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Why Vote?

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As we continue our Government Affairs Focus Month, our attention turns to civic engagement and the critical role voting plays in shaping our day-to-day work environment. While many of us associate workplace protections primarily with contract negotiations, the laws and regulations that govern our aviation career extend far beyond the bargaining table.

Watch: Why Vote?

In our feature video for the week, Zoe Wulz, a San Francisco-based Flight Attendant and Local Government Affairs Committee Chairperson for Council 35 in SFO, breaks down why voting is a professional necessity for every Flight Attendant. Zoe addresses how crucial decisions regarding aviation safety, rest requirements, and economic security are directly determined by elected officials. She emphasizes that when Flight Attendants stay on the sidelines, we allow individuals who have never worked a flight to define our reality in the cabin. Voting serves as our most direct, powerful tool to claim our seat at the table and ensure decision-makers understand the issues that impact our profession.

Click here to watch on YouTube ➔

Take Action Today

Protecting our workplace starts with active civic participation. Here is how you can take action right now:

  • Verify Your Voter Registration: Take five minutes today to check your voter registration status and ensure your current address is on file ahead of upcoming elections.
  • Recognize the Scope of Elections: Remember that state and local offices matter just as much as federal positions in impacting labor standards, infrastructure, and community support systems.
  • Engage Your Flying Partners: Start conversations in the crew lounge or on layovers about the importance of being registered and staying informed.

Coming Up This Week

Stay tuned to our AFA social media channels throughout the rest of the week for additional resources to prepare you for election season:

  • Checking & Updating Your Registration: On Wednesday, we’ll share a guide walking you step-by-step through checking your voter registration status or registering for the first time.
  • Candidate Research Resources: On Friday, we’ll post key tips and tools to help you research candidates and evaluate where they stand on essential Flight Attendant labor, safety, and security issues.

Our strength is in our numbers. By staying informed and participating in every election, we protect our contract, our working conditions, and our collective future.

Reminder: Don’t Miss Next Week’s MEC Town Hall!

Mark your calendar: Wednesday, September 23, is almost here! There’s still time to register for our Alaska + Hawaiian Town Hall and hear directly from your MEC Officers: MEC President Tim Green, MEC Vice President Brice McGee, and MEC Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka. Join us for the latest updates and get answers to your questions.

The Details

  • What: AFA Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Town Hall
  • When: Wednesday, September 23
  • Time: 11 AM – 12:30 PM PT
  • Where: Zoom

What We’ll Discuss

Here’s some of what you can expect:

  • Low Morale & Management Changes: Discussing ongoing concerns, focusing on what we can control, and working together through our Union.
  • California Timekeeping: Our MEC’s strong stance against the proposed implementation of management’s California timekeeping system.
  • Base Staffing & Domicile Updates: Addressing SFO staffing and debunking closure rumors, alongside pmHA SEA domicile growth updates.
  • Disciplinary Trends: Current management focus areas for both pmAS and pmHA.
  • Inflight Service Concerns & Workload: Discussing increased workload, staffing issues, the 787 inflight service grievance, and upcoming Neighbor Island 737 service for pmAS crews.
  • Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Update: Progress report on current JNC negotiations and clarification on the JCBA process.
  • Crew Access Issues: Reviewing technical challenges with Crew Access and current priorities for resolution.
  • Tracking Non-Rev Travel Issues: Ongoing efforts to gather data on non-rev travel challenges so the MEC can address trends directly with management.

How to Join: Registration Required

Register now to receive your unique Zoom link and secure your spot. Even if you’re not sure you can attend, we recommend registering so you’ll have the link just in case you’re able to join.

Click Here to Register Now ➔

Please use your personal email address when registering. Registrations from alaskaair.com or hawaiianair.com will be canceled. Membership status will be verified before the Town Hall.

Shape the Conversation: Submit Your Questions Now

Help shape the conversation—submit your questions in advance using our online form. Even if you can’t attend live, your input helps us focus on the topics that matter most to all Flight Attendants. Every question contributes to a stronger discussion.

Click Here to Submit a Question ➔

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, September 23, at the Town Hall!

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Thursday, September 3, representatives from our pre-merger Alaska AFA Reserve Committee met to discuss ongoing work advocating for Reserve Flight Attendants. Attending on your behalf were Ella Embree (ANC), Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). MEC Grievance Chairperson Stephanie Adams also participated, and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton facilitated the meeting.

The Committee met with the Manager of Inflight Crew Scheduling Goose Hlaingmyint and Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling Terrance Chariandy. 

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on Thursday, December 3.

Topics of Discussion

The Committee reviewed several items during internal AFA-only discussions and meetings with management. Topics discussed included:

  • Initial Training Classes: Class 3-26 will begin in October and come online in December.
  • Revamping AFA Day & Onboarding for New Hires
    • We are completely revamping the AFA Day structure and improving how information is delivered to new hires during initial training.
    • We have launched Reserve Webinars to offer more resources, directly answer questions, and share real-world examples about how our collective bargaining agreement (CBA) works. The next Webinar will be held on Wednesday, October 21.
  • Rainmaker and Pay Concerns
    • Remember to review the user guide on the inflight website. Please wait for Crew Pay to deny a query before submitting an AFA Alaska Online Support Center ticket regarding a pay discrepancy.
    • Our MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative and our Communication Committee are collaborating to simplify and update pay resources.
  • Evaluating Contractual Interpretation Disagreements
    • Out-of-order assignments: If a Reserve Flight Attendant believes they have been assigned out of order, they should notify Crew Scheduling. If confirmed, an annotation will be made to pay the out-of-order premium. The trip should not be reassigned to another Reserve, as this would also violate our contract.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Developing Additional Tools & Resources for Reserve Flight Attendants: Reserve Survival Guide and Reserve 101 are updated and will be uploaded to the Inflight Website and AFA Website. Working on developing videos for common questions & answers for Reserves. 
  2. Assisting Reserve Flight Attendants with Pay Concerns: Answering questions and providing clarification to Reserve Flight Attendants regarding Reserve Guarantee and premium pay contractual provisions.
  3. Addressing Reserve Contractual Concerns: Researching and investigating reports from Reserve Flight Attendants and actively ensuring that management complies with our contract. Reminder to Flight Attendants about the AFA Alaska Online Support Center to report issues, raise concerns, or ask questions.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the Committee, concerns to share, or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know. Your Local Reserve Committee is your voice to management. Open a support ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Reserve Committee page of the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian website.

MEC Statement Regarding Management’s New California Timekeeping Policy

Management announced a major policy shift last night that, starting October 1, 2026, California-based pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants in SFO, LAX, and SAN will be required to take an additional and redundant step to record their time worked by punching in and out using a timekeeping system. According to management, this new procedure applies to duty periods, airport standby, deadheading, required training, and other paid company business, such as CBTs, drug testing, and mandatory meetings.

Our Master Executive Council (MEC) unequivocally and strongly condemns this decision. Forcing Flight Attendants to navigate redundant punch-in and punch-out requirements is a completely misguided approach to compliance with California law. It introduces unnecessary administrative obstacles and operational friction into our daily work lives, risks creating widespread compliance confusion surrounding missed punches, and creates a potential distraction from our primary safety duties, all without offering a single tangible benefit to Flight Attendants.

Management has explicitly conceded that this system does not alter how we are paid under our collective bargaining agreement (CBA), does not change how attendance is tracked for purposes of the CBA, and does not change our actual check-in process. Adding an extra layer of tracking for routine duty and company activities is unacceptable and disrespects the professional environment our Flight Attendants operate in every day. While they make these claims, the opportunity for confusion, technical errors, and distractions from duties are substantial. We believe this change requires negotiations in order to comply with our contractual rights.

Our MEC stands firmly together in objecting to this burdensome policy and is taking immediate action to demand that management halt this rollout and postpone implementation. As always, we are ready to engage with management to establish practical, realistic solutions that fully respect our work environment and our CBA without imposing unnecessary administrative burdens on Flight Attendants.

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

Each year, from September 15 to October 15, the United States observes Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month, a vibrant and meaningful tribute to the remarkable contributions, history, and cultures of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. This celebration began as Hispanic Heritage Week, established in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson to recognize the impact and influence of Hispanic-Latinx communities across the nation. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation that expanded the celebration to a full month, reflecting the growing recognition of Hispanic-Latinx Americans’ vital role in shaping American society. Today, Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month serves as an opportunity for everyone to come together, learn, celebrate, and foster greater understanding.

The timing of Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month is especially meaningful. September 15 marks the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—each of which declared independence from Spain in 1821. This date was chosen to honor the shared history and aspirations of these nations. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16, Chile on September 18, and Belize on September 21, further enriching the month with stories of resilience, unity, and cultural pride. These intertwined histories help us appreciate the depth and diversity of Hispanic-Latinx heritage in the Americas.

Learn More About Hispanic-Latinx History

To enhance your understanding of Hispanic-Latinx history and contributions, we invite you to explore some of the following informative resources:

Celebrate with a Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month AFA Pin

We invite you to join the celebration by wearing a Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month AFA Pin! In 2021, the AFA Executive Board unanimously passed a resolution honoring Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month and introduced a commemorative AFA pin for Members. Wearing this pin is a visible way to express pride, solidarity, and support throughout the month.

If you’re interested in learning more about the significance of the pin, reach out to your Local Human Rights & Equity Committee. Want to get your hands on this unique pin? Keep an eye out for availability updates from your Local Council or connect with your LEC Officers to ensure you don’t miss out.

Questions?

If you have any questions or are looking for more information, your Local Human Rights & Equity Committee is here to assist you.

Why Vote?

As we continue our Government Affairs Focus Month, our attention turns to civic engagement and the critical role voting plays in shaping our day-to-day work environment. While many of us associate workplace protections primarily with contract negotiations, the laws and regulations that govern our aviation career extend far beyond the bargaining table. Watch: Why Vote? […]

Reminder: Don’t Miss Next Week’s MEC Town Hall!

Mark your calendar: Wednesday, September 23, is almost here! There’s still time to register for our Alaska + Hawaiian Town Hall and hear directly from your MEC Officers: MEC President Tim Green, MEC Vice President Brice McGee, and MEC Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka. Join us for the latest updates and get answers to your questions. The […]

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, September 3, representatives from our pre-merger Alaska AFA Reserve Committee met to discuss ongoing work advocating for Reserve Flight Attendants. Attending on your behalf were Ella Embree (ANC), Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). MEC […]

MEC Statement Regarding Management’s New California Timekeeping Policy

Management announced a major policy shift last night that, starting October 1, 2026, California-based pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants in SFO, LAX, and SAN will be required to take an additional and redundant step to record their time worked by punching in and out using a timekeeping system. According to management, this new procedure applies to […]

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

Each year, from September 15 to October 15, the United States observes Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month, a vibrant and meaningful tribute to the remarkable contributions, history, and cultures of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. This celebration began as Hispanic Heritage Week, established in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson to recognize the impact and influence of Hispanic-Latinx communities across the […]

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