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Hurricanes Iselle and Julio and Hawaiian Island Flying

As you may be aware, Hurricanes Iselle and Julio are rapidly approaching the Hawaiian Islands.  According to the National Weather Service, hurricane conditions are expected to develop on the Big Island by this afternoon.  As the path continues moving up the Hawaiian island chain, the storm is expected to lose some strength with tropical storm conditions spreading to Maui tonight and Oahu and Kauai on Friday.  You can read the current statement from the National Weather Service at http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/pages/HLS.php.

Inflight management has repeatedly assured us that there is no danger to our crew members flying to the Hawaiian islands or laying over there at this time.  Regardless of these assurances, your MEC and LEC Officers are continuing to closely monitor the situation.  Purely as a precaution, we are offering a list of tips to help crew members in the affected area be prepared should conditions deteriorate.  You can view these tips at http://afaalaska.org/hotel/safety/hurricane.  

As always, your LEC Officers and EAP representatives are standing by and available to assist you.  You can find LEC Officer contact information at afaalaska.org under “Local Councils”.  EAP contact information is at afaalaska.org/eap.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

MEC 5B Logo (Email)

Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study

Dear Flight Attendants,

Researches from Harvard University have contacted us seeking assistance in finding Flight Attendants to participate in a health study to help better understand the health implications of our profession.  The researchers are ideally seeking candidates who, in addition to having a layover in Boston, will have approximately two weeks off during which the candidate is not planning to travel by air.  The two weeks off may occur either immediately prior to or following the Boston layover.  Having two weeks free of air travel is not a requirement of the study however and any Flight Attendant working a trip that includes a layover in Boston is encouraged to volunteer.  A letter from the Harvard researchers and information about how to participate can found by clicking here.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

Resources

Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study — Researcher’s Letter

Dear Flight Attendants,

Harvard has been conducting flight attendant health studies since 2007.  Many of you have already participated.  Thank you for your participation—-only with your participation can we learn more about our health.

The Harvard team is committed to specifically investigating Flight Attendant health conditions over time, similar to the well-known Nurses’ Health Study research at Harvard.

For your information, some of the study results are posted on the website FAhealth.org.

In the next couple of months, Harvard researchers are inviting Flight Attendants bidding the Boston trip to participate in a study investigating exposure to chemical substances prevalent in the general environment, and specifically, in the aircraft cabin, by analyzing blood samples from flight attendants.

The Boston trip is an accessible location for Harvard researchers to take samples. Some Flight Attendants at Alaska have already participated in this study by meeting the Harvard team at the hotel after arrival in Boston and donating a serum sample and hand wipe sample. (Researchers use an alcohol swab to sweep any possible dust particles off the surfaces of the hands.)

To obtain a better picture of exposure, we need more Flight Attendants to participate. Participants are given a gift in appreciation when they arrive in Boston.

In addition, the researchers are looking for the rare occasion when Flight Attendants have time off—at least 2 weeks—in order to compare the blood level of chemicals during a time when the flight attendant is not working on the aircraft (and not flying as a passenger) with blood levels after flying again. This “wash out” period can occur either before or after a Flight Attendant comes to Boston (Harvard would use a mobile lab technician to take a blood sample at a location convenient for you).  This “wash out” information is particularly important to separate aircraft exposures from other sources.

Even if you do not anticipate an upcoming leave, Harvard still wants you to consider participation. The investigators are interested to know whether specific chemical substances are at higher levels in Flight Attendants than the general population. Because some of these chemicals have been associated with endocrine disruption in a small group of animal and human studies, the research team is interested to know about the impact on flight attendants.

If you are willing to participate, please contact Dr. Eileen McNeely to let her know how and when to reach you.  She will answer any further questions you have about the research: emcneely@hsph.harvard.edu.

New Master Executive Council Safety, Health, & Security Committee Chairperson

Please join us in welcoming Seth Heiple to the position of Master Executive Council (MEC) chairperson of the Safety, Health, & Security Committee (SHSC), effective March 1.  As MEC chairperson, Seth will be responsible for working with the Local SHSC Chairs in each base to coordinate the activities of the SHSC for all Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants.

Seth joined Alaska Airlines as a Flight Attendant at the beginning of 2008.  While at Alaska he has served on both the Inflight Service Committee and the SHSC and worked with the F/A team that developed the “D Check” program.  Before joining Alaska Seth worked as a F/A for Northwest Airlines for close to 10 years, five of which he had the additional responsibilities of being an international purser.  Seth graduated from George Fox University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in International Business and Economics.  He is pleased to have the opportunity to serve as the MEC SHSC chair and support the Committee’s efforts to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for F/As and cabin environment for our passengers.

The MEC would also like to thank current MEC SHSC Chairperson Barb Moynier for her hard work and accomplishments over the past several years that she has held the position.  Barb has been a tireless advocate for our Flight Attendants and her efforts are greatly and sincerely appreciated.

The Safety, Health, & Security Committee (SHSC) is responsible for working with management on matters pertaining to cabin and Flight Attendant safety and health.  Contact information for each Local SHSC can be found at alaskamec.org, then by selecting your base from the Local Council menu.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

 

 

MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Chairperson Opening

Dear Flight Attendants:

Due to the cancelation of our January MEC meeting to accommodate the TA Roadshows, the previously scheduled interviews for the position of MEC Air Safety, Health, and Security Committee Chairperson have been re-scheduled.  The interviews will now be held February 19 and 20 at the MEC office in Seattle.

For those of you interested in applying for this position, there is still time to submit your resume.  Please submit your resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Yvette Gesch by fax at (206) 246-4752 or by email at ysgesch@gmail.com.  Resumes must be submitted by February 10, 2014.  Yvette will then contact you to schedule your interview.

For a description of the position responsibilities please see below.  If after reviewing this information, you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact current MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Chairperson Barb Moynier at shsc@alaskamec.org or MEC Vice President Brian Palmer, who oversees our MEC Committees, at bpalmer@alaskamec.org.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, and Sandra Morrow

Scope

a.        The Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (SHSC) shall work with the Company on matters pertaining to cabin and Flight Attendant safety and health.

Policy/Responsibilities

a.        The MEC SHSC shall consist of the MEC SHSC Chairperson, MEC SHSC Vice Chairperson—Air Quality, and the Local SHSC Chairperson from each council.

b.        The MEC SHSC Chairperson is the primary contact with the Company, the FAA and the International office, regarding Flight Attendant safety and health issues.

c.         The MEC Chairperson shall:

(i)       Attend any safety meetings with the company.

(ii)      Attend FAA/Alaska Airlines safety meetings.

(iii)    Attend AFA-CWA Air Safety Department training seminars

(iv)     In conjunction with the International Office, develop and conduct initial and ongoing local Safety/Health training, including NTSB accident investigation procedures

(v)      Communicate with the AFA-CWA Air Safety Department.

(vi)     Communicate with other airline safety representatives, as appropriate.

(vii)   Participate in accident investigation, hijacking, sabotage, etc., as directed.

(viii)  Communicate with the Alaska ALPA MEC Safety Chairperson as appropriate.

(ix)     Attend and participate in Congressional hearings dealing with cabin safety, as directed.

(x)      Assign special safety assignments to local Safety/Health Chairpersons as appropriate.  The MEC officers and appropriate LEC President shall be advised of these special assignments.

(xi)     Handle safety incidents, i.e. equipment problems, occupational injuries, as they arise.

(xii)   Compose informational and educational articles of interest to the membership and provide them to the MEC Communications Chairperson to be included in MEC communications and posted to the MEC website.

(xiii)  Be on a 24-hour call-out in the event of an accident.

d.        The committee shall:

(i)       Participate in programs concerned with air safety, health and security.

(ii)      Act in an advisory role to the MEC on safety and health matters.

(iii)    Study safety and health problems and prepare recommendations to be presented to the MEC for consideration.

(iv)     Review material, handle correspondence and keep members informed of safety and health developments through the Communications Committee and/or reports at Local Council meetings.

(v)      Attend company debriefings after an accident or incident or when pertinent issues are discussed.

Position Description Information (Please Review Both Links)

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 […]

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