March 2, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

The Master Executive Council (MEC) and the Negotiating Committee continue to hear rumors, confusion and frustration surrounding the provisions in the Section 12 Exchange of Sequences Tentative Agreement specific to Open Time. Many of the concerns focus on the stepped opening of trading by seniority quartiles, or the Quartile System. The intent of the new system is NOT about dividing us along seniority lines. It is about creating a system that is functional for all Flight Attendants. Understandably, upon initial view the Quartile System seems to penalize junior employees. However, the Negotiating Committee believes that is NOT the case when the entire system and all the changes are considered.

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Let’s review the current Open Time system:

• Pre-funded with no less than 25% of FA base population in TFP of unawarded (undesirable) trips
• Opens with 12 days open for 24 hours, almost always “checker-boarded” to prevent repositioning of days
• In order to trade out of any of the days in a sequence, those days must be open in OT
• Management can close any day at their discretion
• If you want to trade a trip for another trip with less legs, there can only be a 3-leg difference
• OT is essentially closed and locked up 24 hours after it opens

The current OT system is broken. We can all agree on that.

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Before we even discuss the Quartile System, lets look at the other improvement in the proposed Open Time system:

• No pre-funding of Open Time, so there will be more Lineholders who will have their lines built with these trips; this will also result in less Reserves. (There has been no contractual increase to the line average so everybody else should not be required to fly more to absorb these trips.)
• OT opens on the 15th (earlier than today) with NO days closed initially.
• FAs can simply DROP a trip into OT if the day of the trip departure is open without having to pick a trip up.
• All days of the trip (say a 4-day) do NOT have to be open, just the first day in order to drop the trip into OT.
• Concrete, contractual thresholds for closing an OT day (not management discretion).
• The only trips considered into the OT closing threshold are FA drops and coupon drops (coded TR and CP in eMaestro)
• If you want to trade a trip on a closed day, there is no 3-leg difference restriction like today
• If a FA picks up a TR or CP trip on a “closed” day, that day will reopen
• Complete transparency so you can see if a day is open or closed and why

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Now let’s tackle the Quartile System…

**Once a quartile opens, it does NOT close**
The current system encourages Flight Attendants to trade their low-quality trips into OT and it quickly becomes clogged up with these trips and closes. By employing a stepped access to OT by seniority, it slows the process down and results in better quality trips being placed in OT first (because those trips are more likely to be awarded to more senior FAs). Then when the next quartile opens, those FAs get a crack at higher quality trips than they would have normally held or have access to in OT today. Finally, when the last quartile opens, the assumption is that even the Flight Attendants that quartile will initially have access to better quality trips in OT than they would have held on their lines or have access to in OT today.

We are not trying to restrict any one seniority range. The Quartile System is in place only for the first 4 days of the opening of OT (15^th – 18^th of the month prior). The new system allows for an orderly and rational opening of OT trading. Not the mad, dysfunctional rush that it is now.

We ask you to consider the changes in their entirety and to make your judgment based on all the elements of the new system and who this fits into the overall tentative agreement.

In solidarity,

Your Negotiating committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

“Four Bases, One Voice”

 

Open Time Recap

We have negotiated changes to the OT system which we believe will prevent, or greatly reduce, OT becoming bogged down by those unappealing trips (4-day GDLs, 3-day trips worth 8 TFP, etc). The new quartile system is anticipated to return some scheduling flexibility and make OT a more functioning system. Setting strict threshold numbers for the closing of OT days will also preclude management from arbitrarily closing OT days. These important changes to the OT system are explained below.

Quartile System for OT Start

After bid awards, OT will open based on a stepped quartile system. Flight Attendants may trade with or drop to other Flight Attendants in an opened quartile as well as interact with Open Time. On the 18th of the month prior to the bid month, all Flight Attendants have full access to trading/ dropping. Flight Attendants will have access to OT trading and dropping according to the table below:

Day of month Quartile FAs who can trade (seniority)

15th 1st Quartile top 25%

16th 2nd Quartile top 50%

17th 3rd Quartile top 75%

18th 4th Quartile All FAs in domicile

Formula for determining OT Closing Threshold #

• 1 sequence departure per day for every 200 FAs in domicile. If there are at least 50 FAs “left over” after the calculation, then an additional daily sequence departure is added. (Example: 650 FAs in domicile, OT Threshold number would be 4 sequences.)
• Minimum threshold # of 3 sequences at each domicile regardless of FA domicile population.
• Only the day of departure will count toward the threshold number.
• Sick calls do not count. Only FA-dropped trips and coupon drops count (these trips will be coded TR or CP in eMaestro).
• If an Open Time day is closed, it can re-open if a FA picks up a sequence coded TR or CP on that day.
• System adjust for growth.

 

EXAMPLE: PDX (Threshold # = 3)

June # of Sequences

4th 3 closed

5th 3 closed

6th 2

7th 1

8th 3 closed

9th 2

10th 1

11th 2

12th 3 closed

Using the above snapshot of OT, PDX FAs could drop a total of 2 trips into OT on the 7th and 10th and a total of 1 trip on the 6th, 9th, and 11th. Alternatively, if a FA picked up a TR- or CP-coded trip on the 4th, 5th, 8th or 12th, that day would re-open for give-away. Even if a day is closed, a sequence may be traded for another sequence with the same departure day regardless of trip length provided the FA has not traded more than 40 net TFP into OT.

IMPORTANT: In order to drop a trip into OT, only the departure day of the sequence has to be open. So, in the above example, a FA could drop a 4-day on the 11^th of the month, even though the 12^th was closed. Also, the 3-leg restriction for trades on closed days is eliminated.

Other important provisions:

• OT will open on the 15th with NO closed days
• NO pre-funding of OT

– will create more line holders (because TFP previously used in pre-funding will be built into lines)

– many fewer “low quality” trips will be in OT at the start

• Straight drops into OT will be allowed (is not today) if sequence departure day is open (up to 40 TFP net into OT per FA)
• More “higher quality” trips will be available to more junior FAs

 

The changes in our Open Time System tentative agreement are comprehensive and sweeping. The stagnation created by the current system was untenable and could not continue. Many carriers in our industry (Hawaiian, USAirways East, American, Piedmont and American Eagle, to name some) incorporate some aspect of seniority-based trading in processing OT transactions.

It is completely understandable that change of this significance would cause concern. However, your Negotiating Committee has not entered into this new system lightly. Countless hours of pouring through data, running through scenarios, and researching what’s out there in our industry has led us to strongly believe that this new system will benefit our Flight Attendant group as a whole.

In solidarity,

Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

“Four Bases, One Voice”

Negotiations Update February 26, 2013:

Clarification of Section 12 Exchange of Sequences Tentative Agreement – Open Time

 

Dear Flight Attendants,

It has come to our attention through many communication channels there are rumors, confusion and frustration surrounding our recent tentative agreement with management specific to Open Time. Your Negotiating Committee would like to take this opportunity to review the process, the provisions and the enhancements to our current and future agreement.

Current Process:

Minimum 12 Open days will be open in a month for at least 24 hours commencing when Open Time becomes available.

Following bid awards a minimum amount of Open Time for each domicile consisting of TFP equal to 25% of the total number of Flight Attendants in the domicile.

Example: 1000 Flight Attendants there will be minimum of 250 TFP in the domicile after awarding of bid lines.

Flight Attendants may pick up sequences from Open Time up to four (4) hours prior to departure. Scheduling may assign trips in OT to Reserves from 12:00 noon on the day prior to check in.

A Flight Attendant may trade a sequence for another sequence containing more days, without respect to the number of flights contained in the sequences.

Trades may be for fewer days if the sequence to be placed on the FA’s line is within a three (3) flight difference of the traded sequence. If a FA is picking up or trading for more than s/he is giving to Open Time, then the difference in the number of flights is unlimited.

Trades involving multiple sequences must be traded day for day or for a greater number of days.

Note: There is a binding arbitration award regarding our Open Time. The award allows management to withhold trips after the 25% threshold meets or exceeds 50% and may be drawn back down to 25% but not below, after hitting the 25% it must grow back to 50% before management pulls back the second round of trips and this process is ongoing for the first 24 hours. If the TFP in the domicile falls below the 25% management must place the held trips back into Open Time in the same order they were withdrawn. For example the beginning amount of TFP is 250, once the number of TFP in OT reaches 500, management may withhold trips taking the amount of TFP in the domicile back to 250 and they have to let it grow back to 500 TFP again before they may pull back any additional trips. After a few hours management usually begins pulling trips because the threshold is hit relatively quickly. After the 24 hours of Open Time commences management closes the days in the month and places all the trips back into the system. This is why you will see many trips placed back into the system on the day after Open Time closes, currently the 19^th, that were not included in the Open Time availability of trips.

Management came to the Negotiating Committee with the idea that we could come up with a resolution that provided staffing reliability as well as limited open time liability which in turn would provide Flight Attendants with a trading system allowing for more sequences to be available for trading, flexibility and give away or we could keep OT the way is it with the arbitration award. Management is not looking to allow more “down-trading” but rather provide Flight Attendants with options while protecting the operation.

New Process:

The new bidding system will no longer require management to “prefund” our OT with the 25% TFP calculation described in the current process. Management will build as many lines as possible with TFP that would usually have been put aside to fund the old OT system. In addition, all of the days in the month will begin open and only close once their daily sequence threshold is met. We agreed to allow a Flight Attendant to give away their sequence directly to OT provided the day of the origination of the sequence is open. The days are closed based on the actual number of OT sequences originating in that day. A Flight Attendant may not give directly to OT more than 40 TFP net. Actual examples will be provided for you in the Tentative Agreement when presented to the members for voting.

The maximum number of pairings allowed in Open Time in each domicile on any given day will be based on 1 sequence per 200 Flight Attendants, with a minimum of 3 sequences per day per domicile. More than 50 Flight Attendants will be round up to two hundred.

Example: Total of 650 Flight Attendants in a domicile would allow maximum of 4 sequences per day. Three (3) sequences for first 600, 1 sequence for next 50. To add additional sequence the base would need to increase to a total 850 FAs.

In order to keep OT trading open and allow FAs to trade into better sequences than they were able to hold we established a quartile system. If a day is closed by a higher quartile you can trade your sequence with OT or place your trip directly into OT if the day is open. You may take a four (4) day sequence and trade it with a one (1) day sequence and the preceding days will not affect the trade. The trade is based on a sequence for sequence trade. If a day is closed and an OT sequence is picked up the day will reopen and allow another FA to drop in their sequence. Days will open and close throughout the month while facilitating a trading/give away system

The top 25% will have FA to FA and Open Time trading open on the 15^th of the month. The next 25% will open on 16^th allowing the top 50% of FAs in a domicile to trade with OT and FA to FA trade. The 17^th will allow the next 25%, which is the top 75% of Flight Attendants in the domicile access to Open Time and FA-to-FA trading. On the 18^th all Flight Attendants will be allowed access to trading with Open Time and FA to FA.

The reason the quartile system is in place is to keep the system from being loaded with all of the undesirable trips such as the 4 day GDLs, 3 day ANC, 3 YVR just to name a few. The OT system will never return to the system we once had prior to the arbitration award. The Negotiating Committee was tasked with returning trading and flexibility back to our group. The Local Leadership and Negotiating Committee given the options available and binding awards issued through our grievance process than negotiated our new OT system. With our new OT system the Flight Attendants receive our flexibility and a mechanism for trip trading back, while management received daily staffing reliability to assist in operational performance.

Our new OT system will create a mechanism for our Lineholders to trades trips and recreate their schedules, allow for funding of Self Assignment for Reserves later in the month the day prior to their availability period and in addition it will limit the overall number of junior assignments (JAs) or reassignments which were caused due to scheduling and coverage issues. The system will also create a domicile calendar where all days open for trading until the agreed threshold is met with ability to have any day reopen in the month when the threshold drops back down below the maximum number of sequences allowed on that day. With these new improvements the FA group is now in control of the open and closing of days rather than at management discretion.

The Negotiating Committee understands change is difficult and as with any new concept we ask that you please take a moment to read over the specific contractual language once a full Tentative Agreement is provided to the membership.

In solidarity,

Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

“Four Bases, One Voice”

 

 

 

Negotiations Update February 5-7, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

This week’s round of bargaining played out in fits and starts, but we ended the week positioned to proceed forward and to begin exchanging full comprehensive proposals. Yes, you heard it right—at our next session beginning March 18^th, we will receive the first compensation proposal from management. All along, they have been saying how much they value our contribution to Alaska’s success so we’re expecting a package that truly recognizes that contribution.

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Section 11: Reserves. At our last session, we had TA’d and signed a term sheet outlining all provisions. This session, we finalized the language and “re-TA’d” the section.

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Section 12: Exchange of Sequences. We finally TA’d this section after months of discussions. We gained jet bridge trades which will greatly increase flexibility and allow Flight Attendants to trade or giveaway whole or partial non-international sequences at the airport—including on RONs! Additionally, now Open Time will open with ALL days open. In an effort to drastically improve the functionality of OT for all Flight Attendants, we have made several changes to this system.

Members of the Negotiating Committee will be attending the AFA Board of Directors meeting February 9-13, so a comprehensive explanation will be put out after their return. Unfortunately, management has communicated a snippet of information regarding S12 in the “Grab n Go” posted on the Inflight webpage, which has already begun to generate a ton of concern and speculation out on the line. Flexibility of schedule is a hallmark of our job, so we understand the interest in any changes to this section. Again, a more comprehensive explanation is forthcoming, but we’ll give you a preview.

OT starts with no closed days. Only trips that have been traded into OT (code TR) or trips dropped for coupon drops (code CP) will count towards closing days. Pairings will have the trade code information viewable. The current system allows the Company (after the first 24 hours) to close the days subjectively based on a variety of factors: “reserve coverage, sick calls, and historical usage.” The TA’d language allows a particular day to be closed only after the threshold is reached. Smallest domiciles will close at three sequence departures per day and Seattle at nine sequence departures per day (based on current staffing), with transparent system in place. If a FA picks up a trip from OT with one of the codes, it will open OT if the day is at the threshold.

No more “pre-funding” of OT with 25% of TFP of number of FAs in the base. Rather, all trips are potentially assignable to FAs by PBS, which will lead to more Lineholders and less Reserves. Trips can simply be posted into OT if the day is open, which is how OT will be populated. Quartile (“stepped”) trading system of opening trading for each successive 25% of domicile for four 24 hour periods. OT is therefore “funded” with more senior trips than today at each seniority (because currently OT is made up of the PBS “cast offs” unwanted by all).

Eliminated three-leg difference restriction and day-for-day trade restriction. Provided the day is open, trips can simply be posted to OT with no pick up. (Again, if the day is open, one can simply post a turn to a 4-day trip on that day with no trip pick up.) Number of days in the sequence is irrelevant—only the start date of the sequence matters. Even if the day is closed, sequences can be exchanged if they are the same day of departure, e.g., a 4-day can be exchanged for a turn in OT and vice versa as long as they have the same initial departure date.

There is a lot more to this section, so stand by for more!

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Section 15: Leaves of Absence. Even though this section had already been TA’d, the recent incident with flight #473 made it apparent that some further clarification of the language was needed to remove ambiguity concerning when a FA is removed from a pairing when a medical emergency occurs on the aircraft. We do appreciate management’s willingness to reopen this TA and clarify the language.

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Section 3: Scope. We gave management our initial proposal on Scope. This proposal packages several important job-protection provisions which guard against the Company funneling our flying to other carriers. We included provisions to protect our flying against encroachment of CPA (capacity purchase agreement) flying. As Alaska Airlines expands, we want our members to participate in and benefit from that added flying. We addressed “Wet Leasing” (when another air carrier is contracted on a short-term basis to provide aircraft and crews to fly our flying) and put parameters limiting its duration. Additionally, we addressed the scope of our duties and stated that the terms and conditions of any additional “buy-on-board” activities (excluding items for consumption on the aircraft) would have to be negotiated

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Crew Rooms – We can all agree that the SEA crew room is TOO SMALL. Happily it is about to more than double the size. The space has been identified and is adjacent to the current crew room. We look forward to construction beginning soon and I know we will all be happy when we can enjoy some more elbow room in SEA. An audit is ongoing at all other domiciles to assess the appropriateness of the current crew room size and identify larger spaces if warranted.

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Our next session begins March 18^th in Seattle. We anticipate receiving management’s comprehensive proposal which will encompass compensation, sick leave, per diem, retirement and insurance, and all other open items. We have scheduled additional dates through August.

In the meantime, stay informed by checking out the latest negotiations video update on our You Tube channel and the other resources linked below in ‘References’. Please continue to show your support for your Negotiating Committee by wearing your AFA pin and/or your (soon to be vintage) “Four Bases, One Voice” bracelets. If you have a question or concern, fill out a VOICE Comment Card or email us at negotiations@alaskamec.org.

When management’s team hands us that comprehensive compensation proposal, they need to see the entire group of over 3,000 Flight Attendants behind us and know that we speak for everyone!

In Solidarity

Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

AFA Alaska Negotiations channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/AFAALANegotiations

Alaska Airlines Negotiations Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/alaskaairlines.negotiations

“Four Bases, One Voice”

 VOICE Comment Card Report February 2013

 

Negotiations Update January 15 – 17, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

We just completed another week of talks at the Alaska Airlines Flight Operations and Training Center in Seattle, WA, and are satisfied to report that we have reached a tentative agreement in Section 8 – Hours of Service and Section 10 – Scheduling. Our sincere thanks to Flight Attendant and former Crew Scheduler Erik Velez for once again joining us this session as our scheduling expert! Both sections contain some very nice improvements. Sections 11 – Reserve, 16 – Sick Leave/On the Job Injury, and 27 – Association Business were also discussed this session. The parties also agreed to devote an entire meeting to discuss looming IT issues which would arise as a result of the changes we are negotiating in our Contract, and that meeting was very informative and helpful. Below are some of the highlights from this week:

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Section 8 – Hours of Service

[Like Sequence] In addition to all the changes we have already reported out, we finally reached accord on the definition of “like sequence.” As we all know, we are awarded a schedule and we plan our lives around it. The time we return to domicile important and the current contract provisions on reassignment, move-up and rescheduling were confusing and inconsistent. We achieved a uniform provision, “like sequence,” that will apply to all situations except 10.T Pre-Cancellation, which will remain unchanged. We also negotiated a pay penalty which will provide a disincentive for the Company from extending the “footprint” of your sequence. Under the “like sequence” provision, you may be reassigned and you have to be back to domicile by the end of the last calendar day of your original sequence—just like today. However, if you return to domicile 4 or more hours later, then you will receive a 1.5x premium for all flights into or exceeding 4 hours, prorated, with a minimum of 1 TFP at premium pay. Additionally, if the reassigned sequence contains 4 or more flights than the original assignment, the same premiums will apply for the TFP value of the 4 or more legs. Finally, the like sequence must be a single sequence—in comparison to the practice today in which you may be given multiple sequences on the same day or days as the original sequence.

 

[Contactability] Importantly, we reached agreement on “contactability” language. Flight Attendants cannot be denied boarding or exiting hotel vans, check-in at hotels, etc., pending contacting Crew Scheduling. Additionally, if you are contacted by Crew Scheduling while off duty on a layover, you may return the call or wait until the start of your next duty period – AT YOUR OPTION. However, if you choose to answer the call or call back, then you are required to accept the assignment. This is an important protection and should help curb some of the abuse we have all heard about or experienced. If you are contacted while on duty, you must return the call as soon as possible.

[RON Rest] While we did not succeed in our bid to increase our 10 hour remain over night (RON) rest, we did significantly improve the penalty provisions. Currently, almost all RONs are at or exceed 11 hours rest. However if your RON rest is reduced below 9:30, then you will be paid 2.5x for the remainder of the sequence. This is an improvement in the penalty start (currently it begins at 9:00) and also to the actual premium in terms of pay and duration (it is 2x pay until you receive legal crew rest today).

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Section 10 – Scheduling. We eliminated the “Min Bid” preference. This option was causing confusion and setting false expectations for FAs. A very small number of FAs were actually receiving this award. Often senior FAs preferencing “Min Bid” would be awarded a higher time line than more junior FAs who had not had that preference. Senior FAs who bid appropriately will still be able to achieve the same result as preferencing for a “min bid” today.

We improved the provision for non-revving FAs to be asked (at their option) to work a flight if they are listed. If you accept, the flights will be paid at 1.5x and the Company will return you to your original destination if that is your desire. The Company has also agreed to publish the PBS Coverage Report (formerly known as the Unstacking Report) to ensure greater transparency.

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While settling Sections 8 and 10 was significant progress in these talks, there remain items still unresolved in several open sections.

12: Exchange of Sequences – Parameters governing Open Time still remain to be resolved.

14: Vacation – We are seeking an extra week of vacation (42 days) at 25 years.

16: Sick Leave/ OJI – Determining how the two sick leave banks interact.

22: Expenses – We are seeking an annual bump in per diem that would happen automatically each year in addition to the increase we have already secured.

29: Profit Sharing and Retirement – 13.5% 401(k) match, similar to the pilots’ retirement plan.

30: Training – We are still fighting for a minimum 4TFP for travel days to training. This is important for FAs based in PDX, LAX and SAN, assuming such training is conducted in Seattle.

Section 27: Association Business – There are several items that are holding open this section.

Section 32: Attendance Policy – There are several items that are holding open this section.

Hotels: We are apart on the concept of short and long layover hotels being in different locations.

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IT Meeting and Issues. Thursday morning was spent with management’s negotiating team and members of Alaska’s IT department to begin discussions on the programming and software changes necessitated by anticipated new contract provisions. This move was initiated by management, and it is a prudent step because in the TA’d sections to date, we have made some major changes which involve programming. Of course, none of that is implemented until AFA members ratify a full Tentative Agreement. But it is important to get ahead of the curve as implementation may take some time. A couple of hurdles we all face is the age and antiquated nature (!) of the current software systems and the fact that programmers are committed for the remainder of this year on making changes to accommodate the new pilot rest rules – FAR 117 (“flight time, duty time”) – which will become effective January 2014. We reviewed a list of changes that would be needed and worked on initial prioritization. These meetings will continue.

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In the near term, we will get into the remaining sections: Section 21 Compensation, Section 23 Insurance, Section 3 Scope, and Duration. These are very important and contentious sections. They go to the very heart of the negotiations struggle: money. So far, negotiations have gone reasonably well and we have been able to get a lot of our issues addressed.

 

However, soon the intensity of the talks will ratchet up as we put money on the table. Alaska Airlines has been a very profitable carrier for years and Flight Attendants have significantly contributed to that profitability. Management has made smart decisions in guiding our Company in this very turbulent industry and economy. They should continue their smart moves by recognizing the value that Flight Attendants bring to the Company and reward that contribution appropriately.

As we move into this stage of negotiations, it is imperative that ALL of us stay informed and unified. Check out the latest negotiations video update on our You Tube channel (or www.alaskamec.org) and the other resources linked below in ‘References’. We are fighting for improvements for our nearly 3,000 Alaska Flight Attendants and we must speak with one VOICE. Our next session is February 5-7. We may add additional days at the end of February if schedules permit and progress warrants it. As always, if you have questions or comments, please fill out a VOICE Comment Card or you can send an email to negotiations@alaskamec.org.

In solidarity,

Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

“Four Bases, One Voice”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_FI48jJoyTk

VOICE Comment Card Report January 2013