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Contract 101
Article 9 – Junior Available (JA)
“Junior Available (JA) – A Flight Attendant who is required to work an assignment on her/his unscheduled day. Such assignment must be legally scheduled.” (Article 9.2.A)
Instances of Flight Attendants being JA’d are actually pretty few and far between. But when it does happen, there is language in our Contract that protects our time off and compensation. Open up the TWU 556 App and scroll to Article 9.2 so we can review!
“When does Junior Available (JA) occur?”
JA occurs when a Flight Attendant is required to work an assignment on her/his unscheduled day. (Article 9.2)
“I just finished a trip and they assigned me another turn! Have I been JA’d?”
No. When you are working and given additional flying, you have been rescheduled. You can only be JA’d on days you are not actually working. Refer to Article 9.3 for language pertaining to this situation.
REMEMBER: A JA can only occur on an unscheduled day – otherwise known as a day off. If you are scheduled to work, you are not being JA’d, you are being rescheduled.
“Officially, who can give me a JA assignment?”
You can only be JA’d these three ways:
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Via your PRIMARY TELEPHONE NUMBER listed on CWA (not your Emergency Contact number),
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In person by members of Crew Scheduling or Inflight Management only and while in your domicile lounge or training facility, or
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After your pairing is in progress. (Article 9.2.B)
“Is my ‘PRIMARY’ telephone number the same as my ‘EMERGENCY’ contact number?”
No. Your Primary contact number is the phone number you provided to Southwest Airlines for use by Crew Scheduling (and Management) to contact you. Your designated Emergency contact number is the number for your designated contact during an emergency situation, such as a medical emergency or aircraft incident or accident. Contact information in WorkDay is not accessible by Crew Scheduling. Only the numbers you provide to Crew Scheduling are available for them to use to contact you.
“What order does Crew Scheduling use when assigning a JA pairing?”
The monthly seniority list must be used and the most junior qualified, available Flight Attendant who is legal for the trip shall be assigned. In essence, Scheduling starts at the bottom of the base seniority and calls Flight Attendants until the JA pairings have all been assigned. (Article 9.2.C.7)
“Can all Flight Attendants be JA’d?”
Flight Attendants holding a primary line or vacation relief (VR) line can be JA’d. If a Lineholder has vacation and elected to have trips pulled which overlapped their vacation week, the Flight Attendant cannot be JA’d on the days the trip(s) were pulled. (Article 9.2.D)
Trip #1 and Trip #2 were pulled because they overlapped a scheduled vacation. This Flight Attendant cannot be JA’d on June 1-10 because they opted to have two pairings pulled that overlapped their vacation slot.
Trip #1 and Trip #2 were pulled because they overlapped a scheduled vacation. This Flight Attendant picked up the SMF 2-day. Even though they could be stranded or given an unscheduled RON while working this 2-day, they couldn’t be JA’d between June 1-10 because of their scheduled vacation.
“Can a Reserve Flight Attendant be JA’d?”
No. A Flight Attendant who is awarded SAR/SPR/JAR/JPR/JLR during the Secondary Bidding process cannot be JA’d. (Article 11.2)
“I was awarded a VR Line during Secondary Bidding. Does that mean I’m considered a ‘Reserve’ and cannot be JA’d?”
Even though VR Lines are bid for and awarded during the Secondary Bidding process, a Flight Attendant awarded a VR Line is considered a Lineholder for JA purposes. This means a VR Lineholder can be JA’d.
“What if I accidentally answer my phone and cannot accept the trip?”
Unfortunately, you are required to take the assignment. However, you can submit the assignment in TT/GA as normal.
“What if I’m sick when they call to assign me a JA pairing?”
You may be required to produce a verification of illness. Refer to Article 9.2.C.8 for additional information about this process.
“Can I be JA’d for a pairing in a different domicile?”
No. You can only be JA’d for a pairing that originates and terminates in your current domicile. (Article 9.2.C.9)
“If I am JA’d, what are my options for pay and additional time off?”
If you are JA’d, you will be compensated in one of two ways:
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If there is NO physical overlap with another pairing, you will be paid 1.5x for the JA trip (with a minimum pay of 6.5 TFP) -OR- be pulled for an equal number of days later in the month. If you choose a compensatory day(s), the JA trip will be paid at straight time (1.0).
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If there IS physical overlap with another trip, you will be paid 1.5x for the JA trip or straight time for the trip pulled, whichever is greater.
“Do I need to tell Crew Scheduling my choice of compensatory day(s) off when I get JA’d?”
No, just like other contractual options, you must notify Crew Scheduling of your choice of compensatory day(s) no later than sixty (60) minutes of completing the assignment back in domicile. If you do not choose a compensatory day(s) off, the premium will automatically be applied.