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Negotiations Update July 8-9, 2014: AFA Presents TA-2 Opening Proposal

Dear Flight Attendants,

 

AFA resumed mediation this week with Alaska Airlines management at the National Mediation Board (NMB) in Washington, DC. Management was represented by Shane Tackett, vice president of Labor Relations; Andy Schneider, vice president of Inflight Services; Elizabeth Ryan, managing director of Labor Relations-Air; Mike Link, manager of Inflight Labor & Work Performance; and Patrick Sundaresan, division controller for Air, Maintenance & Engineering. Ben Minicucci, chief operating officer (COO), also joined us on the first day. Victoria Gray returned as our federal mediator from the NMB.

 

AFA presented our opening proposal (AFA Alaska 2014 TA-2 Opening Proposal) and engaged in productive discussions.  Management was receptive to some aspects of our proposal and the parties reached an agreement in concept on several items:

 

  • Section 9 Junior Available,
  • Section 11 Reserve,
  • Section 12 Exchange of Sequences, and
  • Section 23 Insurance Benefits.

 

The parties confirmed our August 25th-28th session, which is tentatively scheduled for San Francisco, CA. We also scheduled additional dates in early October and November. Unfortunately, our mediator had no availability in September.

 

The latest negotiations video update recapping this session has been posted.

 

What can you do between now and our August negotiations? Wear your RED AFA pin, stay informed and stay engaged. More information about upcoming solidarity events in July and August is at alaskamec.org/mobilization.

 

Looking for more information or have questions/concerns about negotiations? Visit the negotiations page of the AFA Alaska website, fill out a Negotiations Feedback Form or send the Negotiating Committee an email. Look under our signature line below for all the links!

 

In solidarity,

 

Your Negotiating Committee—MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

alaskamec.org/negotiations | negotiations@alaskamec.org | Negotiations Feedback Form

MEC 5BSS Logo

Mobilization Update July 3, 2014: More Solidarity Events!

Dear Flight Attendants,

Your Master Executive Council (MEC), Negotiating Committee and Mobilization Committee have been busy planning more solidarity activities this summer. We wanted to get this information into your hands before the Independence Day holiday weekend and before bidding opens in PBS.

Join us at the RED Hot AFA Summer BBQ at Angle Lake Park in SeaTac, WA—right next to the Alaska Airline Corporate Headquarters! The picnic will be on Wednesday, August 20th in the afternoon. Flight Attendants throughout the system are invited and may utilize non-revenue travel to attend this recreational—and educational—event!

AFA will also conduct a system-wide solidarity activity at each of the Flight Attendant domiciles on the following Wednesday, August 27th, time TBD. For maximum impact, we are going to withhold the details for now.

Also, remember there is a system-wide solidarity event on Tuesday, July 22nd.  We will be doing another airport walk and handing out the latest swag. Do you think it’s time for a new AFA t-shirt? Come out and join us!

Here are the session times around the system:

ANC: 1pm-4pm
SEA: 5am-9am, 11am-4pm, 5pm-10pm
PDX: 5:30am-8:00am, 8:00am-10:30am
LAX: 5am-8:30am, 8:30am-12pm, 1pm-4:30pm
SAN: 8am-11:30am

Volunteers sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1RAUYuw2muX7zk5g55YgWck6sIdXCPbQm_2HPlfm4sn4/viewform.

For more information regarding upcoming mobilization efforts, visit alaskamec.org/mobilization.

In solidarity,

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt; and
Your Negotiating Committee—MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo; and
MEC Mobilization Chairperson Adam Clarey

 

MEC 5BSS Logo

AFA Alaska MEC Resolution in Support of AAG Contracted Workers

Dear Flight Attendants,

 

 

This past week the Master Executive Council (MEC) voted to adopt the following resolution to support the continuing efforts of contract airport workers in the Alaska Air Group to organize: AFA Alaska MEC Resolution in Support of AAG Contracted Workers.

 

Council 19 Seattle President Laura Masserant and MEC Government Affairs Chairperson Bev Bullock have been working with Jonathan Rosenblum, the campaign director for Working Washington, to help promote awareness of contract workers’ plight and their desire to organize throughout our system. Many of you may have one of the bag tags, “AFA Says: Make every airport job a good job” that were handed out last summer in Seattle.

 

From Laura: “Last summer I had the privilege to speak at a local news conference in the Sea Tac airport where I explained what I see on a daily basis as a Flight Attendant who interacts with the airport workers: broken cleaning equipment, or no equipment; stories from the men and women who fuel the planes about safety and health hazards they experience every day in their jobs; and I witness the wheel chair attendants who push and pull wheelchairs with baggage up and down the jet bridges without assistance.  I also shared the stories of how the cleaners cannot call in sick for themselves or for their children for fear of losing their job.”

 

As union members we enjoy the right to bargain for a contract that provides a safe work environment, duty day limitations, and the ability to bargain for job protections and higher wages. Unorganized workers at many of our airports do not have these rights. This is why the MEC voted to adopt this resolution and why we will continue to support airport workers around the Alaska Air Group system.

 

 

In Solidarity,

 

 

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

 

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Negotiations Update June 26, 2014

Dear Flight Attendants,

 

Your Negotiating Committee and Master Executive Council (MEC) are wrapping up a busy week. The MEC held its monthly meeting on Monday and Thursday and negotiations training on Tuesday and Wednesday in Seattle, WA.

 

The Negotiating Committee, the MEC and Mobilization Chair Adam Clarey attended the intensive negotiations training, facilitated by AFA Director of Collective Bargaining Clare Burt, International Staff Representative Guy Bosworth, Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput and Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo. In addition to training, the Negotiating Committee presented the opening proposal for a new contract to the MEC. The opener was unanimously approved by the MEC.

 

National Mediation Board (NMB) Chairperson Linda Puchala, Senior Mediator Pat Sims and Mediator Victoria Gray met with AFA for a presentation and discussion regarding the NMB and the Railway Labor Act. AFA presented an executive summary of the negotiations survey to management and the NMB in separate sessions.

 

AFA Hart Negotiations Survey Executive Summary

 

Negotiations Video Update June 25, 2014

 

What can you do in the meantime to strengthen our position at the table? We are on the countdown to 100% RED so make sure to wear your RED AFA pin on your uniform! Don’t have one yet? Contact your local Mobilization chairperson: alaskamec.org/mobilization.

 

In solidarity,

 

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt; and

 

Your Negotiating Committee—MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

 

Negotiations Calendar

 

 July 8-9: Negotiations – NMB, Washington, DC

 

July 22: Solidarity Event (details TBA) [see alaskamec.org/mobilization]

 

Week of August 25 (tentative): Negotiations – location TBD

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 10 – December 2025

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) met with management this week to continue bargaining sessions in Seattle, WA. Discussions focused on narrowing issues in Leaves of Absence, Association General, and reviewing vacation provisions as part of the joint contract process.

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

On Monday, December 8, 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), Trista Vanta (SFO), and Yan Yan Teague (SEA). MEC Human […]

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