Q. Why weren't there any improvements to sick leave? 
A. The committee had to make tough decisions on economic issues.  The committee was very passionate about both sick leave accrual and the use of sick leave bank.  Both lowering the 500 hour requirement for full line protection and raising the cap on the number of hours that could be protected were on the table to the end.  The committee gave preference to wage increase when assessing the choices we had to make.  Be assured that sick leave remains high on the list of improvements that the committee will bring to the table in the Transition Agreement that is negotiated for the combined airline.
 
Q.  What about vacation?  Why didn't we improve either or both the pay per day or the accruals? 
A.  Again, the committee had to make tough decisions on economic issues.  Vacation was also important to the committee.  Part of the reason that improvements were not made to the vacation provisions is because our contract leads the industry when both the Pay per Day and Accruals are considered together.  Again, wages prevailed and vacation will be reconsidered in the Transition Agreement negotiations.
 
Q. Are there any provisions that would be considered give backs in this agreement? 
A. No. Nothing was given up from the current agreement.
 
Q. Why does it seem that the Union is rushing the ratification schedule? 
A. In addition to wage increases and work rule improvements, the Tentative Agreement provides important furlough protection.  The Agreement also provides that our work and aircraft are protected.
 
The Company is moving quickly with the merger and it is extremely important to the Union that our jobs and work are protected during the meshing of the operations.
 
Q. How is Critical Day Paid? 
A. The entire trip pairing is paid at time and a half.
 
Q. What are the hours for out of base advertised trip pickup? 
A. These hours are commensurate with open time or Flight Attendant to FlightAttendant pickups - 14 to 6 hours prior to the trip departure.
 
Q. Are there language restrictions when picking up out of base advertised trips? 
A. Yes, all specialty requirements and qualifications for speakers and ISM will be preserved - current book Section 5 paragraph G. 5.c.4 and Section 5 G. 5.d.4.
 
Q. Why was only domestic per diem increased?  
A. Domestic per diem was reduced by $.10 in the prior agreement. This restores Domestic Per Diem.  International per diem was not reduced.
 
Q. What does retro pay include? 
A. Retro pay is based on the hourly difference of the pay for your seniority, in the current agreement, to the new pay rate when the agreement is ratified and what was flown for the months of January 2010 through to the date of ratification.
 
Q. When will the Retro Checks be paid out?
A. Checks will be paid 30 days after date of ratification, in a separate check.
 
Q. Will CAL Flight Attendants be included in the Company Profit Sharing Plan?
A. Yes, dating back to January 1, 2010.
 
Q. Why doesn't the Interim Tentative Agreement contain more reserve improvements? 
A. Reserve issues are ultimately scheduling issues and the committee was not able to make any major changes here.  Both scheduling department(s) at the new company will be going through a major transformation as it assesses the impact of this merger. The Company was reluctant to address scheduling issues, in general.  Reserves will receive all the improvements noted in the Tentative Agreement that line holders receive such as pay, overcoat or Rollerboards, per diem, profit sharing, retro, pension protection, conscience reporting changes, use of reciprocal jumpseats, fence agreement, etc.  Specifically, there are several improvements for Reserves in this Interim agreement.

If Airport Alert is extended from 4 hours to 6 hours, you will be paid 6 hours, and if assigned a trip within the 6 hours reserves will be paid for whatever time is greater.  The first 3 years of pay were moved into the main pay scale.

Added a Letter of Agreement covering "Furloughs" that will guarantee employment through the term of this Agreement.  Without this agreement, the company would be free to furlough at will.

The new provisions that allow line holders to pick up out of base advertisements will also cut down on sick calls which cause short calls to reserves. This will help eliminate reserves being turned or having their days off rolled.
Reserves on call lines, but working a trip will not be converted to ready reserve unless they do not contract scheduling upon block in.