Master Executive Council (MEC)

Tuesday’s announcement of the final regulatory approval and subsequent financial closing of the merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines mark important milestones. As per Section X [Merger Policy and Related Employee Protective Provisions] of the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws (C&B), the AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) will now begin the process of electing Members in good standing to serve on the Seniority Merger Integration Committee and Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC). More details about these positions and how to express interest are provided below.

Though the MEC is starting the process of electing members for the Joint Negotiating Committee and Seniority Merger Integration Committee, our immediate focus remains on returning to the negotiation table to achieve a second tentative agreement. Our AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee is preparing an opening proposal based on the TA2 survey results. Please stay updated by following AFA Alaska social media accounts and contract2022.afaalaska.org for the latest news and information.

Joint Negotiating Committee

2 POSITIONS

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.

Purpose & Scope

Members of the committee are authorized to negotiate as one of the two pre-merger airline members of the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement covering Hawaiian and Alaska Flight Attendants as specified in Section 10.D.2 of the AFA Constitution and Bylaws.

The Joint Collective Bargaining Negotiating Committee (JNC) is comprised of four members, two of whom are appointed by the Hawaiian MEC and two by the Alaska MEC. The MEC Presidents of the Hawaiian and Alaska MECs shall serve as ex-officio members of the JNC.  

Election

• Any person seeking a position on the negotiating committee must submit a willingness to serve and resume to the MEC by the announced deadline.
• Applicants should be willing to devote a substantial amount of time to this committee during negotiations.
• Applicants should have a good working knowledge of the current contract (if applicable) and of the policies and operation of the airline.
• If possible, the committee should have a member or members with previous negotiations experience.
• The MEC selects two negotiating committee members from among the applicants in good standing.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Attend AFA-CWA joint contract negotiations training.
• Conduct a review of the respective agreements to identify commonalities, differences, benefits of each agreement and unique issues associated with specific air service.
• Review collective bargaining agreements and employment terms at comparable airlines.
• Assess the priorities and needs of the members through surveys and union meetings.
• Work jointly as members of the JNC to develop an opening proposal for the joint collective bargaining agreement.  
• Be familiar with AFA-CWA policy and industry standards and trends. 
• Communicate the negotiating objectives to the membership.
• Attend negotiations sessions and assist in preparing proposals and counter-proposals. 
• Willingness to travel extensively and adjust schedule to meet the needs of the negotiations.  
• Update the members and the MECs throughout negotiations. 
• Remain available as a resource for education on new contract provisions and interpretation of the JCBA. 

Expectations/Qualifications

• Appointed by the AFA Alaska MEC and terms are served to completion at the approval of the MEC. Takes direction from the chairperson of the JNC with input from the AFA International Collective Bargaining Department (i.e. staff negotiator) and Legal Department (i.e. staff attorney). After successful ratification of the JCBA will continue to serve as a contract interpretation resource for the JCBA.
• Maintain a complete record of negotiations including proposals, notes and communications, and such record is the property of AFA-CWA.
• Public interactions (including social media) must reflect favorably on AFA Alaska. If requested by AFA Alaska, JNC members must be willing to reasonably limit social media interactions for the duration of JCBA preparation, negotiations and implementation.
• Ability to tolerate controversy amongst one’s peers.
• Willing to travel for training, preparation, negotiations, roadshows and other meetings as needed.
• Must be willing to adjust her/his schedule as needed, sometimes with very little notice.

Flight Pay Loss & Expense Reimbursement

• 6 TFP for each 8 hours of work (0.75 TFP per hour)
• 5% override on TFP in lieu of per diem
• Travel time is unpaid; exceptions will be treated on a case-by-case basis.
• Meal & incidentals and other expenses to be reimbursed according to AFA Alaska Policy Manual and AFA-CWA C&B.

Seniority Merger Integration Committee

2 POSITIONS

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 Seniority Merger Integration Committee Representatives. Seniority Merger Integration Committee Representatives have complete and full authority to act on behalf of the Flight Attendants of their respective airline for the purpose of compiling necessary employment data and a single flight attendant seniority list. More information about duties and responsibilities of merger representatives are spelled out in section X.C of the AFA Constitution and Bylaws.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Determine seniority numbers for each Flight Attendant by reviewing and determining date of bidding for seniority, initial training date, number of days of initial training, and if seniority was accrued for training (and if so, how many days were accrued).
• Evaluate all protests to determine seniority, determine validity, and adjudge accordingly.
• Compile and certify a combined system seniority list.

Qualifications

• Must be a current Alaska Flight Attendant and AFA member in good standing (i.e., dues current).
• Ability to analyze written data and information with high attention to detail.
• Ability to commit time necessary to complete assigned responsibilities, including flexibility to meet on short notice.  Some travel will be required.

Expressing Interest & Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during the November Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, November 12 and Wednesday, November 13. If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around this date or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate. All interviews will be conducted in person in SeaTac, WA.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.  If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions regarding the positions or application process should be directed to the MEC Officers at officers@afaalaska.org.

The MEC and Negotiating Committee met this morning to discuss the delayed Department of Justice (DOJ) merger decision prior to our final Tentative Agreement (TA) roadshow. The MEC explored the possible impact on the TA voting timeline and unanimously agreed not to extend the ratification vote. Please ensure you vote by noon Pacific Time on August 14^th.

Several factors lead to this decision:

• We did not originally plan our voting timeline around the DOJ merger decision – the original announcement date just happened to fall within the timeline.
• There is no guarantee the DOJ decision will actually be announced on the 15^th. It is possible the DOJ could further delay its decision – and the voting deadline cannot be indefinitely extended.
• We negotiated this TA strategically to be a strong option in either scenario, regardless of the DOJ decision. The TA sets us up for a JCBA if the merger does go through, or to be back in negotiations in 2 years (with the three-year duration and one-year early opener). Either way, we will have an opportunity to press for more improvements from a strong base quickly.

Please make sure to vote prior to the deadline – several days before the 14^th is recommended in case you encounter any difficulties voting. Keep in mind that voting assistance is available Monday through Friday during regular business hours Eastern Time. Voting information can be found on the contract website.

All published resources are available from the TA page on the contract website.