AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for AS/HA Merger

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Interviews—October 2025

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

The integration of our Master Executive Councils (MECs) is progressing steadily. Our first group of committees successfully merged on June 1, and we are now planning for another group of committees to merge on November 1.

As part of the committee merging process, our MEC will elect a Chairperson for each newly merged committee from among the combined Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendant groups. The newly elected Chairperson will coordinate activities across both airlines and support the Local Committee Chairpersons from all eight Local Councils— both pre-merger Alaska and pre-merger Hawaiian. The MEC will conduct interviews during the October MEC Meeting for the following roles:

Other committees will merge later in the process. As we approach those dates, we’ll keep you informed about the integration timeline for each committee, including interview schedules.

General Qualifications

Qualifications for all MEC-level Chairperson positions include: 

  • Current Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines AFA Member in good standing.
  • Currently qualified Flight Attendant or, if on an approved leave of absence, last qualification must have been within 36 months prior to start of term.
  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson is preferred.
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred.
  • Strong ability to lead and coordinate a diverse team in a collaborative environment.
  • Ability to attend meetings as required, both via videoconference and in person.
  • Strong computer skills, including a good working knowledge of Google Workspace (email, calendar, Drive, and other applications) and Microsoft 365.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external emails, prepare reports, plan meetings (including scheduling, logistics, and agenda preparation), and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

Duties and Responsibilities

Details about each committee’s duties and responsibilities are available on the respective committee pages of afaalaska.org. Additional information regarding MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities is available in this document.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

The time commitment for each position varies and may change based on current workload levels. Specific information about time commitment expectations and Flight Pay Loss for each position will be provided during the interviews. All positions operate in line with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Term of Service

Candidates who are successfully elected will 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). Their official term will begin on November 1, 2025, and conclude on December 31, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will interview eligible candidates during the October Regular MEC Meeting from Tuesday, October 14, through Thursday, October 16. If you are interested in interviewing, please plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly.

Eligible candidates can choose to interview in person in SeaTac, WA, or virtually via Google Meet videoconferencing. 

To express your interest, please submit an expression of interest and your resume using the online form (link below). The submission deadline is 5 PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange specific interview times.

Click here to submit an expression of interest form >

Please note that a Google account is required to submit the expression of interest form. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson position duties and responsibilities can be directed to MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

Hawaiian Airlines SEA Flight Attendant Domicile Update – August 2025

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants

We want to provide an update on the planning progress for the Hawaiian Airlines Seattle (SEA) domicile announced by the Company, which management intends to open in 2026.

Since the initial announcement, two key developments have occurred:

SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee

Section 27 D.2 of our contract provides that AFA and the Company must negotiate before establishing a new domicile. Recognizing the need for an expedited timeline, the pre-merger Hawaiian members of our MEC have chosen a Negotiating Committee prepared to address this process efficiently. The Negotiating Committee Members are Joshua Aoki, Jeff Fuke, and Martin Gusman.

MEC President Tim Green will serve as the Chairperson of the committee, and Paula Mastrangelo, our AFA Staff Negotiator for the Joint Negotiating Committee, will also take on this role for the SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee.

While meeting dates for negotiations with management are yet to be scheduled, we promise to keep you updated every step of the way.

AFA Local Council Representation

According to the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, specific considerations must be addressed regarding who within AFA will represent the Flight Attendants at the new base [Article X.2].

After thorough consultations with AFA International and careful review of the policy requirements, the pre-merger Hawaiian voting members of the MEC—LEC Presidents Martin Gusman and Joshua Aoki—have unanimously agreed that Council 47 will represent Flight Attendants based in SEA. This means the Council 47 Officers and Committees will support both LAX and SEA-based Hawaiian Flight Attendants once the SEA base is operational.

Questions?

We recognize that many details still need to be worked out regarding the SEA Hawaiian Flight Attendant domicile. Many of these will be addressed in our upcoming negotiations. We are committed to providing you with as much information as possible throughout this process. If you have any questions or need clarification, please feel free to reach out to your LEC President.

Mahalo for your continued solidarity and support as we navigate this together.

Seniority Merger Integration Committee Update – August 2025

Challenges to Seniority Dates Must Be Received by August 29

We want to ensure that your voice is heard regarding any challenges to the competitive bidding seniority date in your Seniority Verification Letter (SVL). All challenges must be received by August 29, 2025, in accordance with the AFA Constitution and Bylaws. For guidance, refer to the instructions included in your SVL letter and send your supporting documents to:

Association of Flight Attendants – CWA
501 Third Street NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20001.

If you haven’t received your SVL, don’t worry! You can request a duplicate by emailing smic@afacwa.org. When reaching out, please provide your name, employee number, council/base, and personal email address to ensure that we can process your request in the most efficient way possible.

You can also check your current competitive bidding seniority date by visiting the seniority lists for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines using the links below. Please note that these lists were compiled in April 2025, but will be updated in the future to reflect the latest initial training classes.

Click here for the Alaska Airlines seniority list >
Click here for the Hawaiian Airlines seniority list >

What Happens Next?

In September 2025, the Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) will meet in Washington, DC, at the AFA International Office. During this meeting, the Committee will review all submitted challenges related to the SVLs. If you submit a challenge, you’ll receive a follow-up letter with the outcome via US Mail.

Moving forward, we’ll also work on adjusting initial training dates for Hawaiian Flight Attendants, developing a methodology for same-day tiebreakers, and merging the two seniority lists into a single unified list.

Once a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) is ratified, the SMIC will update all Members via email to outline the seniority merger process, provide access to the merged list, and address frequently asked questions.

Timeline of the SMIC Process

Questions?

We’ve prepared a list of frequently asked questions that you can find here. If you have any other inquiries about the seniority verification letters or the seniority verification process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at smic@afacwa.org.

Previous SMIC Communications

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 6 – August 2025

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

  • Our JNC met with management this week on August 5 to August 7 in Seattle; our next negotiation session is scheduled for September 28 to October 3
  • Our JNC will be attending Local Council Meetings at your domicile, please stay informed through your Local Leadership for details
  • Two surveys are being finalized – Vacation and Sick Leave; look out for links to participate in these surveys in the upcoming weeks

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 August 5 to August 7 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 MemberCarmen Williams, Managing Director, Labor Relations, Alaska
Jeffrey Fuke, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberKalani Sloat, Senior Director, Labor Relations, Hawaiian
Virginia Fritz, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberNeil Osato, Director, Labor and People Relations, Hawaiian
Heather Reier, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberMike Link, Labor Relations Program Manager, Alaska
Suzanne Balzer, AFA Senior Staff NegotiatorKaren Themelis, Senior Labor Relations Business Partner, Alaska

During this week of negotiations Suzanne Balzer, AFA Senior Staff Negotiator and Neil Osato, Hawaiian Airlines, Director of Labor and People Relations joined us at the negotiating table. Throughout the week, we exchanged several proposals, carefully considering each one to ensure that they align with our goals and interests. While there was some movement on both sides, we encountered several provisions that continue to need resolution. It has become clear that addressing these specific areas is vital for us to reach a tentative agreement on those sections. As we continue this important dialogue, we hope to continue to make progress toward finalizing the agreement for each section addressed.

Section by Section Progress

Sections discussed in this session:

  • Section 13 – Uniforms (HA CBA Section 6)
  • Section 25 – Air Safety Health and Security (HA CBA Section 28)
  • Section 27 – Association General (HA CBA Section 22)
  • Section 30 – Training (HA CBA Section 26)

Sections in ongoing discussion:

  • Section 34 – Lodging and Transportation (HA CBA Section 4.C and Section 4.E)
  • Section 36 – Commuter Policy (HA CBA Section 34-28)

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)

Our JNC is Coming To a Base Near You

Our Joint Negotiating Committee will be attending the Local Council Meetings in your domicile. Please stay informed through your Local Council for more information.

What’s Upcoming

Our next session with management is scheduled for September 30 to October 2.

We are in the process of finalizing two surveys: one for Vacation and one for Sick Leave. Each survey will be distributed separately. The Sick Leave survey will be sent out after the Vacation survey window has closed. Please keep an eye out for the links to these surveys in the coming weeks.

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Interviews—September 2025

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

The integration of our Master Executive Councils (MECs) is progressing steadily. Our first group of committees successfully merged on June 1, and we are now prepared to merge additional committees as we move forward. The next group of committees is scheduled to merge on October 1.

As part of the committee merging process, our MEC will elect a Chairperson for each newly merged committee from among the combined Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendant groups. The newly elected Chairperson will coordinate activities across both airlines and support the Local Committee Chairpersons from all eight Local Councils— both pre-merger Alaska and pre-merger Hawaiian. The MEC will conduct interviews during the September MEC Meeting for the following roles:

Other committees will merge later in the process. As we approach those dates, we’ll keep you informed about the integration timeline for each committee, including interview schedules.

General Qualifications

Qualifications for all MEC-level Chairperson positions include: 

  • Current Alaska or Hawaiian Airlines AFA Member in good standing.
  • Currently qualified Flight Attendant or, if on an approved leave of absence, last qualification must have been within 36 months prior to start of term.
  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson is preferred.
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred.
  • Strong ability to lead and coordinate a diverse team in a collaborative environment.
  • Ability to attend meetings as required, both via videoconference and in person.
  • Strong computer skills, including a good working knowledge of Google Workspace (email, calendar, Drive, and other applications) and Microsoft 365.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external emails, prepare reports, plan meetings (including scheduling, logistics, and agenda preparation), and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

Duties and Responsibilities

Details about each committee’s duties and responsibilities are available on the respective committee pages of afaalaska.org. Additional information regarding MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities is available in this document.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

The time commitment for each position varies and may change based on current workload levels. Specific information about time commitment expectations and Flight Pay Loss for each position will be provided during the interviews. All positions operate in line with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Term of Service

Candidates who are successfully elected will 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). Their official term will begin on October 1, 2025, and conclude on December 31, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will interview eligible candidates during the September Regular MEC Meeting from Tuesday, September 16, through Thursday, September 18. If you are interested in interviewing, please plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly.

Eligible candidates can choose to interview in person in SeaTac, WA, or virtually via Google Meet videoconferencing. 

To express your interest, please submit an expression of interest and your resume using the online form (link below). The submission deadline is 5 PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange specific interview times.

Click here to submit an expression of interest form >

Please note that a Google account is required to submit the expression of interest form. If you don’t have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson position duties and responsibilities can be directed to MEC Vice President Brice McGee at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives

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 […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – October 2025

On Monday, October 13, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Chris Cardenas (LAX), and Kanani Vallot […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

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 […]

U.S. Customs & Border Protection Gender Code Requirement

Recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced changes to the rules surrounding how airlines report information about passengers and crew before flights. This system is called the Advance Passenger Information System, or APIS. These changes are in response to a Presidential Executive Order. What is APIS? APIS is a system that airlines are legally […]

Recent Posts

News By Month

News By Category

AFA News Now Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/HA Merger AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX EAP/Professional Standards Committee Extension 2021 Blog Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights & Equity Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Membership Committee Membership Engagement Committee Message from the MEC President Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee

Want To Stay In The Loop?

Stay up-to-date on AFA Alaska news and information by signing up for our email and text message updates. Click a button below to get started or update your preferences if you're already a subscriber.
Sign Up for Emails
Sign Up for Text Updates