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        You are here: Home / Archives for AS/HA Merger

        Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives

        October 22, 2025 09:00 Leave a Comment

        We’re excited to introduce our next group of newly elected merged MEC Committee Chairpersons, who will begin their roles on November 1. These leaders are dedicated to representing the interests of our Flight Attendants as they coordinate activities across the merged committees of both airlines. They’ll work closely with the Local Committee Chairpersons from all eight Local Councils, ensuring that the voices of both pre-merger Alaska and pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants are heard and advocated for. Below, you’ll find brief bios that showcase their backgrounds and experiences as they prepare to support our combined Flight Attendant group.

        Seth Heiple, MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Chairperson

        Seth Heiple started his Flight Attendant career in 1996 at Northwest Airlines and became an Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant in 2008.

        He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business and Economics and is currently the MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson for the pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants.

        In this role, Seth is dedicated to maintaining and improving the safety, health, and security of both the pre-merger Hawaiian and pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants. He intends to achieve this by supporting the merged ASHSC as it works to ensure the safety of our work environments and advocates for the necessary policies, procedures, and tools that allow us to fulfill our roles effectively as aviation’s first responders.

        Seth is based and lives in Portland, Oregon, with his roommate, grandma (98). In his free time, he enjoys walking Portland’s neighborhoods, listening to audiobooks, game nights with friends, and spending time with his extended family in Portland and San Francisco.

        Kerri Ruiz, MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Vice Chairperson

        Kerri started her Flight Attendant career with Alaska Airlines in 1998 and then joined Hawaiian Airlines in 1999. She was based in Los Angeles for over 10 years and was an active member of the Local Air Safety, Health, and Security (ASHS) Committee. When she transferred to the Honolulu base, she held various AFA positions, including LEC Secretary, MEC Membership and Benefits Committee Chairperson, and, most recently, MEC ASHS Committee Chairperson. However, her affinity and forte have always been working in safety.

        Kerri has one daughter, several stepchildren, and several grandchildren. She enjoys traveling to new destinations with friends and family while nurturing her ties throughout the Hawaiian community.

        Brad Young, MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Vice Chairperson

        Brad has been a San Francisco–based Flight Attendant since 2010. He began his career with Virgin America during its early years, when the airline operated just a few aircraft and served a limited number of destinations.

        His in-depth AFA involvement began when he was appointed the Local Safety Committee Chairperson for the AFA Alaska Council at the newly established SFO base following Alaska Airlines’ acquisition of Virgin America in 2017. Later that same year, he was elected to office, marking the start of his formal leadership within our Union.

        After being re-elected as Council Representative in 2019 and again in 2022, Brad continues to advocate for his peers with dedication and experience. He is enthusiastic about representing over 10,000 Flight Attendants as the combined Alaska/Hawaiian merger approaches Single Operating Certificate (SOC) in October 2025.

        Brad has also served as the MEC Air Safety, Health, and Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson since 2018, where he holds primary responsibility for member representation in both the ASAP and Fatigue Review Board (FRB) programs. He is honored and humbled to have been elected to serve a third term as MEC ASHSC Vice Chairperson..

        Deb Wallstrom, MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Air Quality Representative

        Deb began her career as a Flight Attendant with Alaska Airlines in 1998. She is currently based in Anchorage, though she has previously been based in Los Angeles and San Diego. In 2013, she became involved in AFA work with the Air Safety, Health, and Security Committee and is now the Chairperson for Council 30 (ANC) of the ASHSC. Additionally, she serves on the Benefits Committee. As the Air Quality Representative, Deb is dedicated to ensuring that Members are well-informed and is passionate about helping support Flight Attendants following an air quality event.

        Outside of work, Deb enjoys hiking, reading, and knitting. She frequently travels between Alaska, Seattle, and Southern California to visit family.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), AS/HA Merger, Master Executive Council (MEC) Tagged With: committee elections

        Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

        October 17, 2025 13:00 2 Comments

        During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of merged MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been elected:

        MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson: Seth Heiple
        MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairpersons: Brad Young and Kerri Ruiz
        MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Air Quality Representative: Deb Wallstrom

        These newly elected MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives will coordinate the activities of their respective merged committees across both airlines. They’ll support the Local Committee Chairpersons from all eight Local Councils—both pre-merger Alaska and pre-merger Hawaiian. Their official term will begin on November 1, 2025. They’ll serve for the remainder of the current MEC Officer election cycle (January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025), as well as for the upcoming cycle (January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2028).

        If you have any questions about the MEC Committee Chairperson elections, please reach out to your LEC President.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), AS/HA Merger Tagged With: committee elections, interviews

        SEA Domicile Negotiations – October 2025

        October 9, 2025 13:00

        This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

        • Our SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met with management on September 29 and September 30 in Seattle, and on October 6 to October 8 in Honolulu
        • Our next negotiation session is scheduled for the week of October 20

        Negotiations Update

        Our SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met with the company on September 29 and September 30 in Seattle, and on October 6 to October 8 in Honolulu. At the negotiating table for these meetings were:

        Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants  Representing Management
        Tim Green, Committee ChairpersonAllen Thieman, Vice President, Inflight, Alaska
        Martin Gusman, Committee MemberJoe Wonderly, Vice President, Labor Relations, Alaska
        Joshua Aoki, Committee MemberCarmen Williams, Managing Director, Labor Relations, Alaska
        Jeffrey Fuke, Committee MemberKeith Schuricht, Managing Director, Financial Analysis, Hawaiian
        Paula Mastrangelo, AFA Senior Staff NegotiatorKalani Sloat, Senior Director, Labor Relations, Hawaiian
        Lea Franzoi, Committee Support RepresentativeKaren Themelis, Senior Labor Relations Business Partner, Alaska
         Adriene Tom, Specialist, Labor Relations, Hawaiian

        This was a challenging session. We started the week with reasonable expectations, but management was resistant to discussing some of our most pressing concerns and protections for Flight Attendants. If there had been no progress on management’s part, we were prepared to proceed with the contractual remedies, including arbitration.

        We have made progress on some issues, but major concerns remain.  These are significant issues that will impact all of us and flying at the combined airline both immediately and for years to come.  

        As a reminder, these are the items being discussed:

        • Transfer Processes – strengthening protective elements of the transfer process for those who may be interested in moving to the new domicile
        • Return to HNL or LAX Domicile – addressing the concern of Flight Attendants transferring to SEA and potentially wishing to return to their Hawaiian domicile before the merging of the Hawaiian and Alaska SEA domiciles
        • Staffing – ensuring that staffing is sufficient to meet operational demands
        • Moving Expenses – advocating for fair and comprehensive compensation related to any necessary relocations
        • Operational Concerns – defining the type of flying and pairings that will be constructed in the domicile
        • Safeguarding Existing Bases – protecting our HNL and LAX domiciles during this transition

        What’s Upcoming

        Our SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee will meet with management the week of October 20 in Seattle for the next round of negotiations. 

        If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your local leadership or email the SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee at sea@afahawaiian.org.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, AS/HA Merger Tagged With: HA SEA Domicile, pmHA

        Joint Contract Negotiations Session 7 – September 2025

        October 3, 2025 16:00

        This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants

        • Our JNC met with management this week on September 30 to October 2 in Seattle; our next negotiation session is scheduled for October 21 to October 23
        • A tentative agreement was reached regarding Section 13 – Uniforms
        • 2,207 Flight Attendants participated in the Vacation Survey, our JNC will review all responses submitted

        Negotiations Update

        The AFA Alaska + Hawaiian Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management.  The JNC met with management on September 30 to October 2 in Seattle, WA.  At the negotiating table for this session were:

        Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants  Representing Management
        Tim Green, Joint Negotiating Committee ChairpersonAllen Thieman, Vice President of Inflight, Alaska
        Martin Gusman, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberRyan St. John, Vice President, Finance, Planning and Investor Relations, Alaska
        Jeffrey Fuke, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberJoe Wonderly, Vice President, Labor Relations, Alaska
        Virginia Fritz, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberCarmen Williams, Managing Director, Labor Relations, Alaska
        Heather Reier, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberKalani Sloat, Senior Director, Labor Relations, Hawaiian
        Paula Mastrangelo, AFA Senior Staff NegotiatorMike Link, Labor Relations Program Manager, Alaska
        Brian Palmer, MEC Communications ChairpersonKaren Themelis, Senior Labor Relations Business Partner, Alaska

        Throughout this week’s negotiations, our JNC made meaningful strides in developing several sections of our agreement. Both parties demonstrated a willingness to collaborate, and while there are still some areas that need addressing, we are optimistic about the progress we are making together. As we continue this important dialogue, our goal is to advance further toward finalizing each section we’ve discussed.

        Brian Palmer joined the committee to share his expertise on connectivity in Section 27 – Association General. Our JNC aims to enhance communication with you, our Members, in crew rooms across all bases.

        Our JNC has reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) on Section 13 – Uniforms. We are working through various provisions, including the basic uniform, dry cleaning, uniform costs, footwear, jacket requirements, and gloves, which will be resolved once the final uniform design is determined. We successfully negotiated valuable items from the Hawaiian Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), including protective measures ensuring that surnames do not appear on name tags. We’ve enhanced the uniform replacement provisions and broadened the guidelines for Arctic boot wear, reflecting our commitment to improving the overall uniform standards.

        Section by Section Progress

        Tentative Agreements reached in this session:

        • Section 13 – Uniforms (HA CBA Section 6)

        Sections discussed in this session:

        • Section 25 – Air Safety Health and Security (HA CBA Section 28)

        We continue to advocate for safety improvements and reporting

        • Section 27 – Association General (HA CBA Section 22)

        As our Flight Attendant population continues to grow, we are actively seeking resources to ensure proper representation for our Flight Attendants.

        • Section 30 – Training (HA CBA Section 26)

        We are in discussions around recurrent training as we work through travel protections and compensation for the the requalification process.

        • Section 34 – Lodging and Transportation (HA CBA Section 4.C and Section 4.E)

        We are seeking enhancements to food accessibility on layovers.

        • Section 36 – Commuter Policy (HA CBA Section 34-28)

        We continue to advocate for ground and air commuter policy enhancements.

        Sections listed below are on hold until discussions regarding future sections, which affect specific provisions, take place.

        • Section 6 – Seniority (HA CBA Section 9)
        • Section 15 – Leaves of Absence (HA CBA Section 17)
        • Section 19 – Grievance Procedures (HA CBA Section 23)

        Vacation Survey

        Thank you for participating in the Vacation Survey. We had a total of 2,207 Flight Attendants take part, with 64% of the responses coming from pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants and 37% from pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants. All responses will be reviewed and taken into consideration during the evaluation process.

        Additionally, please look out for the link to the upcoming Sick Leave Survey, which will be available in the coming weeks.

        Local Council Meetings

        On September 22, our JNC participated in the Local Council 35 meeting in San Francisco. It was a great opportunity to connect with members and LEC officers, addressing questions about the joint negotiating process and gathering valuable feedback. We’ll be attending Local Council meetings until the end of the year, including Local Council 30 today, October 3 in Anchorage. Be sure to stay connected with your Local Council for the latest updates and information.

        What’s Upcoming

        Our next session with management is scheduled for October 21 to October 23.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Tagged With: pmAS, pmHA

        Vacation Survey Closing Soon

        September 23, 2025 13:00

        This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants

        • Vacation Survey Closing on Wednesday, September 24 at Noon PT

        Our Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is conducting a vacation survey to gather insights from Flight Attendants at Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines regarding their vacation benefits.

        Our committee aims to understand the varying ways these benefits are utilized and how to enhance them especially as there are significant differences between the Alaska and Hawaiian vacation systems. The JNC committee remains committed to advocating for the quality of work life for all Flight Attendants to ensure that both Alaska and Hawaiian employees retain their long-standing benefits.

        The survey will be available until Wednesday, September 24 at Noon PT. We strongly encourage you to take a moment to complete the survey. Your input will help the JNC advocate effectively for your needs.

        Thank you for being an essential part of this process!

        If you have any questions regarding the survey feel free to contact the JNC at jnc@afaalaska.org.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Tagged With: pmAS, pmHA, survey

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