Winter Storm Inga/Commuter Clause Reminders

IAM Local Lodge 2339-N

Winter Storm Inga's mess of snow has now spread to the East, however, its lingering accumulated ice and snow in the South is still causing travel problems, thanks to post-storm cold air. Snow was reported as far south as Panama City and Destin, Florida, early Wednesday, and sleet accumulated on vehicle tops and grassy areas in Pensacola, Florida, overnight Tuesday night. In Atlanta 2.3 inches of snow was recorded Tuesday night into early Wednesday, shutting down schools, triggering major delays at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and making roads treacherous. Snow is falling in Upstate South Carolina and the rain has changed to wet snow in Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham. In western North Carolina, Waynesville (elevation: 3,800 feet), picked up 3.5 inches of snow in just 2 hours Wednesday morning. A light dusting of snow blanketed the Washington D.C. metro area, while the New York City metro area saw a mix of light rain and snow. Other parts of the Northeast have already picked up over 6 inches of snow, including Ashland, Pennsylvania (8.1 inches), Hyde Park, New York (8 inches), Canaan, Connecticut (7 inches), Pittsfield, Massachusetts (7 inches) and Montague, New Jersey (6.3 inches). Timing the Snow and Ice Wednesday-Wednesday night Snow will continue from Georgia to parts of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, with a changeover from rain to snow from west to east in the Carolinas. Snow will also persist from the Poconos and parts of New Jersey into New England, with the exception of parts of Long Island and southeast New England, where rain may be the dominant precipitation type. Much of the snow associated with Inga will be finished with by Wednesday night, except in Maine and eastern North Carolina. How Much More Snow? South: From 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected from the Deep South through parts of the Carolinas and southern Virginia. Parts of North Carolina and southern Virginia may see up to 6 inches of snow. This will lead to widespread travel disruption from Alabama and Georgia to southern Virginia. Northeast: A swath from the Hudson Valley north of New York City to New England may see another 1 to 3 inches of snow, with the heaviest totals in Downeast Maine. Temperature Forecast: When Will the South Thaw? Temperatures will struggle to rise above freezing Wednesday afternoon in areas that picked up snow and ice in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Therefore, icy roads may remain an issue in those areas until afternoon. Refreezing on roads is likely once again Wednesday night into Thursday morning. In snow-covered parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas, temperatures may not rise above freezing until Thursday, meaning treacherous travel conditions are likely to persist until Thursday afternoon. Under the CRJ CBA you are protected under Section 28.O. The Company is obligated to work with you for the purposes of removing you from scheduled duty if your home/domicile is involved in a natural disaster. Each situation is evaluated on a case-by-case basis for attendance policy applicability. Please review the Commuter Clause Policy ( LOA #1 - Commuting Policy) and seek guidance if needed. The Commuter Clause Policy requires one to list on at least one flight no more or less than 24-36 hours prior to that flights departure time, which must arrive at a reasonable time before his/her report time. One must call scheduling with a 2-hr notice, to "invoke" the commuter clause. Please be prepared to answer any questions from scheduling, including flight #'s, time one listed, next flights to try, etc. That information will be noted in your record for review by a CFA to ensure the proper code is used. If the commuter clause is invoked, one must continue to try to get to work. For ERJ flight attendants the CBA protects you under Section 3.W.2.b., if you are unable to report to work due to hazardous or impassable roads resulting from severe weather you will not be assessed with an attendance occurrence. In addition, please make sure you are following therequirements of the Conscientious Reporting aka the Commuter Clause by taking a screen shot of the PBTs showing open seats for two flights that are scheduled to arrive at least one hour prior to your report time. If those flights are canceled please take a screen shot of the cancellation(s). Boarding passes will not be required for canceled flights. However, if the flights are operating you must obtain a boarding pass from the airport. Please provide as much documentation as possible to show the hazardous or closed roads in your area, such as news reports or pictures and give as much notice to the Company as possible while keeping in touch with your grievance representatives. If you've experienced a contractual violation please email your local lodge representative as soon as possible with all supporting documentation. As always please put your safety first and if you have any questions or concerns please contact your local grievance representative. In Solidarity, Your IAM Local Lodge 2339-N E-board