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Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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Seniority Merger Update – January 2018

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 following:

  • Reviewed, researched and responded to Seniority Verification Letter (SVL) challenges. If you submitted a challenge, you will be receiving a response via U.S. mail.
  • Prepared to certify both the AS and VX seniority lists for flight attendants.
  • Answered frequently asked questions (FAQ), which we highly encourage you to review.

Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about seniority integration >

The committee will continue to meet over the coming weeks to complete the following:

  • Continue to obtain Initial Training dates, which are needed to make the training adjustment for AS flight attendants.
  • Merge the AS and VX flight attendant seniority lists. This process is running parallel to the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) work and will not be finalized and published until after a single collective bargaining agreement has been ratified. This process follows the AFA C&B.
  • Continue to update the FAQ on the AFA website.

If you have any additional questions, send them to seniority@afacwa.org.

We thank you for your patience in this process. We want to ensure the process is accurate and in compliance with the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws. We will keep you posted on our work and any key developments as they unfold.

In Solidarity,

Your SMIC – Sandra Morrow, Rolando Teran, Lynne Voigtsberger and Marie Maxwell

[URGENT] ***False Alarm*** re: Ballistic Missile Threat to Hawaiian Islands

The Master Executive Council understands that the entire Hawaiian Island chain was issued a false emergency alert (pushed to all mobile phones) that there was a ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii and to seek immediate shelter. The alert falsely indicated that the message was not a drill. However, Alaska Airlines management confirmed that the domestic events network in Hawaii pushed a message that was supposed to go out as a practice drill but was incorrectly send out as a live issue. To the best of AFA’s knowledge, there is no ballistic missile threat to Hawaii at this time.

Please reach out to your AFA resources such as EAP if you need any additional support.

In Solidarity,

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

Merger Negotiations Session #8 Update – January 2018

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 of Labor Relations Elizabeth Ryan, Virgin America Manager of Labor Emily Kimmel and Alaska Airlines Financial Planning & Analysis Manager Brittany Schaub.

AFA Director of Collective Bargaining Joe Burns joined the JNC to support our efforts this week.

The parties exchanged several comprehensive proposals, and talks will continue in Seattle next Wednesday, January 17th.

In Solidarity,

Your JNC – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Jamie Cogen, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

Keep in mind that merger negotiations are a different process than regular negotiations. Discussions are focusing on a limited list of Flight Attendant priorities. All the provisions in the AFA Alaska contract (scheduled pay raises, etc.) will continue in force for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants; all the provisions in the Virgin America work rules will remain in effect for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants unless modified and/or superseded by the AFA Virgin America letters of agreement.

Merger Negotiations Session #7 Update – December 2017

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 Services Jeff Butler, Managing Director of Labor Relations-Air Elizabeth Ryan, Virgin America Manager of Labor Emily Kimmel and Alaska Airlines Financial Planning & Analysis Manager Brittany Schaub. Alaska Airlines Director of Retirement Services Chrystie Dickens and Retirement Benefits Analyst Jaime Smalley also joined to discuss 401(k).

The parties are down to the point in negotiations where we are exchanging comprehensive proposals and discussing primarily economic issues. AFA and management exchanged several proposals this session. However, management’s last pass to the JNC did not go far enough to address important concerns for our members, and it is not a deal that we believe our members would ratify.

The JNC’s message to management is that reaching a ratifiable merger agreement is our chance to unify the Flight Attendant groups and move forward together. We hope management takes our message to heart. Our next merger negotiations session is scheduled for January 9-11, 2018.

In Solidarity,

Your JNC – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Jamie Cogen, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

Keep in mind that merger negotiations are a different process than regular negotiations. Discussions are focusing on a limited list of Flight Attendant priorities. All the provisions in the AFA Alaska contract (scheduled pay raises, etc.) will continue in force for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants; all the provisions in the Virgin America work rules will remain in effect for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants unless modified and/or superseded by the AFA Virgin America letters of agreement.

[VX] Virgin America Flight Attendant Commuter Policy Survey

This message is for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants

AFA and the Virgin America (VX) leadership team (management) agreed to test the Commuter Policy through January 2018. As a reminder, the Commuter Policy is paired with a third Short Call Reserve (SCR) reserve availability period and a sunset clause for the Stuff Happens Pass (SHP). A sunset clause for the SHP means the SHP would be phased out if the Commuter Policy were extended beyond January 2018. See the VX F/A Commuter Policy LOA (9/14/2017) for details.

AFA is polling the Virgin America Flight Attendants to determine if there is sufficient interest in continuing with the Commuter Policy beyond January 2018. For security reasons, the survey link will be included in this communication but only via email to personal addresses on file in the AFA Newsletter Sending System. The survey link will not be available on the afaalaska.org website or on social media, and AFA requests that you do not repost the link.

The survey is now open to VX F/As only and will close on Wednesday, December 13, 2017, at 9am Pacific Time.

[Survey link is located here in the emailed version of this communication.]

 

If you have any questions or if you need the survey link sent to you, email your Local Council 35 officers or from a personal email address. If you are requesting a survey link, please provide the following for verification purposes: your name, employee number and current domicile.

In Solidarity,

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

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, June 4, representatives from our pre-merger Alaska AFA Reserve Committee met to discuss ongoing work advocating for Reserve Flight Attendants. Representing you at the meeting were Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Kanako Yamada (LAX), Adrian Alcantara (SAN), and MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 15 – June 2026

The JNC has been actively negotiating key sections of the contract, focusing on vacation, sick leave, and temporary duty assignments. A tentative agreement was reached on Section 37 (Temporary Duty Assignments), ensuring financial protections and fair treatment for Flight Attendants during temporary assignments. These ongoing discussions demonstrate a commitment to integrating the best benefits from both Alaska and Hawaiian CBAs for all members.

Celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month

Every June, we come together to honor LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States—a time to celebrate the remarkable resilience, diversity, and achievements of the LGBTQ community. Pride Month began as a tribute to the Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan in 1969, a pivotal moment that ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The inaugural Pride March, […]

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – May 2026

On Wednesday, May 20, our Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) representatives met virtually to discuss ongoing safety concerns, operational challenges, policy updates, and workplace improvements impacting Flight Attendants across the operation. Representing you at the meeting were Deb Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Kalin Lackey (PDX), Bradley Young (SFO), Bryce Sarmiento (LAX pmAS), […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – May 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, May 26, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Rebekah Olds (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), […]

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