AFA News Now – Page 13

Government Affairs Committee Update – 4th Quarter 2025

October 7, 2025 09:00

An update on what our Government Affairs Committee has been working on this quarter. Thank you to all our Members who remain engaged and to all our volunteers and Committee Members for dedicating their time representing our Members, advocating for the safety and advancement of our careers while strengthening our labor movement every single day with professionalism and great pride.

Alaska + Hawaiian Government Affairs Committee Members Attend “Reversing Runaway Inequality” Training

Last month, MEC and Council 47 (LAX-pmHA) Government Affairs Committee Chairperson Bruni Agosto-Pinal, Council 19 (SEA) Government Affairs Committee Member Tracy Pettit, and Council 30 (ANC) Government Affairs Committee Member Rebecca Owens participated in a three day “Train-the-Trainer” session on Reversing Runaway Inequality in Chicago, IL. AFA Representatives from United Airlines, Norse Atlantic Airways, and Frontier Airlines also participated.

Led by CWA’s National Political Field Team—Curtis Hierro and Asa Shaw—the training explored the history of inequality in the U.S., its impact on economic justice, and the vital role of solidarity in the labor movement. It highlighted how wealth has shifted from the working class to the top earners (with the help of Congress), and how collective action and increased political power can reverse this trend.

Tracy, Rebecca, and Bruni are now qualified to lead this important training. The goal is to offer a one-day session at every base and online, expanding access to those who may be interested. The first session will be offered to members in November 2025. Stay tuned for sign-up details at your domicile!

Personal takeaways from the training:

“This training lit a fire in me—it reminded me just how powerful it is to ask the big questions: How did we get here? Why are we still fighting? We dove into the history of worker exploitation, systemic issues and came together to brainstorm real, creative solutions —as a labor group and union family, realizing that ultimately it takes all of us! It all starts with asking questions and educating ourselves and each other. I’m feeling inspired and energized to roll this out with Tracy and Rebecca, so we can bring this momentum to all of you. Let’s keep building our strength, protecting our rights, and securing our future—because as we all know, when we stand together, we win! “

Bruni Agosto-Pinal, MEC and Council 47 (LAX-pmHA) Government Affairs Committee Chairperson

“I think these days can seem especially hopeless. I find myself more worried about the future than ever. The Reversing Runaway Inequality Training taught me that nothing is hopeless. This is not about what side you’re on: It’s about a system that was structured to benefit the mega-wealthy and makes life harder for the working class. This training demonstrates that with enough solidarity, worker power and bold action, we can win the fight against the billionaires and make the United States a much more equitable place.”

Tracy Pettit, Government Affairs Committee Member (Council 19, SEA)

“Runaway Inequality at AFA Bootcamp last year taught me that our labor history is not just the past — it’s the foundation of our future. It’s how we got to this exact moment. The wealthy have always divided us. They’ve turned workers against each other. Flight attendants have consistently fallen victim to the c-suite and shareholder agenda. I became an instructor so that l could bring this labor history education to all of AFA. Our power comes when we set aside differences, stand as one working class, and make our voices impossible to ignore. Enough is enough.”

Rebecca Owens, Government Affairs Committee Member (Council 30, ANC)

Government Affairs Committee Attends Virtual Labor Roundtable Hosted By Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05)

MEC and Council 47 (LAX-pmHA) Government Affairs Committee Chairperson Bruni Agosto-Pinal and Council 39 (PDX) Government Affairs Committee Member Manda Bednarczyk attended a Virtual Labor Roundtable hosted by Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05). It was a short, 45-minute session with other labor groups, and updates were given to the Congresswoman on what our Union has been working on and overall priorities- including the ongoing contract negotiations at various AFA carriers and specifically our JCBA here at Alaska + Hawaiian. We asked for the Congresswoman’s support on HR 2353 (Safer Skies Act) and HR 4994 (Safe Air on Airplanes Act). We also touched on the importance of protecting the vote-by-mail access for our workgroup, as many of us cannot get to the polls on Election Day. Congresswoman Bynum’s office shared a press release you can read here

Council 15 (SAN)

Our San Diego Government Affairs Committee has been working closely with the San Diego and Imperial County Labor Council (SDICLC) which is comprised of about 100 local labor affiliates. We’ve had so much fun getting to know the staff of the SDICLC and our union brothers & sisters. We are present at the SDICLC’s round-table every month. Outside of this meeting, AFA has continued to make our presence known in San Diego at various labor events.
In July, we attended a City Council meeting to support hospitality workers of Amusement Parks & hotels with more than 150 rooms in receiving a $25 minimum wage. It is still under discussion by the City Council, but they appear to be favorable in supporting our service workers.

Local Government Affairs Committee Chairperson Rebecca Garcia, MEC and LEC Vice President Brice McGee, and International Vice President Keturah Johnson were all representing AFA during our San Diego Pride march on July 19

Government Affairs Committee Member Eve Seguin Du Haime participated in a Labor Day 2025 event where many unions and people of the public came together for workers’ rights & human rights.
She has also been volunteering at the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council’s (SDICLC) food bank about every other week, since June. It is open to union members and people of the public every Monday and Thursday and serves hundreds of families in San Diego. Here’s a picture at the end of a busy day.
Lastly, Council 15 has been invited to join the SDICLC’s Political Coordinators monthly meetings, where our Labor Council will be finding candidates who support our workers and our causes, and our Unions will be doing everything in our power to support them in turn (phone banking, canvassing, and the like). It’s about to be even busier as we get ready for the mid-terms! San Diego is feeling great being out in the community and strengthening our Union Power!

Council 19 (SEA)

Government Affairs Committee Members Andrew Stinson, Jerry Sinclair, and Local Government Affairs Committee Chairperson Melinda Jorge continued to attend Pierce County Central Labor Council (PCCLC) meetings monthly. PCCLC took the month of August to enjoy the summer break. However, they’re back working for the working class as of September.

Government Affairs Committee Members Tracy Pettit, Andrew Stinson, Melinda Jorge, and Kiersten Larson attended the annual Washington State Labor Council Convention (WSLC-convention). The WSLC consists of all the affiliated AFL-CIO unions in Washington. The convention is when the unions participate in a representative democratic process, voting on the political and legislative agenda for the upcoming year. It’s an excellent opportunity to speak up about our interests as Flight Attendants at the state and local levels. Among the many incredible speakers were Governor Bob Ferguson, Attorney General Nick Brown, and AFT-Chicago President Stacey Davis Gates. If you have questions about this convention and our legislative agenda for WSLC, please get in touch with one of our Government Affairs Committee Members.

UNITE HERE Local 8 held an informational picket at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on August 7. Melinda Jorge, Bev Bullock, and LEC President Paula Isla-McGill (as well as Melinda’s adorable grandchildren, Shadi and Mitali-Lucy) showed up to represent AFA and show our support for our fellow aviation siblings.

Tracy Pettit had the unique privilege of being selected as a member of the AFA Honor Guard (along with Brandi Neal – AFA United) for the September 11th Memorial at the World Trade Center. When asked about the experience, she stated, “I realized how fortunate I am to be able to represent my flying siblings. It was a truly profound experience that I will never forget.” Tracy also had the opportunity to meet a Hawaiian AFA sister, Christina Curran, who also attended the event.

Thank You For Participating In The Call To Action Re: PSA Flight Attendants

Thank you for your action in calling and writing our Senators urging them to sign on to Senator Tim Kaine’s letter to PSA management for a fair contract. On September 16, 14 US Senators signed on to the letter. Read the letter here.

On August 20, seven Members of the House sent letter to PSA CEO. Read the letter here.

Stay Up To Date With AFA International

As we know, there is so much that happens in our industry that affects our daily lives- including issues at other AFA carriers. We encourage you to sign up for the E-Newsletters here, so you can stay in the know of what is happening within our union and action you can take to ensure the protection and advancement of our careers. When we legislate, we do not have to negotiate!

Your Vote Matters! Check Your Voter Registration

Did you move? Change your name? Did your state laws change? Are you registered to vote? Even if you are registered, it’s important you double-check registration status and inform yourself on voter registration deadlines and process for your particular state. Local elections are some of the most important: you may have mayoral, city council, school board races and judicial seats up for election, to name a few. Check registration deadlines and what elections are coming up in your state and districts here

Your vote is your voice; it matters!

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

October 6, 2025 09:00

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Thursday, October 2, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Deb Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Kalin Lackey (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Carin Merritt (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN). Also present were MEC Vice President Brice McGee, Hawaiian MEC ASHSC Chairperson Kerri Ruiz, and Alaska MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple.

The Committee met with the Director Inflight Safety and Compliance Geri Jerritt, Director of Cabin Safety Angela Jones, Cabin Safety Manager Heidi Styley, Senior Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Manager of Inflight Safety Nicky Sagum, Maniging Director of Inflight Services Training Randy Katz, Manager of Inflight Policy and Procedure Kaliko Howell, and Director of Inflight Training & Standards Jesse Sexton

The next scheduled Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled to take place in San Francisco on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Topics of Discussion

The Committee reviewed several items when meeting with management. Some items discussed include (items which are Security Sensitive Information are not included):

Paper Clips Hard to Find and Use in a Decompression: Flight Attendants have difficulty quickly locating paper clips in the Flight Attendant Kits. Management is looking for solutions, including installing a Manual Release Tool (MRT) under each jumpseat.
Do Lap Children Get a COB? The Carry-On Bag (COB) allotment is for each “ticketed passenger.” However, our contract of carriage says a diaper bag for a lap child is exempt from the limit. This does not align with the FAM, which says it counts toward the parent’s carry-on limit. Management will align the FAM with the Contract of Carriage.
Unattended Passengers Waiting on Jet Bridge for Gate-Checked Baggage/Items: Passengers cannot be left unattended on the jet bridge while waiting for gate-checked items after deplaning. Unfortunately, Customer Service Agents have not always returned to the aircraft when Flight Attendants are ready to deplane. Management has been asked to audit to determine if Agents are able to comply with the requirement to return to the aircraft 10 minutes after the door opens.
Two-Way Voice Communication: Passengers are violating the rules against using apps like Zoom and Teams for two-way communication during flights. Management will review and determine if more explicit instruction in the FAM and/or an announcement to passengers is needed. Note that listening only to meetings, etc., is permitted.
Many Pet Carriers That Don’t Fit Under the Main Cabin Aisle Seats: Pet carriers weren’t fitting under the Main Cabin aisle seats (C and D), causing seating delays. Management updated the carrier size during the single operating certificate (COB) integration process. When this is followed and the requirement for carriers to be soft-sided is met, they should fit under aisle seats in the main cabin.
Inflatable Item Restrictions: Passengers think they can use these items on board the aircraft. Management will ensure reservations agents know about the restrictions and will work to get the public-facing website to provide information on these prohibited items.
Flight “Closed” with Passengers in Jet Bridge: Flights are being marked “closed” in Block2Block (B2B) while passengers are still lined up in the jet bridge. Inflight management will discuss this practice with Airport Operations & Customer Service (AOCS) to see if they can wait until the last passenger boards to close flights.
Passenger Seating Position for Takeoff and Landing: The FAM lacks clear verbiage about the required passenger seating position for taxi, takeoff, and landing. Management will look at clarifying the policy to specify that passengers need to be seated upright and cannot be lying down during these phases of flight.
Commingling Demo Kits with COBs in Overhead Bins: Forward demo kits on some aircraft are located in overhead bins without dividers, causing them to become buried behind passengers’ carry-on bags. Management will look at the possibility of adding dividers or moving the location of the demo kits to address this issue.
Boarding Without Pilots: An aircraft must have power and lights to board without pilots. However, this is not well defined in the FAM. Can we board using ground service power, which does not provide power to interphones, etc.? Management will seek to align on a definition with Airport Operations & Customer Service (AOCS) and update manuals to reflect the shared understanding.
Minimum Amount of Potable Water for Safety: There is no clear, standardized policy on the minimum amount of potable water required onboard for safety purposes. The Committee would like there to be a minimum required for dispatch.
Add Absorbent Material to UPK: The Universal Precaution Kit (UPK) needs an absorbent material (powder or similar) to handle liquid biohazards effectively. A small broom and dustpan would also be helpful. Management will investigate what other carriers, including Hawaiian Airlines, use as absorbent material.
Cleaners and Pilots’ Bags at the R1 Door: Bags left in front of the L1 door during deplaning can create a tripping hazard, interfere with the girt bar, and make it difficult to verify that the door is disarmed. Inflight management will coordinate with Flight Operations and Fleet Service to find alternative locations for trash bags and Pilots’ luggage.
Seatbelt Extension in Exit Row: There is no procedure to verify a passenger’s seat location when a seatbelt extension is requested to ensure they are not in an exit row. Inflight Policy and Procedure will look at adding this to the FAM.
CRS Booster VS. Medical Device: The FAM lacks clear guidance on the difference between Child Restraint System (CRS) booster seats and medical devices that function as boosters. Management will work to provide more explicit guidance about assistive devices (FAM Section 12.100, pgs. 107 & 108).
CSA’s Pushing to Close the L1 Door When the L2 Door Is Opened and Being Catered: Customer Service Agents (CSAs) are pressuring to close the L1 door while the L2 door is open for catering, disrupting Flight Attendant door arming and creating safety procedure errors. Management will look at adding language to the FAM clarifying that “ready to close” also means catering is complete and all aircraft doors, other than one boarding door, are closed.
Lack of Information in the FAM about Care Attendants: The “care attendant” section needs to be returned to the FAM.
Megaphone Preflight Check: Megaphones are frequently found with dead batteries because a preflight check is not required. Inflight Safety and Compliance is working on adding testing of the megaphone by pressing the button and listening for an audible click.
MAX 8 Headrests: The policy states that headrests should be lowered, but we wouldn’t want them lowered as low as they will go on the new Recaro seats, as the exposed headrest track could cause injury if the headrest ended up lower than the passenger’s head. The Committee has requested that the FAM make it clear that the headrest only needs to be lowered to be flush with the top of the seatback.
Safety Announcement Updates (Crossbody Bags and Tablets with Keyboards): Safety announcements need to be updated to include specific instructions for stowing fanny packs and crossbody bags and clearer wording for tablets with detachable keyboards. Management is receptive to making these changes and will work to add language with the next announcement update.

Things The Committee Is Working On

Working on integrating safety programs (ASAP, FRB, and LOSA) and Committee meetings and management.
Reviewing and providing feedback on Recurrent Training (RT) content for 2026.
Offering ongoing feedback on the MAX 10 galleys and various other cabin interior projects.

We Want to Hear From You!

If you’ve encountered any safety-related issues at work, you can help the Committee advocate for improvement and change by submitting a report. You can use ReportIt! to submit Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) reports, and fatigue reports. If you need clarification or assistance on what type of report to file, please get in touch with a member of your Local ASHSC.

Your Local ASHSC is always ready to represent your voice to management. Please don’t hesitate to let us know about any issues or concerns you want us to bring forward. We would also love to hear any other feedback you may have for the Committee. You can find our contact information on the ASHSC page of the AFA Alaska website.

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 7 – September 2025

October 3, 2025 16:00

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants

Our JNC met with management this week on September 30 to October 2 in Seattle; our next negotiation session is scheduled for October 21 to October 23
A tentative agreement was reached regarding Section 13 – Uniforms
2,207 Flight Attendants participated in the Vacation Survey, our JNC will review all responses submitted

Negotiations Update

The AFA Alaska + Hawaiian Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management. The JNC met with management on September 30 to October 2 in Seattle, WA. At the negotiating table for this session were:

Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants	Representing Management
Tim Green, Joint Negotiating Committee Chairperson	Allen Thieman, Vice President of Inflight, Alaska
Martin Gusman, Joint Negotiating Committee Member	Ryan St. John, Vice President, Finance, Planning and Investor Relations, Alaska
Jeffrey Fuke, Joint Negotiating Committee Member	Joe Wonderly, Vice President, Labor Relations, Alaska
Virginia Fritz, Joint Negotiating Committee Member	Carmen Williams, Managing Director, Labor Relations, Alaska
Heather Reier, Joint Negotiating Committee Member	Kalani Sloat, Senior Director, Labor Relations, Hawaiian
Paula Mastrangelo, AFA Senior Staff Negotiator	Mike Link, Labor Relations Program Manager, Alaska
Brian Palmer, MEC Communications Chairperson	Karen Themelis, Senior Labor Relations Business Partner, Alaska

Throughout this week’s negotiations, our JNC made meaningful strides in developing several sections of our agreement. Both parties demonstrated a willingness to collaborate, and while there are still some areas that need addressing, we are optimistic about the progress we are making together. As we continue this important dialogue, our goal is to advance further toward finalizing each section we’ve discussed.

Brian Palmer joined the committee to share his expertise on connectivity in Section 27 – Association General. Our JNC aims to enhance communication with you, our Members, in crew rooms across all bases.

Our JNC has reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) on Section 13 – Uniforms. We are working through various provisions, including the basic uniform, dry cleaning, uniform costs, footwear, jacket requirements, and gloves, which will be resolved once the final uniform design is determined. We successfully negotiated valuable items from the Hawaiian Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), including protective measures ensuring that surnames do not appear on name tags. We’ve enhanced the uniform replacement provisions and broadened the guidelines for Arctic boot wear, reflecting our commitment to improving the overall uniform standards.

Section by Section Progress

Tentative Agreements reached in this session:

Section 13 – Uniforms (HA CBA Section 6)

Sections discussed in this session:

Section 25 – Air Safety Health and Security (HA CBA Section 28)

We continue to advocate for safety improvements and reporting

Section 27 – Association General (HA CBA Section 22)

As our Flight Attendant population continues to grow, we are actively seeking resources to ensure proper representation for our Flight Attendants.

Section 30 – Training (HA CBA Section 26)

We are in discussions around recurrent training as we work through travel protections and compensation for the the requalification process.

Section 34 – Lodging and Transportation (HA CBA Section 4.C and Section 4.E)

We are seeking enhancements to food accessibility on layovers.

Section 36 – Commuter Policy (HA CBA Section 34-28)

We continue to advocate for ground and air commuter policy enhancements.

Sections listed below are on hold until discussions regarding future sections, which affect specific provisions, take place.

Section 6 – Seniority (HA CBA Section 9)
Section 15 – Leaves of Absence (HA CBA Section 17)
Section 19 – Grievance Procedures (HA CBA Section 23)

Vacation Survey

Thank you for participating in the Vacation Survey. We had a total of 2,207 Flight Attendants take part, with 64% of the responses coming from pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants and 37% from pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants. All responses will be reviewed and taken into consideration during the evaluation process.

Additionally, please look out for the link to the upcoming Sick Leave Survey, which will be available in the coming weeks.

Local Council Meetings

On September 22, our JNC participated in the Local Council 35 meeting in San Francisco. It was a great opportunity to connect with members and LEC officers, addressing questions about the joint negotiating process and gathering valuable feedback. We’ll be attending Local Council meetings until the end of the year, including Local Council 30 today, October 3 in Anchorage. Be sure to stay connected with your Local Council for the latest updates and information.

What’s Upcoming

Our next session with management is scheduled for October 21 to October 23.

Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution

October 2, 2025 11:00

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 will be prioritized for replacement and contacted directly by management.

Distribution of Inflight Mobile Device Replacements Letter of Agreement (LOA)

In anticipation of the rollout of updated IMDs, our MEC and management have reached a letter of agreement (LOA) that clarifies the distribution process. AFA LOA 2025-08-13 (Distribution of Inflight iPhone Mobile Device Replacements to AS Flight Attendants) offers several benefits and protections for Flight Attendants, including:

Compensation of 0.5 TFP for picking up the device and completing the required setup tasks (this will be automatically paid the following month on the 20th of the month paycheck).
Flexible pickup options if you are not scheduled to work during the designated distribution period—coordinate with your Inflight Supervisor to make arrangements for pickup.
Limitations on the tasks that Flight Attendants must perform to set up the device.

For complete details, please click here to view the full LOA. The LOA is also available on your IMD in GoodReader or Comply365 in the ASFA Supplemental > Collective Bargaining Agreement folder.

LAX Co-Terminal Pickup

Flight Attendants based at LAX who fly primarily out of co-terminals can pick up their IMD at LAX or any other domicile during the scheduled distribution period. They can also arrange with their Inflight Supervisor to receive their IMD at a mutually agreed-upon time and place. If possible and upon request, they may opt to have their IMD shipped to their chosen address at no cost. For more information, please refer to paragraph 6 of the LOA.

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding the IMD Replacement Distribution LOA, please reach out to your LEC Officers.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

September 25, 2025 17:00

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), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Kanako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson James Bozanich, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones.

The Committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Managing Director of Operations Staffing & Resource Management Brittany Audette, Director of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Director of Crew Pay Peter Silberstein, Inflight Crew Scheduling Supervisor Matthew Trujillo, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, Manager of Flight Crew Systems Support Sue Rawlings, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling

The Committee is next scheduled to meet in person on Tuesday, October 28.

Topics of Discussion

The Committee reviewed several topics during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

Tentative Agreement Implementation: Still underway, with newly added calculators requiring ongoing maintenance for accurate totals.
Vacation/Training Bidding Vendor: A meeting was held on July 16, 2025. A follow-up meeting is needed with the new vacation and company training bidding systems administrator to update products.

MEC Committee Chairperson Report

Crew Backlog Review: Scheduled for October 15, 2025.
Crew Bi-Monthly Review with ALPA: Held on September 9, 2025.
Crew Access Issues: Review completed on July 23, 2025.
Rainmaker Crew Pay System: Update expected on November 20, 2025.
NAVBLUE Monthly Call: Scheduled for October 2, November 6, and December 4, 2025.
Personal Drop Report Process: Updates are being implemented in the Alaska system; a new personal drop interface was introduced on September 22, 2025.
Pyramiding Pay Dispute: Ongoing discussions are happening through the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process.
4k Dispute Over Night Compensation: AFA has filed a grievance.
ISA for Reserves: Working on implementation and testing of programming changes.

Local Committee Chairperson Reports

PDX: Issues with charter release times and program efficiency.
SAN: Dispute on overfly versus reassignment in ADR.
ANC: Discussion on Crew Scheduling applications of sections 12.J, 10.W, and 10.R of the contract.
LAX: Resolutions through ADR for issues with employee parking being closed for late-night surface deadhead arrivals and hotel wait times with BUR.
SFO: Investigating crew access issues at 2 AM and hire date changes in Rainmaker.
SEA: Information needed for rescheduling after sick calls; fatigue call inquiries directed to AFA FRB Scheduling Committee Primary Representative Bianca Dew.

PBS Subcommittee Update

Bid Period: October bidding went smoothly despite needing extra runs to meet Reserve minimums. Many Bid Protests came in regarding junior lineholders’ inability to hold lines with the month’s pairing packet and legalities.
Upcoming Releases: The next release is expected to be available before the end of the year. Final TA2 bidding improvements should be available in 2026.
Base Sits: In October, the PBS Subcommittee will be in SEA and PDX to assist with bidding questions.

ITS Update

NAVBLUE Testing: Ongoing with outstanding items for release.
Crew Pay Queries: 2873 total, with 1896 resolved.
Rainmaker Issues: Addressing hire date discrepancies; integration with payroll is ongoing. This is an issue with data in Peoplesoft feeding to Rainmaker and will not affect pay increases.
B2B Integration: Troubleshooting for bugs continues.

Crew Planning Update

November Block Hours: Increased by 1000 hours month over month.
Staffing Stats: 77.5 TFP line average, 18.0% reserve.
Operational Adjustments: Addressing crew connect times and mitigation strategies for IRROP.

Crew Scheduling Update

Growth of Scheduling Team: New introductions and objectives for the Inflight Duty Manager program launch.
Sick Leave Trends: Decreasing from previous months, with a goal of 8.6% attendance.
Premium Utilization: Ongoing discussions regarding SAL leaves and scheduling efficiency.

What The Committee Is Working On

Crew Access Issues: Crew Access challenges significantly affect how well operations run, influencing how Flight Attendants feel about their work. It’s crucial to tackle these problems to create a better working environment. We are meeting with Jeppesen management in Vancouver, BC at their next conference on October 1 and 2. Both Alaska and AFA are frustrated with their systems and the programs not working effectively for our flight crews, specifically related to Open Time.
Resolving Pyramiding Pay Disputes: Finding a solution to the pay dispute related to pyramiding is vital for maintaining fairness in how Flight Attendants are compensated. Disagreements about over-duty pay and day-off violations can seriously affect crew morale and operational integrity. The committee will keep discussing the matter through the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process to clarify payment rules and ensure they are followed. They will gather information from Flight Attendants affected by these issues to guide their discussions. An update on the progress and any resolutions will be shared with Members by the end of September 2025, aiming for a settlement soon after. Management and AFA will explore other options, like mediation or arbitration, if an agreement cannot be reached.
ISA for Reserves Implementation: The ineligibility for self-assignment (ISA) for Reserve Flight Attendants is an important step toward fairer and more transparent scheduling practices. This change is crucial for boosting crew satisfaction and efficiency. The Committee will work quickly to finalize this new system by working with the IT department and other relevant management to implement the necessary changes to the scheduling system. They will also develop ways to keep Flight Attendants informed about the updates. The next Crew Access release, which will include ISA implementation allowing Reserve Flight Attendant to Reserve Flight Attendant trading, is expected to be available in early October 2025, after all testing has been completed.

We Want to Hear From You!

Whether you have feedback for the Committee, concerns to share, or items you’d like brought up with management – don’t hesitate to let us know. Your Local Scheduling Committee is here to be your voice to management. You can easily open a support ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or directly contact us using the information provided on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Government Affairs Committee Update – 4th Quarter 2025

Alaska + Hawaiian Government Affairs Committee Members Attend “Reversing Runaway Inequality” Training