Alaska Airlines / Virgin America Merger

Below you will find the final version of the merged seniority list.  All challenges submitted to the initial list that was posted on April 3, 2018, have been reviewed and responses have been sent.  The resolution of an accepted challenge is reflected in this final version.  AFA has provided the list to management, who will […]

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is providing this information to you in order to help clear up confusion about the new Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) pay rates and retro pay. This communication is a supplement to the Updated JCBA Implementation Quick Reference Guide. L-VX Pay Rates and Retro Pay L-VX Flight Attendants have now […]

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants AFA has been advised of a processing error involving the time that Transition Training bidding was closed within the bidding system.  According to the Airbus Transition Training Letter of Agreement, bidding was supposed to close on Friday, May 4, 2018 at 5 PM Pacific time.  In […]

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) has updated this implementation quick reference guide. The list below is separated into L-AS and L-VX provisions to easily distinguish the changes for each Flight Attendant group. Pre-Merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants (L-AS) Provisions Retroactive to January 1, 2018 New Pay Rates. Across-the-board 4.5% increase effective at DOR and retroactive […]

Thanks for your patience as the Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) collected and compiled responses to your most frequently asked questions (FAQ).  We have posted a document with these questions and answers. You can find the link to the FAQ document in the email version of this article.  Please check your personal email for a […]

[This reference guide will be updated at 5 PM PT 4/23/2018 and can be accessed here. /jtp ]

The separate, pre-merger seniority lists for AS and VX have been merged and we now have a single Integrated Seniority List. The Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) completed this monumental task over the course of the previous 10 months.  The SMIC consists of representatives from each of our pre-merger airlines: AS members Sandra Morrow and […]

Polls closed today at 9 AM Pacific Time for voting on the Merger Tentative Agreement reached by the Joint Negotiating Committee in February 2018.  The results of the vote are as follows:   Voting FOR the agreement 3094 75% Voting AGAINST the agreement 1011 25% Total Votes 4105 Participation Rate of Eligible Voters 76.34% As […]

Q.  Looking for a clarification on the voting eligibility for this Merger Agreement. For L-VX Flight Attendants, anyone can vote, no matter their seniority, as long as they have completed a membership application? For L-AS Flight Attendants, they must have completed four months of seniority before being eligible to vote? In two different road shows, […]

Merger Tentative Agreement voting ends Tuesday, April 3 at 9 AM Pacific Time Need Help With Voting? Flight Attendants who have misplaced or not received their voting instructions with the 16-digit activation code must call the AFA Ballot Helpline.  Call (800) 424-2401 and choose option 1, then enter extension 706. Flight Attendants who have dues or membership issues should call […]

Q.  How is it that a JCBA is being put forward for consideration when L-VX was previously represented by TWU and they did not have a contract in place?  Doesn’t this mean that they weren’t a “represented carrier” and Section X of the AFA Constitution & Bylaws wouldn’t apply? A.  L-VX Flight Attendants are absolutely AFA-CWA […]

As part of the merger between Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, Flight Attendants from both pre-merger airlines will need to be trained to work on the aircraft of the other pre-merger airline in order for crews to be able to fully integrate. Transition training will take place regardless of whether or not the pending joint […]

Your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) has put together the following compilation of the more frequently asked questions that have been submitted to the JNC blog in order to help ensure that the most accurate information is available. Most Frequently Asked Questions & Answers Q.  Is it true there is a pay “difference” or two different […]

Q.  Thank you for the webinar for those not able to make a roadshow.  Even before the webinar I was wondering something about the pay. As a member of the first class after 9/11 and having been a CSA since 1999, our training for FA began approx. Jan 5th 2002 but we were held from […]

Q.    Why are Virgin employees that have worked as a CSA or in another part of their company having that time counted toward their seniority date as a flight attendant when the merger goes through?   This was not ever done for Alaska employees. A.     L-VX Flight Attendants Occupational Seniority is currently determined by […]

Q.     I just found the LOA of Airbus training bidding.  However I did not see where it told us if that two days of training bid so far in advance counts in our monthly TFP for bid award assignment by PBS, or do we have to be awarded the line average award on top […]

Q.    Do the votes have to be postmarked by a certain date? A.    Voting does not occur by mail.  Voting is done electronically by phone or internet.  When you receive your ballot it includes a 16-digit activation code that you need to vote. If your voting instructions have not arrived, please contact the […]

Q&A Only on the JNC Blog Please note that in order to facilitate clear communication, the JNC will post only questions and answers on the blog. Opinions and/or comments included in questions will be edited to distill to the basic question(s). Duplicative questions may be condensed into a composite question in order to streamline the […]

Q. Can you please explain accelerated vesting to me under Sec 29 C. #3?  Aren’t you 100% vested after 5 years service as a fa? If so, why is there a need for #3?  Unless correct me if I am wrong an example -an FA is in the job for 2 years but worked for the […]

After yesterday’s AFA clarification communication stating the error on the retroactive date for “Block or Better” in the Summary documents, the JNC reached out to management to enquire if they would consider actually making “Block or Better” retroactive to January 1, 2018–the same as it is for TFP and Block Hour pay raises. Management has agreed […]

Dear Legacy Alaska and Virgin America Flight Attendants: Your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) has completed the Merger Agreement roadshows in all domiciles.  During the course of the roadshows the committee realized that two clarifications were necessary.  The Committee is committed to setting the record straight.  Listed below are two points which need clarification. Block or […]

Q:  Please clarify the ppp payment for the block of 8 months,,,,do we have to meet the criteria every month to be paid the total $1100 payout for the 8 month block period. If we miss one of those 8 month do we forfeit the entire $1100 payout. Also if we get a vacation payout […]

Q:     The specific language “Pre-Merger Legacy AS FA” and “Pre-Merger Legacy VX FA” concerns me because it leads me to believe there could be room for yet another pay scale for those hired “post merger,” which we all know will create a divide in our group for the next negotiations. A:     The terms pre-merger/Legacy AS […]

Q:     If the JCBA does not pass, then will both L-AS and L-VX FAs start getting cross trained this summer and will Full Implementation occur in March 2019 as shown on the timeline that MEC President Peterson explained in the Implementation segment of the Merger TA roadshow webinar? A:     If the Merger TA does not […]

Q:     Hey is there any way to maybe get a bar graph or something showing how many people have voted through the voting period? This would be cool and might motivate more people to vote. Thanks. A:     Thank you for the suggestion. The voting progress tracker has been added to the […]

[See also Transition of ITL to “A” [VX]] Q:     Can someone explain the “A” position bidding to me? And does that apply to the L-AS FA? A:     L-AS Flight Attendants bid the A position, which is awarded on a “pairing-by-pairing” basis. The ITL to “A” position transition for the L-VX Flight Attendants is described in […]

Q:     I tried to find the language in the contract but unable to find. Is date of hire the mandate for the agreement? If an Alaska Airlines FA was hired previous to all Virgin America’s FAs, the only people who are senior to the Alaska FA are other Alaska FAs, right? A:     The contract specifics […]

Q:     I see that on the last page, tucked at the bottom of the page, it states that, “Once a ballot is cast, it cannot be changed.” Can you address why?  I don’t recall this ever happening on other contract/TA votes.  I flown with several flight attendants that were not aware of this change.  Is […]

The Joint Negotiating Committee has developed a Merger Tentative Agreement Roadshow webinar that mirrors the Roadshow presentations. Merger TA Roadshow webinar >   If you click the video “play” icon, the webinar will automatically play in the order in which the information was presented at the roadshows. Alternatively, you can click the video “playlist” icon […]

03.16.2018   Why does the Company want to speed up the process and why is it a benefit? The Company can only achieve the synergies of the merger by fully integrating all the employee groups. The sooner they can achieve this, the sooner they will experience the benefits of the merger. There is no certainty […]

There is a lot of history to Open Time negotiations. See the following communications for additional information: [AS] Open Time Negotiations Update – December 2017 [AS] Open Time Update – September 2, 2017 [AS] Open Time Negotiations Update – June 1, 2017 Open Time Negotiations Update – March 3, 2017 Open Time Negotiations Session 2 […]

03.15.2018 The insurance coverage for FA’s when you retire and what is the change? You can retain your coverage when you retire but you can’t change your coverage. There are 10 years of service you need to be age 62-65.   The Productivity Premium Program (PPP) why was it re-structured and was it the union […]

03.08.2018 (AM)   If the TA does not ratify, why can’t the L-VX Flight Attendants just get on our work rules? First of all, management would never just “give” the L-VX Flight Attendants the L-AS work rules. They would use it as a bargaining chip in merger negotiations with AFA. Aside from that, there are […]

03.14.2018    If the March 2019 date to implement is met when can trading and swapping bases start? Trading and swapping of all bases between the combined Flight Attendant group will start the month following Full Implementation. So, if Full Implementation happens in March 2019, then awarding and swapping of bases will begin in April. […]

[See “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties [VX], “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties 2 [VX], “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties 3 [VX] and “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties 4 [VX] for more info.] Q:     I realize now that there are penalties to the Company if the groups are not integrated by March 2, 2019. Do you […]

[See also Maternity Extension Leave [VX]] [Note: This post has been revised with updated information. Clarifications or edits are indicated in strikeout font for deleted text and underlined font for added text. – Edited 03.15.2018 jtp] Q:      I’m wondering what the work requirement would be to ensure time off for L-VX FAs on Maternity Extension Leave. As you know, […]

[See also VX “Red-Circled” Pay Rates: Intra-Company (e.g. GST) Transfers [JCBA]] Q:     I am hoping someone can clarify this for me. If an Alaska employee is a CSA (or any other work group) and they change over to a FA—the only thing that “carries” over is their years of service related to vacation accrual. As […]

03.13.2018   [Note: These notes were recorded at the time of the roadshow and are presented as recorded. Any clarifications or edits that have been applied after the roadshows are indicated in strikeout font for deleted text and underlined font for added text. – Edited 03.14.2018 jtp]   Seniority and Peoplesoft number: How is that figured? Going forward the […]

03.12.2018   [Note: These notes were recorded at the time of the roadshow and are presented as recorded. Any clarifications or edits that have been applied after the roadshows are indicated in strikeout font for deleted text and underlined font for added text. – Edited 03.14.2018 jtp]   Alaska Board of Directors and what do they feel the timeline […]

03.10.2018   [Note: These notes were recorded at the time of the roadshow and are presented as recorded. Any clarifications or edits that have been applied after the roadshows are indicated in strikeout font for deleted text and underlined font for added text. – Edited 03.14.2018 jtp]   Does RT count towards your line amount (for PPP)? No […]

03.09.2018   [Note: These notes were recorded at the time of the roadshow and are presented as recorded. Any clarifications or edits that have been applied after the roadshows are indicated in strikeoutfont for deleted text and underlined font for added text. – Edited 03.13.2018 jtp]   JCBA and four year medical leaves: Is this a law or […]

03.08.2018 (PM) [Note: These notes were recorded at the time of the roadshow and are presented as recorded. Any clarifications or edits that have been applied after the roadshows are indicated in strikeoutfont for deleted text and underlined font for added text. – Edited 03.13.2018 jtp]   Seniority and a CSA – why isn’t AS […]

03.06.2018 [Note: These notes were recorded at the time of the roadshow and are presented as recorded. Any clarifications or edits that have been applied after the roadshows are indicated in strikeout font for deleted text and underlined font for added text. – Edited 03.13.2018 jtp]   What does Section 6 mean? Contracts remain in […]

Q&A Only on the JNC Blog Please note that in order to facilitate clear communication, the JNC will post only questions and answers on the blog. Opinions and/or comments included in questions will be edited to distill to the basic question(s). Duplicative questions may be condensed into a composite question in order to streamline the […]

[See also Healthcare Insurance: Premiums [JCBA] and Healthcare Insurance: Premiums 2 [JCBA]] Q:     My concern is the TA clause regarding healthcare insurance premiums frozen at the 2019 rates. To my understanding, the clause has no bearing or protection regarding the $1500 the Company gives to the employee Health Savings Account (HSA) to assist with the […]

Q:     My crew today is all convinced that L-VX FAs will not receive L-AS work rules if the TA is ratified. Each of us is reading it differently. Is it just the money? Or will L-VX FAs get the L-AS contract? A:     If the TA is ratified, L-VX FAs will start receiving the equivalent of […]

Q:     If the TA is not passed, will L-AS FAs still experience aircraft differences training this year? Also…the differences training is mentioned many times in the blog as taking place this summer and fall. As summer is approaching (our next bid month is May!), do you have any information as to who will be scheduled […]

Q:     I can’t seem to find the part in the TA about getting retro pay for L-AS Flight Attendants back to January 2018. Is that true, and if it is, will L-AS FAs be getting the on the April 20th paycheck if the TA passes? A:     Retro pay for L-AS FAs to January 1, 2018, […]

Q:     I was trying to find the VX Playbook 2017 revision that is listed on the “L-VX FA Transition Agreement 2018 TA”. It is not on Alaska’s World, in Goodreader on the IMD, or on VX Connect (the 2014 version is the most recent on VX Connect). I believe it used to be accessible through […]

[See also Productivity Premium Program (PPP) [JCBA]] Q:     I have a question about the new PPP program set to replace the QPP program under the TA. Specifically, I’m concerned about the ability to pick up extra flying since every FA who wants the productivity bonus will need to pick up 5 TFP per month.  It […]

It is important to note that a “transitional only” agreement would have needed to be ratified by a majority of the entire membership (L-VX and L-AS). The JNC and the MEC were concerned that a “transitional only” agreement would have been challenging to ratify because the current 2014-2019 agreement ratified by only a 10% margin […]

Q:     Page 3 of the Summary of the VX Transition Agreement states “All 480 provisions will NOT affect L-VX FAs until the calendar year 2021. The qualification year will be 2020.”  On page 2 under “Ability to Trade Trips Below 70 hours” it states “at full integration (targeted for March 2019) VX FAs may trade […]

Q:     If this TA goes through, will those of us who still have our Stuff Happens Pass (SHP) be able to use it through Jan 2019 or will it be immediately taken away? I understand we will no longer accrue a new one once it is used this year, but will we still have […]

Q:     Page 2 of the Summary of the VX Transition Agreement states “VX F/A who has a sit in excess of 2 hours will be paid 1 block hour of pay.”  An Alaska FA receives 1 TFP, therefore L-AS FAs will receive less pay for the same amount of time as L-VX FAs. A:     This […]

Q:     Please explain why it was decided that a separate monthly bidding process for the A position be implemented. Instead, why aren’t positions added as a preference or after trips are awarded, FAs pick their desired position based on seniority on day one of each trip? A:     The JNC pushed to move away from the […]

Q:     What protections does this TA give L-VX FAs from base closures?  What protections does this TA give L-VX FAs from L-AS FAs transferring to L-VX current bases and significantly affecting bidding seniority? A:     The TA  does not contain a specific provision to prevent a base closure, but there are provisions in Section 28 [Domiciles] […]

[See also Healthcare Insurance Premiums [JCBA]] Q:     Can we have a provision to have our premiums stay frozen or go down if health care costs go down? A:     We already do depending on the situation. The contract requires that Flight Attendants pay 20% of the cost of healthcare insurance for 2018 and 2019. That means […]

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) has revised and reposted the following documents to the Merger Tentative Agreements and Information page. In most cases, revisions were required in order to correct minor errors within the documents. In a few instances, the changes were made in order to clarify or highlight an item. After the link to […]

[See “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties [VX], “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties 2 [VX] and “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties 3 [VX] for more info.] Q:     I have a question in regards to the TA and JCTE.  My main concern with the TA is for the L-VX side.  I am not confident in the Company with having […]

Q:     My question is, should the TA pass would the full pay for L-VX FA deadheads be retroactive to cover trips beginning in January? A:     No. Effective DOR, any L-VX FA who deadheads on a flight at the Company’s request will receive one-hundred percent (100%) block hour credit for pay purposes. This provision will be […]

Q:     Do you have current per diem rates for the other airlines? A:     The following is a list of Industry per diem rates both domestic and international for comparison. Alaska  $2.50 / $2.50 Intl (Same) Delta $2.40 / $2.90 Transoceanic and HI        Southwest  $2.30 / $2.80 Intl United $2.20 / $2.70 Intl JetBlue $2.15 […]

Q:     If you are out on a medical leave of absence, do you still accrual 1.333 towards vacation and 480? A:     Yes, if you are on an unpaid leave you still accrue 1.333 per day towards all 480 provisions.  This is covered under Section 15.N [Unpaid Leaves…] of the JCBA (no change to this […]

Q:     To my understanding, some Virgin FAs were allowed to keep their Company seniority for pay/vacation/line bidding if they transferred from CSA to FA. Some of those new hire FAs who just came online are currently making more money than me. I’ve been flying for close to 5 years and some are barely going into […]

Q:     Will the L-VX FAs pay the same $50 union dues as L-AS FAs if the TA passes without the same work rules essentially causing a discrepancy in pay still? A:     Like in any merger, there will be a period of time in which there is a difference in work rules between the two pre-merger […]

Q:     I am a L-VX FA currently on maternity leave until March. I am reading over the TA and was hoping you could offer me some clarification. Would I be eligible for the year of maternity leave if this TA is ratified? A:     Yes. Ratification will not occur until April 3, 2018, but management has […]

Q:     Does any US airline have better than our 480? A:     Yes, depending on on how you define the 480 (e.g. healthcare insurance vs. vacation accrual & pay). 480 TFP is equivalent to approximately 425 credit hours. Generally speaking, Southwest (full accrual @ 0 TFP), Envoy (½ accrual @ 350 credit hours) and American (full […]

Q:     I have to work during the roadshows and was wondering if any of them will be taped for us to watch back later? A:     No, there are no plans to tape any of the live roadshows. However, the JNC will produce supplemental materials that may be accessed remotely. The exact nature of those materials […]

[See also Reduction in Force/Furlough Protections [JCBA]] Q:     What protections are there to prevent management from furloughing Flight Attendants once differences training is complete? A:     Differences training is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2018. The JCBA Supplemental Reduction in Force LOA provides reduction in force/furlough protections through December 31, 2019.

[See also Negotiations: General 2 [misc] and Negotiations: General [misc]] Q:     On the blog, a question was asked regarding whether these negotiations meant that the contract had to be opened. The answer provided was, “Management wanted to negotiate only transition items that would bring the L-VX FAs over to the L-AS CBA.” Can you please […]

Q:     Why did the JNC settle for only 4.5% pay increase? A:     It seems there is a lot of confusion regarding the rate increases in the TA. In Section 21.A [Step Rates of Pay] of the current 2014-2019 CBA, L-AS FAs are currently on contract year 3 (DOS +3) pay rates. The most recent pay […]

[See also Negotiations: General [misc]] Q:     Please explain who were the specific people at the negotiation table for both the union and company.  Did the Company have legal representation/counsel present to review and advise the Company during the negotiation process?  Did the Union have legal representation/counsel to review and advise the union during the negotiation […]

Q:     I hear many L-AS FAs voicing skepticism about this merger TA primarily due to the extension of our current contract and the lack of resolution on our current open time agreement. What is the status of our new open time agreement? Perhaps some more information as to why the JNC and the Company agreed […]

For ANCFAs: Q:     Do I have to give up my ANC SIDA badge to get the $75.00 parking stipend if I am a commuter from FAI and want it for use of the elevator, but I do not park in the employee lot? A:     Yes! As of 2/27/2018 management now agrees that you may keep […]

With the upcoming merger tentative agreement (TA) vote, it’s important to exercise your right to cast your ballot.  Please review the information below to ensure that you will be able to receive your ballot in a timely manner and will be eligible to vote. Voting Timeline 03/13/2018 Ballots mailed to address on file with AFA […]

[See “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties [VX] and “Full Implementation” Guarantees / Penalties 2 [VX] for more info.] Q:     When will our L-VX family fall under the full L-AS contractual rules–with or without this TA passing? A:     If the TA passes, the L-VX Flight Attendants will be under the full L-AS (JCBA) work rules at […]

Q1:     I’ve been reading through the TA and something I’m curious about is the creation of the AS sick bank for L-VX FAs. It’s my understanding that they will go back and look at our full sick call history. I do not have access to this information anymore and don’t trust the company to calculate […]

Q:     If this TA passes, will the current VX Commuter Policy remain in place (covering non-AAG flights) for pmVX FA and will pmAS have a different Commuter Policy? A:     Yes. pmVX FAs and pmAS FAs will be on separate commuting policies until Full Implementation (estimated March 2019). After that, pmVX FAs will fully transition […]

Q:     Can a L-VX FA be forced out of a L-VX base by L-AS FAs?   A:     No. Neither can L-VX FAs be forced out of a L-VX base by L-AS FAs, nor can L-AS FAs be forced out of a L-AS base by L-VX FAs as a direct consequence of the merger. A Flight […]

[See also Healthcare Insurance: Coverage [JCBA] and Healthcare Insurance: Coverage 2 [JCBA]] Q:     If this TA is voted in, would our “me too” clause with the pilots be null and void because we froze our rates? Meaning we somehow are not attached to the “me too” clause because we froze rates and the pilots rates […]

Q:     Are we the last group that needs to be settled before AS and VX are one? A:     It depends on what you mean by “settled.” The dispatchers, who are represented by the Transport Workers Union (TWU), and the mechanics, who are represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), still do not have ratified […]

Q:     As I’m reading this response [in the JNC blog post Occupational Seniority “Synch Up”],  I see the word “anticipating”. Is it written somewhere that this is how it is going to happen? Isn’t this whole TA the reason we are doing this?  Was competitive bidding seniority and occupational seniority set up this way because […]

Q1:     “[T]he Company will make every best effort to construct the pairing in compliance with Section 10 of the JCBA. ” And how exactly will the Company define “every best effort?” Q2:     Ok… define “every best effort,” and how is there accountability/proof in “every best effort”? What will that look like? Could there be a […]

Q:     Isn’t Alaska Airlines Company policy for FAs and pilots that we can retire with flight benefits at 45 years old as long as we have at least 10 years of service?  When L-VX FAs are moved to the Alaska 401(k) plan, why won’t our 401(k) vest at 100% once we have 10 years of […]

Q:    It’s my understanding that the only real reason that management would maybe come back with a “TA2” before Section 6 openers (besides pressure from the Board of Directors) is that AFA has not yet given them our Integrated Seniority List (ISL), and management needs that to operate. Will AFA give management our ISL if […]

Q:     Will my insurance benefits change after the vote? A:     No. All Flight Attendants (pmAS and pmVX) are already on the same insurance programs. See also JNC blog: “Healthcare Insurance” >

Q:     If the TA is approved, our seniorities will be based on the last three digits of our Peoplesoft number if we started on the same day.  I am VX.  So, if I’m #3 in my class right now, I could get dropped down to #30 based on the last three digits of my Peoplesoft […]

Q1:     Why are AFA officers getting big raises when the rest of us are getting only 4.5%?  LECPs 10 TFP/month and MECP 11.8TFP/month, etc., which is far more than my 4.5% as a Flight Attendant?  Is this increase a way to pay our AFA officers off to put this out for a vote? Q2:     I […]

[See also Monthly Parking Stipend – $75 [JCBA]] Q:     Will the $75 monthly parking stipend be paid in a manner that makes it subject to federal income tax? A:     Yes, the parking stipend will be subject to federal income tax, which is the current application for a similar program at  L-VX. However, ground commuters could […]

Q:     I read this on social media. Is it in fact true the Company is not allowed to limit a medical leave to one year because of a lawsuit as this states so we will get the medical leave extension even if we vote this down?  Is it true that the current 1-year medical leave […]

Q:     Is L-VX now under AFA? Are we one union? If so, how is it possible that L-VX is not brought up to current L-AS pay standards immediately? Are we not all Flight Attendants?  We all do the same job, just on different planes. If we are now viewed as one company by the FAA, […]

Q:     Some VX ITLs (steps 1-5) will be receiving pay cuts with this TA. Can you please explain this? A:     When evaluating pay step increases it is very important to compare apples-to-apples. Every step, including current ITL’s and those affected by the Red Circle LOA will receive a pay increase (and retroactive 1/1/2018). When a […]

Q:     If Alaska management doesn’t meet the Mar 2, 2019, goal and must apply L-AS rules on L-VX, who won’t have the coverage to comply what happens? Cancelled flights? Altered schedules? Operational assignments? Shouldn’t these kinds of penalties be more one sided and less disruptive? A:     Flight Attendants have voiced concerns that management will […]

Q:     Why can’t the GST transfer be grandfathered in? Seems like forcing AS rules on VX retroactively is unfair. I don’t think GSTs would have transferred in knowing their pay would be frozen for years. Can you please explain? A:     Management initially took the position that all rates should be re-set to Flight Attendant Occupational […]

Q:     How many pmAS FAs are there and how many pmVX FAs are there for voting purposes? A:     As of noon PT 2/21/2017, there are 895 L-VX FAs and 4164 L-AS FAs eligible to vote.  Under AFA’s Constitution and Bylaws, L-AS Flight Attendants must be in good standing (i.e. dues current) to be eligible to […]

Q:     What does the FMLA look-back entail? Could VX be placed on PIPs* (e.g. performance improvement plans, which is similar to written warnings at Alaska), points, termination? Could we be forced to see a Company appointed doctor? Why even have a look back? A:     From L-VX FA Transition Agreement 2018 TA, §15.C: C.     […]

Q:     There seems to be concern that the pay raise offered in the TA is not enough given the contributions made by the FA group during this long streak of Alaska Airlines profitability.  There is also concern that the extension will leave too much money on the table for a period of time well beyond […]

Q:     I didn’t see any mention that our VX files would be wiped up to the past 18 months. Is that in this TA? If so can you point it out please? A:     The L-VX Flight Attendants are currently covered under the AFA VX Grievance Procedures and System Board of Adjustment Letter of Agreement (LOA), […]

Q:     I’m wondering why AFA was able to negotiate the current VX commuter policy for VX, however not for AS in the JCBA. A:     The JNC did push for implementation of the current VX commuter policy for all Flight Attendants.  We were able to attain ground commuting provisions for all Flight Attendants.  However, management was […]

Q:     Why only a 0.5% increase to our 401k match when the pilots get 13% match? A:     In a prior negotiations, the pilots traded their very generous defined benefit pension plan for a high-percentage match 401(k) plan.  Flight Attendants have not had a defined benefit plan for years.   Q.  It seems we could have […]

Q:     Why couldn’t VX just come in under our contract? Since we acquired them, did that mean the contract had to be opened for negotiations, therefore giving AFA a chance to improve our contract? Were the negotiations basically to make improvements on our existing contract while we had the this opportunity, or was it more […]

Q:     I read the Medical Insurance Premiums post on the JNC Blog, but could you elaborate a bit more? I understand that contractually AS must offer us a comparable plan/coverage  to the pilots although my concern is not the coverage itself as much as the other items such as deductibles and the amount the Company […]

Q1:     Why is the agreement so long? Why not make it a year to get the processes in place and then revisit it later? With the cost of living going up in almost every base city, why chain us to an agreement until 2021? Q2:     What are the benefits to AFA/flight […]

Q:     In the TA the 1/12 requirement of paid time is eliminated.  What are the implications of that for an FA that does not achieve the hard time 480 in a year?  What are the implications of not having paid time in a month for those who do fly above the 480 hard time? A: […]

Q:     Why are the furlough protections only for one year? A:     The furlough protections actually will remain in place for over a year and a half (April, 2018 – December 2019).  This will carry the Flight Attendant group through Full Integration.  The JNC advocated for a longer period of time for this protection, but management […]

Q:     Scenario:  A FA is on a RON and is scheduled to depart on a holiday.  The flight cancels before the FA reports, and is stranded for the entire calendar day on which the holiday falls.  Does the stranded FA get the holiday pay for the flight that cancels? A:     No. A FA must report […]

Can the Company Get the ISL without a JCBA? Q:     If the TA is voted down and if we enter full Section 6 negotiations with the groups remaining separate, can the Company sue AFA to be legally compelled to produce the ISL? A:     The Company can sue AFA for any reason.  The question is: “Would […]

The JNC Blog has been up and running over the holiday weekend The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Blog has been up and running over the holiday weekend, and the JNC thanks everyone for the engaging questions. We are ultimately endeavoring to answer new questions on the blog within 24 hours of submission, but during this […]

Q:     With regard to Registered Air Commuters having a commuter priority, does this extend to the jumpseat? A:     No, the commuter priority is only for cabin seating. “Registered Air Commuters” will be given boarding priority over Company employees (and dependents) on pleasure travel and over all employees of other airlines on Alaska Airlines mainline flights […]

Q:     When will pmAS FAs see the change in their hire dates for step rate increases? A:     Step rate increases are based on Occupational Seniority date, which is the date an employee is placed on the Company payroll as a FA and going forward will now include credit for time spent in Initial Training. Adjustments […]

Q:     Can you tell me when the current contracts and pay scales expire for United (UA), Southwest (WN), American (AA) and Delta (DL)? A:     Yes. AFA United: CBA amendable August 2020. TWU Southwest: CBA amendable October 2018.   APFA American: CBA amendable December 2019. Delta FAs are currently non-union and therefore not […]

Q:     At one point management was leading a focus group to start a mentorship program to help with training a consistent service for our new hires. It seems like this would be a perfect time to implement such a program. Is this kind of program even being talked about anymore? A:    Management presented a proposal […]

Q:     The full TA we are reading is comprehensive, correct? What I mean is this the TA for both of us? There isn’t a portion that applies to VX we at AS are not seeing? A:     Correct. All the documents that comprise the Merger Agreement ( the global document) have been released in full […]

Q:     When the TA is approved, will service and inflight labor (amount of work performed) be matched to that of AS? For example, LAX SFO is a full beverage service for the entire cabin, whereas AS, correct me if I’m wrong, has a reduced beverage service. Will the VX service be adjusted to match? Equal […]

Q:     Why can’t we fight for more Positive Space (PST) tickets? We use those more frequently and we don’t seem to be getting them as often.  Can they be added to the contract? A:     Pass travel is a Company benefit and therefore management discretion. The only contractual language we have regarding discretionary (i.e. for pleasure) […]

Q:     Why wasn’t vacation and sick leave counting towards the 480 for paid vacation accrual negotiated and improved? A:     Improving the 480 was definitely on the table. The JNC tried very hard to recapture vacation counting towards the 480 for purposes of vacation accrual in JCBA negotiations, but management was adamantly opposed. It was one […]

Q:     What is the difference between merger negotiations and Section 6 negotiations? A:     The Railway Labor Act (RLA) sets out the provisions governing Section 6 negotiations*. The steps involving direct negotiations, oversight by the National Mediation Boards (NMB), mediation, etc are set in the provisions of the law: An RLA labor group’s contract has an […]

Q:     It is unclear as to pay increases for a current Lead for VX.  Will Leads be paid as an A FA, and if so, how much of an increase in pay is to be expected? A:     Under the L-VX work rules, an “AS Lead” translates to a L-VX “Inflight Team Leader (ITL)”.  ITL pay […]

Q:     Why can’t there be a penalty to the Air Group if full implementation isn’t done by  a said date? A:     Actually, the JNC did achieve an incentive to encourage the Company to keep the anticipated Full Integration date. If the two Flight Attendant groups are not fully integrated by March 2019, all of the […]

Q:     Since medical premiums will be frozen, does this include our actual medical plan/benefits? Or can they give us inferior plans to keep the current cost? A:     Section 23.A [Insurance Benefits: FA Insurance Plan(s)] states:  “The Flight Attendants’ insurance plan will be separated from the Company-wide plan and will provide benefits comparable to those offered […]

Q:     What is the calculation for converting TFP to block-hours?  When does VX convert to TFP? A:     In order to convert TFP pay rates to Block hour pay rates, you multiply the TFP base rate by 1.13.  [TFP pay rate in $/TFP  x 1.13 = Block-hour pay rate in $/block-hour] If the […]

Q:     Am I reading it correctly that under the new plan unpaid vacation and PTO would be included for the purpose of earning bonuses or am I missing something? A:     Yes! Paid vacation (included Longevity PTO) and unpaid vacation will count towards achieving the PPP at 4.0 TFP per day.   Q:   […]

Q.  Why were no improvements to air commuting negotiated for example commuting offline, load protections etc? A.  The JNC advocated strongly for both of those improvements in negotiations.  However, besides being adamantly opposed to those provisions, management was very unwilling to make changes that impacted only a portion of the Flight Attendant group because this […]

Q:     Addendum to section 15 #5 crossed out personal leaves, parental leaves, maternity but left medical leaves. To me that reads: if a FA accepts a Company-offered personal leave they will not accrue seniority. Is my understanding of this correct? A:     The short answer: No. A FA will continue to accrue […]

Q:     At Virgin America we have a 100% vested retirement account regardless of age and retirement status. I’m unclear about how the 401k section effects those of us who are not close to retirement age. Will our retirement accounts be moved to another financial institution? Will we keep our current fidelity account as is and […]

Q:     Is the $75 parking stipend going to be automatic if you don’t hold a parking permit? A:     Yes, once the initial registration and verification has been completed. The details of the registration and verification process are still being worked out, but management has confirmed it will be automated and paid on the 20th paycheck. […]

[Note: This JNC Blog post is a revised version of “What happens if the TA is voted down?” The original post (in strikeout text) will continue to be available for reference.] Q:     Without this extension, VX stays at their current pay and awful work rules until when? When we get a whole new contract is […]

Q:     Does ground commuting cover everywhere?  If I commute via air but there is a wreck or blown tire on my way to my registered commuter city airport and it causes me to miss my commute flight to work, am I covered? A:     Yes, generally speaking. However, it is important to note the details. The […]

Q:    How many pmVX are registered to vote? A:     Approximately 900 L-VX FAs currently have membership applications on file and are eligible to vote. Any L-VX FAs who would like to verify their status can email Council 35 at vx@afaalaska.org to confirm eligibility.  The membership application can be turned into to the […]

Q:     Is there an estimate of when this will be put to vote? A:     The voting schedule is below: Ballot mail date:   March 13 Voting opens:   March 16 Vote Count Date: April 3 The voting schedule is found on the Merger TAs & Info page and additional voting information on the TA […]

Q:     I’m a pmAS SEAFA and commute from the Bay Area. Can I go to a SFO roadshow or will that be more geared towards pmVX FAs’ needs and issues? A:     All Flight Attendants are welcome to attend any of the road shows.  The JNC anticipates that the SFO and LAX roadshows will have additional […]

[Note: This JNC Blog post was revised in “[REVISED] What Happens if the TA is Voted Down?” The following strikeout text will remain for reference.] Q:     Without this extension, VX stays at their current pay and awful work rules until when? When we get a whole new contract is that right? And then our […]

Q:    Will pmVX being getting back pay for per diem too? A:     Yes.  Section 22.A. (Per Diem) of the L-VX Agreement states that effective “date of ratification”, per diem will be two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) per hour away from domicile. This per diem rate will be retroactive to January 1, 2018.

Q:    Am I correct in assuming that lead pay (pmVX, pre-TA) will be recalculated to AS “A” pay for back pay purposes? A:    That is not the correct assumption.  If the TA is ratified, the L-VX ITL program pay will not be changing until two bid months following the bid month of ratification […]

See Monthly Parking Stipend – $75 >

Q.  When does incentive override phase out and when does AS PPP start for L-VX FAs? A.  The incentive pay will phase out for the L-VX Flight Attendants at Full Integration – when both groups of Flight Attendants fly together after being awarded schedules following a combined PBS bid.  The company is targeting the March […]

Q.    VX retro pay – will this include my ITL override and my incentive pay? A.    Yes. The pay increases retroactive to January 1, 2018, will be applied to all incentive and premium pays.

Q.    What does legacy mean? A.   Legacy refers to the “pre-merger” partition of either Virgin America (VX) or Alaska Airlines (AS). The terms we use are Legacy-VX (L-VX) and Legacy-AS (L-AS).  This denotes the partition that a Flight Attendant was initially hired into, no matter when. It is somewhat confusing, because we are all […]

Note: This JNC blog post was revised and updated. See Commuter Policy: Ground Commuting [JCBA].

See Monthly Parking Stipend – $75 >

Q: Will our hire/step date/rate be revised to this new date in the synch up so in other words, will it be the same date for all things? A: For pmAS FAs, the new “synch-up date” will be the same date for competitive bidding seniority and Occupational Seniority. Historically these have always been the same […]

Q: Is VX voting on their TAs and AS voting on their TAs, or is VX and AS voting together to get the Merger Agreement ratified? A: All Flight Attendants (VX and AS) must vote collectively on the entire Merger Agreement. Under AFA’s Constitution and Bylaws, all pre-merger Virgin America and pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight […]

Q: Can you please explain the Vacation Coordination Bank in greater detail? A: The Vacation Coordination Bank would allow Flight Attendants the ability to coordinate with unpaid vacation (i.e., even if a Flight Attendant had -0- TFP in a year) in order to maintain health insurance benefits at the active employee rate while on an […]

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) has prepared the comprehensive full text tentative agreements (TAs) that make up the overall Merger Agreement. The Merger Agreement is the global ‘umbrella’ document and incorporates all agreements related to the merger by reference. Keep in mind that in order to transition pre-merger Virgin America (pmVX) Flight Attendants onto the […]

AFA has prepared Flight Attendant industry payscale comparisons for the step rates of pay contained in the tentative Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). Keep in mind that pre-merger Virgin America (pmVX) Flight Attendants are currently paid in dollars per block-hour ($/block-hour), and pre-merger Alaska Airlines (pmAS) Flight Attendants are paid in dollars per Trips for […]

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) posted the Summary of Merger Agreements yesterday, and we realize there are many questions about the negotiations process. This communication addresses those inquiries. Questions about individual Merger Agreement provisions will be answered once we publish the full text language on Friday. We thank you in advance for your patience. AS-VX Merger Agreement […]

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is publishing a comprehensive summary of agreements that make up the overall AFA Alaska Airlines-Virgin America Merger Agreement. The summaries contain a listing of the provisions agreed to during merger negotiations. The full text Merger Agreement and related agreements will be posted by the end of the week. SUMMARY OF […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) presented the tentative Merger Agreement to the Master Executive Council (MEC) in a special session today (Monday, February 12), and the MEC unanimously approved to release the tentative agreement for membership ratification. The JNC will be publishing a comprehensive summary of agreement tomorrow and full text language […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) just reached a tentative Merger Agreement with Alaska Airlines management during our twelfth negotiations session this week in Seattle, WA. A tentative agreement is not released for a membership-wide vote until approved by your directly elected union leaders in the Master Executive Council (MEC). The JNC will […]

As mentioned in the previous merger negotiations update, the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is scheduled to meet in Seattle the entire week this coming week (February 5-9) as a final push towards completing a Tentative Merger Agreement. The JNC is pleased to report that we are confident we will be able to close out the […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) wrapped up our tenth merger negotiations session last week January 24-25 in Seattle, WA. We are now in our eleventh session this week and are currently meeting with management today (January 29) in Seattle. Representing management: Vice President of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America Inflight & Call […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) wrapped up our ninth merger negotiations session. We met with management on Wednesday, January 17th in Seattle, WA. Representing management: Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays, Vice President of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America Inflight & Call Center/Guest Services Jeff Butler, Managing Director of Labor Relations […]

The Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) met in Washington, DC at the AFA International Headquarters from January 8-11, 2018. The purpose of the meeting was to make progress on merging the Flight Attendant seniority lists per the AFA Constitution and Bylaws (C&B). The SMIC made significant progress this week. The committee was able to accomplish […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) just wrapped up our eighth merger negotiations session. We met with management from Tuesday, January 9th through Thursday, January 11th in Seattle, WA. Representing management: Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays, Vice President of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America Inflight & Call Center/Guest Services Jeff Butler, Managing Director […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) just wrapped up this week’s session of merger negotiations, our seventh so far. We met with management from Tuesday, December 12th through Thursday, December 14th in Seattle, WA. Representing management: Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays, Vice President of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America Inflight & Call Center/Guest […]

This Friday, November 24, is the constitutional deadline for challenges to either the competitive bidding date or date of birth that were included on your Seniority Verification Letter (SVL). There are instructions on the SVL informing you of how to send information if you believe either date is incorrect. If you did not receive your […]

The Seniority Merger Integration Committee has been contacted by some members who were confused about the recent Pilot Arbitration, and whether our seniority integration would involve arbitration. For both Flight Attendants and Pilots, the seniority integration process is determined by the Constitution and Bylaws (C&B) of each Union. Each C&B has a unique set of […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) just wrapped up this week’s session of merger negotiations, our sixth so far. We met with management from Tuesday, November 7th through Thursday, November 9th in Seattle, WA. Representing management: Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays, Vice President of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America Inflight & Call […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) just wrapped up this week’s session of merger negotiations, our fifth so far. We met with management from Tuesday, October 24th through Thursday, October 26th in Seattle, WA. Representing management: Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays, Vice President of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America Inflight & Call Center/Guest […]

The seniority merger process is well underway.  By now, you should have received your Seniority Verification Letter (SVL) at your home address. If you did not receive it, you may request that a duplicate be sent to you by email.  To do so, send your request to the following email address: seniority@afacwa.org.  Your request must […]

The following preliminary seniority lists were received from the Company and were used by the Seniority Merger Integration Committee to generate the Seniority Verification Letters (SVL) mailed on October 10, 2017. Posting of these lists satisfy the requirements of Section X.C.2.d of the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws. Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Preliminary Seniority List > (password […]

*Reminder* Your AFA Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) has developed this survey to solicit feedback regarding your expectations for merger negotiations. Your participation is extremely important. Providing your union leaders with your input and support will better help us to represent you at the bargaining table. Keep in mind that merger negotiations are a different process […]

The Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) has finalized the Seniority Verification Letters (SVL) that are being mailed today: October 10, 2017.  Over 5,000 letters are being sent to Alaska Airlines (AS) and Virgin America (VX) Flight Attendants, and they will begin arriving at mailing addresses on file with the Company within a week. While letters are […]

Your AFA Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) has developed this survey to solicit feedback regarding your expectations for merger negotiations. Your participation is extremely important. Providing your union leaders with your input and support will better help us to represent you at the bargaining table. Keep in mind that merger negotiations are a different process than […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) just wrapped up this week’s session of merger negotiations, our fourth so far; we met with management from Tuesday, September 26th through Thursday, September 28th in Seattle, WA. Representing management: Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays, Vice President of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America Inflight & Call […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) just wrapped up this week’s session of merger negotiations, our third so far; we met with management from Tuesday, September 12th through Thursday, September 14th in Seattle, WA. Representing management: Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays, Incoming Vice President of Alaska Airlines Inflight & Call Center Services […]

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee just finished several days of collective bargaining with management; we met from Tuesday, August 8th through Thursday, August 10th in Seattle, WA. This is our second merger negotiations session, with the first held back in June. (See “AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Prepares to Meet with […]

This message is for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants AFA met with the Virgin America leadership team (management) and Alaska Airlines management on Thursday, August 3rd in Seattle, WA as follow up to the past two Virgin America Flight Attendant Work Rule Improvements discussions over the last several months (click here and here for more information). […]

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) knows this is short notice, but if you are not flying tomorrow (Wednesday, August 2nd), please plan to join the Alaska and Virgin America pilots in SeaTac, WA at Angle Lake Park (next door to Alaska Airlines corporate headquarters) for a unity rally and informational picketing event. This is a […]

Your Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) members are attending training this week at AFA-CWA headquarters in Washington, DC. Your SMIC members are Merger Representatives Sandra Morrow (AS), Rolando Teran (VX), Lynne Voigtsberger (VX) and Marie Maxwell (AS). Master Executive Council (MEC) President Jeffrey Peterson and MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou are accompanying them in a supportive […]

It has come to the attention of the Master Executive Council (MEC) that some Virgin America Members have concerns with the appointment of Lynne Voigtsberger as Merger Representative.   The concerned members have suggested that Lynne crossed a union sanctioned picket line while she was a TWA Flight Attendant in the ‘80s.  The MEC asked […]

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) concluded negotiations training followed by two days of discussions with management’s team this week. Representing management were Vice President of Inflight & Call Center Services Andy Schneider, Vice President of Labor Relations Greg Mays and Managing Director of Labor Relations Elizabeth Ryan. This week’s meetings focused solely on issues that […]

This week will mark the start of merger negotiations with management. The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) will attend AFA negotiations training in Seattle at the beginning of the week. The JNC is comprised of three Flight Attendants appointed by the MEC: two Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants, Jennifer Wise MacColl and Lindsey Steele, and one Virgin […]

This message is for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants AFA met with the Virgin America leadership team (management) and Alaska Airlines management on Friday, June 2nd in Seattle, WA as follow up to the Virgin America Flight Attendant Work Rule Improvements discussions a month ago. Representing the Virgin America (VX) leadership team: Vice President of […]

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews last week for one Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Member position and two merger representative positions that will represent pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants. The MEC would like to thank the candidates who demonstrated willingness to represent our Flight Attendants. After thorough deliberation, the MEC has appointed Jamie Cogen […]

The next step in the integration process is to appoint a Joint Negotiating Committee Member and two Merger Representatives.   Information about each of the positions as well as how to express interest can be found below. Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Member (1 position) Pursuant to Section X.D [Merger Policy and Related Employee Protective Provisions: Contractual […]

AFA and the Virgin America (VX) leadership team (management) met in Seattle, WA yesterday to discuss VX Flight Attendant wages, work rules and other concerns. After negotiating into the late evening, the parties reached agreements on several interim improvements to pay and work rules. Improvements to work rules will be detailed in this communication; pay […]

AFA and the Virgin America (VX) leadership team (management) met in Seattle, WA yesterday to discuss VX Flight Attendant wages, work rules and other concerns. AFA started out the conversation by requesting that the leadership team match the AFA Alaska pay rates. Disappointingly, the leadership team was unwilling to match the AFA Alaska pay rates […]

AFA and the Virgin America leadership team (management) met in Seattle, WA earlier today to discuss Virgin America (VX) Flight Attendant wages, work rules and other concerns. The parties are in the process of finalizing the details of several improvements for VX F/As, including immediate improvement to wages. We anticipate having more information for you by 6 […]

Pursuant to the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws Article III.A.2 [Local Councils and Local Executive Councils: Establishment of Transitional Local Councils for Newly Organized Carriers], International President Sara Nelson has appointed Temporary Transitional Officers to represent AFA Transitional Local Council 35 Virgin America. AFA solicited input from Virgin America (VX) Flight Attendants for names of potential […]

The National Mediation Board (NMB) issued its determination today that AFA is the collective bargaining representative for Virgin America Flight Attendants!  As mentioned in a previous communication, Virgin America Flight Attendants will be part of AFA Transitional Local Council 35, which will represent Flight Attendants from JFK, LAX, and SFO.  Council 35 will be part […]

AFA confirmed as the collective-bargaining representative for Virgin America Flight Attendants The National Mediation Board (NMB) has confirmed AFA as the collective-bargaining representative for Virgin America InFlight Teammates (ITMs).* Effective immediately, AFA takes over representation of Virgin America Flight Attendants from our sisters and brothers in the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU). We are […]

We are anticipating that the National Mediation Board (NMB) will rule this week that AFA is the collective bargaining representative for Virgin America ITMs.  In anticipation of this ruling, the process of getting an AFA Local Council established and set up for Virgin America ITMs is already underway.  AFA Council 35 will be made up […]

[Note: The following email was sent to all Virgin America InFlight Teammates at 9:30am PT on Wednesday, April 5, 2017.] To: Virgin America InFlight Teammates From: Jeffrey Peterson, AFA Alaska Master Executive Council President Reply To: vx@afaalaska.org Welcome to the AFA Family, Virgin America InFlight Teammates! We look forward to the National Mediation Board (NMB) […]

Earlier today, the National Mediation Board (NMB) responded to AFA’s application to have the board investigate whether Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are operating as a single transportation system for the craft or class of Flight Attendant. The NMB ruled that the carriers are indeed a single transportation system. The NMB will now address Flight […]

Merger Negotiations Protocol Agreement meeting Your AFA Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) members, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Lindsey Steele and MEC President Jeff Peterson, met with Vice President of Inflight Services Andy Schneider and Managing Director of Labor Relations Elizabeth Ryan on February 15, 2017, at the Doubletree Seattle Airport to discuss a merger negotiations protocol agreement. […]

There have been concerns raised to your Master Executive Council (MEC) leadership about what exactly the acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Air Group and the subsequent merger between Alaska Airlines and Virgin America will mean for the AFA Alaska contract. Specifically, the question on the minds of many: If the Virgin America In-flight Teammates […]

There are still many unanswered questions about exactly how the merger with Virgin America will unfold. While the path may be long and drawn out, recently some significant milestones have been reached, and we are finally starting down the path of merging the two airlines. On December 14, 2016, the corporate transaction was completed, and […]

Today the Department of Justice (DOJ) approved the acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Air Group (AAG) after AAG agreed to certain modifications of its codeshare agreement with American Airlines.  This approval removes one of the final hurdles to the acquisition and officially starts the journey towards merging Alaska Airlines and Virgin America. AFA expects […]

Seniority Integration will be by Competitive Seniority Date AFA and the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), the union that currently represents the Virgin America Inflight Teammates (ITMs), signed a seniority integration protocol confirming the two Flight Attendant groups will be merged in accordance with the AFA Constitution and Bylaws’ Merger Policy. AFA’s Merger Policy […]

AFA confirmed with Alaska Air Group (AAG) management that the dates already publicly established are still valid targets, so we have put together a brief timeline and explanation of how the merger might play out.  It is important to keep in mind that the timeline could change and the below dates are estimates. Timeline for the […]

Today the Virgin America Inflight Teammates (ITMs), represented by the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), voted down their Tentative Agreement on a first contract. This contract would have taken effect upon close of the proposed merger between Alaska and Virgin America. Below is the communication that TWU sent to its members after the vote results […]

AFA International has guided several Master Executive Councils (MECs) through mergers at their respective carriers over the years, and each one has been different. The only commonality is the shortage of details throughout the merger process, and the patience that must be exhibited to wait out the long stretches of uncertainty and information voids. Management […]

Several Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants and Virgin America Inflight Teammates (ITMs) have contacted the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA to inquire why AFA—specifically the Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC)—has not made any statements about the current Tentative Agreement (TA) between Virgin America and the ITMs over and above “TWU Virgin America Announced a Tentative Agreement” posted […]

Earlier this morning the Transport Workers Union Virgin America (TWU VX) Negotiating Committee announced they reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) with Virgin America management on an historic first contract. At this point their TA must be voted on and ratified in order to become effective, a process that AFA estimates would take around a month. […]

Initial Meeting Between AFA Joint Negotiating Committee and TWU Negotiating Committee Members of your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) joined the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Virgin America Negotiating Committee for a casual dinnertime “meet and greet” on Tuesday night in Burlingame, California. The JNC members present were MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jen Wise MacColl and Lindsey […]

AFA representatives and Alaska Airlines management met last Thursday, July 14, 2016, to update each other regarding the Alaska Airlines-Virgin America merger and discuss the current situation and next steps. MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) member Lindsey Steele, AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberly Chaput, and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo represented AFA. […]

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews last week for the two open Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) member positions. The MEC would like to thank the 15 candidates who demonstrated a willingness to represent our Flight Attendants in joint contract negotiations. After thorough deliberation, the MEC has appointed Jennifer Wise MacColl and Lindsey Steele to […]

[Note: AFA International prepared the following information for AFA Alaska members regarding the Association’s seniority integration policy in a merger. Specifically, this addresses the proposed acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Air Group and merger of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America under one operating certificate. –The AFA Alaska MEC] June 24, 2016 AFA’s seniority integration […]

There has once again been rampant speculation today regarding the proposed acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Air Group (AAG) and the planned merger of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America under a single operating certificate. An Associated Press (AP) article published earlier today “Alaska Airlines CEO says he might keep Virgin America brand” and a […]

Pursuant to Section X.D [Merger Policy and Related Employee Protective Provisions: Contractual Protection] of the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws (C&B), the AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) is seeking two members in good standing (dues current) to serve on the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) for merged contract negotiations. As of today, the Virgin America Inflight […]

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) and AFA International are closely monitoring the proposed acquisition/merger with Virgin America while management navigates the various approval processes. On May 25, 2016, the MEC and your newly selected Merger Representatives are scheduled to attend a special meeting called by our AFA-CWA international president. Pursuant to Section X […]

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews this week for the two open merger representative positions. The MEC would like to thank the 33 candidates who demonstrated willingness to represent our Flight Attendants. Of the initial candidates, 6 finalists were selected. After thorough deliberation, the MEC has appointed Sandra Morrow and Marie Maxwell to the […]

Numerous Merger Representative applications   The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) has received numerous applications for the two Merger Representative positions. We thank all the applicants in advance for their willingness to serve. The MEC will be conducting a conference call later this evening to review the applications and to select those who we […]

One of the most important aspects of any merger of airlines is the integration of the seniority list.   The AFA Constitution and Bylaws provides for the Master Executive Council (MEC) to appoint two merger representatives.  Merger representatives have complete and full authority to act on behalf of the Flight Attendants of their respective airline […]

Your AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met today in Seattle to discuss the impending acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Air Group (AAG) and the planned merger with Alaska Airlines. Your union leaders know that everybody has many questions about the implications of this new direction for Alaska Airlines and its parent AAG. Be […]

Alaska Air Group announced very exciting news this morning—the purchase of Virgin America! (The transaction is subject to the approval of the appropriate regulatory agencies and the respective companies’ boards.) All the excitement has led to a lot of social media postings. AFA wants to protect your interests, so we’re reminding the group of the […]

It’s official! Alaska Air Group is slated to acquire Virgin America, pending the approval of their respective boards and the Department of Justice. Your AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) officers are very, very pleased that executive management is intending to combine the two carriers and operate under a single certificate. In other words, we’re […]