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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.

Supreme Court Ruling on A4A v. WA L&I (WA Paid Sick Leave)

Master Executive Council (MEC), Grievance Committee

  • A recent Supreme Court ruling upheld a decision by a lower court requiring that Alaska Airlines comply with the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law and apply it to Flight Attendants.
  • The law prohibits employers from adopting or enforcing any policy that counts the use of paid sick leave time as an absence that may lead to or result in discipline (qualifying absences will not incur attendance points).
  • Seattle-based Flight Attendants are considered covered employees for purposes of the law, but AFA believes that the ruling should apply to Section 32 (Attendance Policy) for all Flight Attendants, regardless of domicile, under a previous arbitration decision.

In addition to Bernstein v. Virgin America, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) recently denied certiorari (from Latin “to be informed of” – a writ issued by a superior court for the reexamination of an action of a lower court) on Air Transport Association of America, Inc., dba Airlines for America, v. The Washington Department of Labor & Industries, et al.Therefore, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruling stands, which requires Alaska Airlines to comply with the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law (Wash. Rev. Code § 49.46.210 [2021]). AFA intervened and AFA Alaska representatives were deposed in this case.

On July 1, 2022, AFA sent a demand letter to management requiring Alaska Airlines to comply with the law.  We have not yet received a response.

What the decision means for Seattle-based Flight Attendants

Seattle-based Flight Attendants have the benefits of the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law.  

A covered Washington employee is authorized to use paid sick leave:

  • For an employee’s and their qualified family members’ mental or physical illness, injury or health condition or preventative medical care;
  • When an employee’s child’s school or place of care has been closed by order of a public official for any health-related reason;
  • For absences that qualify for leave under the domestic violence leave act; and
  • Beginning on the ninetieth calendar day after the commencement of their employment (for Alaska FAs, from their on-line/base orientation date).

The law provides that the employer may require employees to provide verification, for absences exceeding three days, that an employee’s use of paid sick leave is for an authorized purpose.  An employer may not adopt or enforce any policy that counts the use of paid sick leave time as an absence that may lead to or result in discipline against the employee—in other words, qualifying absences will not incur attendance points.

What the decision means for all Flight Attendants regardless of domicile

AFA also demanded that the ruling apply to Section 32 (Attendance Policy) for all Flight Attendants, regardless of domicile, under a previous arbitration decision. While we believe arbitral precedent requires that Flight Attendants in all bases receive the benefit of no attendance points in circumstances protected from potential disciplinary action under the law, we do not yet know how management will interpret precedent.

Stay tuned for further developments.

July 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC)

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

The July 2022 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, July 12 and Wednesday, July 13.  The meeting consisted of updates provided by our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, Scheduling Committee, and Mobilization 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, Associate Vice President of Finance & Resource Planning Ryan St. John, Managing Director of Guest Products Todd Traynor-Corey, Vice President of Labor Relations Jenny Wetzel, and Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams.

Some of the topics that were discussed include:

  • Plans for onboard service changes.  Management shared plans with our MEC for proposed changes to how onboard service is conducted and associated future technology.  Our MEC expressed concerns with how the proposed changes could impact Flight Attendants and asked that management reconsider several aspects of their plan.
  • Distribution of Flight Attendant staffing by base.  Our MEC has again requested that management add staffing to all bases.  Bases outside of SEA need additional Flight Attendants to provide relief, especially to Reserve Flight Attendants.
  • Cross-utilization of Reserve Flight Attendants between domiciles.  Our MEC has again requested that management discontinue the practice of cross-utilizing reserves between domiciles.  Excessive use of this practice is unnecessarily burdensome on Reserve F/As.  With current staffing levels, our MEC believes there is no need for management to continue this practice.
  • Flight Attendant staffing levels.  Management is examining the possibility of offering staffing adjustment leaves in the upcoming months.
  • Quality of pairings.  Our MEC shared that Flight Attendants are looking for improvements to pairing quality.  In particular, there are concerns with pairings being scheduled with long duty days that push contractual limits and subsequent minimum rest on layovers.
  • Issues with hotel and transportation information in Crew Access.  Some pairings have incorrect/missing hotel and transportation information in Crew Access.  As a result, Flight Attendants are having to wait for hotel rooms and/or are being sent to the wrong hotel.  Our MEC believes that this is unacceptable and needs to be fixed immediately.
  • Layover hotel availability and planning.  In anticipation of high demand in certain cities, our AFA Hotel Committee approached management last year and requested that management take a proactive approach in securing additional hotel rooms for crews.  Management did not take meaningful action on the request and now is having challenges securing hotel rooms.
  • Concerns with cutover to new worker’s compensation administrator.  Management has recently switched to a new vendor to administer worker’s compensation claims.  Our AFA Benefits Committee has received reports that the new vendor is not responsive to Flight Attendants in addition to other concerns.
  • Lack of practical, hands-on experience during Initial Training (IT).  Ongoing concern about the lack of practical, hands-on experience in the current IT program. New hire Flight Attendants need to be set up for success and given adequate time to become familiar with the flow of duties on live flights as part of IT. 

MEC Policy & Procedure Manual Amendments

During the June 2022 Regular MEC Meeting, a review of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy & Procedure Manual was conducted to consider possible updates and amendments.  At that meeting, one agenda item was amended and tabled until the July 2022 Regular MEC Meeting and another was referred back to the originator to be rewritten and resubmitted.

This month, our MEC took action on two agenda items for amendment of the MEC Policy & Procedure Manual—the agenda item that had previously been amended and tabled and a rewritten version of the agenda item that had been referred back to the originator at last month’s MEC Meeting.  Both agenda items were adopted.  These agenda items will be incorporated into the manual and posted to the AFA Alaska website early next week.

Questions?

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

Supreme Court Ruling on Bernstein v. Virgin America

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • The Supreme Court of the United States issued a ruling today that denied an appeal from Alaska Airlines to reconsider a lower court’s ruling in the case of Bernstein v. Virgin America.
  • The lawsuit claimed that various California labor laws had been violated related to wages, hours worked, pay, and meal and rest breaks.  The suit was originally filed against Virgin America and became the responsibility of Alaska Airlines after the merger between the two companies.
  • Management has distributed multiple employee communications complaining that they will now have to obey the law but has not shown that they are focused on practical solutions.  AFA stands ready to work out a solution with management that is compliant with the law and is a mutually agreeable path forward for all stakeholders.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) denied a petition by Alaska Airlines to hear further arguments about Bernstein v. Virgin America, which means that an earlier ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals now stands. Click here for the SCOTUS docket info >

Background

The Bernstein lawsuit was brought forward by several Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) Flight Attendants prior to the merger between Virgin America and Alaska Airlines. The represented class of aggrieved employees was broadened under the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) to include all former and current L-VX FAs based in California. Alaska Airlines absorbed Virgin America’s standing in the case due to the merger.

Bernstein argued violations of California labor law specific to wages, hours worked, pay statements, final payment and meal & rest breaks. The CA hour and wage violations were asserted due to L-VX FAs not being in a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) at the time the suit was filed. However, the meal & rest break laws do not have a CBA carve out and therefore this ruling does impact all CA-based FAs today.

AFA’s mitigation efforts and industry’s response

In an effort to address the potential implications of Bernstein, AFA International wrote to the heads of all the major airlines, including Alaska Airlines, and to the CEO of the industry trade group Airlines for America (A4A). In those letters, AFA expressed interest in working with industry to accommodate operational needs while also securing appropriate meal and rest breaks for Flight Attendants.

Click here for AFA’s letter to CEO Alaska Air Group >

Click here for A4A’s response to AFA >

AFA couldn’t disagree more with A4A’s response. We believe that when parties come together and discuss the issue there is always a solution.

What’s next?

In our opinion, management’s various communications are largely speculative and suggest that somehow safety provisions and meal and rest breaks cannot coexist. Arguably, the meal & rest requirements are applicable only to CA-based FAs working for a CA-based airline solely on intra-CA flights (e.g., SFO-LAX but not SFO-JFK). Rather than focus on practical solutions, management simply continues to gripe about having to comply with this law. As the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals already told them more than a year ago, there are many ways to comply with this law. Let’s not forget that when management references quality of life, that’s exactly what providing meal and rest breaks are addressing.

Just like AFA did by leading the way in securing paycheck protection for workers while ensuring the survival of the airline industry during the pandemic, we are ready to work out a solution with management on this issue. Now it’s up to management to engage with Labor and other stakeholders to find a mutually agreeable path forward for all parties.

Why Vote?

As we continue our Government Affairs Focus Month, our attention turns to civic engagement and the critical role voting plays in shaping our day-to-day work environment. While many of us associate workplace protections primarily with contract negotiations, the laws and regulations that govern our aviation career extend far beyond the bargaining table. Watch: Why Vote? […]

Reminder: Don’t Miss Next Week’s MEC Town Hall!

Mark your calendar: Wednesday, September 23, is almost here! There’s still time to register for our Alaska + Hawaiian Town Hall and hear directly from your MEC Officers: MEC President Tim Green, MEC Vice President Brice McGee, and MEC Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka. Join us for the latest updates and get answers to your questions. The […]

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, September 3, representatives from our pre-merger Alaska AFA Reserve Committee met to discuss ongoing work advocating for Reserve Flight Attendants. Attending on your behalf were Ella Embree (ANC), Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). MEC […]

MEC Statement Regarding Management’s New California Timekeeping Policy

Management announced a major policy shift last night that, starting October 1, 2026, California-based pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants in SFO, LAX, and SAN will be required to take an additional and redundant step to record their time worked by punching in and out using a timekeeping system. According to management, this new procedure applies to […]

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

Each year, from September 15 to October 15, the United States observes Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month, a vibrant and meaningful tribute to the remarkable contributions, history, and cultures of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. This celebration began as Hispanic Heritage Week, established in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson to recognize the impact and influence of Hispanic-Latinx communities across the […]

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