Coronavirus Update #6 – Crisis Response
COVID-19 Protections
TWU Local 556 President Lyn Montgomery, Board Member at Large and Grievance Chairperson Gayle Ross Middleton, and Operational Safety Co-Chairperson Jannah Dalak have been in all-day meetings over the past three days with Southwest Airlines Senior Director of Base Operations Mike Sims, Director of Labor Relations Tammy Shaffer, Director of Operations Rachel Loudermilk and Vice-President of Inflight Operations Sonya Lacore. The parties are working on many of the issues our Flight Attendants are currently facing. We still have many issues to discuss however, we can announce the following:
Penalty-Free Childcare Leave
We have secured the ability for parents to care for their children in the event of a school closure. For those of you working hard to give away your trips due to school closures and have exhausted all other childcare options, pulls for childcare or personal reasons will be company convenience (CC) with no pay. If you have vacation available, you can elect to use vacation time to cover some of this leave. If you wish to do so, please see your base Leader for assistance in administering this process.
Quarantine Pay Protections
Southwest Airlines recently updated the Company’s Infectious Disease Policy. Please refer to the updated Company Infectious Disease Policy via SWALife > My Work > Resources > Policies > People Policies > Guidelines for Employees (GFE) — section 5.7: COVID-19 Reporting and Infectious Disease Control Policy. TWU Local 556 is negotiating additional protections for your health and safety. Management is finalizing specific language on several of our requests, for now, please become familiar with new measures to protect you. In the event you are quarantined at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following will apply:
During the course of a pairing:
You will be considered stranded and all provisions of the Contract apply including Article 9: section 4. This includes when a quarantine is requested at a Service Interruption Point (SIP).
Stranded language will be applicable, including the RIG of one trip for each three (3:00) hours from block in at the overnight city until thirty minutes after block arrival back in domicile.
Hotel and transportation will be provided when applicable.
If you are quarantined after the course of your pairing and the quarantine is related to your service to Southwest:
Your trips will be pulled using the penalty-free company convenience (CC) pull. You will maintain active status, no points will be accrued, and all Company benefits will apply.
You will be credited for all affected pairings on your screen for the fourteen-day quarantine period.
Because you are quarantined due to your service to the Company, you will be compensated an additional 6.5 tfp per domicile day on the days you are not scheduled. This additional protection was put in place since your ability to pick up or trade pairings is prohibited.
Workers Compensation Protections and Self-Quarantine
Due to the complexity of individual state laws, Workers Compensation discussions, as well as self-quarantine discussions, will continue with Management on Monday, March 16, 2020.
Additional Protections for your Health
We are pleased to announce that Management is upgrading the gloves to a Nitrile medical-grade quality. You will begin seeing these blue gloves soon. Management has assured us they will continue to aggressively pursue adequate supplies for the cabin, including gloves, soap and hand wipes. If you encounter an aircraft lacking supplies or its cleanliness, please utilize the Aircraft Appearance Form on your Inflight Electronic Flight Bag (IEFB). Tech OPS has stated they are committed to providing a high level of service to protect our Members.
We have also asked Management to give additional guidance on what to do in the event someone on board your flight exhibits COVID-19 symptoms. Our Flight Attendant Manual, Chapter 7.8 — Communicable Diseases, contains information and control procedures for handling these situations. Please see March 12, 2020, IIOTG Health and Safety Update #6 from Safety Standards and Regulatory Compliance.
Your Union continues to negotiate protections. As new information develops and is finalized we will communicate the details with you. We are committed to ensuring the needs and protections of our Members are addressed.
As aviation’s first responders, we are a unique workgroup with specific concerns, and TWU Local 556 is committed to ensuring your needs are met.
Thank you for stepping up during this unprecedented time. Together we will overcome these challenges.
Lyn Montgomery
TWU Local 556 President and Lead Negotiator
Gayle Ross Middleton
TWU Local 556 Board Member at large and Grievance Chairperson
Jannah Dalak
TWU Local 556 Operational Safety Co – Chairperson
FAA Guidance
FAA Releases Safety Alert for Operators Addressing Safety on Layovers – from TWU International
Yesterday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a Safety Alert for Operations (SAFO) which detailed precautions specifically targeted towards flight crews in the airline industry. There are numerous safety procedures we follow on the aircraft to keep us safe, but this SAFO serves as a reminder that we must also stay safe on our overnights. Some of the reminders from the FAA include:
While on a layover in the United States or internationally:
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Travel as a group in private transport provided by the air carrier when traveling between the airport and hotel.
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Minimize contact with ground personnel and time in public areas while moving between the aircraft and the private transport.
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Do not use public transportation, including when traveling between the airport and hotel.
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Stay in your hotel room to the extent possible.
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Minimize going out into the general population and use social distancing (maintain a distance of approximately 6 feet, if possible) whenever out in public. Avoid crowds, stores, sporting or mass entertainment events, and other situations likely to attract large numbers of people.
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Eat in your hotel room with either room service or delivery service. If in-room dining options are not available, eat at a restaurant located in the hotel. If not available at the hotel, eat at a restaurant located close to the hotel.
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Avoid contact with sick people.
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Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use at least a 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Use soap and water when your hands are visibly soiled.
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Avoid touching your face.
While at your U.S. residence or home base:
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Be aware of the risk of COVID-19 in your local community.
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Follow guidance of your state or local health department.
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Avoid crowded places and use social distancing.
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Avoid contact with sick people.
Please take a moment to read all of the FAA’s recommendations, and, read the section about monitoring your own health. Put the recommendations put forth by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into practice. And make sure to save this list of state and local health departments in case you need them in your travels.
The SAFO also includes information for crews based around the world who are coming to the United States, so please share this with all of your contacts within the industry.
Your TWU Leadership’s number one priority is you and your family’s health. TWU International has pledged its support to assist our Local as needed. If you have any questions or need clarification, please email heathandsafety@staging1.twu556.org.
Your TWU Local 556 Health and Safety Committee
Michele Moore
TWU Local 556 Health Committee Chairperson
Michael Massoni
TWU Local 556 Operational Safety Chairperson
Jannah Dalak
TWU Local 556 Operational Safety Co-Chairperson
Membership Meetings
The Executive Board is working around the clock right now regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus). During this time, we will need to postpone the Membership Meeting sessions for next week in the following cities:
- Tuesday, March 17 – Atlanta
- Wednesday, March 18 – Orlando
- Thursday, March 19 – Baltimore
- Friday, March 20 – Dallas
We will communicate new dates once they are determined. We apologize for any inconvenience.
KeyAnder Early
TWU Local 556 Recording Secretary
Support Groups
Your peer support groups of TWU Local TWU 556 remind you that we are here to provide assistance and support to you in any way we can. While your Union is working through the issues surrounding these unprecedented and uncertain times, you may be experiencing anxiety. We are here for you.
Also, many community facilities and churches where local 12-step meetings take place are beginning to suspend the use of their facilities as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This could result in a reduction of brick and mortar 12-step support group meetings in your area.
If your local meetings are impacted or if you are forced to self-quarantine, remember, telephonic “Wings of Sobriety” meetings are available to any flight attendant.
Meetings are held Sundays at 5:00 pm ET and Wednesdays at 3:00 pm ET. The dial-in number is 1-855-544-2320. Each meeting will last between forty-five (45) minutes to one (1) hour.
For more information, for confidential assistance or just to talk, call the TWU Local 556 FADAP Team, available 24/7, (214) 640-4307.
You may also find more information at https://www.fadap.org/
Your peers at Professional Standards, Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), and the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol (FADAP) Teams are available around the clock every day to assist you. Please feel free to call. We understand, and we are here for you.
FADAP 214-640-4307
Natalie Salser and Tom Spillers
TWU Local 556 FADAP Co-Chairpersons
Professional Standards 1-888-322-3735
Kurtis Beggs
TWU Local 556 Professional Standards Chairperson
CISM 214-640-4380
Eileen Rodriguez
TWU Local 556 CISM Chairperson
The views contained herein do not necessarily represent those of TWU Local 556 or TWU International. The purpose of this email communication is intended only to educate and inform TWU Local 556 Members. It is not intended to officially establish or clarify past practice, Contract language, or grievance/arbitration positions. It is therefore not to be utilized or relied upon by any person or party as evidence of the Union’s position on any past practices, Contract language, grievances/arbitrations, or any other disputes or issues between TWU Local 556 and Southwest Airlines.