Electronic Notification
What is Electronic Notification?
Electronic Communication was originally introduced by management in TA1 who were seeking a more automated approach to contacting Flight Attendants in the operation.
Electronic Notification is a means of contact for Crew Scheduling that does not involve a phone call.
In TA2, changes to some of the Electronic Notification language were made to reflect feedback from Members following TA1.
The detailed language is included in the full text of the TA but here is a synopsis of our obligation to address the electronic notification in various situations.
Prior to reporting at base:
The Flight Attendant does not have to answer the electronic notification but if the contact is at least 2 hours and 15 minutes before the scheduled check-in, duty time will be adjusted to the revised check-in time, provided the revised time is no earlier than originally scheduled.
Upon check-in of the initial duty period of pairing:
Check CCS and acknowledge any priority messages.
If flight cancels prior to departure:
Check CCS and acknowledge any priority messages.
Upon arrival of a flight:
You are responsible for a push notification to your Link if it is received during flight and prior to aircraft arrival although the acknowledgment does not have to be until after deplaning. Push notification to the Link will be a “global” notification (not a CCS specific notification) and will be easily seen without the need to “check CCS”. Note: TA2 removes the obligation to check CCS after every flight–now only when receive a push notification.
During a Layover:
Based on the feedback received on TA1 language, which stated Flight Attendants were to be “reasonably available” while on layovers, the language has been adjusted for TA2 and now reads:
“Flight Attendants are not on call during a layover. Crew Scheduling may contact the Flight Attendant pursuant to the terms of 6.Z.3. Upon receipt, the Flight Attendant shall acknowledge the priority message in CCS or contact Crew Scheduling”
Note: TA2 removes the reasonably available language and reiterates that Flight Attendants are not on call during a layover.
Is there a benefit to Electronic Notification?
When Electronic Notification was originally introduced in TA1 there was a lot of concern about how it would be applied and Lineholders being “treated like a Reserve”.
The new Electronic Notification language has enabled us to start the four (4) hour reassignment window (7.Q.1.d) from the point of cancellation. Remember that currently in our Contract, the four (4) hour window doesn’t start until notification of cancellation which is either:
acknowledgement of a CCS priority message, or
positive contact with Crew Scheduling
With our current JCBA language (7.Q.1), during irregular operations, Crew Scheduling is often unreachable by phone, causing Flight Attendants to have to sit in the airport for hours waiting to establish contact, which only then starts the four (4) hour reassignment window.
This new language allows the four (4) hour reassignment window to start at the time of cancellation, whether Crew Scheduling is aware of it or not, which values our time.
IMPORTANT:
Nothing has changed regarding how and when a Lineholder can be Reassigned or Drafted. Only the means by which we are contacted is addressed in the Electronic Notification language and our Loss of Flight Time contractual rights have all been preserved.