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Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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Vacation Open Time Update – Monday, October 31, 2016

Members of your Master Executive Council (MEC) and Alaska Airlines management met earlier today to review the problems with Vacation Open Time trading and to address Flight Attendants’ frustrations and concerns with the system.

After several hours of troubleshooting with the IT department, the parties have agreed to re-open Vacation Open Time trading beginning Wednesday, November 2nd at the same published times for each domicile:

  • SAN – 9am PDT
  • PDX – 10am PDT
  • ANC – 11am PDT (10am local)
  • LAX – 12pm PDT
  • SEA – 2pm PDT

You will be able to log into the vacation trading site beginning at 12:01am on November 2nd to view open vacation days and to split/merge vacation slots in preparation for Vacation Open Time trading opening. Actual trades will not be processed until the published opening time.

Management has agreed to honor all successful Vacation Open Time trades that occurred on Friday prior to pulling down the system. At AFA’s request, management will also restore Vacation Open Time availability to the same levels they were prior to the Friday start. If you are planning to trade into or out of the first five days of January, management will still allow those days to be traded for at least 24 hours before restricting the days in order to accommodate PBS bids.

However, the MEC continues to recognize these accommodations do not make up for TFP lost due to wasted schedule adjustments, for restoring open vacation days nor for lost opportunity for those who cannot adjust their schedules to be available for trading on November 2nd. We will be connecting with management tomorrow to further address these unresolved issues.

The MEC will provide another update after that meeting.

In Solidarity,

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

Vacation Open Time Update – Friday, October 28, 2016

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) and management have been in contact throughout the day regarding the challenges with Vacation Open Time trading. At this time the parties have tentatively agreed to re-open Vacation Open Time trading beginning Wednesday, November 2nd at the same published times for each domicile.

 

If you are planning to trade into or out of the first five days of January, management will still allow those days to be traded for at least 24 hours before restricting the days in order to accommodate PBS bids. Management has also committed to honor any vacation trades made prior to pulling down the system.

 

However, the MEC recognizes those accommodations do not come even close to making up for TFP lost due to wasted schedule adjustments or for restoring open vacation days. MEC officers will meet with management on Monday to address our members’ frustrations and concerns and to finalize the go forward plan.

 

The MEC will provide another update after that meeting.

 

In Solidarity,

 

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

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

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.

afa-cwa-disaster-relief-fund-logo

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 11th 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, 6th 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

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

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

 

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 7 – September 2025

Our JNC made significant progress in shaping our JCBA, successfully reaching a Tentative Agreement on Section 13 – Uniforms. Key provisions include enhancements to uniform standards, ensuring protective measures such as no surnames on name tags from the Hawaiian CBA. While we continue discussions on various sections, including Air Safety Health and Security, Training, and Commuter Policy. We appreciate feedback from the 2207 Flight Attendants who participated in our recent Vacation Survey.

Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Management has recently informed our Master Executive Council (MEC) that they are distributing new Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs) to Flight Attendants with devices nearing the end of their lifecycle. The specific schedule for this distribution will be communicated by management separately. Flight Attendants with the oldest devices […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, September 23, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met in person at Alaska Airlines Corporate Headquarters 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), […]

Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants We’re excited to introduce the first group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives for the upcoming MEC Officer term. They’ll begin transitioning into their roles over the next few months and officially start their terms on January 1, 2026. Below, you’ll find brief biographies that […]

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

On Thursday, September 18, our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing efforts to represent our Flight Attendants and advocate for improvements in our workplace. Although our Inflight Service Committee has now merged, meetings with management continue to focus primarily on the Alaska or Hawaiian brands individually. This particular meeting was centered […]

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