Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

March 3, 2020 05:00

As the reports of confirmed cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) spread throughout the United States it is important to remain informed about the situation and take appropriate precautionary measures. We are saddened to hear that there have now been several confirmed deaths in the U.S. from the virus. Despite these cases, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the overall number of confirmed cases and risk of contracted the virus remain low.

Keep Up-To-Date With Reliable Resources

You can find the most up-to-date, pertinent information about COVID-19 and its impact on Flight Attendants on the Coronavirus Outbreak page of the AFA International website. The page contains the latest news on the outbreak, resources for Flight Attendants to guard against the spread of infection, and links to additional governmental resources such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC.

Guidance from the CDC continues to recommend the following actions as being the best preventive measures to avoid exposure:

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces (including PA handsets and IMDs) using sanitizing wipes.
Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask.
- CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
- Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Advocating for Flight Attendant Protections

AFA Alaska representatives have been engaging with management daily to advocate for protective measures and policy/procedure changes to protect our Flight Attendants in the wake of the outbreak. As of today, AFA Alaska has made the following requests of management:

Any individual who chooses to protect themselves by wearing mask or gloves should be permitted to do so at any time.
Eliminate water walks until we have equipment or product (individual water bottles) which allow it to be delivered in a sanitary manner.
Provide passengers with individually wrapped hand sanitizing wipes approved for use on our aircraft surfaces and on human skin.
Provide an announcement about changes to service made to provide a safer announcement to the passenger.
Work on getting N95 masks of all adult sizes added to UPKs and provide adequate training for their use when dealing with a passenger suspected of having a communicable disease.
Review aircraft cleaning guidelines and provide audit information by showing adherence levels. Provide better means for crew to submit aircraft cleaning feedback for flights
Enhanced cleaning procedures for aircraft which carried a passenger with known or suspected contagion.
Develop training on safe food and beverage handling, assessing passengers for COVID-19, and onboard response to suspect or identified case.
Discontinue hot towels in F/C and replace with individually wrapped hand sanitizing wipes.
Discontinue onboard sorting of used service items
Discontinue placing contaminated items in the same cart as unused service items.
Add disposable temperature gauges to aircraft equipment.
Change to disposable cups in First Class.
Make UPKs and hand sanitizer required, no-go items on the aircraft
Reduce MELs on lavatory water systems.
Make surgical masks available to passengers and crew so that those who show symptoms of infection may wear masks and reduce the risk of spreading disease. Take steps to ensure adequate supplies now.
Provide accommodations for those who have or live with those who have compromised immune systems or are pregnant.
Provide support for infected or quarantined employees.
Provide support for employees who are forced to stay at home to care for an infected or quarantined family member.
Provide support for employees who are forced to stay at home to care for a child due to extended cancellation of classes.

Management has responded and made procedural and policy changes to many of the requests made by AFA, but there are still many items that have not yet been satisfactorily addressed. A full list of actions that are being taken by management are listed in an article on Alaska’s World (AAG sign-on required). Management also released a required bulletin (bulletin #2020-0010, Special Edition Bulletin Bundle-March 2, 2020) with additional details on how these changes are to be implemented.

Additionally, AFA International released additional guidance today entitled Immediate Operational Actions to Stop Spread of COVID-19. Many of the points in this guidance were included in AFA Alaska’s original request to management. AFA Alaska representatives have called for a special meeting with management as soon as possible to address items from the original AFA request that management has not already provided a satisfactory response to as well as new items contained in the additional guidance from AFA International.

Daily Conversations with Management Ongoing

While we applaud management for taking meaningful steps to reduce risks, we simultaneously call upon them to continue taking necessary action to protect Flight Attendants and passengers alike. Regular conference calls between leaders from all Alaska and Horizon union groups and management from Inflight, Safety, and Labor Relations have been scheduled for the foreseeable future and will continue as long as outbreak remains a potential threat. AFA representatives will persist in continuing to address concerns with management during these calls and other venues to address the issues important to Flight Attendants.

Questions?

If you have questions that are not addressed in any of the resources provided above, please reach out to your LEC Officers or Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee

AFA Update – February 7, 2020 REVISED

February 7, 2020 18:00

**Revised with new information as of February 7, 2020 6 PM PST**

In This Edition

Recurrent Training 2020 – Interim Update
Flight Attendants Call for Responsible Halt to China Flights
Maternity Roundtable Event

Recurrent Training 2020 – Interim Update

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Since last week’s AFA update on Recurrent Training (RT), management has been working to make changes to the program based on feedback from Flight Attendants and our AFA representatives. Several AFA officers and representatives have been observing and auditing this process to ensure contractual compliance and to advocate for positive changes to the program for all Flight Attendants.

Management has advised the Master Executive Council (MEC) that they will be releasing several communications over the next few days related to the status of the RT program and the timeline for classes to be relaunched. The MEC plans to release an additional update early next week in response to management’s communication.

Flight Attendants Call for Responsible Halt to China Flights

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

AFA International issued this statement following last night’s travel advisory change by U.S. State Department to “do not travel to China” and the declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the coronavirus is a “global health emergency”:

“AFA is calling for clear direction from our government to U.S. airlines to pull down all travel to China until the spread of coronavirus is contained. The government must work with our airlines to discontinue all service, with consideration for evacuation of flight crew, and with consideration to service that facilitates efforts by public health officials to contain spread of the virus,” stated Sara Nelson, AFA-CWA International President.

“The coronavirus may be spread by infected persons not yet displaying symptoms. For this reason, it is critical that any crew potentially infected through travel to and from China not be assigned to any additional flights until safely through the fourteen day incubation period. These crews must be pay protected for any scheduled flights and provided with the means to get food and other supplies while remaining out of public contact. This action is also on the AFA communicable disease checklist provided to all of our airlines again on January 21, 2020.

“We need responsible leadership from our government and we need it now. We will continue to work with our airlines, who have been exceeding precautions suggested by the administration – albeit now these actions are clearly not enough. This must end now. This is an emergency and our government must take a leadership role, in consultation with all stakeholders, in order to end this public health threat and protect American workers.”

Maternity Roundtable Event

Benefits Committee

Are you having a baby in 2020 or just thinking about it? AFA Council 19 (Seattle) will be hosting a Maternity Roundtable event on March 27 from 11 to 3 PM. Come have your questions answered related to maternity leaves, benefits, and other work-related considerations. Though the event will be held in Seattle, it is open to all Flight Attendants regardless of base.

Location

SeaTac Office Center South Tower
18000 Pacific Highway South
Earhart Conference Room, Lower Plaza Level
SeaTac, WA 98188

The building is a short walk from the airport, located in the same building as 13 Coins Restaurant (between the Hilton and Radisson hotels). Free parking is available.

Conference Call Option

For those who are interested in participating but are unable to attend in person, a conference call option will be available. Please indicate your interest in participating by conference call when sending your RSVP and the call-in information will be provided to you.

RSVP

Please RSVP to SEA Local Benefits Committee Chairperson Kathy O’Malley by email at benefitsassist@hotmail.com or by text at (425) 238-8219 if you are interested in attending.

AFA Update – January 30, 2020

January 30, 2020 17:00

In This Edition

Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
Black History Month AFA Pin
Negotiating Committee Interviews
Uniform Returns & Packing Materials
REMINDER: Contractual Supporting Documents
Managing Negativity

Novel Coronavirus Outbreak

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

The novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019, is creating growing concern for air travel. The first known case has now been confirmed in the United States. AFA is contacting our airlines in an effort to put in place information and precautions for crewmembers. We are sharing what we know about the virus now, although health officials are still determining the full implications of the virus and how it is spread.

NOTE: It is important that crew redouble efforts to take the best steps against spread of communicable disease. Review personal safety and universal precautions in section 4.200 of the Flight Attendant Manual (FAM).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Situation Summary for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus remains a good source of up-to-date information on the rapidly changing situation.

AFA is calling on all airlines to institute emergency measures immediately, including providing crew members the latest information regarding the 2019-nCoV outbreak, identification of signs/symptoms of illness (in oneself and others), and procedures to manage potentially ill persons – utilizing information from relevant U.S. authorities including the CDC, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and international authorities including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). We are also encouraging airlines to adopt AFA recommendations from our Communicable Disease Incident Response Checklists.We will provide additional updates as more information is available. We will continue to press airlines for action on this as we work to keep aviation’s first responders, our counterparts in the flight deck, and our passengers safe and healthy.

Black History Month AFA Pin

Master Executive Council (MEC)

At the December 2019 meeting of the AFA Executive Board, a resolution was unanimously passed in recognition of February as Black History Month. The resolution established a special commemorative pin for AFA Members to wear throughout the month of February.

Our Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers have been provided with a limited supply of these special edition pins and will soon be making them available to you. Please be on the lookout for information directly from your LEC Officers with instructions on how you can obtain your own Black History Month AFA pin!

Negotiating Committee Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Our current Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) becomes amendable on December 17, 2021 but also contains an early opener clause for the negotiating process to begin as early as December 2020. In anticipation of early openers, the Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting interviews for the Negotiating Committee during the March Regular MEC Meeting, to be held March 10 and 11, 2020. All three Negotiating Committee positions are up for interview and consideration. Per the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, the MEC President is the chairperson of the Negotiating Committee and rounds out the Committee as the fourth member.

The Negotiating Committee is charged to negotiate and institute the needs and desires of the Flight Attendants into an effective collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The Committee should have a good working knowledge of the current CBA and be willing to devote their full time to the Committee during negotiations. The members of this Committee shall serve as the CBA Interpretation Committee until a new agreement is completed.

Selection of Committee Members

Any person seeking a position on the Negotiating Committee must submit a resume to the MEC
Committee Members will function until a new Committee is selected
The Chairperson of the Negotiating Committee will be the MEC President or her/his designee
Committee Members are selected by majority vote of the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents)

Committee Member Duties & Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the Negotiating Committee shall include the following:

The Committee, with the advice of the Staff Negotiator shall have the authority to conclude an agreement, subject to the provisions of Article XII of the Constitution and Bylaws.
All members of the Committee, including alternates whenever possible, shall complete a negotiations training seminar prior to writing an “opener.”
Be familiar with Union policy and keep abreast of new developments in the industry.
Utilize the facilities and resources of the Union and the experience and knowledge of Union Officers, International Office staff and study committees of the Union. (eg., Legal, Retirement and Insurance, Wage and Working Conditions, etc.).
Maintain a current record of the:
- Financial condition of the company.
- Management lines of authority and methods of communication.
- Operations statistics and experiences of the airline which may be used in bargaining, grievances, litigation, etc.
Be familiar with the wishes of the Flight Attendant group with respect to wages, working conditions, and work rules, through, for example, system-wide distribution of contract surveys, periodic road shows, etc.
Prepare the contract opener with the advice of the Staff Negotiator
Provide regular updates to the membership on the status of negotiations
Proof CBA language and agree with the Company on implementation and effective dates
Review tentative agreement with the MEC
Prepare membership summary package and Roadshow schedule
Present the tentative agreement to the members
Proof printed agreement and prepare CBA index
Prepare CBA interpretations for new concepts
Remain available as a resource for interpretations
Maintain a complete record of the negotiations, including proposals, notes and communications, and such record is the property of AFA-CWA. A copy of this record will be forwarded to the International Office by the Negotiating Committee.
Maintain contact, through the MEC President, with IAM, ALPA, TWU, AMFA, and other applicable labor unions on property

Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

Flight pay loss (FPL) reimbursement will be provided to Negotiating Committee Members at the rate of 6 TFP at “A” pay for 8 hours of work. FPL is not reimbursed for days that solely contain travel to/from an activity.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews during the March Regular MEC meeting from March 10-11, 2020. Bid around the interview date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/6vj5XPxDwv9x54eb9. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, March 3. After that time, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

Please note that in order 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 Negotiating Committee positions or application process should be directed to MEC President Jeffrey Peterson at jeffrey.peterson@afaalaska.org.

Uniform Returns & Packing Materials

Uniform Committee

Our Uniform Committee has recently received reports that some Flight Attendants have been told that their uniform return shipments were improperly packed when dropping them off at FedEx shipping locations. Some Flight Attendants have been told by FedEx personnel that they would be required to purchase additional packing supplies including “fill” material to prevent the contents in the package from shifting.

According to paragraph B.7 of the Flight Attendant Custom Uniform 2020 Letter of Agreement, Inflight management will assist Flight Attendants with uniform returns and provide appropriate packing supplies at no cost to the Flight Attendant upon request. If you experience a problem with FedEx personnel accepting your return shipment due to the way it is packaged, it is recommended that you bring the package to an inflight supervisor at any base and ask them to provide the necessary packing materials and assist you with sending the shipment back to Unisync.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Uniform Committee.

REMINDER: Contractual Supporting Documents

Contract Committee

When there is a disagreement or difference of opinion regarding the intent of contractual language or how a contractual provision should be applied, AFA and management work through an established process to attempt to resolve the dispute. Depending on the issue at hand, the resolution might be documented in one of several forms: a letter of agreement, memorandum of understanding, labor memorandum, or contractual settlement agreement. Regardless of the format, these documents are contractually enforceable and supplement the provisions of our collective bargaining agreement.

To allow for the easiest possible access, these contractual supporting documents can easily be accessed from the contract home page of the AFA Alaska website at https://afaalaska.org/contract. You can also access them on your IMD through the Good Reader app by tapping ASFASupplemental > Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Questions?

If you have any questions about contractual supporting documents, please contact your LEC President.

Managing Negativity

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Many work environments have at least that one negative person whose only way of communicating is through a string of complaints. Escaping that individual at 30,000 feet is difficult. Relentless negativity tears away at our resiliency and ability to ignore the behavior. While we cannot change the way other people behave, we can change the way we react. Below are suggestions which may help you manage our own responses to negative communication and limit its impact.

Don’t Take it Personally

Negative individuals tend to find something wrong in almost every situation. Being negative may also be one’s main way to engage or connect with others. Negativity is sometimes correlated with self-esteem and inter-generational communication patterns. A person who chronically finds problems with other people may truly be unhappy with themselves and/or demonstrating the strong influences of familial communication.

“You” and “I”

Replace “you” statements with “I” statements. People feel attacked when their behavior is directly pointed out. Feeling attacked causes the person to become defensive and may create unnecessary conflict. For example, instead of “You always complain about working with her, and it gets old.” try “I feel uncomfortable when people discuss their feelings about our co-workers with me.”

Make it a Challenge

Try to say something like “We always seem to have something to talk about, but it is usually negative. Let’s only talk about cheerful situations today.” Beginning with a positive comment increases the probability your listener will be receptive. Giving feedback in this manner may also allow you to point out the negative tone of conversation of which the complainer maybe unaware.

Offer or Seek Assistance from Your AFA EAP

Allowing a person to bombard you with their negativity may actually reinforce that behavior. Everyone manages some negativity in their lives. It is important for your own mental health to limit the accumulation of others’ issues. If someone is clearly struggling, remind her/him that AFA EAP offers confidential assistance. Say something like “You know it sounds like it might be helpful for you to give our EAP a call. I think they might be a good listener and resource for you.” Then, give them AFA EAP’s number: (949) 470-0493. Remember, AFA EAP is also available to you to help you maintain your resiliency in dealing with negativity.

AFA Update – November 8, 2019

November 8, 2019 12:00

In This Edition

MEC Officer Election Results
Council 30 (ANC) LEC Officer Election Results
REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews
Grievance Committee Update
Dues – Know Your Obligation
At Risk Drinking–How Much is Too Much?
AFA Statement on Boeing 737 MAX Hearings
We Support Delta Flight Attendant Efforts to Join AFA

MEC Officer Election Results

Master Executive Council (MEC)

As the term of office for the current MEC Officers will end on December 31, 2019, your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews this week for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We would like to thank the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the positions.

In accordance with the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws, each of the six Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents is afforded one vote for each officer position. After thorough deliberation, the LEC Presidents have elected the following candidates:

MEC President	MEC Vice President	MEC Secretary-Treasurer
Jeffrey Peterson	Brian Palmer	Linda Christou

The newly elected MEC Officers will serve a three-year term of office from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022. More information about their duties and responsibilities can be found in the AFA Constitution and Bylaws and the AFA Alaska MEC Policy Manual.

Council 30 (ANC) LEC Officer Election Results

Local Council 30 (Anchorage)

The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing the Flight Attendants based in Anchorage:

LEC President	LEC Vice President	LEC Secretary
Matthew Cook	Karen Ferrell	Lisa Pinkston

View the certified election results here >

These officers will serve a term of office from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022.

The Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the officers-elect and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.

REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

As a reminder, the term for those currently serving in MEC Committee Chairperson roles and other appointed positions will end on December 31, 2019. Your MEC, of which the six directly elected Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents are voting members, will be conducting interviews for these positions during the December MEC meeting. The October 4, 2019 AFA Update contained the initial announcement of these upcoming interviews including a list of positions, information about qualifications and duties, and a link to the online expression of interest form.

If you have questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed positions or the interview process, please contact MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at brian.palmer@afaalaska.org.

Grievance Committee Update

Grievance Committee

Your MEC and Local Grievance Committees have been very hard at work ensuring disciplinary due process and contractual compliance on your behalf. AFA filed several contractual grievances in response to the recent Open Time trading and Vacation Open Time trading systems crashes.

The Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) increased the number of arbitration dates from 10 to 13. Terminations are usually prioritized in order to return a Flight Attendant back to work as soon as possible. However, we seek a balance between discipline and contractual cases. AFA and management mutually decide which cases to arbitrate based on many factors.

Many of our disciplinary grievances come about from Flight Attendants writing up and/or turning in other Flight Attendants for behavior they may find undesirable. We know that many of you have friendly relationships with managers or supervisors, but if you mention an issue to a manager/supervisor, s/he has an obligation to move the concern forward. This could result in discipline or termination when that was not your intent of discussing the issue with management. Some disciplinary cases are ultimately escalated to arbitration; if you turn in someone who is suspended or terminated, you will most likely be required to testify at an arbitration hearing. A more preferential option is to utilize AFA Professional Standards, who will reach out to the Flight Attendant to try and help solve the problem without involving management and the possibility of discipline.

Rumor Control

Rumor: Around 200 to 300 Legacy Virgin America Flight Attendants have been terminated since ratification of the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA).

Truth: The rumor is false. Since we ratified our JCBA on April 3, 2018, there have been approximately 60 terminations to date including both Legacy Virgin America and Legacy Alaska Flight Attendants. This number is slightly higher than prior years, however given the increase in the overall number of Flight Attendants it isn’t entirely disproportionate.

Subject of Most Recent Discipline

In order to keep terminations low, we want to give you an idea of what areas management has recently focused on in regard to disciplining (including terminating) Flight Attendants. See below:

Sick leave and FMLA abuse. Terminations on the rise due to travel audits among other things. Anything written in the comments posting of trip trades can be seen, even if eventually deleted. If the company determines abuse, it results in termination.
Drug/Alcohol violations
Social media violations. This includes sending friend requests and/or following passengers on social media using personal information gained from Block2Block.
Required item violations. This includes lost or forgotten IMDs or other required items.
Theft. Anything other than an opened/used bottle of water, unused pilot crew meal or purchased food removed from the aircraft will result in termination.
Harassment

Recent and Upcoming Arbitration & Mediation

Arbitration	Wednesday, September 25	Disciplinary Grievance
Arbitration	Tuesday October 22	Disciplinary Grievance
Arbitration	Thursday November 14	Disciplinary Grievance
Arbitration	Tuesday December 17	Contractual Grievance

Recently Settled Grievances & Mediations

None

Grievances Recently Granted by Management

None

Grievances Recently Filed and Awaiting Response from Management

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-161-19- Violation of §12.E Withholding Trips from Open Time. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §12.E [Exchange of Sequences: Open Time], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) failed to immediately place all uncovered sequences or portions of sequences including but not limited to sick calls, Management Drop(s), Personal Drop(s), leaves of absence, jury duty, bereavement leave.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-162-19- Violation of §12.C.1 Real-Time Trading Procedures Grievance 36-99-2-28-17 Mediated Settlement. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §12.C.1 [Exchange of Sequences: Trading Procedure], past practice, its mediated settlement of grievance 36-99-2-28-17 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it agreed but failed to adhere to its July 5, 2017, mediated settlement of grievance 36-99-2-28-17: To have AFA and Alaska representatives meet with Jeppesen to explore the capabilities of the system and how to align the front-end with the “real time” experience of the back-end user. This is a continual violation as such meeting did not take place in a reasonably timely manner, and sufficient action was not taken to rectify the underlying system issues.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-163-19- Violation of §12.F.9.a Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §12.F.9.a [Exchange of Sequences: Open Time Trial], past practice, its sustained response of grievance 36-99-2-35-17 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on July 7, 2017, it sustained grievance 36-99-2-35-17 Violation of §12.F.9.a Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book; however it has continually failed to provide sufficient IT resources for reverting to the Open Time System in place in the 2006-2010 Flight Attendant Agreement as modified by the arbitration award (AFA No. 36-99-2-18-11) [“Withholding Open Time” award]).

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-165-19- Violation of Vacation Trading Past Practice. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement § 14 [Vacation], an established past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it violated an established past practice for a real-time, electronic vacation trading system and the subsequent failure of that system to allow SEA-based Flight Attendants to access and trade vacation at the established start time.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-170-19-Violation of §19.A Investigatory Meetings. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement § 19.A [Grievance Procedures], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about October 29, 2019, at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), it conducted an investigatory meeting related to a slide deployment with all Flight Attendants assigned to work flight 623 (IAD-SFO) while they were on duty, without providing adequate opportunity to obtain Union representation in the form of an AFA Grievance Representative, and without providing the option of conducting the meeting on their day off with accompanying pay of four (4.0) TFP.

More Information

For more information, including the status of previously filed grievances, please visit the Grievance Committee Activity Page.

Questions?

Please contact your Local Grievance Committee if you have any questions about the Grievance Committee update.

Dues—Know Your Obligation

Membership Committee

Each of us has an obligation to ensure that our AFA dues payments are current and up-to-date. Section 26 of our collective bargaining agreement outlines the requirement for each of us to pay dues as a condition of employment. If you receive a notice that dues are past due, it is important to remedy the past due amount immediately. Failure to remedy a past due amount may result in termination of employment.

How Do I Know If I Have a Past Due Amount?

If you have a past due amount, you will receive a statement from the AFA International Membership Services Department sent to your mailing address on file with AFA. The statement will show for which month(s) dues have not been paid.

What To Do If You Receive a Past Due Notice for AFA Dues

If you receive a statement indicating that you owe dues, the easiest way to make a payment is through the AFA Membership Services website. You can also contact the Membership Services Department to discuss options for a payment plan if you are unable to pay the owed amount immediately. More information about payment options can be found here.

What If I Don’t Pay The Amount I Owe?

If you don’t pay the amount you owe within 15 days of receiving final notice from AFA, AFA will provide notice to the Company that you have not made the required payment. At that point, the Company will terminate your employment in accordance with Section 26.D of our collective bargaining agreement.

Questions?

If you have any questions about dues, please contact your Local Membership Committee or AFA International Membership Services at (800) 424-2401, ext. 707.

At Risk Drinking–How Much is Too Much?

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

How much alcohol is too much? It could mean drinking too much at one time, drinking too often, or both. It’s important to be aware of how much you are drinking, whether your drinking pattern is risky, the harm that some drinking patterns can cause, and ways to reduce your risks.

Many people are surprised to learn what counts as a drink. In the United States, a “standard” drink is any drink that contains about 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of “pure” alcohol.

What is “Low Risk” Drinking?

“Low risk” is not “no risk.” Even within these limits, alcohol can cause problems if people drink too quickly, have health problems, or are older (both men and women over 65 are generally advised to have no more than 3 drinks on any day and 7 per week). Based on your health and how alcohol affects you, you may need to drink less or not at all.

What is “at risk” or “heavy drinking”?

For healthy adults in general, drinking more than these below single-day or weekly limits is considered “at-risk” or “heavy” drinking: remember too much + too often = too risky.

Men: More than 4 drinks on any day or 14 per week

Women: More than 3 drinks on any day or 7 per week*

Remember, as safety sensitive professionals, Flight Attendants must also comply with company policy that requires no alcohol use 10 hours before duty and no BAC above a 0.00%. If at an international destination, Flight Attendants must also comply with the myriad of laws dictated by other countries. Any use of alcohol within these restricted parameters should be considered “too risky” for your personal wellness, flight safety and career retention. If you are questioning your drinking and have concerns, please contact your AFA EAP thru the confidential helpline at (800) 424-2406 or the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program at (855) 333-2327. Help is available 24/7.

*Alcohol use impacts women differently than men due to physiological differences such as lower body weight and having lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes in the stomach that help eliminate alcohol. Consuming more than one drink per day places women at risk for health concerns such as heart disease, breast cancer, and, for pregnant women or women trying to become pregnant, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. For some women, no alcohol use is recommended.

AFA Statement on Boeing 737 MAX Hearings

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) issued the following statement following hearings in the Senate and House last week with Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg:

As AFA President Sara Nelson testified in June before the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, “Flight Attendants continue to receive questions from the traveling public about the 737 Max. There remains confusion about the progression of 737 aircraft models. It is common for crew to receive questions when working the 737NG about whether the aircraft is safe. This signals a fundamental question about the progression of the 737 aircraft models and whether or not the Max should have been designed as an entirely new aircraft type. This is an example of questions that will need to be answered within the process to safely return the 737 Max to flight and regain public confidence.”

“We have been clear throughout this process and repeatedly in public forums, that we will not work the 737 MAX until and unless we have full assurance from regulators around the world, our colleagues in the flight deck, engineers, and our airlines that the 737 MAX is safe,” Nelson said. “This week took a step backward in this process, not forward.”

We Support Delta Flight Attendant Efforts to Join AFA

Last Friday, AFA launched a new effort to help Delta Flight Attendants become AFA Members! Thousands of Flight Attendants at Delta Air Lines have asked AFA to join them in efforts to become full members of our union. Now is the time to affirm our full support of their efforts to join AFA. Watch the welcome video from AFA International President to Delta Flight Attendants by clicking here.

As long as Delta management retains control of pay, benefits and working conditions at the industry’s most profitable airline, our bargaining power at each of our airlines is cut short. As long as Delta can claim to speak for the 25,000 Flight Attendants at the airline, our efforts to achieve proper staffing, rest, job security, and safety standards through government regulations are undermined.

Right now, we can start to correct this by helping to lift the voices of Delta Flight Attendants and protect their rights under the Railway Labor Act as they organize. And, when Delta Flight Attendants vote to join AFA we will strengthen our voice, our bargaining power, and our standing in every issue that affects our jobs like never before.

AFA Endeavor Flight Attendants are a Delta wholly-owned regional airline, and this effort directly affects their representation too as we address issues like concerns about toxic uniforms and the ability to share in Delta’s success.

Already, talk of AFA at Delta has encouraged management to improve the wage scale, announce plans to implement 10 hours minimum rest by February 2020, and promise to implement certain provisions of the United contract that produce more compensation for Flight Attendants. But, as long as Delta Flight Attendants are without a contract like management at Delta has for themselves, promises can change and our ability to move our careers forward will not reached its full potential.

AFA has a long history with Delta Flight Attendants, and we have always thought of all Flight Attendants as part of our AFA family. Interestingly, over 40 percent of the seniority list has been hired at Delta since the last union vote nine years ago. The energy and excitement for our Flight Attendant union is palpable. Help us welcome Delta Flight Attendants to our union today as we work together to build power for aviation’s first responders. Visit afacwa.org/deltawelcome to learn more about how you can support Delta Flight Attendants.

Show Your Support!

It’s easy to show your support for Flight Attendants at Delta Air Lines who are working to earn representation through our Flight Attendant union. Put on your AFA pin, take a pic, and post it with a brief note of support and the hashtag #SelfiesForSolidarity

AFA Update – October 4, 2019

October 4, 2019 12:00

In This Edition

Introducing your MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson
Introducing your MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Uniform Safety Representative
MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews
What Happens When You Report a Human Trafficking Tip?
Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Introducing Your MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson

Human Rights Committee

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews last week for the new MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson position. The MEC would like to thank the candidates who demonstrated willingness to represent our Flight Attendants. After thorough consideration, the MEC has appointed Chip Hestle to the position.

About Chip

Chip Hestle II is a Seattle-based Flight Attendant with 29 years of service at Alaska Airlines. During his career, Chip held the position as Chairperson for the first Alaska Airlines CATeam. In this role, he worked alongside Human Resources to promote diversity and cultural awareness. He also participated in Flight Attendant Hiring Events. Additionally, Chip served on the AFA Government Affairs Committee and established the Alaska Airlines Drug and Alcohol Infinity Support Group.

Most recently, Chip was one of four keynote speakers at the AT-62nd Area 46 AA New Mexico State Convention. In January 2018, he was named one of Alaska Airlines Legends in Customer Service. In October 2017, he received the Alaska Airlines Award of Excellence. Chip served as co-President of the FADAP Mentorship Program and established “Wings of Sobriety”. Chip participated in Humanity Chartered Mercy flights to New Orleans, LA, during Hurricane Katrina. He represented Alaska Airlines at the African American Flight Attendant Convention in New York, NY. And, he participated in lobbying Congressional legislators to protect flight attendant crew rest and duty hours in 2001-2002.

Chip is very grateful for the opportunity to serve and have received many awards and recognitions, but what he’s most proud of is the wonderful working relationship that he has with Alaska Airlines customers, management and fellow crew members.

About The Position

The MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson is responsible for leading the committee’s effort to promote activities that foster greater understanding of one another and the diversity of our membership in order to build the strength of our Union through our common struggles and goals rather than allowing others to divide us by our differences. Additional information about the position and committee can be found by clicking here.

Introducing Your MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Uniform Safety Representative

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews last week for the new MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Uniform Safety Representative position. The MEC would like to thank the candidates who demonstrated willingness to represent our Flight Attendants. After thorough consideration, the MEC has appointed Deb Wallstrom to the position.

About Deb

Deb Wallstrom is an Anchorage-based Flight Attendant. She started working for Alaska Airlines in 1998 and has been based in Anchorage, Los Angeles and San Diego. She believes in a strong safety culture in the workplace and has been a member of the Air Safety, Health, and Safety Committee for the last five years. She recently joined the Benefits Committee and looks forward to helping others navigate the medical leave of absence process.

While soap making has also become a new hobby, she can be found hiking, camping and enjoying the outdoors in her spare time.

About The Position

The ASHSC Uniform Safety Representative will be responsible for assisting Flight Attendants who experience reactions and health concerns related to wearing the Flight Attendant uniform. The position will work closely with the Uniform and Benefits Committees to ensure that Flight Attendants have a strong voice to advocate for them in relation to uniform safety.

MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the term of appointment for the MEC Committee Chairpersons is concurrent with those of the MEC Officers. As the current MEC Officer term of office will end on December 31, 2019, the MEC will be conducting a review of the MEC Committee Chairperson positions in December 2019.

During this review process, the MEC will be interviewing for the following MEC-level chairperson positions:

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson
Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson – Air Quality
Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson – Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP)
Benefits Committee Chairperson
Communications Committee Chairperson
EAP Committee Chairperson
EAP Committee Vice Chairperson
Government Affairs Committee Chairperson
Grievance Committee Chairperson
Hotel Committee Chairperson
Hotel Committee Vice Chairperson
Inflight Service Committee Chairperson
Inflight Training Committee Chairperson
Reserve Committee Chairperson
Retirement Committee Chairperson
Scheduling Committee Chairperson
Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – PBS
Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – Pairing Construction
Uniform Committee Chairperson

Appointment for the Human Rights Committee Chairperson position was made within the last six months. As a result, this positions will not be reviewed and will continue until the end of the next MEC Officer election cycle.

Additionally, interviews will also be held for the following MEC-level appointed positions:

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – ASAP Alternate Representative
Grievance Committee Assistant
Grievance Committee – Payroll Representative
Inflight Training Committee Member (2 positions)
Scheduling Committee – PBS Subcommittee Member (2 positions)

General Qualifications

The following qualifications apply to all MEC-level Chairperson positions:

Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson preferred (required for EAP)
Previous committee-specific training preferred (required for EAP)
Ability to attend meetings as required, including being present in Seattle on occasion
Strong computer skills. Good working knowledge of Inflight Mobile Device, Google email, and Microsoft Office.
Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and plan meetings agendas and take minutes.
Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks

Duties and Responsibilities

Information about the duties and responsibilities of each specific committee can be found in article VII of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, which can be accessed by clicking here. Additional information about MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities can be found in this document.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss for each position will be discussed during each interview. All positions operate in accordance with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews during the December MEC meeting from December 9-12, 2019. Bid around the interview date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/XWsW9pEgtMRmqhZM6. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Monday, November 25. After that time, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed position duties and responsibilities can be directed to MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at brian.palmer@afaalaska.org.

What Happens When You Report a Human Trafficking Tip?

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

In our role as aviation’s first responders, Flight Attendants have the ability to make a substantial impact in the fight against human trafficking. Education and training about how to identify and report suspected human trafficking has been included in Flight Attendant Recurrent Training for the past several years and additional reminders have been included in various communications from AFA and management.

Flight Attendant procedures for suspected human trafficking involve reporting the event at which point authorities take over and follow up on the tip. Reports from Flight Attendants and other aviation employees are a part of the Department of Homeland Security—Customs and Border Protection’s Blue Lightning Initiative, which provides a voluntary platform to identify potential human trafficking victims and to notify federal authorities for front line workers at U.S. commercial airlines. The diagram below provides an overview of what takes place once a report is submitted.

Reporting Human Trafficking

If you suspect a case of human trafficking:

Call toll-free (866) 347-2423 from anywhere in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Call (802) 872-6199 (not toll-free) from any country in the world.
Report the tip online at www.ice.gov/tips.
If in flight, report the situation to the pilots.

Questions?

You can learn more about human trafficking and the Blue Lightning Initiative at https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Breast Cancer Awareness Month, marked in countries across the world every October, helps to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease. There are about 1.38 million new cases of breast cancer each year. Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in the developed and developing countries. In low- and middle-income countries the incidence has been rising up steadily in the last years due to increase in life expectancy, increase urbanization and adoption of western lifestyles.

Currently there is not sufficient knowledge on the causes of breast cancer; therefore, early detection of the disease remains the cornerstone of breast cancer control. When breast cancer is detected early, and if adequate diagnosis and treatment are available, there is a good chance that breast cancer can be cured. Today, in the United States alone, there are over 3.5 million women and men breast cancer survivors.

Chances are, you know someone with or impacted by breast cancer. It could even be you. That’s why this fight is everyone’s fight. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, people wear pink, including ribbons, to support the progress being made to defeat breast cancer, to honor survivors, and to remember those lost to the disease. If you would like to get more involved in the fight against breast cancer, visit makingstrides.acsevents.org. Remember, your AFA EAP is available to confidentially assist you with any health related issues. You can find contact information for your Local EAP Committee at https://afaalaska.org/eap or by calling (949) 470-0493.

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