Master Executive Council (MEC)

AFA Update – September 4, 2020

September 4, 2020 19:00

In This Edition

#ReliefNow Rally in Seattle on September 8
National Group Protection Supplemental Insurance Premium Waiver for COVID-19 Leaves and Furloughs
A September 11th Anniversary Message from Your AFA EAP

#ReliefNow Rally in Seattle on September 8

Government Affairs Committee

On Tuesday, September 8th, the AFA Council 19 Government Affairs Committee will be hosting a #ReliefNow Rally in Seattle to demand a clean extension of the Payroll Support Program. We will be rallying outside the offices of Senators Murray and Cantwell at 12 PM Pacific. An extension of the Payroll Support Program will provide job security for hundreds of thousands by requiring airlines continue their promise of no furloughs through March of 2021. With hundreds of thousands of jobs on the line, including hundreds here at Alaska, we ask that you join us in rallying and demanding an extension.

What: Seattle #ReliefNow Rally
When: Tuesday, September 8 a 12 PM Pacific
Where: Henry M. Jackson Federal Building, 915 2^nd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98174

This event is open to all, including Flight Attendants laying over in Seattle as well as friends and family members. Not able to join in Seattle? Visit the #ReliefNow page to find an event near you.

Keep The Pressure On Congress—Call Your Representative and Senators!

Flight Attendants continue to pressure Congress to put in place #ReliefNow. Last week, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows talked about extending aid to airlines but acknowledged that Congress must act — executive orders will not save our jobs. Congress is set to return to D.C. on September 8th. We have to keep up the pressure this week with one message: #ReliefNow for aviation workers and all Americans. Get it done.

Make three calls every day this week. One to your Representative and two to your Senators.

SENATE: 888-848-4824
HOUSE: 888-907-9365

Sample Script:

“Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask my Senator/Representative to save my job as an essential worker and airline employee. An overwhelming majority of Congress supports an extension to the Payroll Support Program for aviation workers to avoid massive job loss in October and also to ensure there’s no cancellation of service to small communities. We need a COVID-19 relief package with our payroll support passed TODAY. Our jobs are on the line right now and millions are hurting without this relief! Keep us connected to our jobs, paychecks, & healthcare. We are counting on you. Thank you.”

You can also find local office information by looking up your Representative and Senators at house.gov and senate.gov.

National Group Protection Supplemental Insurance Premium Waiver for COVID-19 Leaves and Furloughs

Benefits Committee

Most Company-offered supplemental insurance coverage continues while on COVID-19 leaves or furloughs, and the premiums for such insurance are double-deducted upon return to service or are direct billed by the Company or an agent of the Company depending on the situation. However, premiums for supplemental insurance offered by National Group Protection (NGP) / Continental Accident Insurance Company (CAIC) and payroll deducted as “Continental Insurance (CAIC)” are not double-deducted or direct billed by the Company or an agent of the Company.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, NGP has offered a generous continuation of coverage and a six-month suspension of premiums for Flight Attendants on leaves or furloughs beginning in May and for the remainder of 2020. The six months are not required to be consecutive and the waiver of premium may continue into 2021 if the Flight Attendant is on leave or furlough as of December 31, 2020.

No action is required in order to maintain coverage. CAIC will honor claims during this time (subject to policy provisions/language and documentation requirements). NGP will communicate directly with Flight Attendants who are expected to exhaust the waiver of premium.

If you have any questions, you may contact NGP directly at 1-800-344-9016 or service@ngp-ins.com.

A September 11^th Anniversary Message from Your AFA EAP

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

We know that the anniversaries of significant events in people’s lives can sometimes trigger reactions. September 11, 2020 will be no different. Some of us may harness our responses by participating in commemorative activities and memorials. For others, September 11^th will be marked by private reflections and personal tributes like a moment of silence or picking up a trip on the 11^th. For others, September 11^th will serve as a reminder that September is National Preparedness Month. Many will channel their responses into creating or updating family disaster communication/preparedness plans.

However you choose to structure your day this September 11^th or however it just naturally unfolds, please remember that your AFA EAP Committee Members welcome being a part of it. If you or a flying partner needs a confidential ear, please call us at (949) 470-0493 or find local EAP Committee Member contact information at afaalaska.org/eap. Remember, we’re just a phone call away.

MEC Response To Delay In Furlough Mitigation Awards

August 10, 2020 17:00

With today’s announcement from management that the awarding of Extended Leaves of Absence (ELOA) and Enhanced Voluntary Furloughs (EVF) will be additionally delayed, the MEC knows that Flight Attendants will be greatly disappointed. Though it is certainly understandable that there are complexities around the process of determining staffing levels, many of us are eager to have some definite news during this period of relative uncertainty. It is unfortunate that this delay may add to feelings of apprehension and unease.

Despite the delay in furlough mitigation awards, management’s intention to review all of the information available to them and make a decision that minimizes the disruption to the lives of Flight Attendants is a rational course of action. The situation is further complicated by the ongoing discussions within Congress for a clean extension to the Payroll Support Program (PSP). Should Congress pass an extension to the PSP, it would be further frustrating to everyone if management had to adjust or roll back any decisions that had already made and communicated.

Payroll Support Program (PSP) Extension

Our Union is working around the clock at all levels to extend the PSP to keep Flight Attendants and aviation workers in our jobs, connected to our healthcare and providing essential service to our country, as it has over the last five months. It was anticipated that there would have been a definite outcome on the extension by last Friday. However, that is not the case and the discussions in Washington, D.C. are ongoing. The PSP Extension the best solution for our jobs, our airline, our communities, and our country.

Our focus as an entire Union and industry is focused on pressuring Congress to get to the table and negotiate a COVID-19 relief bill. Every Flight Attendant can make a difference.

SENATE: (888) 848-4824

Sample Script:

I am a constituent calling on Senator [NAME] to save my job as an essential worker and airline employee. An overwhelming majority of Congress supports an extension to the Payroll Support Program for aviation workers to avoid massive job loss and to ensure there’s no cancellation of service to small communities. The Executive Orders signed over the weekend will not save my job. We need a COVID-19 relief package with our payroll support passed TODAY. Our jobs are on the line right now and millions are hurting without this relief! Keep us connected to our jobs, paychecks, & healthcare. We are counting on you. Thank you.

EAP Assistance

These are extremely difficult and stressful times. Please remember that your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee is always available as a support resource. Contact information for your Local EAP Committee can be found by clicking here.

AFA COVID-19 Onboard Service Survey

July 28, 2020 05:00

On July 16, management implemented an expansion of onboard service which included the addition of multiple beverage selections and the re-introduction of hot beverages as an option for passengers. During the lead up to the service expansion, members of our Master Executive Council (MEC), Inflight Service Committee, and Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) engaged management in multiple discussions with the intent of protecting Flight Attendant safety and health during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the objections raised by AFA and the nationwide increase in COVID-19 cases over the past several weeks, management made the decision to proceed with the rollout of the additional service citing the need to address complaints received through the Alaska Listens platform and improve scores on customer satisfaction surveys. The MEC, Inflight Service Committee, and ASHSC believe that the decision to proceed with an expanded onboard service in the wake of the increase in COVID-19 cases was irresponsible on management’s part.

COVID-19 Onboard Service Survey Launches Today

The MEC fully intends to continue to engage with management on the subject of onboard service, especially surrounding management’s plan for a further expansion next month. In an effort to gather as much direct Flight Attendant feedback as possible to share during those conversations, we have launched the AFA COVID-19 Onboard Service Survey. The survey is an opportunity to share your thoughts, feedback, and experiences related to the July 16 expanded onboard service.

Click here to take the survey

You’ll be able to take the survey any time between now and Sunday, August 2 at 5 PM PDT. Please share this link with your flying partners and encourage everyone who has worked since the July 16 onboard service expansion to take part! Even if you have not worked since July 16, you’ll still be able to share any comments you have about the service expansion.

REMINDER: Report Any Safety Hazards

In addition to completing the AFA COVID-19 Onboard Service Survey, please also remember to report any safety hazards that you experience while performing the expanded onboard service. This could include instances of increased exposure to passengers (e.g. passenger removing their mask to speak to you, etc.) or other hazards related to service. You can report these hazards through ReportIt! by submitting either a FAIR and/or ASAP for each flight on which they occur. Include the terms “COVID-19″ and “service” in your narrative to ensure they are correctly categorized by management. This data will help our AFA representatives to advocate for safe levels of service.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the AFA COVID-19 Onboard Service Survey, please contact your LEC Officers.

AFA Update – July 24, 2020

July 24, 2020 12:00

In This Edition

REMINDER: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program
Onboard Service Expansion
Free Online Learning Course—African American History: From Emancipation to the Present
REMINDER: Flight Attendant COVID-19 Survey
Grievance Committee Update

REMINDER: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program

Government Affairs Committee

Keep up the pressure on our lawmakers to do the right thing and extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program. The House of Representatives is scheduled to break for recess on July 31st and the Senate on August 7th. Make your calls today and every day!

House – (888) 907-9365
Senate – (888) 848-4824

Sample Script:

Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask [Representative]/[Senator] to help save my job as an essential worker. Take legislative action in July to extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program for aviation workers in order to avoid massive job loss in October. Keep us connected to our jobs, our paychecks, and our healthcare. Thank you for your urgent attention to this.

Onboard Service Expansion

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Last week, management implemented an expansion of onboard service by increasing beverage choices for passengers and re-introducing hot beverages as an available menu option. This expansion of onboard service took place despite vocal objections by our Master Executive Council (MEC), Inflight Service Committee, and Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC). Among these objections are management’s failure to adequately address the increased risk of exposure that our Flight Attendants are facing due to the additional time being spent interacting with passengers to offer the prescribed service. In light of the recent nationwide increase in COVID-19 cases and many jurisdictions postponing or rolling back plans to reopen businesses, the expansion of onboard service seems counterintuitive and does not indicate that management is serious about “owning safety”.

The MEC is currently developing a survey to gather more information about the specifics of how the expanded onboard service has impacted our Flight Attendants. More information will be available in soon in another AFA update.

Free Online Learning Course—African American History: From Emancipation to the Present

Human Rights Committee

Yale University is currently offering a free course on African American history taught by Jonathan Holloway. Professor Holloway was Professor of History, African American Studies, and American Studies at Yale University and Dean of Yale College.

This course represents a unique opportunity to assist in fulfilling our union’s promise to redouble our efforts to seek out, listen to, and amplify the voices of black and brown Flight Attendants within our Union and to address the systemic racism in our Union, our industry and our nation.

Additional information about the course can be found in the excerpt below from the Yale University website. You can access the course directly by clicking here.

About the Course

The purpose of this course is to examine the African American experience in the United States from 1863 to the present. Prominent themes include the end of the Civil War and the beginning of Reconstruction; African Americans’ urbanization experiences; the development of the modern civil rights movement and its aftermath; and the thought and leadership of Booker T. Washington, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X.

Warning: Some of the lectures in this course contain graphic content and/or adult language that some users may find disturbing.

Course Structure

This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 50 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Spring 2010.

REMINDER: Flight Attendant COVID-19 Survey

AFA International

As a reminder, AFA International is currently running a Flight Attendant COVID-19 Survey to collect Flight Attendants’ experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic. It is essential to our work with our airlines, the federal government, and Congress to get your feedback.

Is there available PPE at work? Have you tested positive for COVID-19? How many trips have you worked since March? What’s your experience with aircraft cleaning? Are you on leave?

Click here to take the survey

All individual responses will be de-identified, kept confidential and only utilized publicly in the aggregate.

Grievance Committee Update

Grievance Committee

The Master Executive Council (MEC) has been very hard at work ensuring disciplinary due process and contractual compliance on your behalf. The contract requires a minimum of 13 arbitration dates yearly to dispute discipline/termination cases and contractual issues. AFA typically prioritizes termination cases in order to return a Flight Attendant back to work as soon as possible; however, we seek a balance between discipline and contractual cases. AFA and management mutually decide which cases to arbitrate next based on many factors.

Steps of discipline are confirmation of oral warning (COW), written warning (WW), suspension (varied number of days) to termination. COWs, WWs, and suspensions remain in a Flight Attendant’s file for 18 months, and then are removed. If a Flight Attendant is in a step of discipline and gets another violation, the new violation will build on the previous violation. Management doesn’t always progressively travel up the steps of discipline. If management investigates a Flight Attendant for theft or abuse of sick leave, for example, management will terminate the Flight Attendant if there is evidence to support its findings; if there is no evidence, then the Flight Attendant will most likely be issued a record of discussion (ROD). A ROD is not considered discipline. There is no middle ground for certain violations.

Subject of Most Recent Discipline

Theft. Anything other than an opened/used bottle of water, unused pilot crew meal or purchased food removed from the aircraft will result in termination. (Temporarily there are Covid-19 exceptions).
Sick leave and FMLA abuse—Terminations on the rise due to travel audits among other things. Anything written in the comments posting of trip trades and personal drops can be seen, even if eventually deleted. If management determines abuse it results in termination.
Timecard fraud—For example: Holding the door open to obtain sit pay. Management has terminated for this violation.
Drug/Alcohol violations
Harassment
Reserves commuting during reserve availability period even if self-assigned a trip. Management has terminated for this reason several times.
Social media violations Including “friending” passengers on FB from information gained from the IMD
Commuter Violations
- Flight Attendant released from DHD and used D8Y home
- Flight Attendant used D8Y when they picked up out of base
- Flight Attendant used D8Y to/from incorrect cities
- Flight Attendant used D8Y for pleasure travel
Lost IMD or other required items
Failing to complete CBT—even if FA just forgets to hit the close button within Cornerstone to switch the CBT from in process to complete.

Recent and Upcoming Arbitration/Mediation

Arbitration	April 21	Disciplinary Grievance
Arbitration	May 27	Contractual Grievance
Arbitration	June 15	Contractual Grievance
Arbitration	June 25	Disciplinary Grievance

Recent Arbitration Awards

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-52-17-Violation of §§11.H.3.b & 11.H.4 JCTE Denying Unlimited Trading of Reserve Days Due to Classification as a Reserve Block Split. This grievance alleged the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §§11.H.3.b & 11.H.4 [Reserve: Reserve Exchange of Days, Pick-Ups and Trades/Reserve Day/Blocks], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) trading system denied unlimited trading of reserve days pursuant to §11.H.4 due to JCA incorrectly classifying such trade as a reserve block split pursuant to §11.H.3.b.

Arbitrator’s Decision: The grievance is denied. Alaska Airlines did not violate Sections 11.H.3.b & 11.H.4 and/or any and all related sections of the collective-bargaining agreement or past practice when its Jeppesen Crew Access trading system denied transactions where Reserve Flight Attendants sought to give away less than an entire block more than once per month. Alaska Airlines properly classified these transactions as a reserve block split pursuant to Section 11.H.3.b.

Recent Grievance Settlements

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-30-19-Violation of §28.G.2 Ground Commuting Policy. This alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §28.G.2 [Domiciles: Commuter Policy/Ground Commuting Policy], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when during the February 2019 Pacific Northwest snowstorms, it did not allow Flight Attendants to use the ground commuter policy because the Company did not consider a snowstorm-related ground commuting failure to be unanticipated.

Details: See the July 13, 2020 AFA Update for more information.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-159-19-Violation of §11.F, §11.F.13 and §11.D.2.c Airport Standby Reserve and On Duty at 4:29 am. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §11.F [Reserve: Airport Standby], §11.F.13 [Reserve: APSB on Duty at 4:29 am] and §11.D.2.c [Reserve: Notice of Time to Report], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to or inconsistently compensated Flight Attendants when they were: 1) Sitting airport standby (APSB) prior to 4:29 am; 2) Sitting APSB prior to 4:29 am and while on said APSB was given a flight assignment prior to 4:29 am; and 3) Sitting APSB prior to 4:29 am and while on said APSB was given a flight assignment after 4:29 am.

Details:

Reserve Flight Attendants sitting airport standby (APSB) prior to 4:29 am local domicile time who do not receive a flight assignment during APSB:
1. Will be compensated pursuant to §11.D.2.c at one and one-half times (1.5x) the trip rate in that duty period of which one-half times (0.5x) the trip rate will be paid above guarantee for the APSB assignment if the Flight Attendant receives less than nine (9) hours’ notice of the APSB assignment; or
1. Will be compensated straight time (1.0x) towards the reserve guarantee for the APSB assignment if the Flight Attendant receives at least nine (9) hours’ notice of the APSB assignment.
Reserve Flight Attendants sitting APSB prior to 4:29 am local domicile time and while on said APSB are given a flight assignment prior to 4:29 am will be compensated one and one-half times (1.5x) the trip rate for all TFP flown or credited or APSB in that duty period of which one-half times (0.5x) the trip rate will be paid above guarantee.
Reserve Flight Attendants sitting APSB prior to 4:29 am local domicile time and while on said APSB are given a flight assignment after 4:29 am will be compensated one and one-half times (1.5x) the trip rate for all TFP flown or credited or APSB in that duty period of which one-half times (0.5x) the trip rate will be paid above guarantee.

Click here to view the complete settlement agreement.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-116-18-Violation of §10.J.4 Bidding Timelines. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 10.J.4 [Scheduling: Bid Packets and Bidding Timelines], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about March 13, 2018, management re-opened its Preferential Bidding System (PBS), NAVBLUE, for a full bid re-award for April 2018 because it was not programmed to match the bid “duty on” preference on the new web application user interface. However, due to system limitations the re-award required the PBS to reopen which allowed access for Flight Attendants to submit new bids after the contractual bid submission deadline.

Details: The Company and AFA will The parties will actively work on installing an administrative lock-out function (or other mutually agreed upon solution) in the NAVBLUE bidding system (or any successor system). The lock-out function will allow the ‘back end’ of the bidding system to be opened for bid protests, technical issues, or other adjustments while locking out Flight Attendants from altering their bids on the ‘front end’. It is unknown whether NAVBLUE can accommodate a lock-out function exactly as described in this paragraph. If it is not possible, the parties will work together and mutually agree on the alternate solution and how it would work. If an alternate solution is not mutually agreed upon, AFA reserves the right to refile this grievance.

Compensatory Settlement: The Company will pay compensation to all Flight Attendants whose adjusted April 2018 bid resulted in a loss of four (4) or more TFP and at least one day of flying from their original April 2018 bid. Approximately 150 Flight Attendants are in this pool, plus two additional Flight Attendants who do not meet the requirements but whose situations present unique circumstances that warrant settlement. The total TFP amount to be paid out is 1130.6 TFP. A list of said Flight Attendants will be provided to the Company by the Association pursuant to this Settlement Agreement. The Company will pay the TFP to all the above-named Flight Attendants no later than on their June 20, 2021, paycheck. For any affected Flight Attendant who is inactive (due to separation or furlough) as of June 20, 2021, the Company will mail a check (less applicable withholdings) to the Flight Attendant’s last known address. The pay will be at the respective rates in effect on the day the Flight Attendant is paid. Payment will be paid above the reserve guarantee if applicable.

Click here to view the complete settlement agreement.

Grievances Recently Granted by Management

None

Grievances Recently Filed and Denied

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-200-20-Violation of §25.C.1 Failure to Include ASHSC in Safety Meeting. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §25.C.1 [Air Safety Health and Security: Safety Meetings], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about April 3, 2020, it failed to include the Air Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC) in a meeting to discuss passengers who were scheduled to travel on Alaska flights after disembarking from a cruise ship which had suffered an outbreak of COVID-19. The company instead opted to brief AFA about the issue after the meeting and decision was made about how to proceed.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-201-20-Violation of §10.Q & §11.E.4.d Violation of Reserve Assignment List Order. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10.Q [Scheduling: Low-Bid Option] and §11.E.4.d [Reserve: Order of Assignment, Assignment of Open Sequences/Assignments], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) scheduling system places low-bid option and no-bid lineholder Flight Attendants who pick up reserve days and opt out of the Reserve Assignment List (LTFA) at the top of the list rather than listing them in inverse seniority order following all other Reserves within the same classification (AM/PM/ER) and with the same number of days of availability.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-207-20-Violation of §10, §11.D & §24.L Bundled Scheduling Notifications. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10 [Scheduling], §11.D [Reserve: Scheduling/Notice of Time to Report] and §24.L [General and Miscellaneous: Company-Provided Inflight Mobile Device (IMD)], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) scheduling system sent bundled scheduling notifications to Flight Attendants on their Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs) or directly in Crew Access, requiring Flight Attendants to batch acknowledge or ignore such notifications and thereby resulting in Flight Attendants potentially waiving multiple contractual protections via an extra-contractual point of contact (i.e. Crew Access scheduling notifications).

More Information

For more information, including the status of previously filed grievances, please visit the Grievance Committee Activity Page.

Questions?

Please contact your Local Grievance Committee if you have any questions about the Grievance Committee update.

AFA Update – July 13, 2020

July 13, 2020 05:00

In This Edition

ACTION ALERT: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program
Vanguard Retirement Webinars
Telephonic Support Groups for Flight Attendants
Ground Commuting During Significant Weather Events
Temporary Requalification (RQ) Training Timeline Modification

ACTION ALERT: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program

Government Affairs Committee

We need to generate phone calls to Congress every day. Flight Attendants and family members should be making two calls to the Senate line and one call to the House line.

We are calling for a six month aviation Payroll Support Program extension through March 31, 2021, to protect our jobs. This is the most successful jobs program of the CARES Act and it needs to be extended since COVID-19 cases are again on the rise.

All of aviation labor is standing together to call on Congress to pass a clean extension of the Payroll Support Program before the summer Congressional recess. Waiting until September for this action is too late because October planning will be done and hundreds of thousands of workers will already be told they are out of work. Already, Delta Air Lines pilots and United Airlines workers have received WARN notices.

We need urgent action on this now:

1. Call your Representative and Senators: Flight Attendants and family should make three calls every day. Two to the Senate line and one to the House line.

House: (888) 907-9365
Senate: (888) 848-4824

Sample Script:

Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask [Representative]/[Senator] to help save my job as an essential worker. Take legislative action in July to extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program for aviation workers in order to avoid massive job loss in October. Keep us connected to our jobs, our paychecks, and our healthcare. Thank you for your urgent attention to this.

2. Sign this letter to your Representative and Senators >

3. Tell 5 flying partners and your friends and family to do the same!

A CARES Act extension must pass Congress before they recess later this summer. Take action now and plan to keep taking action every day throughout July.

https://youtu.be/OAjNYnWVxOQ

WATCH: AFA Government Affairs Activists Urge Flight Attendants to Make Calls

Vanguard Retirement Webinars

Retirement Committee

As the company will be offering early out packages, your AFA Retirement Committee, in conjunction with Vanguard, the company’s 401(k) plan administrator, will be conducting an online webinar to provide information and answer questions about the planning process for retirement. More information from Vanguard is below.

Switching from earning a paycheck to living off your retirement savings and Social Security is a big change. If you’re within a few years of retiring, learn how you can turn your savings into a steady paycheck. This webinar will help you answer:

How much will my retirement cost?
Where will I find the money to pay for retirement?
How do I make my savings last as long as my retirement?
How do I invest my money during retirement?

Dates, Times, and Registration Information

Two sessions will be available:

Friday, July 17 – 10 AM PDT
Wednesday, July 29 – 1 PM PDT

Advanced registration is required and can be completed using the link below:

Click here to register for one of the sessions

Questions?

If you have any questions about the upcoming webinars, please contact MEC Retirement Committee Chairperson Terry Taylor at terry.taylor@afaalaska.org.

Telephonic Support Groups for Flight Attendants

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Build your resiliency by joining these telephonic support groups just for Flight Attendants. Groups are sponsored by your AFA EAP/FADAP and facilitated by a confidential mental health professional. All Flight Attendants are welcome.

Learn some techniques on stress management, decision making under pressure, emotional balance and connect with flying partners during this period of uncertainty in the Aviation Industry. Join any or all sessions. No pre-registration required.

Calls start on Monday, July 13 and are scheduled Mondays (July 13, 20, 27, August 3) and Fridays (July 17, 23, 31, August 7). Each call begins at 12 PM PDT and will last one hour.

Call-In Number

(855) 544-2320 or (401) 648-9218

If outside the U.S., follow the directions here.

Ground Commuting During Significant Weather Events

Grievance Committee

The MEC recently mediated Grievance 36-99-2-30-19, Violation of Section 28.G.2 Ground Commuting Policy. This grievance arose out of the February 2019 snow events. The grievance alleged the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 28.G.2 [Domiciles: Commuter Policy/Ground Commuting Policy], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when during the February 2019 Pacific Northwest snowstorms, it did not allow Flight Attendants to use the ground commuter policy because the Company did not consider a snowstorm-related ground commuting failure to be unanticipated.

Originally, we sought to arbitrate this grievance, however it seemed better with this particular case to mediate the issue with an unbiased mediator. Arbitration results in a decision made by the arbitrator usually with one side winning and the other side losing; whereas mediation allows both parties to have a say in the outcome. An arbitration award cannot change or add contract language, it may only interpret what was already present, however in mediation the parties may come to agreements about adding or changing language.

The issue was resolved very favorably with the addition of language for ground commuting during significant weather delays. This adds protections for Flight Attendants attempting to get to work whether the weather event is anticipated or not. The new language adds a detailed process for management to follow, thereby removing any subjectivity, which typically was only a detriment to our Flight Attendants.

A complete copy of the sideletter of agreement that includes the newly agreed upon language related to ground commuting during significant weather events has been uploaded to the AFA Alaska website and can be accessed by clicking here.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the grievance or sideletter of agreement, please contact your Local Grievance Committee.

Temporary Requalification Training (RQ) Timeline Modification

Grievance Committee

For Flight Attendants returning from a leave of absence or who have been unable to complete Recurrent Training (RT) by the end of their eligibility period, completing Requalification Training (RQ) is a requirement before being able to return to work. Section 30.B.3 of the joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA) requires management to offer a full RQ class within the first five working days of every month, but this requirement has recently caused significant stress for many of our Flight Attendants. Due to a recent changes in how management interprets the eligibility period of Flight Attendants who are required to take Requalification Training (RQ), the home study CBT that must be completed prior to attending class is no longer made available until the first day of the month when scheduled to attend class. With this change, Flight Attendants who might be scheduled to take RQ on the 2^nd of the month would not even have access to the CBT until the 1^st of the month.

Due to this very compressed timeline that Flight Attendants are now being given to complete the CBT prior to RQ, the MEC approached management to work to extend the period of time that would be available to complete the CBT prior to class. We were able to reach a temporary agreement with management to extend the contractual requirement for the Company to offer a full RQ class from within the first five working days of the month to having the class offered no sooner than the seventh working day of the month. The temporary agreement also provides pay protection for any affected Flight Attendants between the fifth working day of the month (the contractual requirement to offer class) and the day prior to when the Company actually offers the class. Even with this temporary extension to the Company’s requirement to offer a full dedicated RQ class, Flight Attendants who are due to take RQ may continue to exercise their contractual right to trade into the RQ slot in any regularly scheduled RT class during the month if space is available.

This temporary agreement will take effect with the August 2020 bid month and will remain in effect through at least the December 2020 bid month. A complete copy of the letter of agreement is available on the AFA Alaska website and can be viewed by clicking here.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Grievance Committee.

In This Edition

#ReliefNow Rally in Seattle on September 8

Keep The Pressure On Congress—Call Your Representative and Senators!

National Group Protection Supplemental Insurance Premium Waiver for COVID-19 Leaves and Furloughs

A September 11th Anniversary Message from Your AFA EAP

Payroll Support Program (PSP) Extension

EAP Assistance

COVID-19 Onboard Service Survey Launches Today

REMINDER: Report Any Safety Hazards

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REMINDER: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program

Onboard Service Expansion

Free Online Learning Course—African American History: From Emancipation to the Present

About the Course

Course Structure

REMINDER: Flight Attendant COVID-19 Survey

Grievance Committee Update

Subject of Most Recent Discipline

Recent and Upcoming Arbitration/Mediation

Recent Arbitration Awards

Recent Grievance Settlements

Grievances Recently Granted by Management

Grievances Recently Filed and Denied

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In This Edition

ACTION ALERT: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program

Vanguard Retirement Webinars

Dates, Times, and Registration Information

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Telephonic Support Groups for Flight Attendants

Call-In Number

Ground Commuting During Significant Weather Events

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Temporary Requalification Training (RQ) Timeline Modification

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Master Executive Council

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A September 11^th Anniversary Message from Your AFA EAP