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[pmAS] Definition of Family Member for Sick Leave Purposes

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants

Siblings are now included under the definition of family members for sick leave purposes.

Under the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law (RCW 49.46.210) enacted in January 1, 2018, one of the many changes is adding an employee’s sibling under the definition of family members for whom a Flight Attendant may call in sick.  Even though this is a Washington State Law, this change in definition will apply to all Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants pursuant to Letter of Agreement 5 (Sick Family/Sick Child) in our current CBA.

If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Local Benefits Committee.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

Washington Paid Sick Leave Law 2018

AFA alerted management in early January about a new paid sick leave law in effect January 1, 2018.  The law is encompassed in I-1433, RCW 49.46, and WAC 296-128.  Management did not respond to us with their position until yesterday at which time they advised their lobbying group, Airlines for America (A4A), filed suit against the State of Washington.

Management is planning on issuing a communication regarding their reasons why they believe these laws do not apply to you.  AFA does not agree with their interpretation of these laws, and we wanted to be the first to communicate this information to you.

Attached is the Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief filed February 6, 2018.  AFA strongly believes based on the timing, that we are the national union named on page 11 line 20 as insisting that management comply with the Act.

Be assured that AFA will utilize its full legal resources to fight this, and we will advise in upcoming communications how you can help with this fight.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

[pmAS] Maternity Leave Grievance Survey

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants

Last September, AFA published information about management granting our grievance #36-99-2-24-17 (Violation of Section 15.M.1.a & 2.a, Failure to Allow Minimum Coordination While on Maternity Leave) and grievance #36-99-2-25-17 (Failure to Allow Minimum and/or Maximum Coordination While on Maternity Leave).

Grievance #36-99-2-24-17 applies to the time period of 6/8 weeks post-birth to the 120th day post-birth.  It mandates that management follow our contractual provision to allow a Flight Attendant to use minimum coordination with sick leave and/or vacation from 6/8 weeks’ post-birth to 120 days’ post-birth.  Previously management required maximum coordination with at least 70 TFP of sick leave monthly.

Grievance #36-99-2-25-17 encompasses 121st day post-birth up to one to eight months leave post-120th day.  Again, this mandates that management follow our contractual provision to allow a Flight Attendant to coordinate minimum or maximum sick leave and/or vacation from one month up to eight months following the 120th day post-birth.

As part of the resolution process, AFA is collecting information from Flight Attendants who may have been affected by the grievance. If you were on maternity leave any time between December 2014 and now, we ask that you complete the survey below to provide us with additional details regarding your leave.

Click here to access the Maternity Leave Grievance Survey

If you have already completed this survey in paper form, there is no need to complete the survey again.  The survey will be available through Monday, February 12, 2018.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

[AS] Annual Benefits Enrollment

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Annual Enrollment is the time to review your benefits and make changes if desired for the upcoming plan year. Annual enrollment began today (10/23/17) and ends 11/13/17.

Optional ADD, Life Insurance and Short Term Disability may be selected during Open Enrollment, to take effect 01/01/2018.

A few highlights for 2018 include:

  • Added coverage for medical treatment for temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ) to both Premera Plans
  • Optional Group Legal and Identity Theft insurance available
  • Massage Therapy Benefit added to Consumer Choice PPO ONLY (High deductible plan) – 12 visits/ year

Additional optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment (ADD) insurance, Life Insurance and Short Term Disability (STD) benefits may be selected during Annual Enrollment, to take effect 01/01/2018. As a reminder, Short Term Disability payments are offset by an employee’s Social Security payments. If you are collecting your own Social Security, it may not make sense to select or continue with STD.

If you are planning to start a family in 2018, Open Enrollment will allow you select an extra 20% of Short Term Disability coverage, which will go into effect January 1, 2018. If you are currently pregnant, the additional income replacement will not apply to this maternity leave.

Remember, Travel Benefits Changes occur separately, not during Annual Enrollment.

If you need assistance or have questions, contact a Benefits Committee member for your base. You can also contact the Alaska Air Group Benefits Center with questions, at 1-844-231-3476.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

[AS] Maternity Leave Grievances

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Last month, management granted our grievance #36-99-2-24-17 (Violation of Section 15.M.1.a & 2.a, Failure to Allow Minimum Coordination While on Maternity Leave).  Information about the grievance was published on August 7.  The grievance applies to the time period of 6/8 weeks post-birth to the 120th day post-birth.  It mandates that management follow our contractual provision to allow a Flight Attendant to use minimum coordination with sick leave and/or vacation from 6/8 weeks’ post-birth to 120 days’ post-birth.  Previously management required maximum coordination with at least 70 TFP of sick leave monthly.  That was a huge win for all Alaska Flight Attendants.

Recently, management sustained another grievance #36-99-2-25-17 (Failure to Allow Minimum and/or Maximum Coordination While on Maternity Leave) which encompasses 121st day post-birth up to one to eight months leave post-120th day.  Again, this mandates that management follow our contractual provision to allow a Flight Attendant to coordinate minimum or maximum sick leave and/or vacation from one month up to eight months following the 120th day post-birth.  This was even a bigger win for all Alaska Flight Attendants.

These sustained grievances mean that a Flight Attendant on maternity leave, may use minimum or maximum sick leave/vacation per section 15.M of the contract.  They will get paid when they are on a longer maternity leave and will be eligible for active employee rates for insurance for as long as 8 months following the 120th day post-birth (up to a year post-birth).  This will allow Flight Attendants to stay off work much longer with their newborns while receiving pay from their sick leave and/or vacation banks and maintaining active rate insurance.  This will also allow the look back calendar to be applied in calculating flight attendants TFP toward the yearly 480 requirements for vacation, insurance and uniform benefits.

If you have any questions about maternity leave, please contact your Local Benefits Committee Chairperson (or Local Benefits Committee Member who specializes in maternity-related issues).  You can find contact information on your Local Council’s Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

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