Human Rights Committee

• Our AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met on Monday, August 28, to discuss their ongoing program of work to advance human rights within our workplace and community.
• The Committee also met with management to receive updates on what progress has been made on concerns that had been previously brought forward and address new concerns that have come to light. 
• If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!

On Monday, August 28, our AFA Local Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to build awareness and effect change within our workplace and community. Representing you at the meeting were Louise Borras (LAX), Erika Daniel (SAN), and Yan Yan Teague (SEA). Also present were MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson Chip Hestle and MEC Vice President Brian Palmer.

The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman and Seattle Director of Inflight Base Operations Jenny Bookert from management.

The committee is next scheduled to meet with management on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.  

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

• The Committee has been engaged in ongoing conversations about ways to support passengers who don’t have a clear plan or assistance upon arrival at their destination. Many of these passengers do not speak English, and Flight Attendants have requested resources to assist them. The inflight training department reported that resources are being developed and may be available as early as 2024. The Committee is also working to contact Casa Latina, a non-profit organization that advances the power and well-being of Latino immigrants, to seek out additional resources that Flight Attendants can provide to passengers who may need them. 
• SEA Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson Yan Yan Teague recently represented AFA Alaska as a voting delegate at the Biennial Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) Convention, held August 3 through 5. APALA was founded in 1992 and is the first and only national organization of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers. APALA works to address the workplace issues of AAPI Union Members and serves as the bridge between the broader labor movement and the AAPI community. For more information about APALA or to become a member, please reach out to Yan Yan Teague at sea.humanrights.chair@afaalaska.org
• The Committee brought forward concerns about inconsistency with dress code requirements for traveling on the Flight Attendant jumpseat when not in uniform. The verbiage in the Flight Attendant Manual and Employee Travel Handbook has been updated to reflect new guidance. However, the Customer Service Manual (the manual used by CSAs) has not. The CSM still uses gender-specific terminology to define acceptable attire. The Committee has requested that the CSM be updated to align with the FAM so that everyone is on the same page in the future.
• The Committee is seeking more consistency and communication related to the Inflight Diversity & Inclusion Listening Session series. The session schedule so far has been sporadic, with several close-in cancellations of some sessions. In addition, the Committee has asked that management more actively promote the sessions across multiple channels to encourage broad participation.

Other Committee News

• Our Human Rights Committee meets monthly with AFA International VP Keturah Johnson and staff and the Human Rights Committee from other AFA carriers to collaborate on subjects surrounding human rights and protection for our Flight Attendants. During our August meeting, issues surrounding Flight Attendants traveling to certain countries where safety is a concern were discussed. Some countries do not permit certain items like medications, representational symbols, electronics, etc., which is a concern, especially among our charter carriers. The AFA Human Rights Committee will create a reporting system for locations where safety or other human rights concerns may exist. The system will allow issues to be reported and addressed by the airlines.
• In collaboration with our AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee, a training series has been developed to support, educate, and advocate for AFA leaders and Members based on issues brought to the Human Rights and EAP Committees. The first training session in July focused on microaggressions and their impact on the workplace. These virtual sessions provide a way to have group conversations and build a more inclusive culture in our workplace. They will be ongoing with Human Rights and EAP Committees across AFA.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Exploring Collaboration and Shared Goals. Working with the company’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DE&I) department to build relationships with the company Business Resource Groups (BRGs) to find areas where we can join together to advance human rights within the scope of each group.
2. Supporting Passengers. Discussing reports of some passengers traveling between specific city pairs without a clear plan or assistance upon arrival at their destination. The Human Rights Committee and management are currently working on potential resources our Flight Attendants can use to help in these circumstances.
3. Clarifying Company Policy on Cultural and Religious Tattoos. Working to discuss the current uniform tattoo policy with management decision-makers and advocating for the incorporation of allowances for tattoos with cultural or religious significance.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Human Rights Committee is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the Human Rights Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.