AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for Committees

Human Trafficking Awareness and Updated Training

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. 

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – March 2022

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, March 22 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Tuesday, March 22, our AFA Scheduling Committee 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 Heather Reier (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Virginia Fritz (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Adam Clarey, and MEC Reserve Chairperson Julie Thornton. The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Crew Scheduling Duty Manager Sara Cook, Manager of Crew Planning Mac Patterson, and other management representatives from Crew Scheduling and Crew Planning.

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:

  • Pairing construction including concerns about high line averages, reserve utilization, and fatigue.
  • Concerns about reassignments, conversion of deadheads, sick calls, and the number of trips consistently in Premium Open Time.
  • Review of PBS Base Sits including training video views and level of participation at the base sits and on conference calls.
  • Spring Incentive Premium including both negative and positive feedback received from Flight Attendants.
  • Concerns about PBS bid groups causing issues with bidding and raising the low line average higher.
  • Inclusion of scheduled charter flying in bid packets and PBS pairing search.
  • Feedback about the Jeppesen Crew Access core system for the vendor.
  • Discussion about the company’s network planning strategy and how flying is assigned to Alaska, Horizon, and/or Skywest.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. PBS Base Sits.  Conducting virtual meetings, trainings, and in-person meetings in preparation for the sunsetting of NAVBLUE ClassBid PBS.  
  2. Reassignment Flow Chart.  Developing an easy-to-follow flow chart to help explain how reassignments work, similar to the pre-cancellation flow chart.  A rough draft is expected next month for further review by the Scheduling Committee.
  3. Scheduling Quality of Life Improvements.  Reviewing ways to improve Trip Length Distribution (TLD) and other quality of life options.  Working with management to develop a quality of life survey to determine Flight Attendant scheduling priorities. 
  4. Review of user guides and links of Flight Attendant website.  Ensuring information is still accurate in existing resource materials, links are still active and working, etc.
  5. Updating Crew Access videos.  Working with management and ITS to update the Crew Access instructional videos to reflect updates and changes to the user interface.

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 Scheduling Committee is your voice to management.  You can open a support request on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

COVID Exposure: Differences in Company and CDC Guidance

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

  • Management has developed guidance on how to deal with COVID-19 exposure that uses different terminology, definitions, and recommendations than the guidance currently offered by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
  • To most effectively manage your personal risk in the event of an exposure, it’s helpful to understand how management’s definitions and guidance compare to the CDC guidance.
  • More information about CDC guidance for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals can be found on the CDC website.

Fortunately, we are in a period of relatively low COVID-19 transmission and reported hospitalizations and deaths continue to trend downward. Despite low case counts, there is the possibility that another spike in COVID-19 cases could occur if new variants emerge and precautions like mask mandates and social distancing are reduced.

To help understand and manage your personal risk as we enter this next phase of the pandemic, it is helpful to know how the Company handles and communicates known COVID-19 exposures and how that differs from current CDC guidance.  The Company has created two categories of exposure, “low risk” and “high risk”. 

Company Defined “Low Risk Exposure” – It is AFA’s understanding that the Company’s “low risk exposure” is essentially the same as the CDC’s “close contact”.  This occurs when you were less than 6 feet away from an infectious person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.  A person is considered infectious starting 2 days before they have any symptoms, or if asymptomatic 2 days before taking a test which came back positive for COVID-19.

Company Defined “High Risk Exposure” – This differs significantly from the CDC’s definition of “close contact”.  To qualify as “high risk exposure”, the person you were less than 6 feet away from for a cumulative 15 minutes over a 24-hour period must also have symptoms of COVID-19 while (or within two days of the time that) you were with them. One of you must also have been without a mask.  If the exposure was to an asymptomatic COVID-19 positive individual or you were both wearing a mask, it will not be classified as “high risk”. As you can see, this greatly reduces the chance of an exposure being categorized as “high risk”.

To manage risk, we recommend that you treat notifications of “low risk” exposure from the Company as “close contact” as defined by the CDC.

If you are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations or have had a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the past 90 days, it is not necessary to quarantine.  However, the CDC still recommends that you take certain precautions.  Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had CDC defined “close contact” with (or Company defined “high risk” or “low risk” exposure to) someone with COVID-19. Until 10 days after that contact/exposure you should also watch for symptoms, isolate if you develop symptoms, wear a well-fitted mask any time you are around others, and avoid being around people who are at high risk.

Check out this link for additional CDC guidance for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals who have had “close contact”.

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

Reserve Committee

  • Our AFA Reserve Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, March 10 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent and advocate for our Reserve Flight Attendants.
  • The Committee also met with management to review a number of specific concerns that were brought forward by Flight Attendants.
  • Your Local Reserve Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any reserve related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Thursday, March 10, representatives from our AFA Local Reserve Committees met to discuss their ongoing work to advocate for Reserve Flight Attendants.  Representing you at the meeting were Haley Hirsch (ANC), Conner Gallagher (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Camile Caldwell (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Joe Coneglio (SAN).  Also present were MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton, MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Jarod McNeill, and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee also met with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Manager Nyxalyse Paul 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:

  • Issues and glitches with Crew Access that are affecting Reserve Flight Attendants.  Review of where known issues are documented and prioritization for programming fixes.
  • Update on planned Flight Attendant hiring and initial training classes for 2022.  Starting with class 2022-03, class sizes have nearly doubled to 90 students each.  Larger class sizes will continue.
  • Review of contractual language related to new hire and probationary Flight Attendants (section 7)
  • Update on AFA Reserve Buddy program.  Reserve Buddies are very busy supporting new Flight Attendants.  Reminder to refer Probationary Flight Attendants to their Reserve Buddy for answers to questions about contract and work rules.
  • Review of reserve utilization statistics.  Reserve coverage will remain at approximately 20-21% during the 2nd quarter.
  • Review of reserve-related scheduling issues that have occurred recently.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Providing Support to New Flight Attendants in Initial Training.  Facilitating the new hire AFA presentation, Crew Access training, and PBS training as part of Initial Training and participating in base orientation after graduation.
  2. Assisting Probationary Flight Attendants Through the Reserve Buddy Program.   Answering questions from and providing support to probationary Flight Attendants through an expanded AFA Reserve Buddy program.
  3. Addressing Reserve Contractual Concerns.  Researching and investigating reports from Reserve Flight Attendants and actively ensuring that management is compliant with our contract. 

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 Reserve Committee is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the Reserve Committee page of the AFA Alaska website. 

Human Rights Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

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. 

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Monday, September 8, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle 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), Ila Christy (PDX), Hilary […]

We Will Never Forget – September 11, 2001

AFA Never Forget Website United Flight 175 Robert J. FangmanAmy N. JarretAmy R. KingKathryn LaBorieAlfred G. MarchandMichael C. TarrouAlicia N. TitusCaptain: Victor SaraciniFirst Officer: Michael HorrocksCustomer Service Representatives: Marianne MacFarlane and Jesus Sanchez United Flight 93 Lorraine G. BaySandra BradshawWanda A. GreenCeeCee LylesDeborah WelshCaptain: Jason DahlFirst Officer: Leroy Homer American Flight 11 Barbara AresteguiJeffrey CollmanSara […]

Vacation Survey Now Open

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants Your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is working diligently to understand and improve the vacation benefits for our Flight Attendants at Alaska and Hawaiian. Your input is essential in ensuring that the vacation provisions we adopt reflect your needs and preferences. To gather your perspectives, […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Negotiations Update The SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management.  The SEA NC met with management on September 3 to September 5 in Honolulu. At the negotiating table for this session were: Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants   […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Interviews—October 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the terms of office for the MEC Committee Chairpersons and other MEC-level positions align with those of the MEC Officers. Since the current term for the MEC Officers will conclude on December 31, […]

Recent Posts

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 Message from the MEC President Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee

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