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FAA Finalizes 10 Hours Rest Rule

Government Affairs Committee

  • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized a rule earlier this week requiring a minimum of 10 hours of irreducible rest for Flight Attendants between duty periods.
  • Though Alaska Flight Attendants have benefitted from contractual language ensuring scheduled rest of greater than 10 hours between duty periods for over a decade, this rule brings similar protections to all Flight Attendants throughout the industry.
  • This rule change is the culmination of tireless advocacy by members of our AFA Government Affairs Committee and other Flight Attendant activists from every airline.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this week finalized a rule requiring 10 hours minimum, non-reducible rest for Flight Attendants between duty days – finally implementing a 2018 law that will make aviation safer for over 100,000 Flight Attendants and the passengers in our care. The rule will increase the rest period to 10 irreducible hours when scheduled for a duty period of 14 hours or less. Though Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants have had contractual language guaranteeing greater than 10 hours of scheduled rest between duty periods since 2006 and Alaska management and AFA implemented 10 hours of irreducible rest in June 2020, equivalent protections have not been in place for all other Flight Attendants across the industry up to this point.

“After years of fighting for the Fight For 10, the FAA on October 4, 2022 finalized 10 hours minimum rest. This is a pivotal moment for the aviation industry and we owe our thanks to the dedicated Flight Attendants from our Government Affairs Committee. For years our Committee Members fought hard and worked with our elected Representatives to make our careers safer by fighting to give us proper rest. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to achieving this milestone,” said Martin Monteblanco, AFA Alaska MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson.

AFA International President Sara Nelson also issued a statement about the rule, which can be read by clicking here.

Reassignment Flow Charts – Sections 10.R and 10.R.5

Scheduling Committee

As part of the ongoing efforts of the Scheduling Committee to assist Flight Attendants in understanding contractual language and compensation, it was recommended a flow chart related to reassignments under contract sections 10.R and 10.R.5 be produced and published.  The first flow chart is designed to help you understand your rights and obligations in the event that you are subject to a reassignment by Crew Scheduling.  The second flow chart will help you understand what pay you are due for a sequence containing a reassignment.

Click here to view the reassignment flow chart >

Click here to view the reassignment pay flow chart >

The Committee enlisted the help of MEC Mobilization Committee Chairperson Justin Wetherell to produce the flow charts for distribution.  We wanted to take this opportunity to thank Justin for their time and commitment to this project.  

Questions or Feedback?

Please feel free to provide feedback on the flow charts and let us know if there are any other helpful documents you would like to see in the future.  If you have any questions about these flow charts or reassignments in general, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

  • Domestic violence can affect anyone and abusers can come from any demographic or background.
  • Though there is no single defining personality of an abuser, abusers may display common traits or exhibit certain warning signs.
  • If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse, confidential help is available through your AFA EAP Committee at (949) 470-0493 or afaalaska.org/eap.

Signs of Domestic Abuse

Anyone can be an abuser. They come from all groups, all cultures, all religions, all economic levels, and all backgrounds. They can be anyone—your neighbor, your friend, your coworker, etc.  It is important to note that the majority of abusers are only violent with their current or past intimate partners. One study found 90% of abusers do not have criminal records and abusers are generally law-abiding outside the home. 

Traits Abusers May Have in Common

There is no one typical, detectable personality of an abuser. However, they may display common characteristics. An abuser often denies the existence or minimizes the seriousness of the violence and its effect on the victim and other family members. An abuser objectifies the victim and often sees them as their property or sexual objects. An abuser externalizes the causes of their behavior. They blame their violence on circumstances such as stress, their partner’s behavior, a “bad day,” on alcohol, drugs, or other factors. An abuser may be pleasant and charming between periods of violence and is often seen as a “nice person” to others outside the relationship. 

Warning Signs of an Abuser

Red flags and warning signs of an abuser include but are not limited to:

  • Extreme jealousy and/or possessiveness, even accusations of the victim flirting with others or having an affair.
  • Verbal abuse including blaming the victim for anything bad that happens
  • Extremely controlling behavior
  • Antiquated beliefs about roles of women and men in relationships
  • Sabotage or obstruction of the victim’s ability to work or attend outside activities
  • Controls all the finances
  • Control of what the victim wears and how they act
  • Demeaning and/or humiliating the victim either privately or publicly
  • Harassment of the victim at work

Confidential Help is Available

Remember, confidential help is available through your AFA EAP Committee.  Contact us at (949) 470-0493 or afaalaska.org/eap.

This information is provided by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Alaska Airlines Management’s Unlawful Continued Denial of Washington State Sick Leave Law

Grievance Committee

  • Washington’s Paid Sick Leave Law went into effect on January 1, 2018, which in part allows Flight Attendants to use sick leave to care for themselves or a family member – including preventative care – and for which they cannot be disciplined or given attendance points.
  • The industry trade association Airlines for America and Alaska Airlines management refused to comply with the law and spent the last four years litigating whether they had to or not; they ultimately lost in litigation, and the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit decision in favor of the State of Washington and AFA stands.
  • Management still refuses to comply with the law, so AFA needs Seattle-based Flight Attendants to file complaints with the State of Washington Labor & Industries agency to ensure the law is rightfully applied.

In 2018, a state law providing for paid sick leave went into effect in Washington State. Among other things, it required that employers provide:

  1. A minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, and 
  2. The right to use your sick leave after 90 days of employment, not after the 180 days of employment (following probation) provided in our contract. 

Under the law, you can use this time to care for yourself or a family member — including preventative care. Additionally, the use of paid sick leave time cannot be counted as an absence that leads to or results in any type of discipline – and you cannot be given attendance points.

Click here for more info about WA Paid Sick Leave (WA Department of Labor & Industries) >

When the law went into effect in 2018, the MEC Grievance Committee contacted management to determine how they planned to implement the state law. We then learned that management had no intention of complying and instead would challenge the law through the court system. 

Click here for “Washington Paid Sick Leave Law 2018” (afaalaska.org – February 7, 2018) >

After four years of litigation and a win for the State of Washington and AFA in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court recently denied management’s request to hear the case. 

Click here for “Supreme Court Ruling on A4A v. WA L&I (WA Paid Sick Leave)” (afaalaska.org – July 14, 2022) >

As a result, the 9th Circuit’s ruling against Airlines for America (A4A) – including Alaska Airlines – is final, and no more appeals are possible. Even though the 9th Circuit’s decision in favor of the State of Washington and AFA is now binding, management still refuses to apply this law to Flight Attendants. They argue that litigation in district courts other the 9th Circuit that challenge how other states’ sick leave laws apply to flight crew could impact the application of the state law in Washington. 

AFA strongly disagrees with management’s approach. We encourage Seattle-based Flight Attendants to file claims with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) if any of the following occur:

  1. You are given attendance points for calling in sick to care for yourself or a qualifying family member when you have accrued sick leave to cover the event,
  2. You are denied the use of sick leave for preventative care, or
  3. You are denied the use of paid sick leave after 90 days of employment (and prior to the end of your probationary period of 180 days). 

While filing a claim can be time consuming, doing so helps you and your fellow crew members by protecting your rights and contributing to achieving what is legally due to you.

Click here for SEAFAs to file a claim online with WA L&I >  

We are also evaluating the applicability of the Washington law to all Flight Attendants under a prior arbitration award and will keep you updated on any further developments.

MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the term of appointment for the MEC Committee Chairpersons is concurrent with those of the MEC Officers.  As the current MEC Officer term will end on December 31, 2022, the MEC will be conducting a review of all MEC Committee Chairperson and other MEC-level appointed positions at a Special MEC Meeting to be held November 29 through December 1, 2022.

During this review process, the MEC will be interviewing for the following MEC-level chairperson positions:

  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson
  • Benefits Committee Chairperson
  • Communications Committee Chairperson
  • EAP Committee Chairperson
  • EAP Committee Vice Chairperson
  • Government Affairs Committee Chairperson
  • Grievance Committee Chairperson
  • Hotel Committee Chairperson
  • Hotel Committee Vice Chairperson
  • Human Rights Committee Chairperson
  • Inflight Service Committee Chairperson
  • Inflight Training Committee Chairperson
  • Reserve Committee Chairperson
  • Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson – New Hire & Probation
  • Retirement Committee Chairperson
  • Scheduling Committee Chairperson
  • Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – PBS 
  • Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – Pairing Construction
  • Uniform Committee Chairperson

Additionally, interviews will also be held for the following MEC-level appointed positions:

  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) Primary Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) Alternate Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Primary Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Alternate Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Line Observation Safety Audit (LOSA) Representative
  • Grievance Committee Assistant
  • Grievance Committee – Payroll Representative
  • Inflight Training Committee Member (3 positions)
  • Scheduling Committee – PBS Subcommittee Member (3 positions)
  • Scheduling Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Primary Representative
  • Scheduling Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Alternate Representative

General Qualifications

The following qualifications apply to all MEC-level Chairperson positions:

  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson preferred (required for EAP).
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred (required for EAP).
  • Ability to attend meetings as required (primarily by videoconference and occasionally in-person).
  • Strong computer skills. Good working knowledge of Inflight Mobile Device, Google Workspace (email, calendar, and other software), and Microsoft Office.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and plan meetings agendas and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

The following qualifications apply to all Inflight Training Committee positions:

  • Current Inflight Instructor who is regularly assigned to Inflight Training Department responsibilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Information about the duties and responsibilities of each specific committee can be found in article VII of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, which can be accessed by clicking here.  Additional information about MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities can be found in this document. 

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss for each position will be discussed during each interview.  All positions operate in accordance with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during a special MEC meeting from November 29 through December 1, 2022.  If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate.  All interviews will be conducted using Google Meet videoconferencing.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/xyvgfD9vzyJX5z8c6.  The deadline for submissions is 9 AM Pacific time on Saturday, November 19.  After the submission deadline, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that in order to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.  If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed position duties and responsibilities should be directed to MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at  mecvp@afaalaska.org.

Navigating Acute & Delayed Stress As A Flight Attendant

Stress is an inherent aspect of the Flight Attendant profession, often stemming from the demanding nature of responsibilities and the unpredictable nature of air travel. It’s essential for Flight Attendants not only to understand the different types of stress they may encounter but also to recognize the warning signs of acute and delayed stress for […]

Protect Yourself From Potential Discipline on Social Media

Our Grievance Committee would like to provide background on social media, protected classes, and discipline. Federal protected classes include race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or transgender status), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.  Alaska’s People Policy says: Personal Conduct22. Threatening, intimidating, or discourteous behavior, including abusive, profane, or obscene language, acts, […]

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2026

On Wednesday, March 25, our AFA Human Rights & Equity Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to raise awareness and create positive change within our workplace and community. Your representatives attending the meeting included Louise Borras (LAX-pmAS), Bruni Agosto-Pinal (LAX-pmHA), Aaron Miller (PDX), Nyachan Chuar (ANC), and Yan Yan Teague (SEA). MEC Human […]

Pre-Merger Hawaiian Inflight Service Committee Update – March 2026

Editor’s Note: Our MEC Inflight Service Committee now represents both pre-merger airlines, but management still makes service decisions that affect each group of Flight Attendants differently. This update covers changes for both Hawaiian- and Alaska-branded flying, but is specific to aircraft flown by pre-merger Hawaiian Airlines crews. As the work of the merger progresses, we […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 13 – March 2026

Our JNC met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management. The JNC focused on clarifying questions about moving expenses and presented a proposal for Sick Leave, using feedback from Flight Attendants to guide improvements. The Committee is working to incorporate the strongest elements from both contracts to ensure better support for all members.

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