Personal Strategies for Approaching the 13th Anniversary of September 11th
From Your AFA EAP
As we approach the thirteenth anniversary of September 11th, many of us will begin to plan how we’ll recognize this day. Anniversaries offer an opportunity to acknowledge our memories and experiences, to connect with others who share in them, and to pay tribute to our individual and collective journeys. Anniversaries can also serve as personal and professional milestones of our healing and resiliency. For some, September 11th will be marked with private personal gestures such as observing a moment of silence, spending quiet time reflecting, or dedicating our flying to our profession. For others, it will be marked with collective activities such as ceremonies and memorial services.
There is no right way or better way to recognize the anniversary; but, there are some suggestions that may prove helpful as we approach the anniversary of September 11th.
- Observe the anniversary in a way that’s comfortable for you. Say “no” to events or activities that you sense may flood you with too many feelings.
- Don’t compare yourself to how others around you appear to be dealing with the September 11th
- Acknowledge that we all heal at different rates, in different ways, and with different outcomes.
- Give yourself permission and time to be affected. Though uncomfortable, anticipate and plan for having a stress reaction as the anniversary approaches. Trust that if you have moments of difficulty, you’ll be able to pull yourself back together.
- Try not to isolate. Isolation can often amplify difficult feelings. Pre-plan now to be with family or friends if you know you have this tendency.
- Think through in advance how much and the type of anniversary media coverage you can comfortably absorb. Actively monitor and control what news coverage enters your personal space.
- If you are interested in attending scheduled anniversary events, check local community websites or voicesofsept11.org.
- Ask for help, support, and opportunities to talk. Your AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is here to listen. Telephone numbers of your local EAP committee members are listed at afanet.org under the EAP Section or at http://afaalaska.org/eap. You can also call the AFA International EAP at 1-800-424-2406 or the AFA Alaska EAP at 1-949-470-0493.
In solidarity,
Your AFA International and AFA Alaska EAP
“Making the Connection” Training
Inflight management recently announced a voluntary training called “Making the Connection” via Inflight Bulletin 2014-0173, which seems to be visible to Seattle-based Flight Attendants only. The training is intended to provide Flight Attendants some familiarization with the duties of a Customer Service Agent and vice versa. AFA was informed of the program but it was rolled out without negotiating the terms of the training with the union.
Available for pick-up in Seattle Open Time
“Making the Connection” is currently being offered in Seattle only and may be picked up out of Seattle’s Open Time. It is available on Mondays through October and is a trial. If the class is successful, the program may be rolled out system-wide.
Flight Attendants in other domiciles are being allowed to pick up the training; however, be advised that management is not offering hotel accommodations in Seattle in order to position for the class. Compensation is quoted as 6 TFP, which is contractually consistent.
“Making the Connection” is not cross training!!!
The training is designed to foster a better understanding between the Flight Attendant and Customer Service Agent workgroups—nothing more. This is not cross training and AFA leadership and IAM leadership will pursue our respective dispute resolution processes if employees of one workgroup are required to perform duties of the other. However, we have no reason to believe this will happen.
AFA disputes the program “follows the same rules as Recurrent Training”
From the bulletin: “This program follows the same rules as Recurrent Training for rest requirements, date change requests and attendance (sick leave and Failure to Report to training would apply).” Through the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process, AFA is disputing that the program as described actually follows the contractual Recurrent Training rules for attendance, sick leave and to a certain extent date change requests.
Once AFA and management achieve agreement on the concerns, one or both parties will communicate the outcome. In the meantime, be aware that several aspects of this voluntary training class are in dispute.
In solidarity,
Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt
Negotiating Committee Financial Survey Reminder
The Negotiating Committee is grateful for the amazing response of our Flight Attendants and their willingness to share their financial struggles with us. This is a personal issue and we value your honesty and trust.
We are concerned but not surprised by the number of responses. We know, however, this is not all of you. We have heard some say that this survey was available for a short period of time and flight attendants could not continue to participate. That is incorrect. We are committed to gathering your stories for as long as it is necessary to ensure that everyone wanting to share has had the opportunity.
Because of the statistics involved in this survey and our desire to understand all of the needs of our group, the sooner you can return your survey the better. This helps us have stable statistics as we move forward in negotiations.
To make this easier for you to respond, we are going to attach the questionnaire in this communication. Please return it to one of the negotiators below or whichever one you feel most comfortable with. If you have any questions please continue to ask. We are here to help and listen.
| ANC | SEA & PDX | LAX & SAN |
| Lisa Pinkston | Christina Frees | Kristy Stratton |
| lvarner22@mac.com | freesitintime@gmail.com | stratton.kristy@gmail.com |
AFA Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Financial Aid Questionnaire
All information will be handled with the utmost care and confidentiality. Your name will not be shared outside the Negotiating Committee. The information collected is strictly for negotiation and statistical purposes. Individual Flight Attendant names will be removed and kept confidential.
1. What is your name? Answer:
2. Where you are currently based? Answer:
3. Are you on reserve (Y/N)? Answer:
4. Are you on active status or on a leave of absence? Answer:
5. What is your average monthly paid TFP? Answer:
6. What is your pay step? Answer:
7. What is your household size? Answer:
8. Are you the sole provider (Y/N)? Answer:
9. Do you have a second income (job, rent out rooms etc) to subsidize your monthly income? Answer:
10. At any time in the past 5 years, while you were an Alaska Flight Attendant, have you applied for any form of financial assistance, government, local, third party assistance or loan deferment/forgiveness (Y/N)? If so, what type?
Answer:
11. Are you currently receiving, or have received any of the following types of financial assistance in the past five years while you were an Alaska Flight Attendant? (You do not need to tell us what type of assistance if you do not wish, simply answer with A, B, C, D or AFA Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Financial Aid Questionnaire all of the above.) (Y/N)? Answer:
A. Government (food stamps, WIC [Women, Infants & Children] assistance, housing, low income housing, medical, school lunches, cash, other) (Y/N)? Answer:
B. Local (lost cost, subsidized or reduced housing, rent, mortgage, utilities, phone, water, electric, trash, food bank, local charity, non-profits, other) (Y/N)? Answer:
C. Third-party (family, friend, church, Employee Assistance Fund, car payment, free or reduced rent, mortgage assistance, cash, other) (Y/N)? Answer:
D. Deferment or forgiveness program (student loan, mortgage, etc) (Y/N)? Answer:
12. Would you be open to being contacted in the future in regards to this topic (Y/N)? Answer:
If yes, please provide the best way to contact you (email / phone / text / other):
We understand this can be a sensitive topic. On behalf of the Negotiating Committee, thank you for participating and assisting us in collecting this information.
Negotiations Update – August 29, 2014
Your Negotiating Committee just wrapped up 4 days of mediation under the direction of NMB Mediator, Victoria Gray, at the La Jolla Marriott in San Diego, CA.
The days were long and stretched into the night as both teams were frustrated as we grappled with complex issues and tough decisions. We did reach some consensus.
Thank you to everybody who worked yesterday and who attended informational picketing system-wide. Your enthusiasm was a big encouragement to your NC. The SAN Flight Attendants stopped by our caucus room to show their support!
This session we did TA 3 Sections:
- Section 9 JA
- Sick Leave Make-up Program (which will end up in Section 16)
- Section 23 Insurance Benefits
- Section 32 Attendance Policy
Section 9 – JA
We retained protections from being JA’d when trading away days off one’s line provided you don’t replace those days with anything else and all the improvements from the TA. Additionally, a FA cannot be JA’d into or while on a vacation.
Sick Leave Make-up Program
This will allow F/As to restore their sick leave on a 1:1 basis under conditions of the program.
Section 23 Insurance Benefits
We achieved the 15% year on year cap on health care contributions and maintained the annual cost share caps from the TA.
Section 32 Attendance Policy
- In the TA a FA does not have to complete one leg to avoid the 2.5 points when calling in sick-on-line.
- For record improvement, we improved the flying requirements compared to TA1.
- We retained the increased 6 bank points and negotiated that a FA will have the choice to use her/his Quarterly Point Reduction Form prior to having bank points apply.
Your Negotiating Committee will meet with management’s team in SEA in September to work on language clean-up for Section 12 and parameters for an automated Reserve Repositioning Calendar.
The next mediation session is scheduled for October 6-8 in Portland, OR. We also have a mediation session scheduled in Washington, DC, November 12-14.
Please check out the Negotiations Update video on our You Tube channel at http://youtu.be/GDX3CDjZZN8
Wear your RED pin, stay informed and stay engaged. Keep an eye out for more opportunities to show your spirit and voice your thoughts to management! More information can be found on our new website at afaalaska.org.
In solidarity,
Your Negotiating Committee—MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo
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