Committees

Tell Management: It’s Time To Make it Right!

May 18, 2022 17:00 3 Comments

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Our MEC will be approaching management this week to discuss a meaningful remedy to the recent bidding errors and delays.
We have heard loud and clear that Flight Attendants expect that any remedy will include an element of compensation in order to hold management accountable.
Stand in solidarity and support our MEC by sending management a letter telling them it’s time to make it right!

Now that bids have finally been awarded for June 2022, it is time to focus our attention on addressing management’s continued disregard for our collective bargaining agreement by publishing bid packets that are full of errors and failing to award bids in a contractually compliant manner. Our Master Executive Council (MEC) has heard loud and clear from our Flight Attendants that you expect management to provide a meaningful remedy to the situation that includes compensation for their continued violation of contractual obligations. We could not agree with you more and will be approaching management this week to make this request on behalf of all Flight Attendants.

TAKE ACTION: Stand in Solidarity and Let Management Hear Our Voices!

Our MEC needs your support to let management know just how serious we are about holding them accountable. Take action now and send management a letter telling them that it’s time to make it right! We’ve made it easy, just click the link below. A template letter has already been written for you, all you need to do is enter your contact information.

Click here to send management your letter

We must show management that we are tired of their excuses and demand that they hold themselves accountable in the same way they hold Flight Attendants accountable. Let management know that we stand together in solidarity and tell them it’s time to make it right!

The Saga Continues: June 2022 Bid Awards Delayed

May 11, 2022 11:00

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Due to hundreds of errors identified in the June bid packet, our MEC has insisted that management conduct a systemwide rebid.
Management sent a communication by company email to all Flight Attendants earlier today with details on the new bidding timeline, which opened today at 9 AM PDT and will now close at 9 AM PDT on Monday, May 16.
It is well past time for management to take ownership of their repeated errors, actually fix the problems, and honor our contract!

June 2022 Bid awards will be delayed.

Errors affecting over 500 positions throughout the system have been identified in the June bid packet, resulting in our MEC demanding a system-wide rebid. The errors include: flights that no longer exist, miscoded DHD Flights, inaccurate TFP, and inaccurate report times. When our AFA PBS Subcommittee discovered these errors and brought them to our MEC’s attention, the MEC called an emergency meeting and met with management to discuss our options.

After carefully considering the feedback following last month’s bidding errors, our MEC unanimously voted for a system-wide rebid to rectify these errors’ impact during bidding. Realizing the value we place on our schedules and the expectation of them being awarded accurately, we felt it necessary to correct these errors before proceeding with bid awards. A rebid will delay awards, trading, and planning for the month of June. While this may be frustrating to some, a rebid allows us all to evaluate the corrected pairings and honor seniority.

While management continues to tell us they will do better, it is apparent we have very different definitions of “doing better.” Our MEC made that point abundantly clear to management and explained how angry and frustrated Flight Attendants are with the many failures and the level of incompetence experienced lately. Management has no problem holding Flight Attendants responsible for the most minute concerns, yet they are unwilling to hold themselves accountable for their repeated errors and violating their contractual obligations. Management doesn’t appear phased by the high attrition rate or rock-bottom morale – it’s almost as if they don’t CARE how their decisions impact us. But they are now on notice and fully aware that this latest “screw up” has further eroded confidence (if there is any left) in their ability to manage this workgroup.

Flight Attendants do not need another apology from management. Instead, management should look in the mirror and see the mess staring back at them and begin to make things right. They need to show that they’re willing to walk their talk…and “do the right thing.”

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2022

May 5, 2022 17:00

Uniform Committee

Our AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, May 3 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to uniforms.
The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are reporting related to uniform quality, wearability, and availability.
If you are experiencing any issues with uniform quality or construction, please report the issues to Unisync as soon as possible. Please include your Local Uniform Committee Chairperson on the email so they can help track any issues or trends that might be developing.

On Tuesday, May 3, our AFA Local Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), David Jelinek (PDX), Lisa Mueller (SFO), Heather Milner (LAX), and Denise Sheldon (SAN). Also present were MEC Uniform Committee Chairperson Todd Scarlett; MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Uniform Safety Representative Deb Wallstrom; and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer. The committee met with Director of Procurement Eric Phillipson, Uniform Programs Manager Ashlyn Pham, Senior Marketing Product Delivery Manager Kelly Cuthill, and PDX Base Manager Kristie Stafford from management.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

Confirmation of the 90-day return period for unused uniform items. This return period is contractual for Flight Attendants (CBA addendum to section 13, #2), but there has been some confusion as the return period for other company employees is shorter.
Recent changes to uniform policies and upcoming gender-neutral uniform pieces.
Introduction to new management employees responsible for overseeing uniform procurement, the fit center, and the company’s relationship with Unisync.
Ongoing requests to streamline uniform boot policies.
Requests for improvements to the transition jacket, specifically increased warmth and wind resistance.
Introduction of a new, smaller pronoun pin than what was introduced last year and is available at the Company Store. The smaller pin will be available soon in all bases and will be available free of charge to anyone who would like one.
Request to remove the policy requirement that uniform shoes have a defined heel.
Concerns that the policy requiring that hosiery be worn with the uniform skirt and dresses is outdated.
Request to review the current process for Flight Attendants to provide feedback related to uniform pieces. The requirement to compose an email to Unisync is not consistent with how Flight Attendants report issues in other areas and is unnecessarily cumbersome.
Ongoing uniform quality issues. Management indicates that improvements have been made with double stitching and reinforced seams, but Flight Attendants are still experiencing problems.
Concerns with product shortages and items that are backordered for extended periods of time. Management states that the shortages are due to supply chain issues as well as greater than expected hiring of new employees that they did not project for.
Issues with a shortage of standard issue crew luggage pieces for new hire Flight Attendants. Management has temporarily issued alternate pieces of luggage to several of the new classes due to the shortage. This shortage has also affected the availability of loaner bags at each base.

What The Committee Is Working On

Improving the Uniform Boot Policy. Working with management and the AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) to allow for a broader range of Arctic boots, to allow Arctic boots in Alaska any time there is snow or ice on the ground, and to allow boots outside of terminals and the aircraft anytime there is inclement weather (policy not yet in effect).
Simplification of Uniform Policies. Advocating for an overall simplification of company uniform policies through clearer guidelines, removal of excessive or unrealistic restrictions, and other common sense changes.
Streamlining the Uniform Feedback Process. Working to develop an easy-to-use, online form that Flight Attendants can use to provide feedback about uniform issues and concerns that automatically routes to management, Unisync, and our AFA Uniform Committee.

We Want to Hear From You!

Please help our Uniform Committee by taking the time to email Unisync at alaskaservice@unisyncgroup.com with any quality issues you are experiencing. When sending an email, please describe the issue with as much detail as possible and include photos if you can. Please CC your Local Uniform Committee Chairperson on the email so that the Uniform Committee can track the issues as well.

Do you have other feedback for the committee or items that you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Uniform Committee is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the Uniform Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Understanding Our Union: How AFA Works at Our Airline

May 4, 2022 17:00

Communications Committee

Representation within our Union starts at the domicile level with your Local Council. Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers are directly elected from among your fellow Flight Attendants who are members of the same Local Council.
LEC Officers work to resolve concerns specific to Flight Attendants from your base with local management. Your LEC President also represents your base at the airline level as a member of the Master Executive Council (MEC).
The LEC Presidents from all six bases together form our MEC, which works to coordinate the activities of our Union at the airline level. They make decisions on our behalf and give direction to the MEC Officers, who represent the MEC to management.

AFA is first and foremost a union organized by Flight Attendants for Flight Attendants. The structure of AFA, as laid out in the constitution and bylaws, is designed to be democratic and driven by Members. A single Member has the power to bring forward ideas to change the course of our Union, to elect the officers who directly represent us, and to serve in any elected or appointed position within our Union.

At Your Base—Your Local Council

Each Local Council is made up of the AFA Member Flight Attendants within a given domicile. In the case of a new or smaller domiciles where the number of active Members does not meet the constitutional threshold, multiple domiciles may be grouped together into one Local Council for purposes of representation. At Alaska Airlines, each base is represented by its own AFA Local Council.

At Your Base—Your Local Executive Council (LEC)

AFA Member Flight Attendants in each Local Council directly elect Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers to represent them. These Local Executive Council Officers consist of a President, Vice President, and Secretary. In some Local Councils, additional officer positions called Council Representatives may also be elected to the LEC.

The LEC Officers are responsible for representing Flight Attendants directly. They are who a Flight Attendant goes to when there is a question, when assistance is needed, or when they want to make a suggestion for change. The LEC Officers primarily work with local management and other immediate supervisors to address and resolve Flight Attendant issues that are specific to the domicile they represent.

LEC Decision Making

When a decision needs to be made at the LEC level, the LEC Officers work together to come to consensus. If consensus can’t be reached, the LEC President makes the final decision.

At Our Airline—the Master Executive Council (MEC)

The LEC Presidents from each of our Local Councils come together to form the Master Executive Council (MEC). The MEC is responsible for coordinating the activities of AFA across our entire airline and administering the collective bargaining agreement. Each LEC President serves as a voting member of the MEC, directly representing the members of the Local Council that elected them.

The voting members of the MEC (the LEC Presidents) elect three MEC Officers: a President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer. These MEC Officers administer the day-to-day business of AFA at our airline and represent the MEC in interactions with company management. They do not have a vote on the MEC with the exception of the MEC President, who votes only to break a tie.

MEC Decision Making

The MEC frequently makes decisions ranging from granting contractual exceptions, approving letters of agreement (LOAs), determining MEC priorities, and providing direction to the MEC Officers. Often times, the MEC is able to come to consensus and decisions are agreed upon by all. If there is not consensus on an issue, the voting members of the MEC (the LEC Presidents) will vote to determine the outcome. If there is a tie, the MEC President is responsible for casting the deciding vote.

Questions?

If you have questions about how our Union works at the local or airline levels, please reach out to your LEC President.

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Celebrating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

May 1, 2022 09:00

Human Rights Committee

May 1^st marks the first day of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States. This tradition dates back to 1978 when Congress passed a resolution to commemorate the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage week the following year.
Read more about Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, learn about the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, and find out about events that you can take part in using the resource links below.
Join the celebration by wearing an Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month AFA Pin during the month of May. If you need a pin, check with your Local Council for more information.

May 1st marks the first day of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States. The celebration originated when Congress adopted a joint resolution in 1978 to honor the first ten days of May in 1979 as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week”. It was expanded to an entire month by Congress in 1990 and was finally designated to take place during the month of May in 1992. The month of May was selected to recognize both the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States (May 7, 1843) and the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States (May 10, 1869), which was accomplished primarily through work done by Chinese immigrants.

Learn More About Asian/Pacific American Heritage

You can learn more about the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans through some of the dedicated websites and resources below.

Celebrate with an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month AFA Pin

In 2021, the AFA Executive Board unanimously passed a resolution in recognition of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. The resolution established a special commemorative pin for AFA Members to wear throughout the month of May.

For more information about the pin, contact your Local Human Rights Committee. Also be on the lookout for a communication from your Local Council or contact your LEC Officers to determine pin availability.

Representation within our Union starts at the domicile level with your Local Council. Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers are directly elected from among your fellow Flight Attendants who are members of the same Local Council. LEC Officers work to resolve concerns specific to Flight Attendants from your base with local management. Your LEC President also represents your base at the airline level as a member of the Master Executive Council (MEC). The LEC Presidents from all six bases together form our MEC, which works to coordinate the activities of our Union at the airline level. They make decisions on our behalf and give direction to the MEC Officers, who represent the MEC to management.

Tell Management: It’s Time To Make it Right!

TAKE ACTION: Stand in Solidarity and Let Management Hear Our Voices!

The Saga Continues: June 2022 Bid Awards Delayed