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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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Recurrent Training 2021

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Recurrent Training 2021

Master Executive Council (MEC) + Inflight Training Committee + Air, Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC)

In This Edition

  • Early Success Rates Look Promising
  • COVID-19 Risk Mitigations
  • Written Exam Practice Questions and Answers
  • Adequate “Hands-On” Time Prior to Emergency Evacuation Evaluations
  • Acceptable Deviations to Emergency Evacuation Commands
  • Requalification Training (RQ)

Early Success Rates Look Promising

This is the second week of Recurrent Training 2021, and early success rates for passing the various drill evaluations are looking promising in comparison to success rates for Recurrent Training 2020. We hope the trend continues.

COVID-19 Risk Mitigations

AFA Alaska’s concerns

  • Mask usage and social distancing during evaluations
  • Sanitization of shared emergency equipment.

Inflight Training management’s response

Inflight Training management agreed to make several changes in response and posted the updated safety and sanitization guidelines.

Click here for the ”Welcome to Recurrent Training 2021 Letter” > (AAG SSO required)

Written Exam Practice Questions and Answers

AFA Alaska’s concerns

  • There is no comprehensive list of all potential written exam questions and answers provided like in past years.
  • The random practice test must be taken too many times in order to successfully view all underlying questions. (If ever?)

Inflight Training management’s response

  • “Learning and building confidence is our goal. With that in mind, we will be turning off the randomizer on practice exams to allow FAs to run through all available questions. We will add a note to remind FAs that questions do change regularly so they always need to refer to the practice exam on the website for most up to date questions.”
  • Management reports the randomizer function will be turned off by the end of the week.

Adequate “Hands-On” Time Prior to Emergency Evacuation Evaluations

AFA Alaska’s concerns

  • Adequate hands-on refamiliarization time should be provided during paid training hours prior to emergency evacuation evaluations.
  • Flight Attendants should not have to attend voluntary unpaid sessions in order to be successful during their evaluations.
  • There were not enough Open House sessions at each training center to accommodate the need in 2020 and several of those sessions were canceled, which only made the situation worse. More Open House sessions are needed in 2021.

Inflight Training management’s response

  • Schedule reworked to maintain the same 90 minutes of refamiliarization time as in RT 2020. (Hands-on time was initially going to be reduced in RT 2021, but AFA advocated for more time.)
  • Hands-on sessions prior to the start of RT 2021 are not an effective use of limited Training resources and will be eliminated in order to potentially reallocate the resources to additional Open House sessions around the system.
  • Management will review the ratio of the number of Open House slots in each training location compared to base size and restructure the sessions to allow for more options (e.g., dates, AM/PM, different times of the month). Additional dates will be added in March.

Acceptable Deviations to Emergency Evacuation Commands

Click here (password required) >

Password: See the emailed version of this newsletter sent to the personal email address that you have on file with AFA Alaska for the confidential password. Contact your LEC president if you need additional assistance.

Please respect the security of the document and do not share the password on an open forum.

Requalification Training (RQ)

RT 2021 is scheduled for one and a half days, but RQ 2021 (Level 1) is scheduled for two full days. There were only a few differences between RT and RQ in years past, but there are significantly more evaluations in RQ compared to RT this year. Flight Attendants should budget ample preparation time if attending RQ.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact your LEC president or the MEC Inflight Training Committee.

AFA Alaska Negotiations Update – December 17, 2020

AFA Alaska Negotiations Update – December 17, 2020

Master Executive Council

In This Edition

  • Updated Contract Negotiations Timeline
  • Negotiations Delayed Until September 1, 2021
  • Overview of the Railway Labor Act

Updated Contract Negotiations Timeline

1st round Negotiating Committee interviews – March & April 2020

Full pay scale increase of 2.5% – December 17, 2020 – This is the final full pay scale increase under this contract. A confirmation email from Employee Records to all Flight Attendants is expected in the next few days.

Revised “Early Opener” date – September 1, 2021 – Original Early Opener date: December 17, 2020. Negotiations may start on or after this date if notice is served by either AFA or management at least 60 days prior.

Amendable date – December 17, 2021 – Under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), the amendable date of a contract is generally the date on which the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement may be changed. Unlike under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), contracts under the RLA do not automatically expire and instead generally remain in force throughout negotiations and the amendable period.

Negotiations Delayed Until September 1, 2021

AFA leadership and Alaska Airlines management have agreed to hold off on engaging in negotiations until September 1, 2021. Both parties recognize that entering into negotiations during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic would not be productive for either party. Consequently, the parties have executed a side letter of agreement amending the Early Opener date from December 17, 2020 to September 1, 2021 in Section 35 [Duration] of the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA).

Click here for the “Amendment to JCBA Section 35 [Duration]” Sideletter of Agreement >

Overview of the Railway Labor Act

Credit to “The Railway Labor Act Simplified” by the Pennsylvania Division of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division – IBT

Historical Background

The Railway Labor Act (RLA) was passed in 1926 to allow railroad union workers to resolve disputes with management while minimizing the potential for interstate commerce disruptions. The airline industry was folded into the RLA under Title II in 1936. The RLA was the first federal law guaranteeing the right of workers to organize and join unions and elect representatives without employer coercion or interference. The RLA makes it the duty of all carriers and their employees to exert every reasonable effort to voluntarily settle disputes. Negotiations procedures were historically contained in Section 6 of the RLA, which is why one often hears “Section 6” as a catch-all phrase for everything having to do with negotiations under the RLA. The RLA is currently located in 45 USC Chapter 8 Sections 151 – 188.

Who is Covered?

The RLA applies to freight and commuter railroads, airlines, companies directly or indirectly controlled by carriers who perform services related to transportation of freight or passengers and the employees of these railroads, airlines and companies.

Basic Purposes

  • Avoid any interruption to commerce.
  • Assist in the prompt and orderly settlement of disputes covering rates of pay, work rules, or working conditions.
  • Assist in the prompt and orderly settlement of disputes growing out of grievances or out of the interpretation or application of existing contracts covering the rates of pay, work rules or working conditions.
  • Ensure an unhindered right of employees to join a labor union (added in 1934).
  • Provide complete independence of organization by both parties to carry out the purposes of the RLA.

“Minor” vs. Major” Disputes

Disputes are divided into two categories under the Railway Labor Act: “minor” (resolved via the grievance and arbitration process) and “major” (resolved via the negotiations process).

Minor Disputes: Grievances growing out of the interpretation or application of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). – System boards of adjustment (often administered by a neutral third-party arbitrator) have exclusive jurisdiction over grievance disputes. A system board’s findings are conclusive, and any awards through this process are binding on the parties. Self-help (e.g., work slowdowns or stoppages, worker strikes or management imposed work rules) not allowed. (See “Arbitration in the Airlines Industry: System Boards of Adjustment” by Thomas J. Kassin and Sarah L. Fuson for more information.)

Major Disputes: Matters affecting rates of pay, rules and working conditions; and the creation or modification of the collective bargaining agreement between the parties. – There is almost total reliance upon collective bargaining for major dispute settlement. Self-help (e.g., strikes and imposed work rules) are permitted after negotiation and mediation procedures have been exhausted.

Next Up

(Order is subject to change)

  • Negotiations Under the Railway Labor Act
  • Negotiating for Our Future
  • Block hours vs. TFP
  • Block or Better vs. Block Delay
  • Incentive Pay vs. Productivity Premium Program (PPP)
  • Inflight Team Leader (ITL) Pay vs. “A” Pay

AFA Update – December 11, 2020

In This Edition

  • MEC Resolution on Gender Equality
  • CALL CONGRESS: We’re Closer to #ReliefNow Than Ever Before
  • Georgia Senate Runoff Election
  • Community Resources for Those in Need

MEC Resolution on Gender Equality

Master Executive Council (MEC)

AFA has long been a champion of equality both in and out of the workplace.  Over the course of many years, we have made achievements in our struggle to realize fair treatment for all.  There is still much work to be done, however, and we continue with our efforts to achieve workplace equality almost daily.

The Master Executive Council (MEC) recently adopted a resolution in support of gender equality, specifically in regard to the right to recognition, acceptance, and inclusion of people of all gender identities and gender expressions.  As a part of the resolution, the MEC is calling upon Alaska Airlines management to make much needed changes to company policies in order to recognize, accept, and include non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals.  You can view the complete language of the resolution on the AFA Alaska website by clicking here.

What Are Gender Identity and Gender Expression?

Gender identity refers to how you view your gender internally (e.g., man, woman, or another gender).  Gender expression refers to how you present your gender on the outside through your behavior, mannerisms, the clothing you wear, your voice, and other characteristics. Gender non-conforming is a broader term that describes people who do not follow other people’s ideas or stereotypes about how they should look or act based on the female or male sex they were assigned at birth.

In our society, many people identify and express themselves as either male or female.  This is often referred to as the “gender binary”, meaning that it has two parts—male and female.  People who are non-binary have a gender that doesn’t fall into one of these two categories. They may have a gender that blends both male and female elements, is different than male or female, or they may not identify with any gender.

If you’d like to read more to further understand non-binary and gender non-conforming people, you can find additional information using the links below:

A Request for Immediate Action

Earlier this week, the MEC sent a formal letter to management requesting an immediate meeting to discuss the resolution and begin the process of working to study, review, and update company policies as quickly as possible.  We have requested that the frontline employee uniform and appearance standards be reviewed first as they are one of the most significantly impactful areas of inequality for those who are non-binary and/or gender non-conforming.

Questions?

Please contact your LEC President with any questions about the MEC Resolution.

CALL CONGRESS: We’re Closer to #ReliefNow Than Ever Before

Government Affairs Committee

We’ve rallied, marched, called, emailed, tweeted, and more to demand our members of Congress extend the Payroll Support Program (PSP). Our activism is forcing lawmakers to publicly come out to support #ReliefNow for Flight Attendants and essential aviation workers and urge their colleagues to take action. 

Throughout the next 7 days, we have to be louder than we’ve ever been before

The $908 billion bipartisan proposal on emergency relief has significant support across Congress, but there are a few outstanding issues unrelated to PSP. Our action and voices are critical to getting this legislation over the finish line.

Congress is gearing up to depart Washington, D.C. for the holidays and before they leave, they must pass a government funding bill by Friday, December 11th, to avert a government shutdown. Congress is expected to extend that deadline to December 18th. That is unfortunate because every day counts for those out of work and all the disruption and suffering caused for people without relief – and even those on the job under these conditions. We need to continue to demand #ReliefNow. Every day counts! This is a bridge of emergency relief for the whole country for four month. Stimulus discussions for recovery would be renewed in the New Year. More relief will be needed for our country to recover.

Our members of Congress must hear from us, our family members and friends, every day

SENATE: (888) 848-4824
HOUSE: (888) 907-9365

“Hello, I am a constituent calling to tell my (Senator/Representative) that we need emergency relief and an extension of the Payroll Support Program TODAY. We are out of work and without healthcare. Do not leave Washington, D.C. without passing emergency relief for our families. Do your job. Thank you.”

Georgia Senate Runoff Election

Government Affairs Committee

On January 5, voters in Georgia will have the opportunity to vote in an election to determine who will represent them in the United States Senate.  Georgia voters will have the opportunity to send two candidates to Washington who support working Americans through the right to organize and bargain collectively.  This election is critical as the outcome has the ability to affect the balance of power in the Senate.

With judicial nominees, a stimulus deal, infrastructure and health care measures, and tax and spending policies all on the line, the Senate races in Georgia are likely to take on an intensity that mirrors the presidential race that just ended.  We need to do everything possible to encourage Georgia voters to vote and get the word out about pro-worker candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Our fellow AFA and CWA members will be working to reach out to Georgia voters through phone banking activities every Tuesday until the election as well for several days prior to the election itself.  You can help make a difference and get the word out by signing up for a shift and joining the phone bank!  Available shifts are:

Tuesday, December 15th2 to 5 PM PST 
Tuesday, December 22nd2 to 5 PM PST
Tuesday, December 29th2 to 5 PM PST
Sunday, January 3rd9 AM to 5 PM PST
Monday, January 4th2 to 5 PM PST
Tuesday, January 5th (Election Day)9 AM to 3:30 PM PST
Click here to sign up for a shift

Signing up for just one shift can make a difference and you’re welcome to sign up for as many shifts as you’d like.  After you sign up for shifts, you’ll receive Zoom information about how to connect to the phone bank.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Government Affairs Committee.

Community Resources for Those in Need

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Your AFA EAP Committee has compiled the below list of websites that may prove helpful with the financial strains of our times.

Food Banks, Housing and Utility Assistance, Clothing Closets, Veteran Services etc.  

Health Care

Behavioral Health Care

Prescription Assistance Programs

  • Partnership for Prescription Assistance: A program sponsored by drug companies, doctors, patient advocacy organizations, and civic groups. It helps low-income, uninsured patients get free or low-cost, brand-name medications. http://www.pparx.org  Ph: 888-477-2669 
  • NeedyMeds: A nonprofit group that has an extensive database of information about patient assistance programs, state assistance, drug discount programs, and free or low-cost medical care. You can search the database for free on its website. The site also has information on thousands of programs to help consumers through the application process. www.needymeds.org
  • RxAssist: An online database of drug company programs that provide free or affordable drugs and copay assistance. www.rxassist.org
  • RxHope: A web-based resource where you can search by medication to find assistance programs. It also offers help with the application process. www.rxhope.com
  • RxOutreach: A mail-order pharmacy for people with little to no health insurance coverage. www.rxoutreach.org

Questions?

Contact your Local EAP Committee if you’d like more personalized assistance in understanding and accessing these or other resources.

AFA Update – November 20, 2020

In This Edition

  • Grievance Committee Update

Grievance Committee Update

Grievance Committee

The Master Executive Council (MEC) has been very hard at work ensuring disciplinary due process and contractual compliance on your behalf.  The contract requires a minimum of 13 arbitration dates yearly to dispute discipline/termination cases and contractual issues.  Termination cases are typically prioritized in order to return a Flight Attendant back to work as soon as possible; however, we seek a balance between discipline and contractual cases.  AFA and management mutually decide which cases to arbitrate next based on many factors. 

Steps of discipline are confirmation of oral warning (COW), written warning (WW), suspension (varied number of days) to termination.  COWs, WWs, and suspensions remain in the FA’s file for 18 months, and then are removed.  If a Flight Attendant is in a step of discipline and gets another violation, the new violation will build on the previous violation.  Management doesn’t always progressively travel up the steps of discipline.  If management investigates a Flight Attendant for theft or abuse of sick leave, for example, management will terminate the Flight Attendant if there is evidence to support its findings; if there is no evidence, then the Flight Attendant will most likely be issued a record of discussion (ROD). A ROD is not considered discipline.  There is no middle ground for certain violations.  

Subject of Most Recent Discipline

  • Theft.  Anything other than an opened/used bottle of water, unused pilot crew meal or purchased food removed from the aircraft will result in termination.  (Temporarily there are COVID-19 exceptions).  
  • Sick leave and FMLA abuse—Terminations on the rise due to travel audits among other things.  Anything written in the comments posting of trip trades and personal drops can be seen, even if eventually deleted.  If management determines abuse it results in termination.  
  • Timecard fraud—For example: Holding the door open to obtain sit pay or picking up additional trips to inflate pay protection after notification of a COVID-19 exposure.  Management has terminated for these violations.
  • Drug/Alcohol violations
  • Harassment
  • Reserves commuting during reserve availability period even if self-assigned a trip. Management has terminated for this reason several times.
  • Social media violations, including “friending” or “following” passengers on social media from information gained from the IMD
  • Commuter Violations
    • Flight Attendant was released from deadhead and used D8Y (commuter boarding priority) to travel home from an outstation
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y when they picked up out of base
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y to/from incorrect cities
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y for pleasure travel
  • Lost IMD or other required items
  • Failing to complete CBT—even if FA just forgets to hit the close out x at the top to switch it from in process to complete.

Recent Arbitration/Mediation

ArbitrationJulyContractual Grievance
ArbitrationAugustContractual Grievance
ArbitrationSeptemberDisciplinary Grievance

Recent Arbitration Awards

None

Recent Grievance Settlements

None

Grievances Pending Final Settlement

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-144-19-Violation §13.D.1 Uniform Allotment and Optional Pieces.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §13.D.1 [Uniforms:  Uniform Allotment/Credits], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to give Flight Attendants the ability to purchase Luly Yang inspired by Alaska Airlines optional uniform pieces (which are or will be available for purchase at the Alaska Airlines Company store) with their contractual uniform allotted funds.  

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-170-19-Violation of §19.A Investigatory Meetings.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement § 19.A [Grievance Procedures], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about October 29, 2019, at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), it conducted an investigatory meeting related to a slide deployment with all Flight Attendants assigned to work flight 623 (IAD-SFO) while they were on duty, without providing adequate opportunity to obtain Union representation in the form of an AFA Grievance Representative, and without providing the option of conducting the meeting on their day off with accompanying pay of four (4.0) TFP.  

Grievances Recently Granted by Management 

Grievance 36-99-2-275-20-Violation of §30.A.2 Training Hours.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §30.A.2 [Training:  Hours], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about July 23, 2020, Flight Attendants attending Recurrent Training (RT) in Seattle were released at 5:07pm, seven (7) minutes past the contractual release time of 5:00pm.    

Details:  Flight Attendants who attended in this particular class will receive an additional 1.0 TFP.

Grievance 36-99-2-279-20-Violation of §30.A.2 Training Hours.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §30.A.2 [Training:  Hours], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about August 11, 2020, Flight Attendants attending Recurrent Training (RT) in Long Beach (LGB) were released at 4:03pm, three (3) minutes past the contractual release time of 4:00pm.    

Details:  Flight Attendants who attended in this particular class will receive an additional 1.0 TFP.

Grievances Recently Filed

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-320-20-Violation of §30.C.4 Computer Based Training (CBT).  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §30.C.4 [Training:  Training Pay/Computer Based Training (CBT)], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about September 28, 2020, it added a 5th Computer Based Training for Flight Attendants to complete for 2020.  Prior to adding the 5thCBT, it issued Quarter 1 CBT, training videos CBT, Quarter 2 CBT and Quarter 3 CBT.  

Grievances Recently Filed and Denied

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-301-20-Violation of §3.D Scope of Agreement.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §3.D [Scope of Agreement:  Scope], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it announced beginning October 2020 through July 2021, it will operate flights with cargo in cabin seats; although such flying will occur without passengers, the Company intends to staff the flights with non-Flight Attendant employees, who will be trained to perform Flight Attendant duties, specifically including but not limited to:  Firefighting duties, cargo stowage in the passenger cabin and aircraft door operation in normal and emergency mode.    

More Information

For more information, including the status of previously filed grievances, please visit the Grievance Committee Activity Page.

Questions?

Please contact your Local Grievance Committee if you have any questions about the Grievance Committee update.

AFA Alaska Update – November 12, 2020

AFA Alaska Update – November 12, 2020

In This Edition

  • Annual Benefits Open Enrollment
  • COVID-19 Pandemic Update
  • Recurrent Training Update
  • AFA Disaster Relief – Multiple Disasters
  • Union Plus Holiday Giveback

Annual Benefits Open Enrollment

Benefits Committee

Annual Benefits Open Enrollment is underway, and you have until November 18, 2020 to make changes to your benefits for 2021.

PPO Plan

The PPO rates are frozen at the 2019 rates per JCBA §23.A.2.

Consumer Choice (High Deductible) PPO Plan

Rates significantly increased this year for the Consumer Choice (High Deductible) PPO Plan, and the various benefits have arguably been greatly diluted. AFA recommends that Flight Attendants currently on the Consumer Choice Plan should carefully consider whether this plan continues to work for your situation.

Many Flight Attendants have asked about whether the increase in rates is allowed contractually, and the answer is yes. JCBA §23.A.3: “The Company will offer a high-deductible group-insurance plan. Flight Attendants will pay no more than any other work group to participate in the plan.” The regular PPO has an annual rate increase limit, but the Consumers Choice/High Deductible PPO Plan does not.

Regional HMO Plans

Rates did not increase this year for the Regional HMO Plans. Per JCBA §23.A.4: “For Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), where offered, the Flight Attendant will pay the difference between the entire cost of the HMO and the Company contribution for the PPO plan, subject to a minimum Flight Attendant contribution of the amount charged to PPO plan participants.”

Travel Open Enrollment

You will be able to make changes to your travel dependents during Travel Open Enrollment, which is December 2-16.

COVID-19 Pandemic Update

Air Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC) and Inflight Service Committee (ISC)

Management Continues to Roll Out Additional Onboard Service Over AFA’s Objections

First, coffee and tea back in July. Then, Fruit & Cheese Platters last week. Now, a second service in Premium Class is coming soon on Hawaii flights. (There have been other service additions along the way, but you get the point.) Master Executive Council (MEC) leadership has received questions from concerned members asking if we are in support of these service additions while the pandemic continues to rage.

We are not, on the basis that they are premature in our opinion. However, management strongly believes the enhancements are necessary in order to maintain guest satisfaction and that sufficient safety measures have been implemented to mitigate risk to acceptable levels.

Although the parties are agreeing to disagree on that last point, we are always attempting to find common ground. For now, management has agreed to not expand coffee and tea service to all day, to limit the second Premium Class service to Hawaii and to continue working with AFA to minimize aisle time and maximize mask compliance. Efforts continue on multiple fronts in various forums every week.

AFA COVID-19 Operational Recommendations (October 2020)

Click here for AFA Media Release “Aircraft Cabin COVID-19 Studies Affirm Safe Travel with Mask Compliance and Layered COVID-19 Safety Procedures” (October 27, 2020) >

The AFA Executive Board of Directors unanimously approved the following recommendations developed by the AFA International Air Safety, Health, Security Department working in partnership with the safety committees at all the AFA carriers. These were recently sent to the CEOs of every AFA carrier requesting action to implement the recommendations. AFA Alaska leadership is currently working through the list with executive management. We will keep you posted on the progress.

  • Continue to require that masks are worn onboard until a vaccine is widely available, and implement these onboard service policies to facilitate consistent mask-wearing:
    • Minimize onboard food and beverage service to essential items;
    • Make regular announcements: (1) for passengers to not remove their mask until the Flight Attendant has passed their row; and (2) for passengers to only “dip” their mask down momentarily to take a bite or a sip (“dip and sip”);
    • Add onboard mask protocols to flight attendant safety demos, including the requirement for everyone to wear a mask throughout the flight, to wear it over the month and nose, and to only dip it down momentarily when eating/drinking; 
    • Only serve cold food and drinks on flights less than 1,800 miles/three hours; 
    • Serve individual cans/bottles for drinks, do not pour beverages from master bottles;
    • Stop onboard alcohol sales: alcohol consumption is non-essential and can reduce mask compliance.
  • Maintain social-distancing space for flight attendants, whenever possible on the plane and transportation to/from hotel. Provide regular briefing sheet reminders about best practices in crowded spaces to reduce risk – persistent proper mask use, avoid common touch locations, use of 60% alcohol or more hand sanitizer, and wash hands for 20 seconds or more as soon as practicable after once at destination (airport or hotel).
  • Maintain employee sick leave policies with economic coverage of testing and non-punitive sick calls if experiencing COVID-like symptoms.
  • Conduct timely notification to Flight Attendants on exposure to confirmed coronavirus cases, with a 72 hours lookback to a passenger or crewmember reporting either symptoms or a positive test result, including notification to crewmembers if one or more passengers test positive post-flight. Continue company-sponsored crew testing and quarantine protocols;
  • Continue to implement and maintain sanitation and disinfection protocols; and
  • Minimize or eliminate touch points, such as hanging coats for passengers and other non-essential services.

Recurrent Training Update

Inflight Training Committee

Recurrent Training 2021: Boeing Window Exit – Ditching

Remember the very wordy Q3 Computer Based Training (CBT) Boeing Window Exit Ditching video? It’s official: As required by the FAA, we will be evaluated on that evacuation drill during Recurrent Training 2021. We do not believe this regulatory requirement will change, so start studying now!

No More Line Observation in the Special Track Training Program

The requirement for a Line Observation (which was being commonly referenced as a “check ride” in casual conversation on the line) within twelve months of a successful third or fourth competency evaluation (i.e. RT or RQ drill) has been removed from the Special Track training program. Although the Special Track continues to exist, a Line Observation is no longer part of the program.

AFA Disaster Relief – Multiple Disasters

AFA Disaster Relief Fund

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 harm’s 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.

Hurricane Laura (Louisiana):

PARISHES: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Caddo, Calcasieu, Cameron, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, La Salle, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Winn

California Wildfires:

COUNTIES: Butte, Fresno, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Medera, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Trinity, Tulare and Yolo

Oregon Wildfires:

COUNTIES: Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion

Hurricane Sally (Alabama):

COUNTIES: Baldwin, Escambia, Mobile

Hurricane Delta (Louisiana):

PARISHES: Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion  

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

If you wish to make a contribution either by check or electronic payment, please visit www.afacwa.org/drf for more information on donating.

Union Plus Holiday Giveback: Nominations Are Open

Sponsor: Union Privilege

It’s official. The Union Plus Holiday Giveback Campaign is officially live! Over the next month, Union Plus is accepting nominations for extraordinary union members across the country that deserve something a little extra this holiday season. The best part? 100 winners will each receive $1,000 in appreciation of all that they do for their communities. It’s simple to enter. How simple? Three steps for three minutes simple:

1. Record a short video of yourself explaining what makes your nominee extraordinary. They can be any union member–someone from your community, a loved one, or yourself.

2. Click here to submit the video on Union Plus’s website or post the video on your personal Instagram account using the hashtags #UnionPlusGiveAGrand and #Contest

3. Click here to submit a written entry (300 words or less) on Union Plus’s website. Nominations will be accepted until December 4th, and winners will be announced throughout December. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to make a fellow union member’s holiday season extra special and wish you the best of luck!

REQUIRED DISCLOSURE: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The Contest (the “Contest”) is open to legal U.S residents 18+. See Official Rules & Appendix for complete eligibility details and eligible unions in Official Rules. The Contest is not open to the general public. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Contest begins 11/9/20 and ends 12/4/20. Click here for Official Rules.

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Recurrent Training 2021

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Recurrent Training 2021 Master Executive Council (MEC) + Inflight Training Committee + Air, Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC) In This Edition Early Success Rates Look Promising COVID-19 Risk Mitigations Written Exam Practice Questions and Answers Adequate “Hands-On” Time Prior to Emergency Evacuation Evaluations Acceptable Deviations to Emergency Evacuation Commands Requalification Training (RQ) Early Success […]

AFA Alaska Negotiations Update – December 17, 2020

AFA Alaska Negotiations Update – December 17, 2020 Master Executive Council In This Edition Updated Contract Negotiations Timeline Negotiations Delayed Until September 1, 2021 Overview of the Railway Labor Act Updated Contract Negotiations Timeline 1st round Negotiating Committee interviews – March & April 2020 Full pay scale increase of 2.5% – December 17, 2020 – […]

AFA Update – December 11, 2020

In This Edition MEC Resolution on Gender Equality CALL CONGRESS: We’re Closer to #ReliefNow Than Ever Before Georgia Senate Runoff Election Community Resources for Those in Need MEC Resolution on Gender Equality Master Executive Council (MEC) AFA has long been a champion of equality both in and out of the workplace.  Over the course of many […]

AFA Update – November 20, 2020

In This Edition Grievance Committee Update Grievance Committee Update Grievance Committee The Master Executive Council (MEC) has been very hard at work ensuring disciplinary due process and contractual compliance on your behalf.  The contract requires a minimum of 13 arbitration dates yearly to dispute discipline/termination cases and contractual issues.  Termination cases are typically prioritized in order to […]

AFA Alaska Update – November 12, 2020

AFA Alaska Update – November 12, 2020 In This Edition Annual Benefits Open Enrollment COVID-19 Pandemic Update Recurrent Training Update AFA Disaster Relief – Multiple Disasters Union Plus Holiday Giveback Annual Benefits Open Enrollment Benefits Committee Annual Benefits Open Enrollment is underway, and you have until November 18, 2020 to make changes to your benefits for […]

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