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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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COVID-19 Grievance Mediation & Settlement

Grievance Committee

  • Our MEC Grievance Committee successfully settled three outstanding grievances related to COVID-19.
  • Flight Attendants who received $200 from the Company for attesting to their vaccination status get to keep the payout.
  • In some cases, Flight Attendant sick leave will be restored.

We are pleased to inform you that our MEC Grievance Committee has successfully resolved three COVID-19-related grievances with the Company through mediation with Arbitrator Symonette and management. We have settled Grievance 36-99-2-230-21 for violation of §16 Sick Leave/On the Job Injury, Grievance 36-99-2-234-21 for §21 Non-Negotiated Compensation, and Grievance 36-99-2-233-22 for violation of §16 Sick Leave/On the Job Injury. Please take a look below for more details on the settlements or review the settlement agreement.

Grievance No. 36-99-2-230-21 – Violation of §16 Sick Leave/On the Job Injury

The grievance was about how the Company treated vaccinated Flight Attendants compared to unvaccinated Flight Attendants who contracted or were exposed to COVID-19 while on the job. Over two years, the Company’s stance on this matter changed multiple times, resulting in varying pay protections for different groups.

In our contract, Section 16 unequivocally applies to all Flight Attendants, regardless of their vaccination status. A Flight Attendant who is unvaccinated but holds a medical or religious exemption must be treated with the same level of respect and consideration as a vaccinated Flight Attendant. This means that even if an unvaccinated Flight Attendant must undergo quarantine while their vaccinated counterpart does not, they should not be treated differently.

We carefully reviewed the dates and changes made by the Company and devised a solution that will make exempted Flight Attendants whole. However, there were specific dates when we could not provide a remedy for those who did not disclose their status. Those who were covered before the vaccine and had access to exemptions will have their sick leave restored, and in some cases, they will have their attendance points removed. For more information, please refer to the Letter of Agreement.

Grievance No. 36-99-2-234-21 – Violation of §21 Non-Negotiated Compensation

This grievance alleges that the Company violated Section §21 [Compensation], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it announced on or about September 2, 2021, that it would pay $200 to each vaccinated Flight Attendant who provided proof of vaccination to the Company by October 15, 2021.   The provisions of Section 21 do not provide for any exemptions or differentiations based on vaccination status. Nevertheless, the Company unfairly imposed this exception on the entire bargaining unit without engaging in negotiations with AFA.

Management agreed that Flight Attendants who have been vaccinated will be able to retain their $200. However, they would not agree to give the same amount to those who are unvaccinated, even if they have a medical or religious exemption. After careful consideration, we decided to withdraw the grievance as the mediator expressed doubts about our likelihood of success in arbitration.

Grievance No. 36-99-2-233-22 – Violation of §16 Sick Leave/On the Job Injury

This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §16 [Sick Leave/On the Job Injury], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about May 11, 2022, it unilaterally implemented disparate quarantine procedures without adequate notice by posting and/or updating the Company intranet (“Alaska’s World”) with different quarantine requirements for symptom-free vaccinated versus symptom-free unvaccinated Flight Attendants. Our Grievance Committee argued that Alaska’s World articles are not sufficient notice of policy changes since they are not mandatory reading, and Flight Attendants must be informed of changes through must-read bulletins. 

The Company agreed it would notify Flight Attendants of any changes to COVID-19 quarantine policies and procedures through required (“must-read”) bulletins.

Questions?

Overall, the outcome of this settlement was successful, and we are glad to be able to provide some resolution to these grievances. Our commitment to ensuring fair treatment and safe working conditions for all our Members remains firm, and we will continue to work tirelessly towards that goal. Please don’t hesitate to contact your Local Grievance Committee or LEC President with any questions or concerns.

REMINDER: AFA Alaska Online Support Center Planned Outage

Grievance Committee

Earlier this week, we shared news about upcoming back-end system improvements to the AFA Alaska Online Support Center (support.afaalaska.org) that require a planned system outage. In preparation for the work, the system will go offline tomorrow (Friday, April 28) at 7 AM Pacific time. The system is anticipated to return to service by 5 PM Pacific time on Monday, May 1.

If you have any issues to report or need assistance while the system is offline, please get in touch with your LEC Officers.

AFA Alaska Online Support Center Planned Outage

Grievance Committee

Our Grievance Committee is working to make back-end improvements to the AFA Alaska Online Support Center (support.afaalaska.org) to help ensure that AFA Representatives can provide you with the best possible help when you need it. These improvements will require a planned outage, during which the AFA Alaska Online Support System will be offline and unavailable. The outage is scheduled to begin at 7 AM Pacific time on Friday, April 28. The system is anticipated to return to service by 5 PM Pacific time on Monday, May 1.

If you have any issues to report or need assistance while the system is offline, please contact your LEC Officers.

Crew Access Frustrations

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Changes to how trips are posted and displayed in Crew Access and other ongoing system issues have resulted in concerns about contractual violations and a lack of management accountability.
  • Management must provide a functional system that works correctly and has agreed to troubleshoot the current issues and review programming changes to Crew Access.
  • AFA Representatives will continue protecting Flight Attendant interests and contractual rights through all legal means available to us, including the grievance process as applicable.

We understand that many of you are frustrated with recent changes to how trips are posted and displayed in Jeppesen Crew Access, especially when it comes to trading trips with crew members or through Open Time. These issues have resulted in concerns about contract violations and an apparent lack of accountability from management. As your Union leadership, we are actively addressing these concerns and advocating for your rights.

It’s important to note that a financial award may not be an achievable or realistic remedy for contract violations brought forward to a system board of adjustment under the Railway Labor Act (RLA). Under the standards of arbitration, AFA would have the burden of proving that a specific person was denied a particular trip on a specific date and time. This is essentially impossible; even if it were, the remedy would be limited to what can be found within the “four corners of the contract” doctrine; in other words, any remedy must be contained within the contract. For example, if you were denied sit pay when you sat for two hours, you would be awarded one TFP. However, we cannot show who was specifically harmed or the dollar amount of such harm. As a result, in these circumstances, the only likely arbitral remedy for a contractual grievance would be a “cease and desist” order, which would require the Company to comply with the contract on a go-forward basis.

Compliance in this case still requires the system to work correctly, and even in the face of an award, it would not necessarily happen immediately. Management has already agreed to troubleshoot the current trip display issues in Crew Access and has expressed a willingness to implement programming changes to the Crew Access trading system potentially. Our analysis indicates that an arbitrator would likely find management’s actions an appropriate remedy for the current concerns. While we understand that this may only partially satisfy your expectations, it’s essential to recognize the legal limitations of the process.

This does not mean that we give up. As your AFA Representatives, we are committed to working towards fair and just solutions to contract violations—and filing and arbitrating grievances where appropriate. We will continue to negotiate and pursue all available avenues under the RLA and the contract to protect your interests. We understand your frustrations and encourage you to contact us with any questions or further grievances you may have. Your feedback and input are invaluable in helping us advocate for your rights and achieve positive outcomes.

We take your concerns seriously and are dedicated to holding management accountable to the terms of our contract. We appreciate your ongoing support and solidarity as we work towards resolving these issues. Together, we can continue to fight for the rights and well-being of all Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants.

System Board of Adjustment Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Our Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting interviews for one (1) member to serve on the AFA System Board of Adjustment.

Scope

Members are to serve on the System Board of Adjustment for the purpose of arbitrating any disputes or grievances that may arise under the terms of the Agreement between Alaska Airlines and its Flight Attendants.

Policy/Responsibilities

  • There shall be two members selected by the MEC from active members in good standing to represent the Association.  Members will be selected at-large without regard to Local Council or domicile. 
  • Any person seeking a position as a System Board of Adjustment Member must submit a resume.  Candidates must interview with the MEC.
  • System Board Members shall be selected for a two (2) year appointment period in accordance with the AFA Constitution and Bylaws.  At least one appointment will be reviewed in June of each year.  Selection shall be made, insofar as possible, to ensure that both members will not be new at the same time.  
  • The System Board Members will act in the best interest of the membership and the Association and will be consistent with the Agreement between the Flight Attendants and Alaska Airlines.
  • The MEC President shall have the ability, in the event of an emergency, to appoint a qualified member in good standing to fill an ad hoc position on the Board.
  • The MEC on an ad hoc basis, by majority vote, may appoint an expert as a substitute for one member of the System Board of Adjustment.

Qualifications

  • Current Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant
  • Willingness to attend the requisite grievance training(s)
  • In depth knowledge of the contract
  • Understanding of the principles of just cause
  • Adherence to Grievance Committee policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information
  • Maintenance of member-in-good-standing status
  • Ability to remain in good standing with the company
  • Ability to analyze written data and information with high attention to detail
  • Strong written and communication skills
  • Strong computer skills.

Term of Appointment

The selected candidate will serve the a term of appointment that begins on July 1, 2023 and concludes on June 30, 2025.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during the June Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.  If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around this date or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate.  All interviews will be conducted either in person or using Google Meet videoconferencing.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form.  The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Friday, June 16, 2023.  After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that 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 position or application process should be directed to MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams at stephanie.adams@afaalaska.org.

AFA Council 19 (SEA) Election Results

Master Executive Council (MEC) The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants based in Seattle: LEC President: Paula Isla-McGillLEC Secretary: Adam ClareyCouncil Representative: Megan BrownCouncil Representative: Jerry Sinclair Due to a tie between Melinda Jorge Henderson & Ty Tufono-Chaussee, a run-off election will be held for the office of LEC […]

AFA Council 39 (PDX) Election Results

Master Executive Council (MEC) The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants based in Portland: LEC President: Steven Maller LEC Vice President: Krystle Berry LEC Secretary: Bethany Badalamenti View the certified election results here >> These officers will serve a term of office starting July 1, 2023 and concluding on June […]

May 2023 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC) On Tuesday, May 9, the Regular MEC Meeting for May 2023 was held as scheduled. Our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee provided updates on their respective areas. Furthermore, the MEC reviewed written reports from other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons regarding their current work.  No Meeting With Management […]

COVID-19 Grievance Mediation & Settlement

Grievance Committee We are pleased to inform you that our MEC Grievance Committee has successfully resolved three COVID-19-related grievances with the Company through mediation with Arbitrator Symonette and management. We have settled Grievance 36-99-2-230-21 for violation of §16 Sick Leave/On the Job Injury, Grievance 36-99-2-234-21 for §21 Non-Negotiated Compensation, and Grievance 36-99-2-233-22 for violation of […]

Mental Health Awareness Month

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee What is mental health? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence […]

Response to the November 18th Inflight Town Hall Webcast

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California meal & rest breaks Management’s continued scare tactics and speculative “what-if’s” as put forward during the Inflight Town Hall webcast today regarding California meal & rest breaks are unnecessary and extremely disappointing. Although it is true there are some challenging aspects of compliance with California meal & rest break laws for commercial aviation, AFA […]

ALPA Alaska Approves Tentative Agreement for Pilot Ratification

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Master Executive Council (MEC) President Jeffrey Peterson The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Alaska Airlines leadership recently announced they approved a tentative agreement (TA) with Alaska Airlines management for pilot ratification. Click here for the Alaska Airlines Pilots TA Quick Guide (September 2022) > At a quick glance, the TA contains impressive improvements to scope, […]

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