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Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2022

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

  • Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, July 14 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 work group.  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, July 14, 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), Blair Kimball (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Carin Meritt (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN).  Also present were MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Cabin Safety Manager Cari Smith-Allen, Manager of Inflight Policy & Procedure Joevanni Camacho, and Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder.

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:

  • Having a CSA available to assist with assistance devices, gate checks, etc. during deplaning. 
  • Changing what we call infant life vest in announcements to “life vest for children under 30 lbs”. This would align better with their purpose and help those traveling with children identify which type of life vest their child would need.
  • Request to add Narcan nasal spray to emergency medical kits to assist with passengers who have overdosed. Note: The EEMK does have Naloxone which is an injectable used to treat opioid overdoses.
  • At the ASHSC’s request bottles of Sanicide are to be provisioned in plastic bags to contain leakage. However, it appears that this has not been happening constantly, so we have asked Inflight to follow up with Fleet to ensure the bottles are provisioned correctly.
  • The Company is planning to add a third cart to PLH flights. The ASHSC is concerned that this will negatively impact our ability to stow all trash, result in excessively long lavatory lines and make managing passenger alcohol consumption more difficult. We also believe some of these issues will be exacerbated by the upcoming removal of the third aft lavatory on the 737-800s.
  • Initial Training was shorted four weeks but will be returning to five weeks. We have requested that Initial Training include familiarizations flights and more time practicing procedures like the arrival and departure sequences.
  • Fleet at some stations has been closing all window shade even when it is not needed to keep the cabin cool. We believe it is safer to keep more window shades open when possible to increase awareness of what is happening outside the cabin.
  • There are safety concerns around F/As bringing items onto the A/C to serve or altering the produces being served. While well intentioned, this can have unintended safety and liability consequences.
  • Inflight is in the process of procuring the improved, easier to use, restraint devices requested by the ASHSC.
  • At the ASHSC’s request the safety demo will be updated to include “in an emergency, leave everything”.
  • Inflight continues to work on moving our prior to landing compliance checks to 18,000 feet.

What the Committee is Working On

  1. Trash Stowage.  The Inflight Service Committee and ASHSC have been working with Inflight and Catering to develop solutions for the ongoing lack adequate trash stowage. Every departure now should have an empty cart in one of the galleys for trash. If you don’t have the required empery cart submit a catering report. Please submit an ASAP & FAIR if, after following procedures and making every reasonable attempt to do so, you are unable to stow all trash in legal stowage locations. AFA continues to advocate for dedicated trash cart(s) on all flights.
  2. Time In Motion Studies. The ASHSC is coordinating with the Inflight Service Committee and Inflight on a program to assess how long it takes to perform safety and service duties on each aircraft type and flight profile. The goal is to understand what service can safely be completed in each market, and ensure we have adequate time allotted for safety duties like equipment checks and briefings. 
  3. Cabin Lighting During Compliance Checks. The ASHSC has been advocating for a brighter lighting setting for prior to take off and landing compliance checks. We believe the company is willing to use our boarding light setting for compliance checks and expect the change to be impended soon. The brighter lighting will help us see better as we complete our compliance checks and will provide a visual indicator to passengers that their attention is needed as we prepare the cabin for landing.

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. 

Supreme Court Ruling on A4A v. WA L&I (WA Paid Sick Leave)

Master Executive Council (MEC), Grievance Committee

  • A recent Supreme Court ruling upheld a decision by a lower court requiring that Alaska Airlines comply with the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law and apply it to Flight Attendants.
  • The law prohibits employers from adopting or enforcing any policy that counts the use of paid sick leave time as an absence that may lead to or result in discipline (qualifying absences will not incur attendance points).
  • Seattle-based Flight Attendants are considered covered employees for purposes of the law, but AFA believes that the ruling should apply to Section 32 (Attendance Policy) for all Flight Attendants, regardless of domicile, under a previous arbitration decision.

In addition to Bernstein v. Virgin America, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) recently denied certiorari (from Latin “to be informed of” – a writ issued by a superior court for the reexamination of an action of a lower court) on Air Transport Association of America, Inc., dba Airlines for America, v. The Washington Department of Labor & Industries, et al.Therefore, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruling stands, which requires Alaska Airlines to comply with the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law (Wash. Rev. Code § 49.46.210 [2021]). AFA intervened and AFA Alaska representatives were deposed in this case.

On July 1, 2022, AFA sent a demand letter to management requiring Alaska Airlines to comply with the law.  We have not yet received a response.

What the decision means for Seattle-based Flight Attendants

Seattle-based Flight Attendants have the benefits of the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law.  

A covered Washington employee is authorized to use paid sick leave:

  • For an employee’s and their qualified family members’ mental or physical illness, injury or health condition or preventative medical care;
  • When an employee’s child’s school or place of care has been closed by order of a public official for any health-related reason;
  • For absences that qualify for leave under the domestic violence leave act; and
  • Beginning on the ninetieth calendar day after the commencement of their employment (for Alaska FAs, from their on-line/base orientation date).

The law provides that the employer may require employees to provide verification, for absences exceeding three days, that an employee’s use of paid sick leave is for an authorized purpose.  An employer may not adopt or enforce any policy that counts the use of paid sick leave time as an absence that may lead to or result in discipline against the employee—in other words, qualifying absences will not incur attendance points.

What the decision means for all Flight Attendants regardless of domicile

AFA also demanded that the ruling apply to Section 32 (Attendance Policy) for all Flight Attendants, regardless of domicile, under a previous arbitration decision. While we believe arbitral precedent requires that Flight Attendants in all bases receive the benefit of no attendance points in circumstances protected from potential disciplinary action under the law, we do not yet know how management will interpret precedent.

Stay tuned for further developments.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – June 2022

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, June 28 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, June 28, 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), Martin Vance (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 Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton. The committee met with management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

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:

  • Review of personal drops.
  • Base staffing.
  • Reserve Flight Attendants deadheading to other bases to cover red eye flying.
  • Reassignments and compensation.
  • Flexibility of increased TSN, bulletin board grabs and raising the reserve ARC.
  • Canceled flights and pre-cancellations.
  • Hotel/transportation, excessive wait times and limited availability.
  • Working through the AFA Online Support Center on issues brought forward by Flight Attendants. 
  • Staffing changes in Crew Scheduling.
  • Crew Scheduling management reminded schedulers of contact only once while on RON and how/when to remove trips from reserve self-assignment. 

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Preparation for Contract Negotiations.  The Scheduling Committee will compile a list of requests and items needing review to be shared with our Negotiating Committee.  
  2. Reassignment Flow Chart.  Scheduling Committee Members reviewed a draft of the reassignment flow chart and it has been moved forward to the final stages of review and approval.  Refer to sections 10.R and 10.R.5 of our CBA.
  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.

AFA and Management Agree on a Remedy for the Delayed May & June 2022 Bid Awards

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • AFA Alaska leadership and Alaska Airlines management have reached agreement on a remedy for the delayed May & June bid awards.
  • All Flight Attendants who were active at any point during the May or June 2022 bid months will receive 4.0 TFP on their respective July 20th paychecks.
  • Thank you to the more than 4400 who participated in the “It’s Time to Make It Right!” letter writing campaign, and AFA appreciates management’s commitment to doing the right thing in these circumstances.

AFA Alaska leadership and Alaska Airlines management have reached agreement on a remedy for the delayed May & June bid awards:

All Flight Attendants who were active at any point during the May or June 2022 bid months will receive 4.0 TFP on their respective July 20th paychecks. *

* Flight Attendants must not have been on a leave of absence for the entirety of both bid months and newly hired Flight Attendants must have been eligible to bid for either bid period to be eligible for the settlement. The 4.0 TFP will have applicable taxes withheld at the regular withholding rate and less any other deductions/contributions.

Realistically, an arbitrator would not have awarded 4 TFP to all active Flight Attendants as a remedy to these contractual grievances, so we recognize that management ultimately agreed to more than we would have achieved through arbitration. This non-precedential monetary settlement compensates FAs for the inconvenience resulting from the contractual violations and demonstrates management’s willingness to accept responsibility for their actions. AFA appreciates management’s commitment to doing the right thing in these circumstances.

Thank you to the more than 4400 who participated in the “It’s Time to Make It Right!” letter writing campaign: Our collective action was an impressive show of solidarity that was invaluable in achieving this settlement!

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2022

Reserve Committee

  • Our AFA Reserve Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, June 9 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, June 9, 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), Meg Casey (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:

  • Ongoing concerns about low morale within our work group.
  • Review of upcoming update to Crew Access software and associated fixes to current issues and other improvements.
  • Update on topics of interest that were reviewed at the monthly Scheduling Committee meeting.
  • Review of reserve-related issues that have been escalated to the Scheduling Review Board (SRB) and Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes.
  • Update on probationary and new hire Flight Attendant concerns.  MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Jarod McNeill has been in regular contact with Inflight Probationary Support Supervisor Kaliko Howell to review issues.  Most frequent issues causing probationary occurrences are late to plane and forgetting to check-in on Block2Block.
  • Review of contractual issues and requests to be referred to the Negotiating Committee for consideration.
  • Possible project to create new easier-to-follow and more concise resources for new hire Flight Attendants to use to better understand the CBA and other job-related information.
  • Review of reserve utilization statistics.  Reserve coverage is anticipated to remain at approximately 24-26% for the remainder of summer and lineholder line averages will likely stay near the contractual minimum of 75 TFP.
  • Ongoing concerns about the need for relief for reserve Flight Attendants.  Many Flight Attendants who are on reserve outside of SEA have been on reserve for many years with no end in sight.  Management indicates that their plan is to adjust ARC numbers to allow for increased flexibility.  The Committee would like management to offer additional ways to provide relief.
  • Review of management’s planned upgraded telephone system in Crew Scheduling, currently planned for implementation later this year.
  • Review of reserve-related scheduling issues that have occurred recently.

The committee is next scheduled to meet on Thursday, September 8.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. 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.
  2. Addressing Reserve Contractual Concerns.  Researching and investigating reports from Reserve Flight Attendants and actively ensuring that management is compliant with our contract. 
  3. Developing Additional Tools & Resources for New Flight Attendants.  Working to create a plan to provide more user friendly, easy-to-access resources about the CBA and other job-related information for new Flight Attendants.

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. 

Save the Date: Reserve Webinar – Thursday, August 6

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Pre-merger Alaska Reserve Flight Attendants: Have you ever had Crew Scheduling call you with a change to your assignment and wondered, “Can they do that?” Lineholders, have you flown with a Reserve Flight Attendant and found yourself asking the same question? You’re not alone! Our Reserve Committee […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – June 2026

On Monday, June 8, our AFA Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in-person 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 pmAS), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Le’a Tupola (LAX/SEA pmHA), Brian Sherill (LAX pmAS), and […]

MEC Town Hall Video and Q&A Recap – June 8, 2026

Whether you joined us live or are looking to watch on your own schedule, we’re excited to share the full recording of our June 8 MEC Town Hall! Catch up on the discussions and hear directly from our MEC Officers and AFA panelists—now available to you anytime on the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian YouTube channel […]

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, June 4, representatives from our pre-merger Alaska AFA Reserve Committee met to discuss ongoing work advocating for Reserve Flight Attendants. Representing you at the meeting were Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Kanako Yamada (LAX), Adrian Alcantara (SAN), and MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 15 – June 2026

The JNC has been actively negotiating key sections of the contract, focusing on vacation, sick leave, and temporary duty assignments. A tentative agreement was reached on Section 37 (Temporary Duty Assignments), ensuring financial protections and fair treatment for Flight Attendants during temporary assignments. These ongoing discussions demonstrate a commitment to integrating the best benefits from both Alaska and Hawaiian CBAs for all members.

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