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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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AFA has mobilized EAP and officer resources to support you. If you or one of your colleagues needs to talk to an EAP representative, please call the AFA Alaska EAP at 949-470-0493.

Staffing is extremely tight at all bases for both Boeing and Airbus operations. Consequently, premium trips are available throughout the system. If you are willing and able to fly today, picking up an Open Time trip would definitely help out the operation. Thank you for considering!

Flight Attendants have been asking for guidance regarding what to say to passengers when approached about yesterday’s incident. AFA offers the following talking points as a general guide:

  • Safety is and will remain #1 at Alaska Airlines.
  • Alaska Airlines has created a blog page for official updates: https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/horizon-air-aircraft/ (All inquiries for information should be referred back to the blog. Media inquiries should be referred to ​Alaska Airlines Media Relations at 206-304-0008; please do not speak to the media.)
  • Our hearts are heavy for the friends and family of the individual involved and for all those affected by the incident.
  • Whenever tragedy touches one member of the Alaska Airlines family, it impacts us all.

You do not have to memorize the talking points. Per CEO Brad Tilden’s “A message on yesterday’s incident,” he says, “You all do an incredible job of living our values and interacting with our customers every day, and we encourage you to be yourselves and share any information that has been made public (via the blog).”

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

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Alaska Airlines has created a blog page for official updates regarding the Horizon Air aircraft incident: https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/horizon-air-aircraft/

AFA has mobilized EAP and officer resources to support you. If you or one of your colleagues needs to talk to an EAP representative, please call the AFA Alaska EAP at 949-470-0493.

This will be the final MEC update tonight regarding this incident.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

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Alaska Airlines has created a blog page for official updates regarding the Horizon Air aircraft incident: https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/horizon-air-aircraft/

Please be assured that AFA is aware of the incident and has mobilized our critical incident response.

A few important points:

  • AFA is currently mobilizing EAP resources. If you or one of your colleagues needs to talk to an EAP representative, please call the AFA Alaska EAP at 949-470-0493.
  • Refrain from calling or texting management or AFA officers with questions unless it is urgent.
  • Do not discuss this issue with the media.
  • Enact your personal notification protocol and inform friends and family that you are safe.

This incident occurred in the Seattle-Tacoma metro area. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

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Alaska Airlines has just released the following statement:

“We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. We believe there are no passengers on board. More information as we learn more.”

Please be assured that AFA is aware of the incident and has mobilized our critical incident response.

A few important points:

  • Please refrain from calling/texting management or AFA with questions unless it is urgent. Phone lines are maxed right now.
  • Do not to discuss this issue with the media.
  • Enact your personal notification protocol and inform friends and family that you are safe.
  • AFA is currently mobilizing EAP resources.

This incident occurred in Seattle. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

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The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing the Flight Attendants based in San Francisco:

LEC President:  Melissa Osborne
LEC Vice President: Aladrian Hillmon
LEC Secretary: James Ikehara

View the certified election results here

These officers will serve a term of office starting immediately and concluding on June 30, 2019.

The Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the newly elected officers and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

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The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing the combined Legacy Alaska Airlines and Legacy Virgin America Flight Attendants based in Los Angeles:

LEC President: Timothy Green
LEC Vice President: Kelese Richardson
LEC Secretary: Martin Martinez
Council Representative: Bryan Wall

View the certified election results here

These officers will serve a term of office starting immediately and concluding on June 30, 2019.

The Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the newly elected officers and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

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Council 35 Membership Meeting

The next meeting for Council 35 members will be Monday August 6, 1000-1400 in the SFO Terminal 2 Conference Room. This meeting will be open to all Council 35 members in good standing who have submitted a membership application and are up-to-date on dues.  The purpose will be to provide members the opportunity to meet the newly elected officers, ask questions and receive updates on the latest issues that are impacting Council 35 members and get information about upcoming committee openings.   You may view the Meeting Agenda on our website.  If you wish to submit an agenda item, please send to SFO@afaalaska.org by Thursday 8/2/18.

See you there!

-Your Council 35 Officers

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As a reminder, AFA representation for Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) Flight Attendants will shift on August 1.  LAX-based Flight Attendants will move to AFA Council 18, the currently established Local Council that represents Legacy Alaska (L-AS) Flight Attendants based at LAX. Going forward, AFA Council 35 will only represent SFO-based Flight Attendants.

The AFA newsletter system allows Flight Attendants to manage their own account and subscribe to the AFA Local Council(s) of her/his choosing.  L-VX Flight Attendants who are LAX-based might wish to subscribe to Council 18 AFA email newsletters to ensure that they receive correct Local Council emails and up-to-date information.  Additionally, the manage subscription function can be used to make changes in the event of a base transfer.

How To Manage Your Subscription

To manage your subscription, click “manage your subscription” link at the bottom of your email. To ensure security, this is the only way to access the subscription management page.

Once on the subscription management page, check the box for the AFA Local Council(s) you would like to subscribe to emails from.  At the bottom of the page are fields to update personal subscription information (name, email address, airline, base, and employee/PeopleSoft number). After making changes, click the blue “submit” button at the bottom of the page to save any changes.

Questions?

If you have any questions or need assistance with your AFA newsletter subscription, please contact your LEC Officers.  If LAX-based, email lax@afaalaska.org; if SFO-based, email sfo@afaalaska.org.

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The AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) has long had a critical role in assisting Flight Attendants who find themselves in a situation where they may have been exposed to contaminated cabin air.  This article is designed to provide some important information and resources to help you should you ever find yourself in a situation where you believe you might have experienced an exposure event.  We’d also like to provide some background on how AFA provides assistance and support in suspected air quality exposure incidents.

What Do I Do?

If you believe you might have been exposed to contaminated air aboard the aircraft, follow these steps:

1. Identify The Situation

If you encounter unusual fumes, odors, smoke, or haze:

  • Quickly rule out non-ventilation sources (i.e. ovens, coffee makers, garbage)
  • If the source is the air from the vents in the cabin, there is possibly oil/hydraulic fluid contamination.
  • Report the situation to the pilots immediately.  Use the AFA Onboard Air Quality Checklist as a tool if possible.
  • If no passengers are on board, step off the aircraft, especially if maintenance boards to test systems
  • Avoid breathing fumes coming from vents, if possible

2. Get Help If Sick

  • If in the air, notify the pilots to call Medlink
  • If still at the gate, ask the CSA to call paramedics.  Deplane if possible.
  • Seek medical attention as soon as possible.  Some tests must be performed as soon as possible to detect exposure.  Your symptoms can persist, worsen, or return after another incident.
  • Call AFA for help (call 206-457-2010, extension 1101 or email airquality@afaalaska.org)
  • Print and begin completing the AFA exposure checklist
  • Review the AFA International Air Quality website

3. Report & Document

  • File an employee injury report with the company
  • File an irregularity report with the company
  • File an ASAP report with the company
  • Keep printed copies of each report
  • Send a copy of the completed employee injury report to the ASHSC Vice Chairperson.
  • Ask a supervisor to complete their Alaska Airlines air quality checklist with you
  • If sick, file a worker’s compensation claim and see a doctor as quickly as possible.  Claims do not start until you see a doctor.
  • Keep a symptom diary and document everything with a doctor

What Resources Are Available?

AFA Alaska Website

Information on what to do in the event of exposure to contaminated cabin air is available on the AFA Alaska website.  You can find the complete checklist at http://afaalaska.org/ashsc/airquality/checklist.  On your IMD or other mobile device, you can easily access this information by opening the AFA Alaska app or visiting afaalaska.org and clicking the “air quality exposure info” link from the home page.

Air Quality Exposure Quick Reference Card

Wallet size cards explaining what to do in a contaminated cabin air exposure event have just been updated to include Airbus fleet information and will soon be available in each base.  These cards can be kept in a badge holder behind your crew ID or in your purse or wallet for when you need to access them quickly.  You can also print your own card from the AFA Alaska website by clicking here.

AFA Onboard Air Quality Checklist

This is a form that you and your crew can use to document a possible cabin air exposure event as it happens and accurately report and describe the situation to the flight deck. This is not a company form and each Flight Attendant should print and carry one with them so that it is available if needed.  You can print the form and find instructions on how to use it on the AFA Alaska website by clicking here.

Local Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC) Committee

The members of your Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee are available as a resource to assist you.  You can find contact information for your Local ASHSC on the ASHSC page of afaalaska.org.

What Happens Behind the Scenes?

Once management notifies AFA that a situation involving potential exposure to contaminated cabin air has occurred, a coordinated response process begins behind the scenes. MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson Yvette Satterlee activates AFA’s response procedures and makes contact with the crew. Yvette ensures that the Flight Attendants have information about what to do if they’re feeling sick and what reports to file with the company.  The AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee also contacts the Flight Attendants to offer their support.  The LEC Officers from the Local Council of the affected Flight Attendants are also notified of the situation and are available to provide assistance if needed.

After the incident, ASHSC, EAP, and the LEC Officers continue to assist the Flight Attendants. This ongoing support takes the form of providing information about oil and hydraulic fumes for the medical providers of the affected crew members, coordinating operational debriefs with management, requesting aircraft maintenance records, and additional activities to help affected Flight Attendants through the treatment and recovery process.

Questions?

Please contact your Local ASHSC if you have any questions about contaminated cabin air.  You can find contact information for your Local ASHSC on the ASHSC page of afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee; MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple and MEC ASHSC Vice Chairperson Yvette Satterlee

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Transition Training

Transition Training began last week.  Despite recent updates to the Cornerstone Training program, we are still receiving reports of technical difficulties with both the app and the desktop version.  If you experience trouble, go to https://support.afaalaska.org, and open a ticket.  We would encourage you to start early, to avoid problems.

We are also aware it is taking longer than 4 hours to complete. Please make sure to include that in your trouble ticket above.

The most important thing with any computer or IMD Training, screen shot or take a picture of the completion page. Do not rely on the program to register you as completed.  If it does not show you as completed, we need some sort of evidence to be able to manually process your completion.

When taking the test remember it is open book and you can take it from your IMD or from a computer. To make the test easier to complete have your Manual, Ghost Manual and Study Guide open on one device and the test open in a separate device so you don’t have to switch back and forth. In the event that you fail the test, you will receive an email advising you that you have 7 days after class ends to retake a paper version.  You can take the paper version during lunch break at TT or schedule to take it at base.

You can find the Ghost Manual on the Training Tab – Transition Training Resources – “Ghost Manual”

The Ghost Manual is the combined manual we will be using starting next year.

Practice your door drills, take a deep breath and go slow. The training is very hands on, try not to stress to much.

 

CBT Training

The most recent CBT training was due May 11, 2018.  There were 13 Flight Attendants issued discipline because of failure to complete the training.  Several of these disciplines have been rescinded after AFA was able to determine why the training had not been completed.  If you were issued discipline and have not responded to our attempts to reach you, or you have email or screen shots showing your technical difficulties with the program please contact San@afaalaska.org. There is a possibility of getting the discipline reversed.

 

Required Items

In a recent bulletin, Inflight Performance announced that forgotten required items will result in steps of discipline.  We are aware of several recent instances of expired badges, as well as reporting without an IMD.  Make certain that you have all required items before reporting to your flight.

 

EAP Committee

We recently posted openings for EAP representatives.  We were overwhelmed by the number of Flight Attendants who expressed interest.  We reviewed the applications and chose 3 flight attendants to join our EAP Committee. We will be looking again at the beginning of the year and will be contacting those who were not selected to gauge interest and open it to anyone interested to apply again including hopefully Flight Attendants on the Airbus side who will have been able to transfer into SAN.

 

Supplemental Insurance

Supplemental Insurance Enrollment, through National Group Protection, will take place during the week of 8/14-16, in SAN.  The premiums for these coverages can be payroll deducted.  If SAN isn’t a convenient location, drop into any base during scheduled visits.

· Seattle                July 23rd—27th  

· Anchorage         July 30th–August 1st

· Los Angeles       August 6th—8th

· San Diego          August 14th—16th

· Portland              August 20th—22nd

Accident Insurance

Critical Illness Coverage

Whole Life Insurance

There are some benefit enhancements/upgrades this year, so please take the time to sit down with a benefit counselor and review your options.  This is also an excellent time to make sure you have filed for your annual health screening benefits, which are part of the accident and critical illness benefit plans.

·       Supplemental – these plans supplement any existing coverage

·       Voluntary – members choose to participate

·       Limited Underwriting – no medical or physical exams required

·       Family Coverage – available with all of the plans

·       Portable – members can continue coverage if they leave the company

·       Payroll Deduction – premiums are paid through payroll deduction

If you have any questions regarding the upcoming enrollment, please contact National Group Protection (NGP) at 800-344-9016.

 

Workers Comp Using Your Own Doctor

Non California Residents

Forms can be obtained from Base Management or from your Officers

In the event you sustain an injury or illness related to your employment, you may be treated for such injury or illness by your personal medical doctor (M.D.), doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) or medical group if:

• on the date of your work injury you have health care coverage for injuries or illnesses that are not work related;

• the doctor is your regular physician, who shall be either a physician who has limited his or her practice of medicine to general practice or who is a board-certified or board-eligible internist, pediatrician, obstetrician-gynecologist, or family practitioner, and has previously directed your medical treatment, and retains your medical records;

• your “personal physician” may be a medical group if it is a single corporation or partnership composed of licensed Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathy, which operates an integrated multispecialty medical group providing comprehensive medical services predominantly for nonoccupational illnesses and injuries;

• prior to the injury your doctor agrees to treat you for work injuries or illnesses;

• prior to the injury you provided your employer the following in writing: (1) notice that you want your personal doctor to treat you for a work-related injury or illness, and (2) your personal doctor’s name and business address.

Latest News

Horizon Air Aircraft Incident – Update 4

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AFA has mobilized EAP and officer resources to support you. If you or one of your colleagues needs to talk to an EAP representative, please call the AFA Alaska EAP at 949-470-0493. Staffing is extremely tight at all bases for both Boeing and Airbus operations. Consequently, premium trips are available throughout the system. If you are willing […]

Horizon Air Aircraft Incident – Update 3

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Alaska Airlines has created a blog page for official updates regarding the Horizon Air aircraft incident: https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/horizon-air-aircraft/ AFA has mobilized EAP and officer resources to support you. If you or one of your colleagues needs to talk to an EAP representative, please call the AFA Alaska EAP at 949-470-0493. This will be the final MEC update tonight regarding […]

Horizon Air Aircraft Incident – Update 2

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Alaska Airlines has created a blog page for official updates regarding the Horizon Air aircraft incident: https://blog.alaskaair.com/alaska-airlines/horizon-air-aircraft/ Please be assured that AFA is aware of the incident and has mobilized our critical incident response. A few important points: AFA is currently mobilizing EAP resources. If you or one of your colleagues needs to talk to […]

Horizon Air Aircraft Incident

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Alaska Airlines has just released the following statement: “We are aware of an incident involving an unauthorized take-off of a Horizon Air Q400. We believe there are no passengers on board. More information as we learn more.” Please be assured that AFA is aware of the incident and has mobilized our critical incident response. A […]

Council 35 (SFO) Special Election Results

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The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing the Flight Attendants based in San Francisco: LEC President:  Melissa Osborne LEC Vice President: Aladrian Hillmon LEC Secretary: James Ikehara View the certified election results here These officers will serve a term of office starting immediately and concluding on June 30, 2019. The […]

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