Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

AFA Alaska Master Executive Council Supports FIGHT FOR 10

March 21, 2016 18:00

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants attended the March 16^th RALLY FOR REST

Over 300 Flight Attendants from across the industry, including Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants, descended on Capitol Hill on March 16^th to RALLY FOR REST. Flight Attendants from the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the Transport Workers Union joined together to FIGHT FOR 10. They visited all 541 Congressional offices to advocate for these provisions.

What is the FIGHT FOR 10 all about?

Every three to five years Congress is required to authorize funding and set policies for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). AFA’s top legislative priority for this FAA reauthorization is to have Congress increase the minimum rest requirements for Flight Attendants. Seven Flight Attendant fatigue studies, commissioned by Congress, concluded that the best way to combat fatigue is to get more rest.

Currently, Flight Attendant rest can include passenger deplaning, preflight preparation and passenger boarding is included within the rest period which means that the opportunity to actually sleep is closer to four or five hours. Unless an air carrier is contractually required to provide more rest than the Federal Air Regulations (FARs), Flight Attendants could be facing a scheduled 14-hour duty day following that very short sleep opportunity. The goal of AFA’s FIGHT FOR 10 includes achieving an irreducible FAA minimum 10 hours rest for all Flight Attendants.

In addition to proper rest, the FIGHT FOR 10 includes a Fatigue Risk Management Plan (FRMP). The FRMP would provide a protocol for reporting instances of fatigue in order to take steps to correct it. The FRMP would also require education for Flight Attendants to determine when they are fatigued and how to avoid it.

What is the current status of the FIGHT FOR 10?

The House of Representatives and the Senate have two different versions of the FAA reauthorization bill, which both including language regarding Flight Attendant rest. The Senate bill includes proposed ten hours with “reasonable flexibility,” which means rest for Flight Attendants will most often be reduced to nine hours. The House version of the bill includes FAA minimum (irreducible) rest of ten hours and a FRMP.

Now that both the House and Senate have marked up FAA reauthorization bills, each chamber will schedule votes in their respective chamber. If the House and the Senate pass different versions the bill, a Conference Committee will work out differences between the two versions of the bill.

How would the FIGHT FOR 10 affect the contractual premium pay for going under 9 ½ hours?

If the FAA required minimum (irreducible) rest were to become ten hours, Alaska Flight Attendants would never achieve the two and a half times (2.5x) premium for receiving less than nine and one-half (9 ½) hours per CBA §8.K. [Hours of Service: Reduced RON Rest]. Instead, Crew Scheduling would always ensure that Flight Attendants received at least 10 hours of rest on layovers, even if that meant delaying a flight.

Why would the Master Executive Council support a legislative effort that could negatively impact a lucrative contractual provision?

The Master Executive Council (MEC) strongly believes that it would be near sighted of us to not fully support legislation that would greatly improve Flight Attendant rest across the entire industry. Not only that, but there are no guarantees the new provisions in §8.K will survive from one contract to the next. Did you know the Negotiating Committee sought such a stiff “penalty” for receiving reduced rest on a layover not for the purpose of consistently paying out, but rather to ensure Flight Attendants received improved rest? In other words, the new contractual provisions in §8.K were specifically negotiated to improve safety for Flight Attendants, not primarily as a windfall (although it is a nice bonus when it happens).

Proper rest for Flight Attendants is about safety, health and equality. Fatigue threatens safety throughout the industry. Consequently, the MEC officers feel it is our duty as safety professionals to advance the legislative agenda encapsulated in the FIGHT FOR 10.

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Do you have any questions or want to know how you can help the FIGHT FOR 10? Contact your Local Executive Council (LEC) president or LEC Government Affairs Committee.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC Government Affairs Chairperson Bev Bullock

Friends Don’t Let Friends Breathe Oil Fumes on Aircraft: Contribute to Crew and Passenger Health Research Project (GIVE TEN, GET TEN…)

February 11, 2016 09:00

Ever smelled dirty socks onboard? A dirty socks smell in the cabin could be engine oil fumes in the ventilation air. You read that right: the air that comes through the cabin and flight deck vents is first compressed in the engines, and it isn’t filtered before you breathe it on all aircraft except for the Boeing 787. AFA regularly receives reports from members who report dirty socks or musty fumes in the cabin supply air. This exposure can result in problems with memory, balance, speech and other long-lasting symptoms. Nobody thinks it will happen to her or him until it does….

Remember Clean Up Cabin Air and the GIVE TEN, GET TEN campaign? Clean Up Cabin Air is led by volunteer flight attendants—including some of our very own (who wish to remain anonymous)—and their supporters. Clean Up Cabin Air has re-launched its campaign and “re-branded” it as Airline Crew and Passenger Health Research: Blood Test for Oil.

From Clean Up Cabin Air’s campaign page:

We are re-launching our campaign on this important subject, having raised more than $3000 which has already been forwarded to the research team. We are again calling everyone who flies to join our campaign to make air travel healthier. Please GIVE $10 (or something comparable, any currency) to a talented university research team to finish developing an important blood test for airline crews and passengers (more information below). Also, GET 10 more people (Facebook friends, any friends, anybody with a pulse…) to do the same….

Aviation engine oils contain neurotoxic additives, so breathing the fumes can cause lasting damage to your brain. Also, flight safety can be compromised when crews are impaired inflight. You will meet some affected crew members in our video….

Join us. Change the way the industry handles the air you breathe on regular commercial flights. Donate now! Currently, 95% of your donation goes directly to the researchers, and 5% to Indiegogo, per their rules. We have been approved as a non-profit organization, such that contributions (made in the US, at least) will be tax-deductible. EVERY dollar, euro, pound, peso and yen, every bit – however small – helps. Larger contributions are also encouraged… Go ahead, watch our video and add your voice to the people who want clean cabin air now. We thank you.

All flight attendants and pilots need this blood test to be available, so the MEC is encouraging everybody to GIVE TEN, GET TEN. (Helpful hint from your MEC: Remember to confirm that the donation level matches your desired contribution prior to submitting.) As an added incentive and in keeping with the GIVE TEN theme, AFA Alaska will automatically match each member’s donation dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $10,000 total donation. We will work directly with Clean Up Cabin Air to make that happen—it’s easy to contribute, and there is no need for you to do anything for the donation matching!

If you are exposed to oil fumes onboard, then you need to be able to prove it. All of us need the industry to feel more motivated to clean up the cabin air!

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; MEC Air Quality Chairperson Karyn Kobe; and AFA-CWA Air Safety, Health and Security Department Industrial Hygienist Judith Anderson

Join the “GIVE TEN, GET TEN” Campaign to Combat Toxic Oil Fumes Onboard

December 10, 2015 17:00

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) encourages you to GIVE TEN dollars to this important cause, and GET TEN friends to do the same in order to combat toxic oil fumes onboard.

As things stand, flight attendants often have difficulty accessing the aircraft maintenance records—if at all—in order to prove that oil contaminated the cabin air. Even when maintenance records are accessed, it can be very challenging to verify after the incident that oil contaminated the cabin air. Additionally, there is no current blood test specific to these fumes. Consequently, airlines often say that “nothing was wrong” and that crews are just imagining their disabling symptoms.

Fortunately, a dedicated research team at the University of Washington is developing a blood test specific to the aviation engine oil. KOMO News ran an article back in September “UW creating test to measure toxic exposure in airplane cabins” in which AFA International President Sara Nelson was quoted. You may be interested to know that Council 19 Seattle and your MEC coordinated to donate $5000 to UW’s Dr. Clem Furlong and his team this past fiscal year.

You can help the effort by visiting GIVE TEN, GET TEN. The GIVE TEN, GET TEN campaign is overseen by Clean Up Cabin Air, which is a group that as of this writing is in the final stages of becoming a non-profit organization. Clean Up Cabin Air is led by volunteer flight attendants—including some of our very own (who wish to remain anonymous)—and their supporters.

From the GIVE TEN, GET TEN campaign page:

“A single person’s TEN DOLLARS won’t fund anything, but our GOAL is to bring ENOUGH people onboard that ENOUGH ten dollar donations are received, that the research will be a success, for the good of crews everywhere. So please, GIVE TEN, GET TEN, and encourage your flying partners, family, friends, people you don’t even like, your dog, your barista, the guy who fixes your car, anyone and everyone, to do the same…

Don’t leave the page until you have given $10 and sent the link to ten people!“

All flight attendants and pilots need this blood test to be available, so the MEC is encouraging everybody to GIVE TEN, GET TEN. As an added incentive and in keeping with the GIVE TEN theme, AFA Alaska will automatically match each member’s donation dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $10,000 total donation. We will work directly with Clean Up Cabin Air to make that happen—no need for you to do anything!

If you are exposed to oil fumes onboard, then you need to be able to prove it. All of us need the industry to feel more motivated to clean up the cabin air!

In solidarity,

Contaminated Cabin Air: Know What To Do

December 4, 2015 05:00

Under normal circumstances, we don’t give the air we breathe onboard the aircraft a second thought. As we’re all taught in initial training, cabin air is bleed air that is taken in through the aircraft engines then cooled and pressurized to make it usable. As with any piece of mechanical equipment, there’s always a possibility of malfunction. As a part of the engines, a malfunction in the cabin air system has the possibility of introducing oil, hydraulic fluid, or other materials into the cabin.

What to do if You Think You’ve Been Exposed to Contaminated Air

Being prepared and knowing what to do in the event of an air quality exposure incident can help you and your crew to the help you need as quickly as possible. Here’s what to do:

1. Identify the Situation

If you encounter unusual fumes (odors), smoke, or haze:

Quickly rule out in-cabin items (e.g. burning food, oven residue, etc.)
Report the situation to the pilots immediately. If the source is the air from the vents in the cabin, there is the possibility of oil/hydraulic fluid contamination.
If no passengers are on board, step off the aircraft, especially if maintenance boards to test systems
Avoid breathing fumes coming from vents

2. Get Help if Sick

If in the air, notify the pilots to call MedLink
If still at the gate, ask the CSA to call paramedics. Deplane if possible.
Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Most tests that detect exposure are time sensitive; even a few hours can make a difference. Your symptoms can persist, worsen, or return after another incident.
Call AFA for help

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Call First

Karyn Kobe, Air Quality Chairperson
(206) 457-2010, Extension 1101

Backup

Seth Heiple, ASHSC Chairperson
(206) 457-2010, Extension 1100

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Print and begin completing the AFA exposure checklist
Review the AFA International Air Quality website

3. Report & Document

File an I-21 (employee injury report) and ASAP report with the company
Keep printed copies of each report for your records
Send a copy of the completed I-21 form to airquality@afaalaska.org
Ask supervisor to complete their Alaska Airlines air quality checklist with you
If sick, file a worker’s compensation claim and see a doctor as quickly as possible. Claims do not start until you see a doctor.
Keep a symptom diary and document everything with a doctor

Keep This Information With You In Case You Need it

Get Your New Quick Reference Card

New air quality exposure quick reference cards have been printed and will soon be available in your base. These cards replace all old versions of the air quality cards (gold or blue lanyard cards or old black and white folded paper card). When you pick up your new card, please discard any old cards that you have and replace them with the new one. This card fold up to the size of a credit card and will fit easily inside a plastic badge holder or in your purse or wallet. On the card, you’ll find information that you’ll need in the event of an air quality exposure incident as well as links to online AFA resources and contact information for AFA representatives who can assist you.

Print Your Own Quick Reference Card

You can download and print a quick reference card at any time by clicking this link.

Find it on the AFA Alaska Website

This information is also available on a dedicated page of the AFA Alaska website at: http://afaalaska.org/ashsc/airquality/checklist.

From the AFA Alaska mobile website or web app, a quick link is located on the main page of the site. For instructions on how to save the AFA Alaska web app as a desktop icon on your IMD or personal Apple device, click here.

If you have questions, please contact your Local Air Safety, Health, and Security (ASHSC) Committee.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt, Air Quality Chairperson Karyn Kobe and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple

Much Improved Sleeping While in Uniform Policy!

October 29, 2015 15:00

AFA advocated very hard on your behalf in regard to the recent changes to the sleeping while in uniform policy. Collectively we were successful in getting management to reconsider the policy. Inflight just published Bulletin #2015-0272 “Sleeping While in Uniform” that establishes a much-improved policy.

The bulletin outlines that a flight attendant “may not nest in any public area where customers gather at (a) terminal”, which “includes laying down on (the) floor or on seats inside public areas of (a) terminal” (sic). Essentially this means we may use our discretion to close our eyes as long as we’re not lying down.

Of course a flight attendant may never sleep or give the appearance of sleeping while in uniform when customers are present on the aircraft—except when assigned a customer seat such as when deadheading or commuting.

The bulletin contains an additional clarification that break rooms are acceptable locations even though they may not be appropriate sleep locations for other work groups.

The Master Executive Council (MEC) sincerely thanks Alaska Airlines management for developing a more sensible sleeping policy for the flight attendants. We also thank our members for their resolute support in getting the policy reconsidered!

In solidarity,

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple

AFA Alaska Master Executive Council Supports FIGHT FOR 10

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants attended the March 16^th RALLY FOR REST

What is the FIGHT FOR 10 all about?

What is the current status of the FIGHT FOR 10?

How would the FIGHT FOR 10 affect the contractual premium pay for going under 9 ½ hours?

Why would the Master Executive Council support a legislative effort that could negatively impact a lucrative contractual provision?

Friends Don’t Let Friends Breathe Oil Fumes on Aircraft: Contribute to Crew and Passenger Health Research Project (GIVE TEN, GET TEN…)

Join the “GIVE TEN, GET TEN” Campaign to Combat Toxic Oil Fumes Onboard

Contaminated Cabin Air: Know What To Do