October 2, 2001
Mr. Randy Canale
President and Directing General Chairman
District 141 – IAMAW
Dear Mr. Canale:
This letter describes our agreement allowing full-time fleet service employees, who are not affected by the October 2001 reduction in force, to request voluntary furlough under the provisions contained herein. This agreement is applicable for the October 2001 reduction in force reduction only and is reached on a non-precedent non-referral basis.
Voluntary Furlough Leave Provisions:
Employees awarded voluntary furlough leaves will be subject to the provisions as described in this agreement.
A. Active full-time employees in stations affected by a local reduction of full-time headcount (who are not affected by the October 2001 reduction in force) may apply for voluntary furloughs in the upcoming October 2001 reduction in force.
B. Written requests for voluntary furloughs must be submitted by the employee to the employee’s local manager and be received by Station Services no later than 17:00 October 4, 2001. Requests must be sent via FAX to Station Services at (703) 872-6250/6251/6252 on the appropriate company form (Attachment A). Requests received after 17:00 October 4, 2001 will not be processed.
C. Requests for voluntary furloughs submitted by full-time employees not affected by the October 2001 reduction in force will be granted in seniority order by location providing processing such requests will avoid the local displacement of another full-time employee in the classification. In the event that a lead agent submits a request for a voluntary furlough in a station where there is no local reduction of lead agent headcount, such request will be considered only if there was a reduction of full-time agent headcount in the location and a qualified full-time fleet service agent from the location has an in-station transfer bid on file for lead agent in the location. Qualified full-time fleet service agents who are interested in submitting an in-station transfer bid to lead agent within their location, should submit the request to their manager no later than 17:00 on October 4, 2001. These in-station transfer requests will only be considered during this one-time voluntary furlough process in the event that a lead agent submits for a voluntary furlough and will be discarded after October 8, 2001.
D. Voluntary furloughs will be awarded in six (6) month increments up to a maximum of thirty-six (36) months. Employees returning from voluntary furlough may result in the displacement/furlough of junior employees. At the conclusion of the leave, employees will be returned to their former location in the fleet service agent classification providing they are senior to the junior full-time fleet service agent in the location. Employees who do not possess sufficient seniority to return to their former location in the fleet service agent classification will be permitted to exercise their seniority as provided for in the labor agreement. If a subsequent reduction in force occurs while the employee is on a voluntary furlough, the employee will remain on voluntary furlough and be subject to the displacement/furlough provisions upon their return.
E. Employees awarded a voluntary furlough will:
1. maintain recall rights for the leave period (not to exceed three (3) years) to the fleet service agent classification and location from which they were furloughed;
2. continue to accrue Date of Hire/Classification Seniority for the leave period (not to exceed three (3) years);
3. accrue pay seniority for the period of the leave or two (2) years, whichever is shorter;
4. be eligible for system transfers. Employees who are awarded system transfers to other locations will relinquish recall to the former location from which they took voluntary furlough;
5. be eligible to bid on positions posted through the Career Opportunity Bulletin (COB) system. Employees on a voluntary furlough who are awarded a COB position will relinquish recall rights to their former location;
6. not be entitled to any furlough allowance;
7. have the option to receive payment of any accrued unused vacation, DATS and/or comp time or bank such vacation to be used upon their return;
8. have continued medical/dental and life insurance premiums for the period of the leave or two years, whichever is shorter. During the applicable leave period, the employee will be responsible to continue paying their portion of the cost of the applicable medical/dental and life insurance;
9. receive on-line travel benefits, but will not be eligible for companion pass travel or travel on other airlines;
10. be permitted to retire from voluntary furlough status (with appropriate benefits) if otherwise eligible, subject to normal actuarial reductions;
11. be permitted to work for other employers provided such work does not constitute a conflict of interest with US Airways.
12. be advised that the employee may be eligible for unemployment compensation as determined by their local unemployment agency.
F. Employees may apply for voluntary furlough leave extensions in six (6) month increments up to a maximum of thirty-six months when requested on the appropriate company form (Attachment B) sixty (60) days prior to the conclusion of their current leave.
Employees may be recalled from a voluntary furlough if the needs of the company dictate, in inverse seniority order by location. Employees on voluntary furlough will be recalled pursuant to the provisions in Article 9, C.2. Employees who refuse recall from voluntary furlough will be deemed to have resigned from the Company and will have their name removed from the seniority roster.
G. Any dispute involving interpretation or application of this agreement shall be processed under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement as contained in Article 20 and Article 21 of the Fleet Service Agreement. In such proceeding, the hearing officer may award only prospective relief, and may not award back pay or other monetary relief, unless the violation of this agreement is willful and knowing.
Sincerely,
/s/E. Allen Hemenway
Director, Labor Relations - Ground
Agree and concur:
/s/Mr. Randy Canale
President and Directing General Chairman
District 141 – IAMAW
ATTACHMENT A
US AIRWAYS FLEET SERVICE VOLUNTARY FURLOUGH AGREEMENT
The Voluntary Furlough Agreement must be submitted by the employee no later than 17:00 p.m. EDT, Thursday October 4, 2001.
I hereby request to be placed on voluntary furlough for a period of ______ months (must be in 6 month increments up to thirty-six (36) months. I understand that this request is subject to approval by the company.
I further understand that if awarded a voluntary furlough, I agree to the conditions outlined in this agreement. I acknowledge that I have reviewed this agreement, that I meet all of the eligibility requirements and that I may be recalled from voluntary furlough at any time if the needs of the company dictate.
Employee Name (Print) _________________________________________
Employee Number _____________________________________________
Current Location______________________ Current Position ______________________________
_________________________________________
Employee Signature _________________________________________
Time/Date submitted by Employee______________________________
Manager Signature
Time/Date Request received by Manager
Distribution: Original to Local Manager Local Manager will FAX to: Station Services (703) 872-6250/6251/6252 The employee requesting the Voluntary Furlough is responsible for the proper delivery of this request to the local manager prior to the deadline. Local Managers are responsible for faxing requests as described above. Any late requests will not be processed. Employees will be notified of any award for Voluntary Furlough as soon as the displacement is processed. Copies: Manager Employee File For Use By Station Services/Station Admin: 0 Approved 0 Denied Effective _________________ ___________________________________________ _________________ Customer Service Date ATTACHMENT B US AIRWAYS FLEET SERVICE REQUEST TO EXTEND VOLUNTARY FURLOUGH LEAVE In accordance with this agreement, Item F, I hereby request that I be granted a ______ month (must be in six (6) month increments) extension of my voluntary furlough leave. _________________________________________ ____________________ Employee Name (Print) Employee Number _________________________________________ ____________________ Phone Number: _________________________________________ ____________________ Alternate Phone Number _________________________________________ Current Address: _________________________________________ _____________________ Previous Location Previous Classification _________________________________________ ______________________________ Employee Signature Date Distribution: Mail Original to: Station Services - Customer Service US Airways DCA/H830 2345 Crystal Drive Arlington, VA 22227 Copies: Manager Local Committee Employee File