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Cross-Flying Begins

After much anticipation, the wait is over. Cross-flying, referenced as “Full Integration” in the Merger Agreement, will occur in just a few hours. It is one of the most major milestones that we will pass in this merger. As you all well know by now, there has been so much change in so little time, and most Flight Attendants are understandably feeling varying levels of anxiety about cross-flying.

Safety

Safety first! Over the past several months, the Master Executive Council (MEC) has received increasingly concerning feedback from our Air, Safety, Health and Security Committee and from the line about not feeling adequately prepared for cross-flying due to a variety of safety-related reasons. Many if not most of those concerns were also shared with management. Although management collaborated with AFA to implement several additional cross-flying resources in response to the concerns, the MEC remains apprehensive enough about cross-flying that we feel obligated to communicate that sentiment to our members. However, please be assured that AFA and management will continue working together to identify and mitigate safety concerns.

The MEC recommends that Flight Attendants live the “Ready, Safe, Go” (login required) ‘mantra’ as you become more familiar with the new procedures and announcements and with the combined fleet. Management has affirmed that “Safety is our number one consideration, and always trumps on-time performance, customer satisfaction, or profits.” Please ensure the required Flight Attendant briefing occurs, complete a thorough pre-flight equipment check (when required) and confirm the aircraft doors are correctly armed and disarmed each and every time. Do not rush or be rushed. Be vigilant and alert and report any safety concerns to the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP).

Service

It is extremely important for consistency that we make our best effort to familiarize ourselves with and complete the service as written. If you are not able to complete the required service due to turbulence, lack of supplies, etc., then write it up via Report It! so that management and AFA are aware of the challenges. Service levels and catering are constantly being evaluated and adjusted based on submitted reports.

Culture

No matter whether you started your Flight Attendant career at Alaska Airlines, Virgin America, Jet America, our sister carrier Horizon Air or somewhere else in the industry, we are now all Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants. We bring the uniqueness of our individual journeys, but we share many common interests, experiences and goals. Please be welcoming to all crewmembers and focus on getting to know each other better as the pre-merger groups begin to cross fly and transfer around the system over the coming months.

Conflict

Have each other’s backs. If a crew conflict occurs, talk it out with the crew directly. However, another resource would be the AFA Professional Standards Committee (or alternatively your AFA local council officers) for peer-to-peer resolution.

Contract

Except for a few remaining transition items addressed via the Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) Flight Attendant Transition Agreement, e.g. uniform allotment and minimum flying requirements for various benefits, the remainder of the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) will be fully implemented for L-VX Flight Attendants effective upon Full Integration (i.e. cross-flying) tomorrow. Contract documents and related resources may be found on the AFA Alaska Contract page, the Merger TAs and Information page, the Inflight Mobile Device in the Supplemental folder and on the Inflight webpage (login required) under the “Integration: Bidding, Scheduling, Pay, Contract” tab.

Management will be reviewing a cleaned-up JCBA document next week, and the parties are hoping to publish the electronic version as soon as possible once it is finalized. A printed version of the JCBA will go to press shortly thereafter. AFA will work on cleaning up and consolidating the contracts pages in the coming month.

Welcome all to the soon-to-be fully integrated Alaska Airlines!

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Join the ‘Stop the Shutdown’ Rally with TSA Officers Jan. 22 at Sea-Tac

On Tuesday, January 22, 2019, it will be exactly one month since the shutdown started on December 22, 2018. We invite you to meet up with your AFA sisters and brothers as we show our solidarity and support for TSA officers, who are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and other federal employees.

WHAT: ‘Stop the Shutdown’ rally

WHEN: Tuesday, January 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. PT

WHERE: Sea-Tac Airport Flag Pavilion (at the Sea-Tac International Airport entrance on International Blvd)

WHO: Off-duty Flight Attendants, their family and friends

DRESS: Flight Attendant uniform strongly preferred. (Management is aware and supportive of our intent to rally in uniform.) However, an AFA red t-shirt (if you have one from previous rallies—we will not be supplying them this time) or a plain red t-shirt is also fine.

AIR TRAVEL: Management has graciously authorized the use of employee space available pleasure travel for out-of-town Flight Attendants to fly to and from the event on off-duty time. Please exercise good judgment and ensure participating in this rally does not create a conflict with any scheduling obligations you have with the Company.

More info: http://www.thestand.org/2019/01/stop-the-shutdown-rally-with-tsa-officers-jan-22-at-sea-tac/

The Master Executive Council (MEC) understands this is extremely short notice. We also just learned of the rally earlier today. Stay tuned for additional information early next week. We hope to see you there if you are available!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee; and MEC Government Affairs Chairperson Krystle Berry

Council #19 – Base Update

Council #19 – Seattle

January Base Update

Washington Paid Family Leave Law – UPDATED INFORMATION

Last fall prior to Annual Benefits Open Enrollment, we asked about this law during a meeting to discuss impending changes to Benefits. We specifically asked whether Alaska intended to sue the State to deny these benefits to Flight Crews, as well. We were told that this law would apply to all Washington employees. We were told that employees would receive specific information close to the end of the year. The law requires that premiums be deducted from employee paychecks, beginning 1/1/2019. 

Since no information had been provided, and since it was after the implementation date, we sent out information to Seattle Flight Attendants so that they would be aware of the new deductions. On January 3rd, we were informed that Alaska management had decided that the law will only apply to ‘ground employees.’ We asked for an explanation, and waited. Late in the afternoon on January 7th, we were advised that we would not be provided with a written explanation. 

Without direct answers to our questions, we can only guess that the same logic is being used in this instance that prompted Alaska management along with Airlines for America to sue Washington State last year, when the Paid Sick Leave Law went into effect. AFA-CWA has joined the State of Washington in defending our right to coverage under the Paid Sick Leave Law, and will do so again with the Paid Family Leave Act should that be necessary. 

We do not believe that this is fair or equitable. It seems to fly in the face of the ‘Do the Right Thing’, and ‘Committed to Kindness.’ California-based Flight Attendants have been eligible to apply for and receive Paid Family Leave benefits since 2004.  Oregon is working on a Paid Family Leave Act, as well. Will management file suit against each state that provides Paid Family Leave?

Traffic Alerts

With the Viaduct dismantling last weekend, traffic is predicted to be horrendous. We do now have a ground commuter policy with options. Read Section 28 G.2 of the contract to become familiar with this new provision. The company has put out several alerts, suggesting that we all plan to allow sufficient time to get to the airport. While that is a great idea, we don’t yet know how bad it will be or what sufficient time will actually be. Make certain that you do plan ahead, but if there is an unforeseen development (an accident, freeway closure, etc.) it’s good to know your options. 

Local Council Meeting

This meeting will be a Joint Council Meeting, with Horizon and Compass officers and members attending. 

Date:  February 11, 2019

Time: 1:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: SeaTac Office Complex (same building as 13 Coins across from the airport), Earhart Room, Lower Plaza Level-South Tower, 18000 International Blvd. Parking up to 3 hours is free in the front parking lot. You can also park for free in the rear, bring your ticket into the meeting for validation. 

In Solidarity, 

Terry, Jake, Adam, Melinda and Megan

MEC Grievance Committee Assistant Interviews

Background

The MEC Grievance Committee Assistant is responsible for providing administrative support to the MEC Grievance Committee and Local Grievance Committees.  The Assistant works closely with the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson, Local Grievance Committee Chairpersons, Scheduling Committee, and Reserve Committee to ensure Flight Attendant receive the best possible representation.

Qualifications

  • Robust working knowledge of the Flight Attendant collective bargaining agreement, specifically the scheduling, reserve, grievance procedures, board of adjustment, and compensation sections.
  • Ability to maintain office hours in Seattle during the business week and attend meetings as required.
  • Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA), Google email, osTicket, and Microsoft Office preferred.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, track issues, prepare reports, and plan meeting agendas and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines and follow up on assigned tasks.
  • Previous Grievance, Scheduling, or Reserve Committee experience strongly preferred.

Duties

  • Provide procedural assistance and administrative guidance to Local Grievance Committees in handling Flight Attendant concerns.
  • Maintain the grievance log.  Assign grievance numbers when requested and log appropriately.  File grievances as requested.  Ensure copies of all filed grievances are received and filed appropriately.  
  • Oversee the Scheduling Review Board (SRB) process.  Facilitate SRB meetings.  Maintain the SRB agenda, keep and distribute meeting minutes, update osTicket records with meeting outcomes, and post meeting notes for member review. 
  • Participate in the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process as a notetaker.  Maintain the ADR agenda, keep and distribute meeting minutes, update osTicket records with meeting outcomes, and post meeting notes for member review.
  • Serve as system administrator of the osTicket system.  Set up new users, maintain user accounts, and conduct all new user training. Conduct daily and weekly reviews of the system to ensure all tickets are receiving proper follow-up.  Coordinate with corresponding Committee Chairpersons or Officers to address and resolve open issues.
  • Maintain grievance files.  Ensure each file contains all necessary documentation.  Handle all requests for retrieval of files by authorized Committee Members, Officers, or AFA staff and provide requested files within established timeframes.  Oversee and maintain electronic file system.
  • Maintain records of all memorandums of understanding, letters of agreement, and labor memorandums.  Post newly executed documents to the AFA website and arrange for inclusion on the IMD. 
  • Maintain the Grievance Committee calendar.  Schedule and plan meetings and conference calls as needed.
  • Participate in meetings with management at the request of the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson or MEC Officers.
  • Develop, write, and edit correspondence and other communications.  Assist in preparation of monthly committee reports to the MEC and quarterly committee reports to the Members.
  • Other duties as assigned by the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson or MEC Officers.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is budgeted for 60 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month, paid with a 5% override.
  • Time commitment is approximately two days per week in Seattle with additional work completed remotely or in the office as necessary.  No relocation or accommodation expense is provided for this position.
  • The MEC Grievance Committee Assistant will have two pre-arranged, pre-planned absences (at 6.0 TFP credit per day) loaded into her/his schedule each work week for bidding purposes. Alternatively, s/he may be placed on “no bid” status with MEC approval.

Working Relationships

With The MEC Grievance Committee

This position works directly on a day-to-day basis with the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson and Payroll Representative. Frequent interaction with Local Grievance Committee Members.

With Other MEC Committees

Frequent interaction with the MEC Committee Chairperson and Local Committee Chairpersons of the Scheduling and Reserve Committees. Occasional interaction with Local Committee Members of each committee.

With The Master Executive Council

This position reports to the Master Executive Council through the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson. The MEC executive sponsor for the committee is the MEC President.

With Alaska Airlines Management

Constant interaction with management, particularly the Managing Director of Labor Relations—Inflight (Carmen Williams), Manager of Labor Relations (Mike Link), and Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling (Denia Pisia).  Occasional interaction with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Managers and other members of management.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

  • Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou at linda.christou@afaalaska.org no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Linda will be able to provide additional information regarding transportation and booking of flights if necessary.
  • Initial interviews will be conducted by telephone or videoconference from January 28-30, 2019.  Linda will contact eligible candidates to arrange a timeslot for an interview.
  • Final candidates will be invited to interview with the MEC by telephone or videoconference on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Questions?

Please direct any questions about the position to MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams at stephanie.adams@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,
Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams


SFO Co-Terminal Negotiations

Management has recently approached AFA regarding their desire to negotiate a co-terminal agreement for the SFO domicile.  Alaska Airlines currently operates a co-terminal agreement at LAX, which allows pairings to be built to begin and end at co-terminal airports through the Los Angeles metropolitan area.  If adopted, an SFO co-terminal agreement would allow a similar arrangement for pairings to begin and end at co-terminal airports throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Why Negotiations?  Can’t Management Just Open Co-Terminals?

Though management retains the right to open and close domiciles at their discretion within the guidelines spelled out in the collective bargaining agreement, co-terminals are not domiciles in themselves but rather additional airports that are part of a single domicile.  There is no contractual mechanism that allows management to add additional airports to a domicile, therefore an agreement must be negotiated. 

Special Negotiating Committee To Be Formed

The voting members of your Master Executive Council (MEC), consisting of the six directly-elected LEC Presidents, have approved the creation of a special negotiating committee to negotiate a co-terminal agreement with management.  The committee will consist of three Negotiating Committee Members who will be selected by the MEC.  The MEC President serves as Chairperson of the committee per the AFA Constitution & Bylaws.

Although a co-terminal agreement would certainly effect Flight Attendants based at SFO, it would also have a further reaching impact throughout the system.  With more trips being able to begin and end at co-terminal airports, there would likely be a reduction in layovers in these locations. The systemwide distribution of flying would also be impacted as co-terminal airports would begin accommodating pairings built out of those locations.  For this reason, the Special Negotiating Committee positions are open to Flight Attendants from all domiciles.

Special Negotiating Committee Positions

Scope of the Special Negotiating Committee

The Special Negotiating Committee will negotiate an agreement for co-terminal airports to be added to the SFO domicile.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Special Negotiating Committee

From Section VI.A.2 of the AFA-CWA Policy Manual

The duties and responsibilities of the Negotiating Committee shall include the following:

a.         The Committee, with the advice of the Staff Negotiator shall have the authority to conclude an agreement, subject to the provisions of Article XII. of the Constitution and Bylaws.

b.         All members of the Committee, including alternates whenever possible, shall complete a negotiations training seminar prior to writing an “opener.”

c.         Committee members shall be familiar with Union policy and keep abreast of new developments in the industry.

d.         Committee members shall utilize the facilities and resources of the Union and the experience and knowledge of Union Officers, International Office staff and study committees of the Union. (e.g., Legal, Retirement and Insurance, Wage and Working Conditions, etc.).

e.         Committee members shall maintain a current record of the:

(1)        Financial condition of the company.

(2)        Management lines of authority and methods of communication.

(3)        Operations statistics and experiences of the airline which may be used in bargaining, grievances, litigation, etc.

f.          Committee members shall be familiar with the wishes of the flight attendant group with respect to wages, working conditions, and work rules, through, for example, system-wide distribution of contract surveys, periodic road shows, etc.

g.         The Committee, with the advice of the Staff Negotiator, shall prepare the contract opener.

h.         The Committee shall provide regular updates to the membership on the status of negotiations through, for example, newsletters, hotlines, telephone trees, etc.

i.          The Committee shall maintain a complete record of the negotiations, including proposals, notes and communications, and such record is the property of AFA-CWA. A copy of this record will be forwarded to the International Office by the Negotiating Committee.

Expectations/Qualifications

  • Appointed by the AFA Alaska MEC and terms are served to completion at the approval of the MEC.  Takes direction from the chairperson of the Special Negotiating Committee (i.e. in this case the MEC President) with input from the AFA International Collective Bargaining Department (i.e. staff negotiator) and Legal Department (i.e. staff attorney).  After successful ratification of the SFO Co-Terminal Agreement will continue to serve as a contract interpretation resource for the agreement.
  • Maintain a complete record of negotiations including proposals, notes and communications. Such record is the property of AFA-CWA.
  • Public interactions (including social media) must reflect favorably on AFA Alaska.  If requested by AFA Alaska, Special Negotiating Committee Members must be willing to reasonably limit social media interactions for the duration of preparation, negotiations and implementation.
  • Ability to tolerate controversy amongst one’s peers.
  • Willing to travel for training, preparation, negotiations, roadshows and other meetings as needed.
  • Must be willing to adjust her/his schedule as needed, sometimes with very little notice.

Flight Pay Loss/Expenses

  • 6 TFP for each 8 hours of work 
  • Travel time is unpaid; exceptions will be treated on a case-by-case basis.
  • Meal & incidentals and other expenses to be reimbursed according to AFA Alaska Policy Manual and AFA-CWA C&B.

How to Express Interest In the Positions

  • Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest letter and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou at linda.christou@afaalaska.org.
  • The expression of interest letter should include responses to the following questions:
    • What interests you about this position?
    • Why do you believe you are a good candidate for the position?
    • What is your understanding of the LAX co-terminal agreement that is currently in place?
  • The deadline for applications is Friday, February 1, 2019 at 5 PM Pacific time.
  • Linda will contact applicants to coordinate an interview with the MEC and arrange travel (if necessary).  Interviews will be held at the AFA MEC Office in Seattle, WA on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Questions?

Any questions regarding Special Negotiating Committee positions should be directed to MEC President Jeffrey Peterson at jeffrey.peterson@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, August 13, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), Diana Berni (PDX),  Lisa Mueller (SFO), Heather […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – August 2026

On Monday, August 10, our AFA Hotel Committee Chairpersons met remotely to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA pmAS), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX pmAS), Kanani Vallot (SAN), and Matt […]

787-9 Inflight Service Grievance: Protecting Our Contract and Standards

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants For decades, Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants have defined the Spirit of Aloha. We take pride in delivering world-class service, but management’s current Boeing 787-9 service model is threatening that legacy. It isn’t just inefficient—it’s an unsustainable pace that undermines the quality our passengers expect and the professional […]

Pre-Merger Alaska Reserve Webinar Video and Q&A Recap – August 6, 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Thank you to everyone who joined our first pre-merger Alaska Reserve Webinar! We created this interactive session to share practical contract tips and help you feel more confident about reserve life. You can now watch the recording on our YouTube channel using the link below. Please note that […]

Wrapping Up Membership Engagement Focus Month: Stronger Together

July was a remarkable month for our Membership Engagement Committee. We set out with a clear purpose: to bring our Flight Attendant community closer together, share valuable resources, and build authentic connections throughout our system. Over the past four weeks, we explored what it means to be engaged in our AFA family. We kicked things […]

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