AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for Latest News / AFA News Now

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

Reserve Committee

  • Our AFA Reserve Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, March 10 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent and advocate for our Reserve Flight Attendants.
  • The Committee also met with management to review a number of specific concerns that were brought forward by Flight Attendants.
  • Your Local Reserve Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any reserve related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Thursday, March 10, representatives from our AFA Local Reserve Committees met to discuss their ongoing work to advocate for Reserve Flight Attendants.  Representing you at the meeting were Haley Hirsch (ANC), Conner Gallagher (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Camile Caldwell (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Joe Coneglio (SAN).  Also present were MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton, MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire & Probation Jarod McNeill, and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee also met with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Manager Nyxalyse Paul from management. 

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management.  Some items discussed include:

  • Issues and glitches with Crew Access that are affecting Reserve Flight Attendants.  Review of where known issues are documented and prioritization for programming fixes.
  • Update on planned Flight Attendant hiring and initial training classes for 2022.  Starting with class 2022-03, class sizes have nearly doubled to 90 students each.  Larger class sizes will continue.
  • Review of contractual language related to new hire and probationary Flight Attendants (section 7)
  • Update on AFA Reserve Buddy program.  Reserve Buddies are very busy supporting new Flight Attendants.  Reminder to refer Probationary Flight Attendants to their Reserve Buddy for answers to questions about contract and work rules.
  • Review of reserve utilization statistics.  Reserve coverage will remain at approximately 20-21% during the 2nd quarter.
  • Review of reserve-related scheduling issues that have occurred recently.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Providing Support to New Flight Attendants in Initial Training.  Facilitating the new hire AFA presentation, Crew Access training, and PBS training as part of Initial Training and participating in base orientation after graduation.
  2. Assisting Probationary Flight Attendants Through the Reserve Buddy Program.   Answering questions from and providing support to probationary Flight Attendants through an expanded AFA Reserve Buddy program.
  3. Addressing Reserve Contractual Concerns.  Researching and investigating reports from Reserve Flight Attendants and actively ensuring that management is compliant with our contract. 

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local Reserve Committee is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the Reserve Committee page of the AFA Alaska website. 

March 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, March 8 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • The MEC was originally scheduled to meet with management and a group of union leaders from other company workgroups, but the meeting was cancelled by management due to scheduling conflicts.
  • The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, April 12 and Wednesday, April 13.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

The March 2022 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, March 8.  The meeting consisted of updates provided by our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee.  Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work. 

Meeting with Management Cancelled

As part of this meeting, the MEC was scheduled to meet with company management and a group of union leaders from the other union-represented workgroups within the company.  The intent of these meetings, usually held once per quarter, is to receive updates from management and allow for a broader discussion of issues and concerns facing all company employees.  Unfortunately, management had to cancel the meeting due to scheduling conflicts.

MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson

Last month, Krystle Berry stepped down from the MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson position to allow her to focus on other responsibilities.  The MEC thanks Krystle for her years of service in the position and commitment to our Flight Attendants.  Krystle will continue to serve in her role as Council 39 Portland LEC Vice President.

Martin Monteblanco has served as AFA Alaska CWA NextGen Representative since January 2020.  In this role, he has taken on duties as an alternate to the MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson and most recently has stepped up to serve as Acting MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson during the transition period.  Given his experience, the MEC has appointed Martin to permanently fill the position for the remainder of the term through December 31, 2022.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please reach out to your LEC President.

Human Rights Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

Human Rights Committee

  • Our AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met on Friday, March 4 to discuss their ongoing program of work to advance human rights within our workplace and community.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates on what progress has been made on concerns that had been previously brought forward and address new concerns that have come to light. 
  • If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!

On Friday, March 4, our AFA Local Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to build awareness and effect change within our workplace and community.  Representing you at the meeting were Matthew Cook (ANC), Yan Yan Teague (SEA), Sylvia Newbill (PDX), Sejal Patel (SFO), Louise Borras (LAX), and Erika Daniel (SAN).  Also present were MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson Chip Hestle and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams, California Regional Director of Inflight Operations Robbi Burton, and Seattle Director of Inflight Base Operations Jenny Bookert from management. 

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management.  Some items discussed include:

  • Ongoing concerns about low morale within our work group.
  • Possibility of expanding current uniform and appearance standards to be more inclusive of varying cultural identities.
  • Support for the people of Ukraine and what the company, the inflight division, and AFA are doing.
  • Concerns about company suppliers/vendors whose values may be contradictory to those of Alaska Airlines.  Management is continuing to research this issue.
  • Concerns about a perceived lack of cultural sensitivity surrounding how the company chooses to participate in certain public events and promotional activities.
  • Ways for the committee to start building relationships with the company’s Business Resource Groups (BRGs) and expand existing relationships with the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) department.
  • Management’s proposal to conduct DEI listening sessions with Flight Attendants in each base; discussion about involvement of the AFA Human Rights Committee.
  • Request to make DEI information easily accessible to Flight Attendants on the Inflight Mobile Device (IMD).
  • Management’s progress on DEI initiatives and plans for upcoming work.
  • Request that management provide more timely and visible DEI updates and information about upcoming events and opportunities.  Specifically, providing Flight Attendants with enough notice to bid time off for activities they’d like to participate in.
  • Ensuring diversity and representation in company photo shoots and promotional materials that depict employees.

The committee is next scheduled to meet with management on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.  

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Working to Make Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Information More Accessible.  Encouraging management to make information about DEI events, activities, and programs more accessible and visible to Flight Attendants through links on the IMD and more regular and relevant communication.  Requesting that management include links to the Human Rights Committee’s resource page on afaalaska.org.
  2. Building Relationships with the Company’s Business Resources Groups (BRGs).  Continuing to work to establish relationships with leaders of the Company’s BRGs to find areas where we can join together to advance human rights within the scope of each group.
  3. Exploring Ways to Engage with Flight Attendants About Human Rights.  Discussing possible opportunities to work with management to conduct and participate in DEI activities in each base.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local Human Rights Committee is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the Human Rights Committee page of the AFA Alaska website. 

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Many people go through short periods of time where they feel sad or not like their usual selves. Sometimes, these mood changes begin and end when the seasons change. People may start to feel “down” when the days get shorter in the fall and winter (also called “winter blues”) and begin to feel better in the spring, with longer daylight hours.

In some cases, these mood changes are more serious and can affect how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities. If you have noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior whenever the seasons change, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression. 

In most cases, SAD symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the spring and summer; this is known as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression. Some people may experience depressive episodes during the spring and summer months; this is called summer-pattern SAD or summer depression and is less common.

Who develops SAD?

Millions of American adults may suffer from SAD, although many may not know they have the condition. SAD occurs much more often in women than in men, and it is more common in those living farther north, where there are shorter daylight hours in the winter. For example, people living in Alaska or New England may be more likely to develop SAD than people living in Florida. In most cases, SAD begins in young adulthood. SAD is more common in people with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. SAD sometimes runs in families. 

How is SAD treated?

Treatments are available that can help many people with SAD. They fall into four main categories that may be used alone or in combination:

  • Light therapy
  • Psychotherapy
  • Antidepressant medications
  • Vitamin D

Talk to your health care provider about which treatment, or combination of treatments, is best for you. If you would like to talk more about SAD or obtain help with finding a treatment referral, contact our AFA EAP Committee.  Its confidential and always non-judgmental. You can find the contact information for your local AFA EAP Committee at afaalaska.org/eap.  You can also call AFA Alaska EAP at (949) 470-0493.

Welcoming Our Newest Flight Attendants

Reserve Committee

  • We are excited to welcome our newest Flight Attendants to the line!  Operating experience (OE) flights for the first class of 2022 are finishing up, and some of our new Flight Attendants will start flying the line as early as this week.
  • With new Flight Attendants joining us, now is a good opportunity to brush up on some new hire related programs that haven’t been active for a while, such as Operating Experience (OE) and job familiarization flights.
  • Ensuring that our newest Flight Attendants have accurate and correct information about our contract and work rules is critical to their success while on probation.  If questions come up, please refer them to an official AFA resource or their Local Reserve Committee for assistance. 

We are very excited to welcome our newest Flight Attendants from class 2022-01, who will begin their flying careers at our Seattle base. The first day of their first bid month will be April 1, 2022, though some may begin flying as soon as this week through trip pick-ups or the New Hire Reserve program (see below).  Given that it has been several years since we have welcomed new Flight Attendants, we wanted to provide some information and reminders about how all of us can help our new Flight Attendants to succeed throughout the probationary process and their new careers.  

Operating Experience (OE) Flights and Check Flight Attendants

As a result of ongoing growth, AFA and management recently agreed to expand the pool of who is eligible to conduct Operating Experience (OE) flights (formerly referred to as Initial Operating Experience [IOE]).  In addition to Inflight instructors, the newly expanded pool of “Check Flight Attendants” also includes Flight Attendants who are members of the company’s Special Projects Pool.  Check Flight Attendants observe the new hire Flight Attendants, assume responsibility for ensuring that they are performing job functions correctly, and determine if they are proficient in essential safety duties.

The OE program has also undergone some changes that may be different than you experienced during your own OE/IOE or have seen in the past.  Among these changes are a requirement that the new hire Flight Attendants need to be observed performing certain duties and will take over the responsibilities of a designated working Flight Attendant position.  Check Flight Attendants will provide guidance to the new hire Flight Attendants on which position they’ll be assigned to work.

It is important to note that Check Flight Attendants are line Flight Attendants and not supervisors.  Their presence onboard is to facilitate the OE flight for the new hire Flight Attendants, but they are not considered part of the working Flight Attendant crew and will conduct themselves accordingly.  For more information about the OE program, please refer to the February 21, 2022 Weekly Bulletin Bundle (AAG sign-on required).   

New Hire Reserve & Trip Pick Ups

With most new hire classes, there is a significant gap between graduation and base orientation and the beginning of the first bid period when they begin sitting reserve.  During this period, new hire Flight Attendants who would like to begin working may do so by picking up a maximum of two sequences per section 7.J of our contract.  AFA and management have also agreed to a temporary contractual modification through August 2022 that allows new hire Flight Attendants to opt into a reserve schedule following base orientation through the day prior to their first bid month.

New hire Flight Attendants who opt to participate in the New Hire Reserve program may start sitting reserve as soon as the day after base orientation.  In addition, all new hire Flight Attendants may pick up a maximum of two sequences as provided for in our contract regardless of whether they choose to opt into the New Hire Reserve program or not.  More information about the program can be found in the New Hire Reserve Letter of Agreement (LOA).

Job Familiarization Flights

New Flight Attendants who are on Reserve will be assigned “job familiarization” flights as their first four sequences following Base Orientation.  The flights are intended to allow our new flying partners to gain practical experience and become more acquainted with their duties onboard the aircraft.  Specific information can be found in section 7.F of our contract. 

This contractual provision allows Crew Scheduling to assign job familiarization flights from Open Time up to three days prior to departure, sequences constructed by Crew Scheduling, Flight Attendant-to-Flight Attendant trades removed from the trip pool, or positions added as an additional Flight Attendant (“E” position).  The language also requires that Crew Scheduling avoid assigning new Flight Attendants to the “A” position.  As a result, you may see new Flight Attendants who are completing job familiarization flights assigned outside of the normal Reserve Assignment List (LTFA) process in order for Crew Scheduling to meet this contractual obligation.

Questions About Our Contract and Work Rules

Our newest Flight Attendants are sure to have questions about our contract and work rules that will inevitably come up in conversation. As they are on probation, it’s essential that they receive the most accurate and up-to-date information possible.  Though well intentioned, offering advice based on previous reserve experience or past contracts may cause issues for new Flight Attendants and result in unintended consequences.

When these questions come up, please refer our new Flight Attendants to an official AFA resource, such as the AFA Reserve Survival Guide, for more information.  The AFA Reserve Survival Guide is easily accessible on the IMD in the GoodReader app.  If there are questions that aren’t answered in the guide, please direct them to their AFA Reserve Buddy or Local Reserve Committee for assistance.   

Service Flights Removed from Initial Training

Our current new hire Flight Attendants are facing the additional challenge of having had service flights removed from the initial training curriculum by management.  This failure to provide new hire Flight Attendants with hands-on service training in our actual working environment potentially increases the workload and stress for all Flight Attendants, and AFA has voiced our objections to management over this change.  Some Flight Attendants have reached out to inquire about the possibility of additional compensation for providing on-the-job training to new hire Flight Attendants.  This topic will be referred to our Negotiating Committee for review and consideration in advance of our upcoming contract negotiations.

Patience, Understanding, and Kindness

Though classroom training can provide a firm foundation for the multitude of situations that we face as safety professionals, nothing compares to stepping onboard an aircraft and performing the duties of a working Flight Attendant for the first time.  Each of us was in this position at one point and relied upon our more experienced flying partners to “show us the ropes.”  Our newest Flight Attendants are looking to each of us to be patient with them as they learn, understanding when they make mistakes, and supportive as they navigate a career which is completely new to many.  Please join us in welcoming our newest flying partners and showing them the kindness for which we are known.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact your Local Reserve Committee.  You can find contact information on the Reserve Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

We Will Never Forget – September 11, 2001

AFA Never Forget Website United Flight 175 Robert J. FangmanAmy N. JarretAmy R. KingKathryn LaBorieAlfred G. MarchandMichael C. TarrouAlicia N. TitusCaptain: Victor SaraciniFirst Officer: Michael HorrocksCustomer Service Representatives: Marianne MacFarlane and Jesus Sanchez United Flight 93 Lorraine G. BaySandra BradshawWanda A. GreenCeeCee LylesDeborah WelshCaptain: Jason DahlFirst Officer: Leroy Homer American Flight 11 Barbara AresteguiJeffrey CollmanSara […]

Vacation Survey Now Open

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants Your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is working diligently to understand and improve the vacation benefits for our Flight Attendants at Alaska and Hawaiian. Your input is essential in ensuring that the vacation provisions we adopt reflect your needs and preferences. To gather your perspectives, […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Negotiations Update The SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management.  The SEA NC met with management on September 3 to September 5 in Honolulu. At the negotiating table for this session were: Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants   […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Interviews—October 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the terms of office for the MEC Committee Chairpersons and other MEC-level positions align with those of the MEC Officers. Since the current term for the MEC Officers will conclude on December 31, […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Interviews—October 2025

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants The integration of our Master Executive Councils (MECs) is progressing steadily. Our first group of committees successfully merged on June 1, and we are now planning for another group of committees to merge on November 1. As part of the committee merging process, our […]

Recent Posts

News By Month

News By Category

AFA News Now Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/HA Merger AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX EAP/Professional Standards Committee Extension 2021 Blog Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights & Equity Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Membership Committee Message from the MEC President Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee

Want To Stay In The Loop?

Stay up-to-date on AFA Alaska news and information by signing up for our email and text message updates. Click a button below to get started or update your preferences if you're already a subscriber.
Sign Up for Emails
Sign Up for Text Updates