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Upcoming Pilot Informational Picketing

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Alaska Airlines pilots and management began negotiations in spring of 2019, and have recently entered into mediation under the authority of the National Mediation Board (NMB). Some of the pilots’ key negotiating priorities are schedule flexibility and job security improvements.
  • The pilots will be conducting informational picketing in a number of locations on Friday, April 1 to bring attention to the issue.
  • Flight Attendants in full uniform who participate in the “rules of engagement and picketing training” portion of the event are welcome and encouraged to picket with our pilots as a show of unity.

Alaska pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), have been in contract negotiations with management since spring of 2019, and their current contract became amendable on April 1, 2020. The parties have recently started mediation under the authority of the National Mediation Board (NMB). Among the pilots’ negotiating priorities are schedule flexibility and job security improvements.  You can find more information about the pilots’ perspective regarding the challenges they are facing in bargaining at alaskapilots.org or on The Alaska Pilots podcast.

Informational Picketing Event – Friday, April 1

On Friday, April 1, Alaska pilots will be conducting informational picketing to raise public awareness to the struggle they are facing.  Picketing events will be conducted at all five pilot bases: Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.  The ALPA Alaska MEC has extended an invitation to our Flight Attendants to join the picket in a show of solidarity.  Flight Attendants who would like to picket must attend the “rules of engagement and picket training” portion of the event and will also be required to be in full uniform to participate. 

For more information about the picketing event or to RSVP, visit the event website (link can be found in the version of this article sent to your personal email address on file with AFA Alaska).  When completing the RSVP form, please input your contact information and indicate you are a Flight Attendant in the appropriate space near the bottom on the form.

Use of Non-Revenue Travel Privileges to Attend Picketing is Prohibited

As a reminder, company policy strictly prohibits the use of any type of non-revenue travel (including offline/OAL travel) in order to participate in picketing activities against the company. For more information, please refer to page 4 of the Employee Travel Handbook (AAG SSO required).

Questions?

If you have questions about the picketing event that are not answered on the event page (see above), please contact your LEC President.

AFA Alaska News in Review – February 25, 2022

In This Edition

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – February 2022 

Originally posted February 24, 2022

Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, February 22 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.  The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.  Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

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Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

Originally posted February 25, 2022

Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on Wednesday, February 23 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.  The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.  Management continues to experience challenges in some locations that are affecting the correct loading on onboard catering supplies and retail products.  Please continue to report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!  

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Federal Mask Mandate

The current federal mandate requiring face masks to be worn in airports and onboard commercial aircraft is scheduled to be in place through March 18, 2022.  Although a recent statement from AFA indicates that there is reason to believe that the mask mandate will be extended for the near term, this should not be construed as AFA having taken a position one way or another on the issue.  We have heard from Flight Attendants who would like to see the mandate end and others who would like to see it extended, but as of this point there has been no official word about whether the mandate will expire as scheduled or be extended further.  Our focus remains on ensuring that Flight Attendants receive support for doing our job in enforcing the current mandate and that violent passengers are kept off of our aircraft.

Correction

Information about MEC Mobilization Committee Chairperson Interviews, originally published on January 28, 2022, inadvertently contained an omission in the qualifications section.  The posting has been updated and now reflects accurately.  We apologize for the oversight.

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2022

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on Wednesday, February 23 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.
  • Management continues to experience challenges in some locations that are affecting the correct loading on onboard catering supplies and retail products.  Please continue to report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!  

On Wednesday, February 23, our AFA Local Inflight Service Committee 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 Naomi Parcell (ANC), Ross DeJong (SEA), Todd Horn (PDX), Matt Voges (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN).  Also present were MEC Inflight Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.  The committee met with Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Director of Product Development & Delivery Amber Simonsen, Managing Director of Guest Products Todd Traynor-Corey, and other management representatives from the food & beverage, catering operations, and inflight mobile teams. 

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 issues with coffee carafes and missing lids.
  • New serving tools under consideration for testing.
  • Current galley packing concerns and upcoming changes.  Recommendations put forward by the Committee on where garbage and recycling bags are being boarded and possible changes to allow for better access.
  • Update on first class product changes for summer 2022.
  • Discussion about inadequate trash stowage space on many flights given how full galleys and carts are loaded, expected service levels, and trash being brought onboard by passengers.  Management has made changes to free up some cart space based on Committee feedback, but issue is still ongoing. 
  • Concerns about repeated main cabin beverage snack shortages and upcoming changes to how snacks are packed by catering that will help resolve the issue.
  • Concerns with meal pre-ordering functionality on flights with “round robin” flight numbering.
  • Discussion about management’s desire to restore pre-pandemic service levels.
  • Review of recent changes to onboard streaming entertainment options and plans for 2Ku satellite internet installation on newly delivered aircraft.
  • Review of March 2nd catering changes, new products, and changes to service flow (beverage snacks with each service on LH and PLH flights).
  • Update on catering operations and kitchens that are currently being utilized to load meals and supplies.  Request from the Committee to have extra supplies provisioned on catering trucks so that missing items can be corrected on-the-spot.
  • Review of Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) issues and concerns, including cellular service connectivity issues.  Any issues with cellular service connectivity should be reported to management so that the vendor can identify and fix the issue.  Inflight management will communicate the process for reporting connectivity issues in an upcoming bulletin bundle.
  • Update on upcoming Block2Block software fixes and improvements.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Advocating for Adequate Trash Stowage.  Pushing management to make much needed changes to resolve onboard trash stowage problems through solutions such as dedicated trash carts in every galley on every flight and eliminating double catering.
  2. Addressing Catering Errors and Shortages.  Escalating catering issues reported through Block2Block and other reporting channels, voicing Flight Attendant frustration with ongoing errors in catering provisioning and loading, and working to hold management accountable to fix the problems that make our job more difficult.
  3. Reviewing Block2Block (B2B) Updates. Working to provide feedback to management on changes and improvements to the B2B app, focusing on ensuring that any changes are functional and that the app remains easy for Flight Attendants to use.

We Want to Hear From You!

Please continue to report any catering issues or problems with onboard service using the catering feedback function in Block2Block.  If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please submit a report through ReportIt!  Your reports provide the Committee with the data needed to continue pushing management for meaningful improvements in our workplace.

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

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – February 2022

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, February 22 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Tuesday, February 22, our AFA Scheduling Committee 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 Heather Reier (ANC), Martin Vance (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Virginia Fritz (SFO), Kelese Richardson (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN).  Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Adam Clarey, and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton.  The committee met with Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling Denia Pisia, Manager of Crew Planning Mac Patterson, and other management representatives from Crew Scheduling and Crew Planning. 

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:

  • Upcoming layovers at Paine Field (PAE) and associated hotel/transportation
  • PBS base sits.
  • Bid protests.
  • Severe Weather Ground Commuting LOA.
  • New Crew Schedulers joining the department.
  • Bid groups causing issues with bidding and raising the low line average higher.
  • Charters in bid packets/PBS search.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. PBS Base Sits.  Conducting virtual meetings, trainings, and in-person meetings in preparation for the sunsetting of NAVBLUE ClassBid PBS.  
  2. Reassignment Flow Chart.  Developing an easy-to-follow flow chart to help explain how reassignments work, similar to the pre-cancellation flow chart. 
  3. Scheduling Quality of Life Improvements.  Reviewing ways to improve Trip Length Distribution (TLD) and other quality of life options.  Working with management to develop a quality of life survey to determine Flight Attendant scheduling priorities. 
  4. Review of user guides and links of Flight Attendant website.  Ensuring information is still accurate in existing resource materials, links are still active and working, etc. 

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 Scheduling Committee is your voice to management.  You can open a support request on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

AFA Alaska News in Review – February 18, 2022

In This Edition

February 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Originally posted February 16, 2022

Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met last week on Tuesday, February 8 and Wednesday, February 9 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.  As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight, labor relations, and executive management to discuss issues and concerns that are facing our work group and need to be addressed.  The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, March 8.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

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We’re Looking For Our Next MEC Mobilization Committee Chairperson

When it comes to contract negotiations, solidarity means success.  Our Mobilization Committee is a critical component to our collective power and provides our Negotiating Committee with an advantage at the bargaining table.  Members of the Mobilization Committee are responsible for actively sharing information about negotiations, gathering feedback about key issues, and calling others to action through support in organized solidarity activities.

Preparations for contract negotiations are underway and our Mobilization Committee is starting to organize.  We’ve reached the point in the process where we’re looking for candidates for the position of MEC Mobilization Committee Chairperson.  The MEC Mobilization Committee Chairperson is responsible for organizing and coordinating the work of the committee across all six bases and building our solidarity.

Interviews for the position will take place by video conference on April 13. Find out more about the role or how to express your interest on the Contract 2022 website at https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/news/mec-mobilization-committee-chairperson-interviews/.

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the first group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of merged MEC Committee Chairpersons. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have […]

Election Notice: Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Officer Elections

The term of office for our current Alaska + Hawaiian Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers will conclude on December 31, 2025. The voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will elect new MEC Officers at the November Regular MEC meeting. This communication serves as notice of the election in accordance with the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual. […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025 Update #2

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Negotiations Update Our SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met with the company on September 11 to review their response to our September 5 proposal.  We feel that it is important to acknowledge the challenges within our company as Alaska management is struggling to understand our Collective Bargaining Agreement […]

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, September 11, 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 Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). Also present […]

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