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AFA News Digest – January 19, 2017

Union Plus scholarship deadline – January 31, 2017

This is a reminder that the deadline for the Union Plus scholarships is on January 31, 2017

Union Plus provides comprehensive information for the college-bound individual as well as a suite of scholarships (https://www.unionplus.org/college-education-financing).  One additional “click” brings up the scholarship applications that may be submitted online by the deadline of January 31, 201 7.

A unique aspect of the Union Plus Scholarships is that they are open to current and retired members, spouses, and dependent children.

Women’s March on Washington

AFA and CWA are participating in the Women’s March on Washington on January 21. This will be an historic event that raises the issues that our union has championed for decades: equality for all, economic equality for women and justice in the workplace. It is an opportunity to shine the light on the importance of the labor movement for our role in supporting democracy, organizing to improve conditions at work and empowering women and others to use the power of the collective to address issues that would otherwise be suppressed without our unions. Our messages will be:

Read more »

U.S. Aviation Workers Sue Obama Administration to Reverse DOT’s Norwegian Air International Decision

Organizations representing more than 100,000 aviation workers filed a petition on January 12, 2017, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit as a first step in a drive to overturn the Obama administration’s decision to permit Norwegian Air International (NAI) to fly to and from the United States under a business plan that runs counter to U.S. Open Skies agreements and threatens U.S. jobs.

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AFA Listening Tour

Our union is not an institution. It’s you and me and all of aviation’s first responders. To ensure our union is reflecting the needs and hopes of Flight Attendants today, we are launching an AFA Listening Tour with Local, Master Executive Council and International Officers. We want to hear from you!

Our first meeting will take place on February 16, 2017 in Los Angeles where we have Local Councils at Compass, Hawaiian, Alaska and United.

We will schedule additional meetings in a location near you.

Read more »

If you have any questions, contact your Local Executive Council (LEC) president.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

AFA Files for Single Carrier Status with the National Mediation Board

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 the airlines are now officially under the Alaska Air Group umbrella.

On December 30, Alaska management filed their “Notice of Merger” with the National Mediation Board (NMB), citing several indicators such as common ownership, Board of Directors, corporate officers and management; financial integration; and centralized labor relations. These conditions signal to the NMB that “like” employee groups from each carrier (such as pilots, customer service agents, dispatchers and Flight Attendants) may be ready to be represented by one labor union. Both Flight Attendant groups will ultimately be represented by AFA.

On January 5, 2017, AFA filed its “Application for Determination of Representation Dispute” (official title) or “Finding of Single Carrier Status.” The NMB has the sole discretion for making this determination and, once made, will mean that AFA will also represent the Virgin America Inflight Teammates (ITMs).

How long will it take the NMB to make this decision? There is no hard and fast rule and no concrete deadline. Looking at the timelines for past determinations suggests that it will be a number of months.

A drawn out timeline is not unusual in airline mergers. Even after we have an agreement on a merged contract, the two groups cannot be combined until management is successful in attaining a Single Operating Certificate and achieving the ability to put both groups under one crew scheduling system. Only then can the groups be combined operationally and under one contract—both of which could be quite some time away in the future.

We will keep you updated on merger-related events as they happen, and we thank you for your continued patience.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Premium Class

The implementation of Premium Class service has led to several concerns from AFA members that the Master Executive Council (MEC) would like to address.

Selling upgrades in-flight

AFA has been in contact with the union representing the Customer Service Agents and Reservations Agents, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), regarding the selling of upgrades in-flight. AFA and IAM are in mutual agreement there is no scope of agreement violation in our respective contracts as long as Flight Attendants sell the Premium Class upgrades in-flight. Please do not sell any Premium Class upgrades while on the ground. Although selling Premium Class upgrades in-flight is not a contractual violation, AFA will definitely remember these additional duties the next time we’re at the bargaining table!

Premium Class training

Did you know there is required computer based training (CBT) for the new Premium Class service? If not, you are in good company because this is a surprise to many. Although there have been a few references to the training in various management communications since it was first mentioned in the Inflight Bulletin Bundle (IBB) posted on December, 14, 2016, the actual notice of the training being required and paid has not been adequate in AFA’s opinion.

According to the IBB, training may be completed via the Premium Class app on your Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) or on a computer by going to aspremiumclass.com. Management states the paid training must be completed by Wednesday, January 18, 2017, which is a deadline that AFA is disputing. The training will be paid at 1.0 TFP pursuant to §30.C.4.

More than four upgrades?

As of this writing, management has yet to provide guidance in a situation in which more than four customers wish to move to Premium Class. AFA has requested management to provide direction on this issue.

Alcohol control procedures

Flight Attendants have asked AFA to seek guidance from management with regard to alcohol control procedures in Premium Class. This is the information we have received from management so far:

  • All Premium Class (PC) customers receive an alcoholic beverage if they want, including non-revenue.  The customer must meet the usual alcohol service protocol according to the Flight Attendant Manual (FAM).
  • PC customers receive up to two drinks per cart if requested (F/As should not offer two).
  • PC customers may request and be served alcohol in addition to the standard service(s) as long as they do not appear to be intoxicated or in danger of becoming so. [Note: There appears to be conflict between emailed policy clarifications issued by management and the guidance stated in our Emergency Interim Bulletins (EIBs) with regard to how much complementary alcohol is provided in addition to the cart service(s). Do we only serve complementary alcoholic beverages during cart service or do we provide them on request as well? AFA would like management to clarify the policy.]

Important: Report all alcohol-related incidents; include the customer’s seat number and class of service in the report so that we may identify any trends related to PC. In addition, document concerns related to selling upgrades in-flight, more than four upgrade requests at a time and incorrect catering.

We thank all of you who have alerted us to the concerns with new Premium Class service. There appears to be several questions left for management to answer regarding Premium Class. AFA will continue to pressure management to provide Flight Attendants with sufficient supplies and accurate information to ensure that you have the resources you need.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; MEC Inflight Service Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett; and MEC Air, Safety Health and Security Committee Chairperson Seth Heiple

CourseMill App/Recurrent Training 2017 Homestudy

Happy New Year to all! If you are a January 2017 Recurrent Training (RT) student, the new year may not feel quite so happy as it could be due to problems with downloading the now-infamous courses #2 and #5 on the CourseMill App. AFA has made numerous attempts to get clear direction from Inflight management regarding how to fix the app; unfortunately, they have failed to respond to many of our inquiries or else have given unsatisfactory responses the few times when they have actually gotten back to us. We know it has been the holidays and all, but seriously?!

This is the fix management currently has posted in alerts on the Inflight Webpage under “Training”:

“If you are having trouble downloading your 2017 Recurrent Training mobile courses 002 or 005, please try the following: 

  • Ensure you have good Wi-Fi connectivity
  • Delete the CourseMill app (Hold down icon and tap the “x”)
  • Reinstall the CourseMill app from the Apple App Store
  • Enter your activation code when you re-launch the app (the IT Help Desk or a member of inflight management can look up your activation code)
  • When it prompts you to download all of your courses again, select “No”. Then, click on course 002 and download it individually. Do the same with course 005
  • When downloading the courses, make sure the screen doesn’t turn off, by periodically touching it to keep it “awake”
  • Courses 002/005 may still crash, however if you try deleting and reinstalling the app again, you should be able to get through both courses
  • If you want to view previous courses you’ve already completed, you can then choose to download those courses as well; you won’t lose any saved information of previous courses you’ve already completed

Thank you for your patience as we work on this issue.

Inflight Training”

AFA does not endorse the proposed fix, but we have some anecdotal reports that it has worked for some Flight Attendants. All the excessive time spent uninstalling, reinstalling and downloading is unacceptable. AFA presently has an open grievance regarding this issue, which we are attempting to arbitrate in February.

We have been informed that any Flight Attendant who shows up to Recurrent Training without his or her 2017 RT electronic homestudy completed will be asked to leave class without pay. AFA will continue to advocate for Flight Attendants who are unable to complete training due to a CourseMill app failure.

In the meantime, please email and/or call inflight Training management or the Mobile Help Desk to get your CourseMill app working.

Lisa.McCarroll@alaskaair.com or 206-392-6251

Jennifer.Sovey@alaskaair.com or 206-392-6491

Amanda.Westendorf@alaskaair.com or 253-569-6977

Psalm.Terry@alaskaair.com

Ranjita.Prasad@alaskaair.com

Mobile Help Desk: 1-877-238-1077, option 4 or support@enterprisemobile.com.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

End of Year Reminders 2016

As we approach the end of 2016, the Master Executive Council (MEC) wants to remind you of a few important items.

AFA EAP

Alaska Flight Attendants are the best in the industry and this is due, in part, to our amazing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee! EAP is always available to assist and support you. As we approach the holiday season our jobs become much more difficult and we are away from our families. EAP peers help FAs assess their expectations, troubles, health issues and commitments. Re-evaluating commitments and expectations will help to make the holiday season more manageable and enjoyable. AFA EAP’s greatest tool is the ability to listen, calming the presenting issue. Referring to professional resources appropriate when the FA is unable to find resolution.

You can find EAP contact information here: http://afaalaska.org/eap.

Review Your Personnel File

This is a great time of year to review your personnel file (“p-file”). According to our collective bargaining agreement, you’re entitled to a complete copy of your personnel file with at least seven (7) calendar days’ notice (§24.G).  We recommend that every Flight Attendant take advantage of this contractual right and review your personnel file on a regular basis. To make a request for your copy of your personnel file, contact your performance supervisor.  We recommend doing so in writing via Outlook email.

Employee Choice Travel Credits

Any remaining Employee Choice Travel Credits must be converted by December 31, 2016. Once you convert the credits you have three months to travel or make changes to those credits. These credits do not roll over! You will find your Employee Choice Travel Credits in your Paperless Employee Travel (PET) account.

Uniform Allotments

The current uniform allotment will expire December 31, 2016. You will receive a new $700 allotment on January 1, 2017. Taxes and shipping will be covered through the Land’s End portal. You can find the link to Land’s End on your World of Inflight FA homepage –> Catering & Brand –> Uniforms –> Lands’ End. Make sure you copy your People Soft (PS) number from your homepage, as you will need this number to access the allotment link on the Land’s End homepage and to place uniform orders. If you have questions you can contact your Local Executive Council (LEC) Uniform Committee.

December 2016 “No Junior Assignment” Pledge

AFA and Alaska Airlines management agreed to a “No Junior Assignment” Pledge. Flight Attendants who are working trips that originate between December 15, 2016, and December 25, 2016, will not be Junior Assigned (JA’d) off of those trips.

Year End Record Improvement

Any Flight Attendant who has 4.0 or fewer attendance points will have her/his record reduced to 0 points after the end of the year, provided s/he did not accumulate any attendance points since November 1st. In order to qualify for this provision, a Flight Attendant must achieve a minimum of 480 TFP in the calendar year (inclusive of vacation/Longevity PTO but excluding sick leave) in addition to all other requirements outlined in §32.G.4. It usually takes a few weeks into January for the year-end record improvement adjustment to occur.

“DOS +2” Step Rates of Pay

Effective December 17, 2016, all Flight Attendants received a contractual pay raise. “DOS +2” in the step rates of pay chart in §21.A now applies. You can find your individual step rate of pay at the intersection of your step (the steps are listed in the rows on the left) and the “DOS+2” column (the contractual increases are listed in the columns at the top).

Employee Records supposedly sent an email to all Flight Attendants on December 17th via Outlook advising of the contractual increase. However, AFA has received multiple reports from our members that the notification was never received—even after checking “Junk Email” and “Clutter” folders. If you did not receive the email, Inflight management has advised to contact Employee Records (employee.records@alaskaair.com) in order to verify your contractual increase. AFA requested that Inflight management also send out a bulletin regarding this issue.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC S/T-Elect Linda Christou

Navigating Acute & Delayed Stress As A Flight Attendant

Stress is an inherent aspect of the Flight Attendant profession, often stemming from the demanding nature of responsibilities and the unpredictable nature of air travel. It’s essential for Flight Attendants not only to understand the different types of stress they may encounter but also to recognize the warning signs of acute and delayed stress for […]

Protect Yourself From Potential Discipline on Social Media

Our Grievance Committee would like to provide background on social media, protected classes, and discipline. Federal protected classes include race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or transgender status), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.  Alaska’s People Policy says: Personal Conduct22. Threatening, intimidating, or discourteous behavior, including abusive, profane, or obscene language, acts, […]

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2026

On Wednesday, March 25, our AFA Human Rights & Equity Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to raise awareness and create positive change within our workplace and community. Your representatives attending the meeting included Louise Borras (LAX-pmAS), Bruni Agosto-Pinal (LAX-pmHA), Aaron Miller (PDX), Nyachan Chuar (ANC), and Yan Yan Teague (SEA). MEC Human […]

Pre-Merger Hawaiian Inflight Service Committee Update – March 2026

Editor’s Note: Our MEC Inflight Service Committee now represents both pre-merger airlines, but management still makes service decisions that affect each group of Flight Attendants differently. This update covers changes for both Hawaiian- and Alaska-branded flying, but is specific to aircraft flown by pre-merger Hawaiian Airlines crews. As the work of the merger progresses, we […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 13 – March 2026

Our JNC met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management. The JNC focused on clarifying questions about moving expenses and presented a proposal for Sick Leave, using feedback from Flight Attendants to guide improvements. The Committee is working to incorporate the strongest elements from both contracts to ensure better support for all members.

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