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[pmAS] Follow Up to April Bid Re-Award

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, March 13, AFA released information about the April bid re-award that recently took place.  The initial need for a re-award came about after several bid protests were filed based on the original April line awards.  After further investigation, the protests were found to be valid and the error occurred due to programming in the new web app user interface of Navblue PBS.  The programming error affected the bids of 22 Flight Attendants which required that action be taken to properly honor those bids. Resolving the bid protests was bound to have an impact on the previously awarded lines of Flight Attendants beyond those who initially filed bid protests.

After Navblue corrected the necessary programming but prior to running the bid re-awards, Crew Planning and the PBS Committee had the need to perform some administrative work in PBS to ensure that Flight Attendant bids properly reflected those that were originally entered prior to bids closing on March 10th.  Performing this work required that PBS be switched back into the normal bid entry mode so that the necessary work could be done.  The system does not contain the ability to be switched into a “maintenance” or “offline” mode where administrators can work in the system while preventing Flight Attendants from also making entries.  As a result of this, it was also possible for Flight Attendants to log in to the system and make bid entries during the period of time that the administrators were in the system verifying the integrity of original bids.

Section 10.J.4 of the Flight Attendant collective bargaining agreement states that a Flight Attendant must submit her/his bid by 9 AM Pacific time on the 10th of the month prior to the bid period.  Management’s failure to have PBS properly programmed to prevent additional bid entries while the administrators were working in the system has resulted in a clear contractual violation.  At no time did AFA agree to an exception or waiver to this contractual provision.

The MEC had substantial discussion regarding what transpired, including the possibility of requesting that a full re-bid be conducted for the month of April.  The option of a full re-bid was determined to be unfeasible as it would have had a greater negative impact on Flight Attendants, especially those who would be unable to participate in the re-bid (on vacation, etc.) as well as those who had planned their schedules around the F/A-to-F/A and Open Time trading timeline.

AFA will be pursuing resolution to the contractual violation through the grievance process and every other avenue at our disposal.  The MEC Grievance Committee has already filed grievance number 36-99-2-116-18 addressing management’s failure to comply with the contractual bidding timeline.  We will also be calling for a meeting with inflight management to have additional conversation about the new Navblue PBS user interface, the associated programming errors, and the necessary steps that need to be taken to prevent reoccurrence of a similar situation.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

April Bid Re-Award and Trading Timeline

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants

On Monday, March 12, management advised AFA that a programming error was discovered with the new user interface of NavBlue PBS.  The error, related to the programming of the “Duty On” preference in the new user interface, resulted in trips being awarded incorrectly to Flight Attendants despite bid preferences that were submitted properly.  As a result of the programming error, NavBlue was immediately contacted by management and the necessary programming was corrected.

NavBlue made necessary corrections to the PBS programming which were completed earlier today.  Management subsequently worked to re-award bids with the NavBlue programming having been corrected.   Bid awards will be posted at 5 PM Pacific time today and F/A-to-F/A and Open Time trading will begin as originally scheduled.

Bidding and Trading Timeline

All times based on Pacific time

Bid Re-Awards Posted Tuesday, March 13 @ 17:00
Bid Protest Begins Tuesday, March 13 @ 17:00
Bid Protest Final Wednesday, March 14 @ 17:00
F/A-to-F/A Trading Begins Thursday, March 15*
Open Time Trading Begins Friday, March 16*

*Please note that there is no change to the F/A-to-F/A and Open Time trading timeline.

It is AFA’s positon that management has an obligation to ensure Flight Attendant bidding and scheduling systems are fully functional and free of programming errors.  AFA will be meeting with management to review the programming error with NavBlue PBS and discuss the future plans for roll out of the system.

If you have any questions about the bid re-award or trading timeline, please contact your LEC Officers.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

[pmAS] Trading Recurrent Training To Early Or Grace Months

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants

Recently, AFA worked with management to clarify the ability of Flight Attendants to trade Recurrent Training (RT) into the month before or after your RT base month.   The result of this agreement is the Trading Recurrent Training to Early or Grace Months letter of agreement (LOA).  You can view the LOA by clicking here.

This LOA solidifies the ability of a Flight Attendant to trade RT with another Flight Attendant or with RT classes in OT into the month before your base month (Early month), base month, or month after your base month (Grace month).  JCTE will eventually be programmed to process these trades but until the programming is done, Flight Attendants should contact Crew Scheduling to process trades into Early or Grace months.

Please note that if you trade into your Grace month and are subsequently unable to attend RT during your Grace month and become no longer current, you will receive no pay protection or credit for any trips or scheduling obligations that have to be dropped because you are no longer current.

If you have received attendance points as a result of recurrent training trades since this LOA was agreed to and signed (02/08/2018), please contact your LEC Officers for assistance in contacting your performance supervisor.  If you have any other questions about this LOA, your LEC Officers are also available to assist you.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

[pmAS] Definition of Family Member for Sick Leave Purposes

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants

Siblings are now included under the definition of family members for sick leave purposes.

Under the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law (RCW 49.46.210) enacted in January 1, 2018, one of the many changes is adding an employee’s sibling under the definition of family members for whom a Flight Attendant may call in sick.  Even though this is a Washington State Law, this change in definition will apply to all Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants pursuant to Letter of Agreement 5 (Sick Family/Sick Child) in our current CBA.

If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Local Benefits Committee.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

Management Strands Multiple Crews on the East Coast Due to Winter Storm Riley

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) is incensed that management has chosen to strand multiple crews on the East Coast tonight due to Winter Storm Riley. AFA has repeatedly reminded management over the past several extreme weather events that the Association is more than willing to enact CBA §8.S [Natural Disasters…] in order to turn Boeing crews out of affected stations. Instead, executive operations management (i.e. the Director of System Operations and System Operations Control) is consistently waiting to make decisions until too late in the day when all crew recovery options are essentially lost. This goes for Boeing and Airbus crews.

Crewmembers going into a layover are not going anywhere once they have been picked up by hotel transportation and/or the departing aircraft takes off. Note to management: Any beverage cart jockey can tell you that waiting until 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET to ‘call the ball’ won’t cut it—the vast majority of East Coast flights are long gone. When flights are subsequently cancelled for the next day(s), all stranded crew are along for the ride—for better or for worse.

AFA has made numerous attempts in the recent past to get management to be more proactive when assessing potential extreme weather events. We have tried conducting the appropriate conversations going through the proper channels. Obviously that approach isn’t working, so now we’re going to resort to public shaming. Believe us, it’s not what we prefer.

AFA sincerely hopes everything works out for our stranded crews on the East Coast. Please know we would have supported getting you out if we had been consulted in time to do something about it. Now that AFA has been asked about enacting §8.S on the Boeing side, we have approved the provision in anticipation of Winter Storm Riley. Unfortunately, it’s way too late to make any difference.

Just remember: This stranding has been brought to you courtesy of Alaska Airlines management.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee; and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 20 – October 2026

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) met with management in Seattle for three days of collective bargaining, addressing critical sections of the contract. Through productive discussions, the JNC reached Tentative Agreements on Section 6 (Seniority), Retiree Pass Privileges, and Retiree Health Insurance. The committee plans to continue using both Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB) and traditional methods to resolve complex issues during negotiations.

Call To Action: Election Day Is Tuesday, November 3

Our voice. Our vote. Our power. Throughout September, our AFA Government Affairs Committee highlighted how legislative advocacy impacts our work and daily lives as Flight Attendants. By breaking down the role of AFA Government Affairs, explaining the legislative process, encouraging civic engagement, and demonstrating the vital importance of FlightPAC, the campaign showed how our union’s voice is […]

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – October 2026

Updated: 10/29/2026 17:05 PT On Thursday, October 22, members of our Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) met virtually to discuss ongoing safety concerns, operational challenges, policy updates, and workplace improvements impacting Flight Attendants across the operation. Representing you at the meeting were Debi Wallstrom (ANC), Baron Lee (HNL), Bryce Sarmiento (pmAS LAX), Kahea […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – October 2026

On Monday, October 12, our AFA Hotel Committee Chairpersons met remotely to receive an update on current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (pmAS SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (pmAS LAX), Kanani Vallot (SAN), and Matt […]

Reserve Survey Closing Soon

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is working to secure the best reserve provisions for our Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). We want to hear from you about which parts of the reserve experience matter most, so we can better meet your needs. The survey […]

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