Help from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund For Hurricane Matthew

October 20, 2016 17:00

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council is passing along this important message from our International officers as a service to our members who had their primary residence impacted by Hurricane Matthew. Please note the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund is open to contributions either by check or electronic payment. Information on how to make a donation is now available at www.afacwa.org.

Help from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund For Hurricane Matthew

We know that disasters can change lives forever. While we can’t stop destructive events from happening, we can, as a Union, assist our members with their recovery. AFA established the disaster relief fund after September 11^th to assist our members whose lives were placed in harms way. AFA members and retirees, whose primary residence is in the counties listed below and who have suffered damage and/or dislocation, are eligible for $200.00 from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund. It is a gift made possible by the generosity of your fellow union sisters and brothers with AFA.

Florida Counties: Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia.

Georgia Counties: Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, McIntosh, and Wayne.

North Carolina Counties: Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, Pender, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Tyrrell, Washington, Wayne, and Wilson.

South Carolina Counties: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Orangeburg, Sumter and Williamsburg.

If you would like to apply for AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Funds, download the Disaster Relief Fund Application and fax it to the International AFA EAP Department at 202-434-1411 or mail it to AFA-CWA EAP Department, 501 Third Street NW, 6^th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001-2797. You can also e-mail this same information to lfoster@afanet.org or phone in the necessary information to 1-800-424-2406.

We extend our heartfelt sympathy to AFA members affected by Hurricane Matthew and their families during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Sara Nelson, International President

Debora Sutor, International Vice-President

Kevin Creighan, International Secretary-Treasurer

afa-cwa-application-for-disaster-relieve-fund

University of Colorado Flight Attendant Health Study

October 20, 2016 05:00

Information prepared by Judith Anderson, AFA Air, Safety, Health and Security Department (ASHSD)

AFA members are invited to participate in a University of Colorado health study that is intended to assess the health effects of flight attendants’ onboard exposures to second-hand smoke. AFA has reviewed the study and sees no reasons to discourage participation by AFA members. This bulletin gives you the “skinny” to review so that you can decide if you’d like to share the information with your members and invite them to participate.

The study is led by University of Colorado pulmonologist, Dr. Bill Vandivier, and is funded by a Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute (FAMRI) grant. FAMRI was established in 2000 with $300M in funds from a large class action lawsuit against big tobacco that was settled in 1997. The organization funds research to assess the health effects of exposure to tobacco smoke.

The purpose of the study is to compare the (primarily respiratory) health of people in three groups – flight attendants who flew for any length of time before the smoking ban, flight attendants who have flown for any length of time since the smoking ban, and a “control group” of people who have not worked as flight attendants. The intent is for the control group to be made up of family/friends of the flight attendants in the study (esp. friends) because they would have similar life outside of flying. Control group members need to be 50 or older because the flight attendants who flew pre- ban are not expected to be younger than that, and you want a similar age group to control for any effects of age.

Participation involves travel to the University of Colorado clinic in Denver, where participants spend about 3.5 hours completing a series of health and exposure surveys (some of which can be completed in advance, if preferred), plus a physical, lung function, volume, and diffusion (how effectively air moves across the lung wall – measure of oxygen transfer/uptake) tests, and a nasal swab.

A few notes regarding the survey questions: First, there are some questions about potential occupational exposures to chemicals other than second-hand smoke (SHS) such as fuel fumes. That’s to control for the respiratory health impact(s) of those exposures and focus on the effects of SHS. Second, the majority of the health questions ask about respiratory health (to be expected) but some ask about depression/anxiety “in the past 7 days,” cognitive function “in the past 4 weeks,” and whether the person answering the questions is currently taking anti-depressants. AFA asked about the relevance of those mental health/cognitive questions and this was the answer: “The study looks at the long-term effect of secondhand smoke exposure on the development of lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD has many effects outside the lung, including increased cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression and use of health care resources. It also worsens cognition and quality of life. So they ask those questions to have a deeper understanding of the effects of secondhand smoke exposure beyond lung function.” Finally, all personal health information is encrypted and de-identified to ensure confidentiality. Pressed on that last point, the investigators assured AFA that the data collected will not be shared with the airlines under any circumstances.

To defray some travel costs, participants who live in Denver are paid $50, in the Denver area (but not in Denver) $100, and outside of the Denver area the choice of either $100 or a hotel room for a night. The research team has already recruited about 150 people, but they are hoping for 600 (or even more) and want to encourage people to sign up because the larger their sample size, the greater the statistical “power,” which allows them to more reliably answer their research questions.

To sign up, members can call 303-724-6067 or send an email to famri@ucdenver.edu. Any more questions, please call or email Judith Anderson – judith@AFAnet.org or 206-932-6237.

Important Reminders About Aircraft Air Quality

October 19, 2016 05:00

In June of this year, the AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) presented Your Air Matters, a contaminated cabin air awareness campaign. This month, we’re providing some important reminders and the resources available to help you should you find yourself in a situation where you believe you might have been exposed to contaminated cabin air. We’d also like to provide some background on how AFA provides assistance and support in suspected air quality exposure incidents.

What Do I Do?

If you believe you might have been exposed to contaminated air aboard the aircraft, follow these steps:

1. Identify The Situation

If you encounter unusual fumes, odors, smoke, or haze:

Quickly rule out non-ventilation sources (i.e. ovens, coffee makers, garbage)
Report the situation to the pilots immediately. If the source is the air from the vents in the cabin, there is possibly oil/hydraulic fluid contamination.
If no passengers are on board, step off the aircraft, especially if maintenance boards to test systems
Avoid breathing fumes coming from vents, if possible

2. Get Help If Sick

If in the air, notify the pilots to call Medlink
If still at the gate, ask the CSA to call paramedics. Deplane if possible.
Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Some tests must be performed as soon as possible to detect exposure. Your symptoms can persist, worsen, or return after another incident.
Call AFA for help (call 206-457-2010, extension 1101 or email airquality@afaalaska.org)
Print and begin completing the AFA exposure checklist
Review the AFA International Air Quality website

3. Report & Document

File an I-21 (employee injury report) with the company
File an ASAP report with the company
Keep printed copies of each report
Send a copy of the completed I-21 form to the ASHSC Vice Chairperson.
Ask a supervisor to complete their Alaska Airlines air quality checklist with you
If sick, file a worker’s compensation claim and see a doctor as quickly as possible. Claims do not start until you see a doctor.
Keep a symptom diary and document everything with a doctor

What Resources Are Available?

AFA Alaska Website

Information on what to do in the event of exposure to contaminated cabin air is available on the AFA Alaska website. You can find the complete checklist at http://afaalaska.org/ashsc/airquality/checklist. On your IMD or other mobile device, you can easily access this information by opening the AFA Alaska app or visiting afaalaska.org and clicking the “air quality exposure info” link from the home page.

Air Quality Exposure Quick Reference Card

Wallet size cards explaining what to do in a contaminated cabin air exposure event are available in each base. These cards can be kept in a badge holder behind your crew ID or in your purse or wallet for when you need to access them quickly. You can also print your own card from the AFA Alaska website by clicking here.

Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

The members of your Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee are available as a resource to assist you. You can find contact information for your Local ASHSC on the ASHSC page of afaalaska.org.

What Happens Behind the Scenes?

Once management notifies AFA that a situation involving potential exposure to contaminated cabin air has occurred, a coordinated response process begins behind the scenes. MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson Yvette Satterlee activates AFA’s response procedures and makes contact with the crew. Yvette ensures that the Flight Attendants have information about what to do if they’re feeling sick and what reports to file with the company. The AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee also contacts the Flight Attendants to offer their support. The LEC Officers from the Local Council of the affected Flight Attendants are also notified of the situation and are available to provide assistance if needed.

After the incident, ASHSC, EAP, and the LEC Officers continue to assist the Flight Attendants. This ongoing support takes the form of providing information about oil and hydraulic fumes for the medical providers of the affected crew members, coordinating operational debriefs with management, requesting aircraft maintenance records, and additional activities to help affected Flight Attendants through the treatment and recovery process.

Questions?

Please contact your Local ASHSC if you have any questions about contaminated cabin air. You can find contact information for your Local ASHSC on the ASHSC page of afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple

Introducing Your MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson

October 14, 2016 05:00

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews at the September MEC meeting for the position of MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson. We would like to thank the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the position. After thorough consideration, the MEC has appointed Stephanie Adams to the position.

Stephanie began her career with Alaska Airlines in 1995 as a Reservation Sales Agent, she spent an additional year as a Customer Service Agent, and in 1997 she became a Flight Attendant. For the majority of her career she has been based in Seattle with a brief time in Portland.

Stephanie began AFA work when she was elected as Seattle Council Representative in 2014. In 2015 she also became the MEC Grievance Representative. She felt compelled to begin AFA work as it combines her education with her longtime experience as a Flight Attendant. Her goal is to passionately protect all Flight Attendants under the purview of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Stephanie is a graduate of Seattle University School of Law and member of the Washington State Bar. Formerly, Stephanie acted as a family law attorney. She resides in Renton and enjoys spending time with her kids and traveling.

In her role as MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson, Stephanie will work closely with the Local Grievance Committee Chairpersons, AFA Staff Attorney Kimberly Chaput, and the AFA International legal department to represent and advocate for Flight Attendants. Stephanie’s appointment is effective December 1, 2016, and her term of appointment is concurrent with the term of the MEC Officers. She will report directly to the MEC.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Flight Attendant in Recovery Survey

October 5, 2016 17:00

The following message is from Heather Healy, Director of the AFA EAP Program and Manager of the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP). If you have questions about EAP or the FADAP Program, feel free to contact Heather at the telephone number below or reach out to your Local EAP Committee. You can find contact information for your EAP Committee Members at http://afaalaska.org/eap.

If today, you are currently a Flight Attendant and in recovery from alcohol and/or drug abuse, please consider completing this short 9-question survey. Your answers are completely anonymous. You can skip any questions you don’t want to answer.

Click here to access the Flight Attendant in Recovery Survey

The purpose of this survey is to collect data on the value of supporting Flight Attendants through the recovery and return to work process. Your answers could help Flight Attendants still struggling with their substance use. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Please don’t hesitate to call me with any concerns or questions.

Sincerely,

Heather Healy
Director of AFA EAP and Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program Manager
(800) 424-2406