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ALPA Alaska Approves Tentative Agreement for Pilot Ratification

Master Executive Council (MEC) President Jeffrey Peterson

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Alaska Airlines leadership recently announced they approved a tentative agreement (TA) with Alaska Airlines management for pilot ratification.

Click here for the Alaska Airlines Pilots TA Quick Guide (September 2022) >

At a quick glance, the TA contains impressive improvements to scope, compensation, work rules, hours of service, retirement, and other additional improvements.

Regardless of the outcome of the ratification vote, this TA raises the bar for Alaska Airlines pilots — and raises our expectations of Alaska Airlines management in Flight Attendant negotiations!

In Solidarity,

Jeff

September 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 14 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight and crew planning 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, October 11 and Wednesday, October 12.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

The September 2022 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 14.  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. 

Joining our Negotiating Committee for Opening of Contract Negotiations

Our MEC joined our Negotiating Committee for the opening of contract negotiations on Tuesday.  As a show of support, the MEC sat in as the Negotiating Committee and management exchanged opening proposals.  After the introductory portion, the MEC adjourned to continue the MEC Meeting and the Negotiating Committee proceeded with discussions at the bargaining table.  More information about this week’s contract negotiations will be posted on the Contract 2022 website after the session concludes.

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, Managing Director of Inflight Services Gloria Chow, Director of Inflight Training and Standards Thomas Kaminski, and Managing Director of Operations Staffing & Resource Management Brittany Audette.

Some of the topics that were discussed include:

  • Plans for changes to Initial Training.  Management provided an extensive update on Initial Training and the classes held so far this year.  They also shared plans for changes to the Initial Training program for upcoming classes, including the reintroduction of service flights.  
  • Plans for 2023 Recurrent Training.  Management also shared plans for the 2023 Recurrent Training (RT) program.  RT 2023 will include a return to two full days of classroom training.
  • Domicile staffing & base transfers.  Management indicated that they plan to grant additional Flight Attendant domicile transfers over the next several months and will be working to clear the base transfer waiting lists.
  • Quality of pairings.  Our MEC once again shared that Flight Attendants are looking for improvements to pairing quality.  In particular, there are concerns with changes made to the schedule by network planning that affect the ability of Flight Attendants to achieve desired productivity and additional commutability concerns.
  • Concerns with the current absence management vendor.  Our AFA Benefits Committee and LEC Presidents have received reports that the company’s current absence management vendor is not responsive, has provided incorrect information, and has made errors that have impacted Flight Attendants.
  • CARE Retreat concerns.  Our MEC shared some specific concerns about the CARE Retreat, including issues with some Flight Attendants not receiving pre-event communications and questions about how management plans to address possible environmental allergies that some people may have to some of the items being given to attendees.
  • Drug testing policies and procedures.  Our MEC brought concerns forward about possible discrepancies in how random DOT drug tests were being conducted and asked for clarification about the procedure.

MEC Policy & Procedure Manual Amendment

This month, our MEC took action on one agenda item for amendment of the MEC Policy & Procedure Manual.  The agenda item incorporates new language establishing structure within the Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) to support the new Inflight Line Observation Safety Audit (LOSA) program. This agenda item has been incorporated into the manual and posted to the AFA Alaska website.

Questions?

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

Election Notice: Alaska MEC Officer Elections

Master Executive Council (MEC)

The term of office for our current Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers will conclude on December 31, 2022.  The voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will elect new MEC Officers at the regular November MEC meeting.  This communication serves as notice of the election in accordance with article III.C.1 of the MEC Policy Manual.

Background

The MEC Officers consist of a President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer.  These officer positions are responsible for serving as the coordinating council for the membership of the airline and carrying out the decisions of the MEC.  These officer positions are elected by the Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents, who are the voting members of MEC.  

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the MEC Officers are defined in article VII.C.2 of the AFA Constitution & Bylaws.

MEC President

From the AFA Constitution & Bylaws (article VII.C.2.a)

The President shall be the official Union spokesperson and chief executive officer for that airline and shall have the authority and duty to: 

(1) Be responsible for and charged with administering the policies of that Master Executive Council, and implementing the objectives and policies announced by the Board of Directors and Executive Board. 

(2)  Be responsible for the expeditious processing of members’ complaints and grievances. 

(3)  Be the Union representative on that airline for the purpose of furthering and implementing the objectives and policies announced by the Board of Directors and Executive Board. 

(4)  Coordinate and compile Master Executive Council policy, review reports and recommendations and submit such material to the appropriate committees of the Union. 

(5)  Be a member of the Negotiating Committee. 

(6)  Be a member of the Executive Board. 

(7)  Be granted the privilege of the floor at all meetings of the Board of Directors, but shall have no vote, if not also a Local Council President. 

(8)  Be responsible for and supervise the business and managerial functions of the Union on that carrier. 

(9)  Consult with and be assisted by the Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer. 

(10)  Ballot the Master Executive Council if necessary or when required. 

(11)  Keep a current and accurate inventory of all Union property and supplies purchased or provided by the Union and submit a copy of this to the International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union. 

(12)  Inform all Master Executive Council Officers and committees that all files, correspondence, documents and other materials resulting from the work of such committees are the property of the Union, not the personal property of individuals, and are to be safeguarded. 

(13)  Maintain the Union’s files and property, then transfer them to her/his successor promptly. 

Additional Duties & Responsibilities

  • Attend regular and special MEC meetings, quarterly Labor Leader meetings with the company, and annual AFA-CWA Board of Directors meetings.
  • Participate in the MEC Duty Officer program 

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is contractually provided 130 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month
  • Most work is completed remotely.  Must have the ability to be present in the MEC Office in Seattle as needed.  
  • The MEC President is on-call to respond to critical incidents and situations.

MEC Vice President

From the AFA Constitution & Bylaws (article VII.C.2.b)

The Vice President shall:

(1) Function under the jurisdiction of the President in carrying out the policies and directives of the Master Executive Council.

(2) Perform the duties of the President at her/his request or in the absence of the President.

(3) Be granted the privilege of the floor at all Master Executive Council and Board of Directors meetings, but shall have no vote if not also a Local Council President.

Additional Duties & Responsibilities

  • Serve as executive sponsor of MEC Committees and inform the MEC Secretary-Treasurer of upcoming meetings for calendaring.
  • Be responsible for obtaining a monthly written report from each of the MEC Committee Chairs and providing these reports to the MEC Secretary-Treasurer for submission with the monthly MEC agenda.
  • Attend regular and special MEC meetings, quarterly Labor Leader meetings with the company, MEC committee meetings (as needed), and annual AFA-CWA Board of Directors meetings.
  • Coordinate and participate in the MEC Duty Officer program 

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is budgeted for a base amount of 100 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month.
  • Most work is completed remotely.  Must have the ability to be present in the MEC Office in Seattle as needed.  
  • The MEC Vice President is responsible for fulfilling the responsibilities of the MEC President during vacation and as needed.

MEC Secretary-Treasurer

From the AFA Constitution & Bylaws (article VII.C.2.c)

The Secretary-Treasurer shall:

(1) Assist the President in administering Master Executive Council funds.

(2) Maintain Master Executive Council records and perform such other duties that may be specifically assigned to the Secretary-Treasurer by the President or Acting President.

(3) Be responsible to the President and Master Executive Council.

(4) Be responsible for general record keeping and accounting of the Master Executive Council budget and any funds.

(5) Distribute a quarterly statement on expenditures to the Master Executive Council.

(6) Assist in preparation of the Master Executive Council annual report to the membership.

(7) Exhibit at all reasonable times the general records to any Officer or active member in good standing upon application.

(8) Maintain Master Executive Council records and record all meetings of the Master Executive Council.

(9) Deliver to her/his successor all monies and other property of the Master Executive Council. On demand of the International Office, s/he shall make available all books and records for examination and audit.

(10) Submit a copy of all Master Executive Council meeting minutes and nomination notices to the International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union.

(11) Be responsible for distributing a list of Master Executive Council committees’ flight pay loss to the Master Executive Council and the International Office each month; this list will include, but not be limited to, hours and ID(s) missed, days on projects, and projects charged.

(12) Be granted the privilege of the floor at all Master Executive Council and Board of Directors meetings, but shall have no vote if not also a Local Council President.

Additional Duties & Responsibilities

  • Maintain the MEC agenda; solicit agenda items from members of the MEC
  • Reserve meeting space and other meeting resources as needed
  • Make arrangements for MEC hotel accommodations and meals as requested
  • Perform month-end financial reconciliation activities including:
    • Monthly submission of MEC flight pay loss to the company
    • Monthly reconciliation of Union Business flight pay loss
    • Monthly submission of all Union Business to AFA International
    • Review and approve expense reports
    • Monthly reconciliation of budget and expense reports
  • Attend regular and special MEC meetings, quarterly Labor Leader meetings with the company, and annual AFA-CWA Board of Directors meetings.
  • Participate in the MEC Duty Officer program 

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is budgeted for a base amount of 75 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month.
  • Most work is completed remotely.  Must have the ability to be present in the MEC Office in Seattle as needed.  
  • The MEC Secretary-Treasurer is responsible for fulfilling the responsibilities of the MEC Vice President during vacation and as needed. They are responsible for fulfilling the responsibilities of the MEC President if the president and vice president are simultaneously unavailable.

Working Relationships

With The Master Executive Council (MEC)

Constant interaction with the LEC Presidents, other LEC Officers, and other MEC Officers

With MEC Committees

Constant interaction with MEC Committee Chairs and Committee Members.

With Management

Constant interaction with Alaska Airlines management, particularly within the inflight and labor relations departments

With AFA International

Frequent interaction with AFA international officers and staff members

Term of Office

The regular term of office is for three years, beginning on January 1, 2023 and concluding on December 31, 2025.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews and conduct elections during the regular November MEC meeting on Tuesday, November 1, 2022.  The meeting will be conducted in person at the MEC Office in SeaTac, WA.  Bid around this date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/6ifP8mYu9mDnT4YZA.  The deadline for submissions is 9 AM Pacific time on Saturday, October 22.  After that time, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact qualified candidates to schedule 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?

If you have any questions about MEC duties and responsibilities or the election process, please email officers@afaalaska.org.

Proportional Domicile Staffing

Master Executive Council (MEC)

The AFA Alaska MEC sent a letter to Alaska Airlines management last week advocating for growing each domicile proportionally via vacancy awards and new hire domicile assignments through 2023. We have all read and heard “we appreciate you” and “we care” in one form or another, but management must now demonstrate its values to do the right thing by turning those words into action. Management acknowledged receipt of the MEC’s letter and indicated they will respond early this week.

August 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Thursday, August 11 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • The MEC also met with executive management and a group of union leaders from other company workgroups to receive updates and discuss concerns affecting employees company-wide.
  • The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 14.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

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

Meeting with our Negotiating Committee

Our MEC briefly met with the Negotiating Committee to receive an update on the committee’s preparations for upcoming contract negotiations with management.  Preparatory work is ongoing and the committee is anticipating the results of our negotiations survey once it closes on Friday, August 19.  The Negotiating Committee is scheduled to present their draft opening proposal to the MEC for review and approval at a Special MEC Meeting on Thursday, August 25.

Meeting with Management

As part of this meeting, the MEC met with company executive management and a group of union leaders from the other union-represented workgroups within the company.  The intent of these meetings, usually held once per quarter, is to receive updates from management and allow for a broader discussion of issues and concerns facing all company employees.  Some of the items that were brought forward by our MEC include:

  • Management’s lack of further updates or communication regarding their plan regarding California meal and rest break requirements following the Supreme Court ruling in the Bernstein v. Virgin America case.
  • The ongoing compressed timeline for Flight Attendant initial training and the implications to our work group.  The initial training program needs to be reevaluated in order to create the best possible learning environment, provide practical experience onboard operating aircraft as part of training (e.g. service flights), and set new hires up for success on the line.
  • Concerns about non-rev travelers being left behind when a flight has to be closed out to meet management’s door closure timeline and metrics.  Request that management review technology and procedures to keep flights from going out with open seats when there are non-revs on the standby list.
  • Issues with the company’s vendor that provides leave of absence management functions and a lack of responsiveness by the vendor.  Flight Attendants are not receiving timely responses to emails, phone calls, and other communications.

Questions?

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

Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants We’re excited to introduce the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives for the upcoming MEC Officer term. They’ll begin transitioning into their roles over the next few months and officially start their terms on January 1, 2026. Below, you’ll find brief biographies that […]

Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives

We’re excited to introduce our next group of newly elected merged MEC Committee Chairpersons, who will begin their roles on November 1. These leaders are dedicated to representing the interests of our Flight Attendants as they coordinate activities across the merged committees of both airlines. They’ll work closely with the Local Committee Chairpersons from all […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – October 2025

On Monday, October 13, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Chris Cardenas (LAX), and Kanani Vallot […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of merged MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been elected: MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee […]

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