AFA Alaska + Hawaiian

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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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.

Join The Fight To End Trans Genocide

Human Rights Committee

Our CWA Pride Caucus launched a petition on March 31st—International Transgender Day of Visibility. The goal of the petition is to have a statement read in the House and the Senate about the reality that trans people in America are in Stage 7 of a genocide. Stage 8 is when large scale round ups and exterminations begin. Any observer of the history of human rights crimes will tell you the situation is well past terrifying.

Statistically, with one in ten people being queer, we have tens of thousands of queer Members across AFA and all the sectors of CWA – and even more allies! Sign the petition now and help show our support to allied legislators!

Click here to sign the petition >

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.

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Recap – 2nd Quarter 2023

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

  • Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, April 5 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to safety, health, and security in our workplace.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.
  • Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever given the challenges we are currently facing as a workgroup.  Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed through Report It!  Please contact a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.

On Thursday, April 5, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace.  Representing you at the meeting were Debi Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), KalinLackey (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Carin Meritt (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN).  Also present was MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple.

The committee met with Cabin Safety Manager Cari Smith-Allen, Managing Director of Inflight Services Gloria Chow-Vanderwell, Director of Inflight Training & Standards Thomas Kaminski, Infight Policy & Procedure Specialist Kevin Weatherbie, Director of Inflight Safety & Compliance Corey Chestnut, Manager of Inflight Safety & Compliance Johanna Giese, Manager of Inflight Policy & Procedure Kaliko Howell, and Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder.

The next scheduled Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee meeting is Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • Potentially adding “keep seatbelts visible” to announcements. This may make it easier to perform seatbelt compliance checks, especially during night flying. The Company agreed to see if other carriers are making similar announcements.
  • Fleet supply bags placed by girt bars. If catering opens a door while a Fleet supply bag or other item is in front of the door the girt bar could be dislodged from the door clips. This concern will be communicated to Fleet.
  • Single Door Catering. The Company is monitoring reports about single door catering. Flight Attendants should be notified when single door catering is going to take place and CSAs should be asking if forward galley catering has been completed with the boarding questions on all flights where the forward galley is catered from the aft. Single door catering may not occur with passengers onboard.
  • Bringing strollers on board. Strollers can be “baggage” in the cabin if there is space for them. However, passengers are pushing their infants in the strollers inside the plane. The ASHSC asked the company to update the policy to indicate that strollers should be configured for stowage prior to being brought on the A/C.
  • Flight Attendant CRM. The ASHSC shared a recommendation to have another program like the D-Check to foster understanding and teamwork in our diverse work group.
  • Equipment check verification. Ideally, we would like to see equipment checks completed prior to boarding. Until that policy change can be implemented, we need a process for verifying equipment checks have been completed prior to door closure. It may also be helpful to have verifications for this and for passenger briefings integrated into B2B.
  • Hearing Conservation Base Sits. Being exposed to high decibels for an extended period of time is a threat to unprotected ears. In order to proactively prevent hearing loss we asked that the Company provided opportunities for Flight Attendants to be fitted for hearing protection at all bases. We’ve also asked that the information about procuring hearing protection be maintained on the Inflight website.
  • Cleaners using A/C flashlights. Flight Attendants have found flashlights not completely secured into their holders and have witnessed cleaners using flashlights during A/C cleaning when the cabin is dark. The Company is aware of this issue and working with Fleet to ensure they have other means of seeing in the cabin when there is no power to the cabin lights.
  • Preferred seats for passengers who use aisle chairs. For safety, seats with fixed armrests should not be designated as preferred seats for passengers with mobility-related disabilities. The Company is reviewing this policy.
  • Attached keyboards. Some tablet keyboards are very thin and built into the tablet cover. The ASHSC asked the Company whether these need to be restricted.
  • Phone clips that attach to the upper seat pocket area. The ASHSC asked the company whether these need to be restricted during cruise.
  • Infants/children lying on the floor during flight. The ASHSC requested that the FAM be updated to state that lying, sitting or kneeling on the floor, with a few exceptions, is not permitted. The Company is reluctant to implement this change.
  • Riding to layover hotels alone. This concern comes up frequently. Unfortunately, we have not been able to come up with a solution the Company will agree to outside of the contractual requirements related to international layovers. However, the Company has recently started to look at some other possible solutions to this long standing problem.
  • Door viewport warning strap MEL. The MEL permites the strap to be missing or taped in place if damaged/inoperative. We do not have a safe procedure for operating without a functioning warning strap so we recommend that Maintenance keep the straps widely available for rapid replacement. It would also be helpful to have alternate procedures in place for A/C operating with warning straps on MEL.
  • Child Restraint Systems in seats with airbelts. It can be difficult or impossible to safely install a CRS in a seat with an air belt. The company will test CRSs in these seats to determine whether a change in policy is needed.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Lighting.  We continue to work with a company on developing simpler and safer cabin lighting standards.
  2. Personal Conduct and Work Performance Section of the FAM. Encouraging the Company to simplify this section so it makes better sense in the current environment, including the implementation of the new break LOA.
  3. Contents review of both the F/A Kit and the Stationary Kit. The ASHSC is working  with the Inflight Service Committee to provide feedback to the Company about the contents of the kits. We want to ensure they contain necessary items but do not have items taking up space which are not used.
  4. Coordinating Base Safety Meetings. The ASHSC is working with Inflight and Safety Management to continue the practice of holding safety meetings at all bases twice a year. Please consider signing up to attend or submitting a safety concern for discussion when you see the invite from Base Leadership and your Local ASHSC.

We Want to Hear From You!

If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please help the committee to advocate for improvement and change by filing a report.  Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) reports, and fatigue reports can all be submitted using ReportIt!  If you’re not sure what type of report to file for a particular situation or need help, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of your Local ASHSC.Do you have other feedback for the committee or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local ASHSC is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the ASHSC page of the AFA Alaska website.

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, February 19, our AFA Local Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), Bob Moore (PDX), Lisa Mueller (SFO), Heather Holmes […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – February 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, February 24, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Rebekah Olds (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Russel Rivinius (PDX), […]

Important Update: Irregular Operations Due to Civil Unrest In Mexico

In response to the significant operational disruptions caused by the civil unrest affecting cities throughout Mexico, particularly Puerto Vallarta (PVR), Guadalajara (GDL), and Manzanillo (ZLO), management continues to operate under an Irregular Operations (IROPS) situation. Our MEC and Committees are actively monitoring the situation and working with management to support our Flight Attendants. Management has […]

Invitation to Training: What To Do if a Union Member is Detained

The California Federation of Labor Unions is offering a series of Union Rapid Response Trainings. The next session, “What To Do if a Union Member is Detained,” will offer practical information and guidance on how to respond if this happens. Details of the training are as follows: Date: Thursday, February 19Time: 11:30 AM to 1 PM PTLocation: Zoom Please register […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – February 2026

On Monday, February 9, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met virtually to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX-pmAS), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), with MEC […]

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