AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
Menu
  • Local Councils
    • Anchorage (Council 30)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • Honolulu (Council 43)
    • Los Angeles (Council 18/pmAS)
      • Officers
      • Committees
      • Los Angeles (Council 47/pmHA)
        • Officers
      • Portland (Council 39)
        • Officers
        • Committees
      • San Diego (Council 15)
        • Officers
        • Committees
        • Seattle (Council 19)
          • Officers
          • Committees
        • San Francisco (Council 35)
          • Officers
          • Committees

        • More About Local Councils >>
        Close
      • Master Executive Council
        • Officers
        • Close
      • Committees
          • Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC)
            • Air Quality
          • Benefits
          • Communications
          • Employee Assistance Program & Professional Standards
          • Government Affairs
          • Grievance
          • Hotel
          • Human Rights & Equity
          • Inflight Service
          • Inflight Training
          • Membership
          • Membership Engagement
          • Reserve
          • Retirement
          • Scheduling
            • Pairing Construction
            • Preferential Bidding System (PBS)
          • Uniform

        • More About Committees >>
        Close
      • Contract
          • Contract Home
            • 2025 Alaska TA2 (Ratified)
            • 2018 Alaska JCBA
            • 2020 Hawaiian Contract
            • Ask Contract Questions
          • Contract Resources
          • Alaska Contract Negotiations (2022-2025)
        • Close
      • Resources
          • What To Do If You Encounter Contaminated Cabin Air
          • Issues & Campaigns
          • Newsroom
            • AFA News Now
          • Event Calendar
          • Membership Services
          • New Members
          • About
          • Links
          Close
        • Merger
          • Joint Negotiating Committee
          • Close
        • Contact Us
        You are here: Home / Archives for Committees / Human Rights & Equity Committee

        Celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month

        June 1, 2022 06:00

        Human Rights Committee

        • June 1st marks the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States.  The tradition recognizes the events of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, a watershed moment in the LGBTQ rights movement. 
        • Read more about LGBTQ Pride Month, learn about the history of the LGBTQ rights movement, and find out about events that you can take part in using the resource links below.
        • Join the celebration by wearing an LGBTQ Pride Month AFA Pin during the month of June.  If you need a pin, check with your Local Council for more information.

        June 1st marks the first day of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month in the United States.  The celebration originated to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan.  The Stonewell Uprising is recognized as a major milestone in the LGBTQ civil rights movement.  On June 28, 1970, the first Pride March was held in New York City to commemorate the one-year anniversary on the Stonewall Uprising and the last Sunday in June continued to be celebrated as “Gay Pride Day”.  Over time, the single day event eventually grew to an entire month of events and activities.

        Learn More About LGBTQ Pride Month

        You can learn more about the history of LGBTQ Pride Month and the history of the LGBTQ rights movement through some of the dedicated websites and resources below.

        • National Archives – LGBTQ+ Pride Month
        • Library of Congress – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month
        • National Park Service – Stonewall National Monument
        • Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History – LGBTQ History
        • History Channel – Pride
        • Pride at Work
        • Alaska’s World – Fly With Pride (AAG sign-on required)

        Celebrate with an LGBTQ Pride Month AFA Pin

        In 2018, the AFA Board of Directors unanimously adopted a resolution in recognition of June as LGBTQ Pride month.  A special commemorative pin was subsequently designed for AFA Members to wear throughout the month of June.

        For more information about the pin, contact your Local Human Rights Committee.  Also be on the lookout for a communication from your Local Council or contact your LEC Officers to determine pin availability.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Human Rights & Equity Committee Tagged With: LGBTQ Pride Month

        Celebrating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

        May 1, 2022 09:00

        Human Rights Committee

        • May 1st marks the first day of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States.  This tradition dates back to 1978 when Congress passed a resolution to commemorate the first Asian/Pacific American Heritage week the following year.
        • Read more about Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, learn about the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, and find out about events that you can take part in using the resource links below.
        • Join the celebration by wearing an Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month AFA Pin during the month of May.  If you need a pin, check with your Local Council for more information.

        May 1st marks the first day of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in the United States.  The celebration originated when Congress adopted a joint resolution in 1978 to honor the first ten days of May in 1979 as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week”.  It was expanded to an entire month by Congress in 1990 and was finally designated to take place during the month of May in 1992.  The month of May was selected to recognize both the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States (May 7, 1843) and the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States (May 10, 1869), which was accomplished primarily through work done by Chinese immigrants.

        Learn More About Asian/Pacific American Heritage

        You can learn more about the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans through some of the dedicated websites and resources below.

        • National Archives – Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
        • National Endowment for the Humanities – Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage and History in the United States
        • National Park Service – Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage
        • Smithsonian Institution – Asian Pacific American Center
        • Alaska Air Group Pan-Asians (AGPA) & Pacific Islander Alliance (PIA) Business Resource Group Event Page (AAG sign-on required)

        Celebrate with an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month AFA Pin

        In 2021, the AFA Executive Board unanimously passed a resolution in recognition of May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.   The resolution established a special commemorative pin for AFA Members to wear throughout the month of May.

        For more information about the pin, contact your Local Human Rights Committee.  Also be on the lookout for a communication from your Local Council or contact your LEC Officers to determine pin availability.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Human Rights & Equity Committee Tagged With: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

        Human Trafficking Awareness and Updated Training

        April 1, 2022 09:00

        Human Rights Committee

        • Human trafficking is a crime that occurs when force, fraud, or coercion is used to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act from another person.
        • AFA has partnered with the Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security to bring Blue Lightning human trafficking awareness training to thousands of Flight Attendants.
        • The Blue Lightning Initiative has recently released updated training on human trafficking based on feedback from airline employees and human trafficking survivors.  You can access the training through the AFA Online Learning Academy.

        In 2013, AFA formally started efforts to educate Flight Attendants about human trafficking and ensure that airlines provided such training.  Those efforts grew in 2015 when AFA launched a major campaign to support the Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI), led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of Transportation (DOT).  The goal of BLI is to train airline personnel to identify potential traffickers and human trafficking victims, and to report their suspicions to federal law enforcement.  This support expanded into an official partnership in 2017, when AFA became the first labor union to secure a memorandum of understanding to bring the Blue Lightning Training to thousands of Flight Attendants.

        As Flight Attendants, we are uniquely positioned to identify human traffickers and assist their victims.  Flight crews are skilled observers, and with the appropriate training, they can be the frontline against trafficking, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  Indicators of human trafficking can include: physical control of travel documents of an adult traveler by a co-traveler; restricting the movement and social interaction of an adult traveler by a co-traveler; an adult traveler who is unclear on details of his/her final destination or point of contact; or a child traveler who appears to be accompanied by someone claiming to be the parent or guardian who is in fact not related to the child.

        Updated Blue Lightning Initiative Training

        The new Blue Lighting Initiative training, led by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Transportation, is an element of the DHS Blue Campaign. The training is 17 minutes in length, and is comprised of four lessons that include:

        • What is Human Trafficking?
        • Indicators of Human Trafficking Activity
        • Reporting Suspected Human Trafficking
        • Indicator Challenge

        You can access the updated training through the AFA-CWA Online Learning Academy.  If it’s your first time visiting the AFA-CWA Online Learning Academy, you’ll need to register for an account using your personal email address in order to access the training.

        More Information

        You can find more information about efforts to end human trafficking on the Blue Lightning Initiative or the DHS Blue Campaign website pages. 

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Human Rights & Equity Committee Tagged With: human trafficking

        Human Rights Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

        March 9, 2022 17:00

        Human Rights Committee

        • Our AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met on Friday, March 4 to discuss their ongoing program of work to advance human rights within our workplace and community.
        • The Committee also met with management to receive updates on what progress has been made on concerns that had been previously brought forward and address new concerns that have come to light. 
        • If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!

        On Friday, March 4, our AFA Local Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to build awareness and effect change within our workplace and community.  Representing you at the meeting were Matthew Cook (ANC), Yan Yan Teague (SEA), Sylvia Newbill (PDX), Sejal Patel (SFO), Louise Borras (LAX), and Erika Daniel (SAN).  Also present were MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson Chip Hestle and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams, California Regional Director of Inflight Operations Robbi Burton, and Seattle Director of Inflight Base Operations Jenny Bookert from management. 

        Topics of Discussion

        The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management.  Some items discussed include:

        • Ongoing concerns about low morale within our work group.
        • Possibility of expanding current uniform and appearance standards to be more inclusive of varying cultural identities.
        • Support for the people of Ukraine and what the company, the inflight division, and AFA are doing.
        • Concerns about company suppliers/vendors whose values may be contradictory to those of Alaska Airlines.  Management is continuing to research this issue.
        • Concerns about a perceived lack of cultural sensitivity surrounding how the company chooses to participate in certain public events and promotional activities.
        • Ways for the committee to start building relationships with the company’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) and expand existing relationships with the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) department.
        • Management’s proposal to conduct DEI listening sessions with Flight Attendants in each base; discussion about involvement of the AFA Human Rights Committee.
        • Request to make DEI information easily accessible to Flight Attendants on the Inflight Mobile Device (IMD).
        • Management’s progress on DEI initiatives and plans for upcoming work.
        • Request that management provide more timely and visible DEI updates and information about upcoming events and opportunities.  Specifically, providing Flight Attendants with enough notice to bid time off for activities they’d like to participate in.
        • Ensuring diversity and representation in company photo shoots and promotional materials that depict employees.

        The committee is next scheduled to meet with management on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.  

        What The Committee Is Working On

        1. Working to Make Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Information More Accessible.  Encouraging management to make information about DEI events, activities, and programs more accessible and visible to Flight Attendants through links on the IMD and more regular and relevant communication.  Requesting that management include links to the Human Rights Committee’s resource page on afaalaska.org.
        2. Building Relationships with the Company’s Business Resources Groups (BRGs).  Continuing to work to establish relationships with leaders of the Company’s BRGs to find areas where we can join together to advance human rights within the scope of each group.
        3. Exploring Ways to Engage with Flight Attendants About Human Rights.  Discussing possible opportunities to work with management to conduct and participate in DEI activities in each base.

        We Want to Hear From You!

        Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local Human Rights Committee is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the Human Rights Committee page of the AFA Alaska website. 

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Human Rights & Equity Committee Tagged With: committee meeting

        Celebrating Black History Month

        February 1, 2022 09:00

        Human Rights Committee

        • February 1st marks the first day of Black History Month in the United States.  This tradition dates back to 1925 when Harvard trained-historian Carter G. Woodson first introduced a week-long event to build awareness of the contributions made by Black individuals.
        • Read more about Black History Month, learn about the accomplishments of Black Americans, and find out about events that you can take part in using the resource links below.
        • Join the celebration by wearing your Black History Month AFA Pin during the month of February.  If you need a pin, check with your Local Council for more information.
        Carter G. Woodson

        February 1st marks the first day of Black History Month in the United States.  The celebration has a long tradition that can be traced back to 1925 when Harvard trained-historian Carter G. Woodson introduced “Negro History Week”, which sought to raise awareness of the contributions made by Black individuals to society and the world.  It was expanded to its current form in 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford when it became Black History Month.

        Learn More About Black History

        You can learn more about the accomplishments of Black Americans through some of the dedicated websites and resources below.

        • National Archives – African American History Month Resources
        • National Endowment for the Humanities – African American History and Culture in the United States
        • National Park Service – Black History Month
        • Smithsonian Institution – National Museum of African American History & Culture
        • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – Black History Month
        • Alaska Air Group Black Employees, Allies and Advocates (ABEA) – Black History Month Activities (AAG sign-on required)

        Celebrate with a Black History Month AFA Pin

        In 2019, the AFA Executive Board unanimously passed a resolution 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.

        For more information about the pin, contact your Local Human Rights Committee.  Also be on the lookout for a communication from your Local Council or contact your LEC Officers to determine pin availability.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Human Rights & Equity Committee Tagged With: Black History Month

        • « Previous Page
        • 1
        • …
        • 5
        • 6
        • 7
        • 8
        • 9
        • 10
        • Next Page »

        Need Help?

        Have an issue or concern to report to AFA?  Click here to access the AFA Alaska online support center.

        Latest News

        • Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution
        • AFA News in Review – September 26, 2025
        • Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025
        • Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives
        • Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025
        • Vacation Survey Closing Soon
        • Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons
        • Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025
        • AFA News in Review – September 19, 2025
        • Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

        Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution

        October 2, 2025

        This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Management has recently informed our Master Executive Council (MEC) that they are distributing new Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs) to Flight Attendants with devices nearing the end of their lifecycle. The specific schedule for this distribution will be communicated by management separately. Flight Attendants with the oldest devices […]

        Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

        September 25, 2025

        This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, September 23, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met in person at Alaska Airlines Corporate Headquarters to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), […]

        Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

        September 24, 2025

        This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants We’re excited to introduce the first group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives for the upcoming MEC Officer term. They’ll begin transitioning into their roles over the next few months and officially start their terms on January 1, 2026. Below, you’ll find brief biographies that […]

        Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

        September 24, 2025

        On Thursday, September 18, our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing efforts to represent our Flight Attendants and advocate for improvements in our workplace. Although our Inflight Service Committee has now merged, meetings with management continue to focus primarily on the Alaska or Hawaiian brands individually. This particular meeting was centered […]

        Vacation Survey Closing Soon

        September 23, 2025

        There’s just 1 DAY LEFT to complete the crucial vacation survey that will help shape future provisions—your insights are essential for advocating the best outcomes for all Flight Attendants. The survey is currently open and will remain available until Wednesday, September 24 at 12 PM PT.

        Recent Posts

        • Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution
        • AFA News in Review – September 26, 2025
        • Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025
        • Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives
        • Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025
        • Vacation Survey Closing Soon
        • Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons
        • Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025
        • AFA News in Review – September 19, 2025
        • Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results
        • Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results
        • Election Notice: Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Officer Elections
        • SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025 Update #2
        • Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025
        • Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

        Local Councils

        • Anchorage
        • Honolulu
        • Los Angeles (pre-merger Alaska)
        • Los Angeles (pre-merger Hawaiian)
        • Portland
        • San Diego
        • San Francisco
        • Seattle

        Master Executive Council

        • MEC

        Negotiations

        • Contract 2022 Home
        • Negotiations News
        • TA2 Information

        Contract

        • Contract Home

        Committees

        • Air Safety, Health, & Security
        • Benefits
        • Communications
        • EAP/Professional Standards
        • Government Affairs
        • Grievance
        • Hotel
        • Human Rights
        • Inflight Service
        • Mobilization
        • Reserve
        • Retirement
        • Scheduling
        • Uniform

        News By Month

        News By Category

        AFA News Now Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/HA Merger AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX EAP/Professional Standards Committee Extension 2021 Blog Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights & Equity Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Membership Committee Membership Engagement Committee Message from the MEC President Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee
        • Email
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • YouTube

        Want To Stay In The Loop?

        Stay up-to-date on AFA Alaska news and information by signing up for our email and text message updates. Click a button below to get started or update your preferences if you're already a subscriber.
        Sign Up for Emails
        Sign Up for Text Updates

        Connect With AFA

        • Contact Us
        • Online Support Center
        • AFA International
        • CWA
        • AFA Alaska Social Media Guidelines
        • AFA-CWA Mutual Respect Policy

        Copyright © 2013-2025 Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO