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November 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 2 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight, crew planning, and payroll management to discuss issues and concerns that are facing our work group and need to be addressed.
  • The MEC also conducted MEC Officer elections for the term scheduled to begin on January 1, 2023.

The November 2022 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 2.  The meeting consisted of updates provided by our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee.  Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work. 

Meeting with Management

As part of most Regular MEC Meetings, our MEC meets with management to review current issues and challenges that Flight Attendants are facing.  Attendees from management this month included Vice President of Inflight Matt Prainito, Associate Vice President of Finance and Resource Planning Ryan St. John, Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams, and Director of Payroll Leah Ables.

Some of the topics that were discussed include:

  • Pairing selection process.  Management indicated that they are open to greater collaboration with our AFA Pairing Construction Subcommittee in working to understand what is important to Flight Attendants when it comes to pairing quality.  An additional meeting between respective AFA and management representatives will be scheduled in the near future for further discussion.
  • NAVBLUE PBS performance concerns.  Flight Attendants are continuing to experience performance issues with NAVBLUE PBS.  Our AFA PBS Subcommittee, Scheduling Committee, and MEC have been bringing these issues forward continuously with every level of management and pushing for improvements and a resolution.  Management has in turn taken the issues to management at NAVBLUE and has escalated the issue to the executive level.  NAVBLUE indicates they are working to make improvements but our MEC is looking for tangible results to the ongoing problems.
  • Staffing and growth.  Management provided a review of staffing plans for next year.  The projections are constantly shifting based on anticipated aircraft deliveries and market conditions.  They are currently working to determine if staffing adjustment leaves will be offered in 2023.
  • Revised Initial Training program.  The Flight Attendant Initial Training program was recently increased in duration from 4 to 5 weeks.  Management reports that there has been a corresponding increase in student success rates.
  • IMD replacement project.  Our MEC shared Flight Attendant frustrations with the delay in replacing iPhone 8 IMDs.  The problem is compounded by a lack of replacement devices and accessories which is making it difficult for Flight Attendants to perform basic inflight service duties.  Management indicates that there are challenges in the supply chain and will follow up with more details as to when new devices can be expected.
  • California meal and rest break laws.  Our MEC again requested an update from management regarding their plan to comply with California meal and rest break laws in accordance with the decision in the Bernstein v. Virgin America case.  Management provided the same information that they did last month—they are continuing to lobby for a legislative resolution and did not have any further updates to offer.  

MEC Officer Elections

Elections for Alaska MEC Officers were conducted on first day of the meeting.  From among the eligible candidates, the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) elected an MEC President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer for a three year term that begins on January 1, 2023 and concludes on December 31, 2025.  The newly elected MEC Officers are:

President: Jeffrey Peterson
Vice President: Brian Palmer
Secretary-Treasurer: Linda Christou

For more information about the MEC Officer election results, click here.

Upcoming MEC Committee Position Interviews & Elections

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the term of appointment for the MEC Committee Chairpersons is concurrent with those of the MEC Officers.  As the current MEC Officer term ends on December 31, 2022, the MEC will be conducting a review of all MEC Committee Chairperson and other MEC-level appointed positions at a Special MEC Meeting to be held November 29 through December 1, 2022.

If you’re interested in learning more about the upcoming interviews, click here.  To submit an expression of interest and resume for a position, click here.  The deadline for submissions is 9 AM Pacific time on Saturday, November 19.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please reach out to your LEC President.

MEC Officer Election Results

Master Executive Council (MEC)

As the term of office for the current MEC Officers will end on December 31, 2022, our Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted elections this week for the upcoming MEC Officer term.  In accordance with the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws, each of the six Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents is afforded one vote for each officer position.  The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Master Executive Council (MEC) Officer positions representing Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants:

MEC President: Jeffrey Peterson
MEC Vice President: Brian Palmer
MEC Secretary-Treasurer: Linda Christou

These officers will serve a term of office starting on January 1, 2023 and concluding on December 31, 2025.  More information about the duties and responsibilities of each officer position can be found in the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws and the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual.

Our Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the newly elected officers and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.

About Our MEC Officers

Jeffrey Peterson

Jeffrey Peterson grew up in Anchorage, AK, and graduated from A.J. Dimond High in south Anchorage.  Jeff achieved a Presidential Scholar Award in 1991 and went on to attain a BA in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego.  Prior to becoming a Flight Attendant, he spent several years in hotel management working in San Diego and San Francisco for Marriott International and a Marriott hotels franchise company.  He started out his Flight Attendant career in 1999 in the Los Angeles domicile.  Jeff has also been based in Seattle and now San Diego.  He has served as AFA-CWA Alaska MEC President since July 1, 2011.  Jeff currently splits his time between working remotely out of his family’s condo in Puerto Vallarta and the AFA Alaska office in Seattle.

Brian Palmer

Brian started his career with Alaska Airlines as a Flight Attendant in 2006.  Initially based in Anchorage, he also spent time based in Los Angeles and Portland, and is currently based in Seattle.  Brian first became involved in AFA work in 2009 as a member of the Council 39 Portland Reserve Committee when he became frustrated with the quality of life that he and other reserve Flight Attendants were experiencing.  He later served as Council 39 Reserve Chairperson and LEC Vice President.  Brian was first elected MEC Vice President in January 2014 and is honored to have been reelected.

Prior to his career as a Flight Attendant, Brian held various leadership positions in the hotel and retail banking industries.  He currently splits his time between the Philadelphia and Seattle areas.

Linda Christou

Linda has been with Alaska Airlines since 1980.  She started out as a Union volunteer and became more involved by joining the Council 19 Seattle Inflight Service Committee and was eventually appointed Local Chairperson of the committee. While serving on that committee, Linda had a desire to do more to help and subsequently ran for and was elected Council 19 LEC Secretary.  Linda served in that role, along with being a Grievance Representative, starting in July 2011.  She is very excited to continue serving as MEC Secretary-Treasurer and looks forward to serving all of our Members.

Prior to being with Alaska, Linda attended Green River Community College and had an emphasis in Political Science which is what drew her to get involved with Union work.  Outside of work, Linda enjoys spinning and gardening.  She also enjoys cooking, entertaining, and collecting wine with her husband.  Linda also enjoys volunteer work, focusing on raising money for The Eluna Foundation, which is a foundation for children in distress.

Election Notice: MEC Officer Candidates

As previously communicated, the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will conduct an election for MEC Officers at the upcoming regular November MEC meeting.  Elections will be held on the first day of the meeting which is scheduled to begin on November 1, 2022.  This notice, communicating a list of eligible candidates for MEC office, is being provided in accordance with Article III.C.3 of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual.

Eligible Candidates

The following Flight Attendants have met the requirements outlined in Article III.C of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual and are considered eligible candidates for MEC office:

MEC President

Jeffrey Peterson (view resume | view willingness-to-serve statement)

MEC Vice President

Brian Palmer (view resume | view willingness-to-serve statement)

MEC Secretary-Treasurer

Linda Christou (view resume | view willingness-to-serve statement)
Melissa Osborne (view resume | view willingness-to-serve statement)

Questions?

If you have any questions about MEC Officer elections, please contact your LEC President.

October 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, October 11 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight, crew planning, and payroll management to discuss issues and concerns that are facing our work group and need to be addressed.
  • The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 2.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

The October 2022 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, October 11.  The meeting consisted of updates provided by our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee.  Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work. 

Meeting with Management

As part of most Regular MEC Meetings, our MEC meets with management to review current issues and challenges that Flight Attendants are facing.  Attendees from management this month included Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, and Director of Payroll Leah Ables.

Some of the topics that were discussed include:

  • Domicile staffing & upcoming growth.  Our MEC once again advocated that upcoming staffing growth be distributed proportionally among all domiciles.  This is a continued reiteration of the message that our MEC sent to management in the Proportional Domicile Staffing letter in August. 
  • Staffing adjustment leaves & KCM eligibility.  Request that management continue to allow Flight Attendants access to KCM while on staffing adjustment leaves to the extent allowed by TSA policy.  Management agreed to work with other departments to establish a process when future staffing adjustment leaves are offered.
  • California meal and rest break laws.  Our MEC requested an update from management regarding their plan to comply with California meal and rest break laws in accordance with the decision in the Bernstein v. Virgin America case.  Management indicated they are continuing to lobby for a legislative resolution and did not have any further updates to offer.  
  • Employee parking lot bussing concerns.  Our MEC shared reports of overcrowding, lack of adequate space for luggage, chaotic boarding, and other safety issues that are ongoing with employee parking lot busses in multiple Flight Attendant domiciles.  These issues need to be addressed and resolved as soon as possible.

Upcoming MEC Officer Elections

As previously communicated, elections for Alaska MEC Officers will be held at the regular November MEC meeting on Tuesday, November 1, 2022.  The voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will elect an MEC President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer for a three year term that begins on January 1, 2023.  For more information about MEC Officer elections, click here.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please reach out to your LEC President.

MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the term of appointment for the MEC Committee Chairpersons is concurrent with those of the MEC Officers.  As the current MEC Officer term will end on December 31, 2022, the MEC will be conducting a review of all MEC Committee Chairperson and other MEC-level appointed positions at a Special MEC Meeting to be held November 29 through December 1, 2022.

During this review process, the MEC will be interviewing for the following MEC-level chairperson positions:

  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson
  • Benefits Committee Chairperson
  • Communications Committee Chairperson
  • EAP Committee Chairperson
  • EAP Committee Vice Chairperson
  • Government Affairs Committee Chairperson
  • Grievance Committee Chairperson
  • Hotel Committee Chairperson
  • Hotel Committee Vice Chairperson
  • Human Rights Committee Chairperson
  • Inflight Service Committee Chairperson
  • Inflight Training Committee Chairperson
  • Reserve Committee Chairperson
  • Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson – New Hire & Probation
  • Retirement Committee Chairperson
  • Scheduling Committee Chairperson
  • Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – PBS 
  • Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – Pairing Construction
  • Uniform Committee Chairperson

Additionally, interviews will also be held for the following MEC-level appointed positions:

  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) Primary Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) Alternate Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Primary Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Alternate Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Line Observation Safety Audit (LOSA) Representative
  • Grievance Committee Assistant
  • Grievance Committee – Payroll Representative
  • Inflight Training Committee Member (3 positions)
  • Scheduling Committee – PBS Subcommittee Member (3 positions)
  • Scheduling Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Primary Representative
  • Scheduling Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Alternate Representative

General Qualifications

The following qualifications apply to all MEC-level Chairperson positions:

  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson preferred (required for EAP).
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred (required for EAP).
  • Ability to attend meetings as required (primarily by videoconference and occasionally in-person).
  • Strong computer skills. Good working knowledge of Inflight Mobile Device, Google Workspace (email, calendar, and other software), and Microsoft Office.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and plan meetings agendas and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

The following qualifications apply to all Inflight Training Committee positions:

  • Current Inflight Instructor who is regularly assigned to Inflight Training Department responsibilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Information about the duties and responsibilities of each specific committee can be found in article VII of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, which can be accessed by clicking here.  Additional information about MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities can be found in this document. 

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss for each position will be discussed during each interview.  All positions operate in accordance with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during a special MEC meeting from November 29 through December 1, 2022.  If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate.  All interviews will be conducted using Google Meet videoconferencing.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/xyvgfD9vzyJX5z8c6.  The deadline for submissions is 9 AM Pacific time on Saturday, November 19.  After the submission deadline, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that in order to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.  If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed position duties and responsibilities should be directed to MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at  mecvp@afaalaska.org.

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