July 29, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

Although the Master Executive Council (MEC) is extremely pleased with management’s decision to replace the TwinHill uniform with an interim Land’s End uniform, we are still several months out from implementation. For those of you who experience adverse reactions to the TwinHill uniform, please be assured that the same procedures prior to the announcement are still in effect and will remain so until the rollout of the interim uniform.

If you are currently wearing the TwinHill uniform and experiencing an adverse reaction, please click on the following link to the document “Your Uniform, Your Health” (http://alaskamec.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/YOUR-UNIFORM_YOUR-HEALTH-1.pdf) which walks you through the process of transitioning into the M&H alternate uniform.

Approximately three months ago AFA posted the uniform database with identifying information redacted as well as a statistical summary of reported symptoms. We have since received a significant number of new cases and will be posting an updated database and statistics shortly. For those of you who may have missed the broadcast, KING 5 news in Seattle ran a story on July 26^th, 2013, at 6:30pm “Alaska Air replaces uniforms after attendants say it sickened them” (http://www.king5.com/news/aerospace/Alaska-Airs-new-uniforms-are-for-more-than-just-looks-217173661.html) . AFA Alaska MEC President Jeffrey Peterson and Alaska Airlines Vice President of Inflight Services Andy Schneider were both interviewed for the piece.

If you are based in Seattle and have any questions or concerns regarding the current uniform contact:

Shannon Hyde at sbrown1982@gmail.com / 206-850-6371, or

Susan Lee at slee@alaskamec.org.

If you are based in ANC/PDX/LAX/SAN contact:

Yvette Gesch at ygesch@alaskamec.org / 562-209-3473.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Terry Taylor, Yvette Gesch, Melanie Buker, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

“Five Bases, One Voice”

alaskamec.org

July 29, 2013 @ 0930 PT

Dear Flight Attendants,

Alaska Airlines is taking precautionary measures by canceling a number of flights to and from Hawaii due to the approach of Tropical Storm Flossie. The island of greatest impact is projected to be Maui. As a result of the cancellations, several crews will be left on the ground throughout the Islands. It is our understanding that some flights are departing Hawaii this morning but no flights are leaving the mainland until later this afternoon or evening. Extra sections are planned once Hawaii operations resume to minimize the impact to customers.

The Master Executive Council (MEC) has expressed concern that crewmembers are being stranded in Hawaii. However, we have been assured by Alaska Airlines management the cancellations are a precautionary measure only and the affected crews are not in any danger. We will update you as more information is known or if the situation changes.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Terry Taylor, Yvette Gesch, Melanie Buker, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

“Five Bases, One Voice”

alaskamec.org

July 10, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) is very pleased to report that Alaska Airlines intends to replace the TwinHill uniform with an interim Land’s End uniform by late fourth quarter 2013 or early first quarter 2014. All Flight Attendants will be out of the TwinHill uniform much earlier than the originally anticipated date of late 2014! It has been a long, long road to get to this point but AFA is thrilled that Alaska Airlines management is taking this bold action to restore confidence in our uniform. AFA representatives have been involved in the selection of Land’s End—including an extensive vetting process with safety as a primary driver.  We are highly confident that Land’s End will be able to deliver a product that is free from the issues many have reported while in or around the current stock uniform. The transition to the interim uniform will happen all on the same day and AFA has been informed that there will be an overnight effort to resolve safety concerns from potential contact transfer on the jumpseats during that transition.

However, please keep in mind that this is only a temporary uniform from Land’s End Business Outfitters stock catalog. Flight Attendants will eventually be transitioned to a custom Land’s End uniform once the “brand refresh” review has been completed—up to two years from now. With all the new Flight Attendant uniforms going public lately, we do not want anybody to be disappointed as a result of thinking that this new Land’s End uniform–which will probably lack many of the more exciting elements in other airline uniforms—will be with us for any length of time. Again, it is just an interim uniform until a more permanent and presumably more exciting uniform is in place.

AFA knows there will be a lot of questions and we will continue to update you along the way through MEC communications or the AFA Uniform Committee. You will also find more information on Alaska’s World, the Inflight webpage and in First Class. Also, the MEC would be remiss if we did not thank AFA International Air Safety and Health Industrial Hygienist Judith Murawski for her determined advocacy on behalf of our affected members.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Terry Taylor, Yvette Gesch, Melanie Buker, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

“Five Bases, One Voice”

www.alaskamec.org