Negotiations: Full TA Text, Roadshow Reminders + The TA & the merger
Dear Spirit Flight Attendants,
The Full Tentative Agreement is Now Available!
We are pleased to announce that the full text Tentative Agreement (TA) is available on the SpiritAFA.org website at the Negotiations Hub.
We achieved significant pay increases, improved scheduling protections and control, enhanced reserve provisions, and preserved many current industry-leading provisions, including Medical Insurance and Scheduling Integrity.
You will also find a Summary of Changes to the Contract and specific Topic Videos which further explain provisions. Email question about the TA to: TAQuestions@spiritafa.com where you can submit your questions and the Negotiating Committee will respond.
We hope to see you at a TA Roadshow (most are happening at crew hotels). If you are unable to make an in-person roadshow meeting, we will hold a virtual roadshow on March 11 and will post a recording of it on the website to ensure that everyone will have an opportunity to view it.
Voting: Every Flight Attendant will have ample time to understand the TA provisions, get questions answered, and become informed prior to casting a vote. The vote will open on March 20th and close on April 13th. Voting credentials will be mailed on March 16th to Flight Attendant’s home.
How the Possible Merger Affects the Tentative Agreement:
Our contract vote will not have any impact on whether the merger moves forward or not. It will only impact Spirit Flight Attendants. If the Tentative Agreement is voted down, we will head into the merger with our current Contract.
As we prepare for a vote on our Tentative Agreement, it is important that we consider questions of strategy and timing. The merger between Spirit and JetBlue is under consideration by federal regulators.
Your Negotiating Committee and MEC understood the proposed merger as an opportunity to push for a deal in a negotiation that otherwise could have dragged on for another year, as most contract negotiations in our industry take years. It was essential to seize the moment and conclude negotiations to secure immediate improvements.
This TA sets Spirit Flight Attendants up to enter joint contract negotiations on an equal footing and allow the joint negotiating committee the power to press for even greater improvements and rates. A priority for Spirit Flight Attendants in joint contract bargaining will be to maintain our healthcare and maintain schedule integrity and other scheduling rules. We do not want to enter these merged contract talks with our wages lower than our counterparts. Experience has shown that management will use that disparity to their advantage.
Merged contract talks give us a second bite at the apple and the ability to fight for even higher wages. As the fifth largest carrier, the merged JetBlue/Spirit will join the ranks of the largest carriers and must pay wages commensurate with its combined size.
This Tentative Agreement leaves Spirit Flight Attendants in a good position either way.
With the relatively short contract period, Spirit Flight Attendants will be back at the negotiating table soon through joint contract negotiations or normal Section 6 bargaining. We secured significant improvements while defending the key contractual provisions that management is intent on gutting, such as healthcare, per diem, and scheduling rules. We also resisted company demands for PBS and a monthly flying minimum.
Voting “no” on this tentative agreement will not stop the merger. The merger can legally move forward with our current contract. Voting down this TA will only ensure that we will keep our current pay scale and current work rules for a much longer duration and disadvantage us in joint contract negotiations.
In reaching this tentative agreement, your negotiations team and MEC considered all of these strategic factors in determining that this Tentative Agreement puts Spirit Flight Attendants in the best position going forward.
In Solidarity,
Your Negotiation Committee & Master Executive Council
