Committees

Performance Based Pay Correction

June 15, 2016 05:00

AFA Alaska recently became aware that an error occurred with respect to how Performance Based Pay (PBP) was calculated for some Flight Attendants. Flight Attendants who were coordinating sick leave with Short Term Disability (STD) and/or Long Term Disability (LTD) did not have their sick leave pay counted toward their PBP.

AFA Alaska brought these facts forward through the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process, and management has since corrected the error. Affected Flight Attendants received email notification of the correction, which was paid on their May 20, 2016 paycheck.

If you have any questions regarding the correction or if it applies to you, contact one of your Local Executive Council (LEC) officers.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; LEC Presidents-elect Tim Green and Brice McGee; MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl and MEC Grievance Committee Representative Stephanie Adams

AFA Alaska Open Time Trial Survey June 2016

June 14, 2016 05:00

[Note: This is a re-issue of a Membership release that was originally distributed via email on June 10th (see http://afanewsletters.org/view/?id=194).]

Pursuant to AFA Alaska Collective Bargaining Agreement §12.F.8.D.5 [Exchange of Sequences: Open Time Trial], the Master Executive Council (MEC) is conducting a monthly poll of membership regarding your satisfaction with Open Time. Your candid responses will help the MEC determine the course of the Open Time trial.

It is important to focus on Open Time functionality, not the technical issues with logging into the system, when answering the questions.

You must enter your Arctic number in order to take the survey. We’re asking for your Arctic number to ensure each Flight Attendant receives one vote per month and is not for tracking purposes. If a survey is submitted more than once with the same Arctic number, all responses using that Arctic number will be excluded for this month.

> > > To take the AFA Alaska Open Time Trial Survey for June 2016 click here. < < <

The survey will close on Thursday, June 16^th at 9am Pacific Time. By popular request, the MEC has added a free form comments field at the end of the survey. The LEC presidents will review the comments.

Thank you in advance for your feedback. In the interest of full transparency, the MEC will publish a summary of results once the responses have been tallied.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; LEC Presidents-elect Tim Green and Brice McGee

Pulse LGBTQ Nightclub Shooting in Orlando

June 13, 2016 13:00

Dear Flight Attendants,

Below is an excerpt of the statement that AFA International issued about the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando this past weekend.

“The Association of Flight Attendants joins together as one, heads bowed in mourning for the victims of the massacre in Orlando.

It appears the gunman targeted our LGBTQ community, acting on an unfathomable level of hatred. As a union that has long championed the rights of LGBTQ workers, we will not allow the victims to be defined by their killer. These were ordinary people in every respect –neighbors, friends, co-workers, family. They deserved to be embraced by love, not cut down by hate….

[W]e send our love – 50,000 strong – to the families and friends of the victims in Orlando, and to our members and all Americans whose heart is hurting. We will stand together until love triumphs over evil.”

If you or a family member has been impacted by this tragedy, please remember that our AFA EAP stands ready to support and assist you. Please also remember that terrorism can create strong feelings regardless of whether you have a direct connection to this tragedy. AFA EAP is available to any member as well as their loved ones who would like confidential assistance. AFA EAP can be reached through their toll free helpline at 800-424-2406. You can also find your AFA Alaska EAP representatives at http://afaalaska.org/eap.

MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson Interviews

June 6, 2016 05:00

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) would like to thank Bev Bullock for her service as MEC Chairperson of the AFA Government Affairs Committee for over 15 years. Bev has been a tireless advocate for issues affecting our profession on Capitol Hill and has spearheaded countless campaigns on behalf of Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants. Her presence as MEC Committee Chairperson will truly be missed.

Background

The MEC Chairperson of the Government Affairs Committee is responsible for leading the committee’s effort to monitor and pursue legislative activities that relate to the AFA-CWA political agenda and to build positive relationships with candidates for office and elected officials.

Additional Information from the MEC Policy Manual

1. SCOPE

a. The Government Affairs Committee will keep members informed of legislative actions that could affect Flight Attendant income, working conditions, job security and safety.

b. The MEC Government Affairs Chairperson coordinates activity on all legislative issues with the MEC and AFA-CWA International, and shall interact with local, state and national legislatures, as appropriate, to advocate for AFA-CWA positions on relevant issues.

2. POLICY/RESPONSIBILITIES

a. The MEC Government Affairs Committee shall consist of the MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson and the Local Government Affairs Committee Chairperson from each council.

b. Committee Members should be registered to vote.

c. The MEC Chairperson shall:

(i) Administer the Committee and conduct activities to further the stated objectives of the AFA-CWA International Legislative Policy Committee

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

d. The Committee shall:

(i) Act in an advisory role to the MEC on political matters.

(ii) Maintain an involvement in the political activities sponsored by local and central Labor Councils with which the MEC is affiliated

Qualifications

Previous Government Affairs Committee or political/legislative activist experience preferred
Knowledge of current political climate and legislative issues affecting Flight Attendants
Ability to attend meetings as required, including occasionally being present in Seattle
Ability to participate in meetings with elected officials, including occasional travel to Washington, D.C.
Ability and willingness to participate in political and legislative action events
Ability to attend AFA International and other required training as needed
Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Google email and Microsoft Office.
Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and take meeting minutes.
Ability to meet deadlines and follow up on assigned tasks

Duties

Act on and follow through on directives as established in the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws and FlightPAC
Act on recommendations of the AFA-CWA Director of Government Affairs and AFA-CWA Legislative Policy Committee. Provide input, suggestions, and feedback as appropriate.
Represent the MEC with local and central Labor Councils
Coordinate FlightPAC program enrollment at the MEC level
Schedule and attend meetings with elected officials and key staff
Coordinate committee participation in AFA-CWA political and legislative action events
Correspond with the Local Government Affairs Committee Chairpersons and MEC regularly to provide status updates. Prepare and send a monthly committee report to the MEC.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

This position is eligible for Flight Pay Loss (FPL) reimbursement by AFA. Union Business (UB) FPL is compensated at 0.75 TFP per hour when participating in pre-approved meetings or activities.
Time commitment is highly variable depending on the work to be completed each week and month. Workload will likely be higher when campaigning for key legislative issues and during election periods. Most work can be accomplished remotely.

Working Relationships

With The Government Affairs Committee

Regular interaction with the Local Government Affairs Committee Chairpersons and Local Government Affairs Committee Members.

With The Master Executive Council

This position reports to the Master Executive Council. The MEC executive sponsor for the committee is the MEC Vice President.

With AFA International

Frequent interaction with the AFA-CWA Director of Government Affairs.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews during the July MEC meeting on Monday July 18 or Tuesday, July 19, 2016. Bid around the interview date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.
Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Yvette Satterlee at yvette.satterlee@afaalaska.org no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on Friday, July 8, 2016. Yvette will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and LEC Presidents-Elect Tim Green and Brice McGee

Your Air Matters!

June 1, 2016 05:00

Do you know how to identify if you’ve breathed ventilation air contaminated with either oil or hydraulic fluid fumes? Are you aware of how important it is to seek immediate treatment if you’re showing symptoms of exposure? This month your Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) presents Your Air Matters, a campaign designed to ensure that everyone knows how to identify possible signs of breathing these fumes onboard and the importance of seeking immediate treatment if you develop symptoms.

How Can I Identify Contaminated Cabin Air?

Is the unusual smell coming from the vents, or is it sourced to something in the cabin like galley equipment or a carryon? Though smoke or haze might be present, most incidents involving oil or hydraulic fumes only involve the presence of fumes (odor) in the cabin supply air without any visible smoke or haze. Characteristic odors include dirty socks, mold, old cheese, heated garbage, chemicals, or an electrical-like scent. Quickly try to identify where the fumes are coming from and what they smell like, and notify the pilots.

If You’re Showing Symptoms, Seek Treatment Immediately!

Time is of the essence if you’ve breathed those kinds of fumes. It is crucial to see a physician as soon as possible after a potential exposure. If you have symptoms of exposure to carbon monoxide (which can be present in the fumes) then you need to get your blood tested, ideally within a few hours.

Seeking immediate care also allows you to establish a medical history and begin treatment for your symptoms. A physician will be able to evaluate and create a timely record of your symptoms. By having an understanding of your health soon after exposure, this could assist with treatment options if your symptoms persist or worsen over time.

Know Where to Get Help

In the event that you need to use this information, you’ll want to know how to access it quickly.

Keep It with You

Pick up an air quality quick reference card from your base. Keep the card with your badge or in your purse or wallet in case you need it. You can also print your own card.

Find It On Your IMD or Mobile Phone

Open Safari
Type afaalaska.org in the menu bar
Click “air quality exposure info” from the menu on the front page

Keep an eye on the AFA Alaska Facebook page and Twitter feed for more information about aircraft air quality throughout the month. If you have any questions, your Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Members can help. Find their contact information on the ASHSC page of the AFA Alaska website.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; LEC Presidents-Elect Timothy Green and Brice McGee; and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple

Performance Based Pay Correction

AFA Alaska Open Time Trial Survey June 2016

Pulse LGBTQ Nightclub Shooting in Orlando