaches reserve in the order of assignment the following criteria are considered for reserve assignment:
Reserve Assignment Criteria (B8.22)
1. Time Balance (B8.22.01.03)
2. Restrictions (i.e. crew rest, whether an assignment will over project a reserve resulting in a drop of a preselect pairing)
3. Language requirement
4. Days available before days off
Call-In Reserves
When required to contact Crew Scheduling to confirm your assignment at call-in time (2000-2300 in your home base’s time zone), reserves must always CALL Crew Scheduling. Do not accept assignments via globe notification at any time. Always call in to speak with a Crew Scheduler as calls are recorded and there will be a record of what was discussed in case there are any issues with an assignment. The Collective Agreement is clearly worded to include the word “Call” in “Call-In Reserve”. Please always preserve your rights and use your cellphone to make the “call” to Crew Scheduling at call-in time.
If Crew Scheduling does not have sufficient time to follow the award sequence, they immediately begin “Airport Move-Up”, which is outlined in the Collective Agreement in B8.32 as follows:
Airport Move-Up
If insufficient notice makes the draft process in Article B9.03 impractical, flight coverage will be provided through the move-up of total or partial crews in reverse order of seniority. The move-up will be done in a manner which minimizes the disruption to subsequent crews, and will occur in the following sequence:
I. Crews from ANOTHER base to HOME BASE ONLY on scheduled duty days ONLY.
II. Crews at their Home Base on scheduled duty days.
III. Crews at their Home Base INTO scheduled days off.
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You may have noticed that of the many criteria that go into a reserve assignment, the single most notable criterion missing is seniority, and that’s because seniority does not govern any award on reserve with the exception of the first day of the block month where no other tie-breaking criteria exist between reserves and also with the exception of the daily reserve pre-select awards (which is completed in Step 1 in the Open Flying Award sequence mentioned above).
If you believe that a pairing has been awarded out of sequence, you will need to reach out to your Local Union Officers to assist. We hope this helps elucidate the reserve award process for everyone. We will gladly accept suggestions for future topics at reserve@accomponent.ca and welcome any of your reserve-related questions as always. We look forward to hearing from you!
In solidarity,
Jesse Matthews & Chanelle Gauthier-Berthelet
Co-Chairs, Component Reserve Committee