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        You are here: Home / Archives for Master Executive Council (MEC)

        AFA Update – December 20, 2019

        December 20, 2019 12:00

        In This Edition

        • MEC Committee Position Appointments

        MEC Committee Position Appointments

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        At last week’s regular MEC Meeting, the MEC conducted interviews for MEC Committee positions.  We would like to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and a willingness to serve.  After careful consideration and much deliberation, the six directly elected Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents have made the following appointments:

        Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee

        ChairpersonSeth Heiple
        Vice Chairperson – Air QualityYvette Satterlee
        Vice Chairperson – Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP)Bradley Young
        ASAP Alternate RepresentativeRonda Ruderman

        Benefits Committee

        ChairpersonTerry Taylor

        Employee Assistance Program (EAP) /Professional Standards Committee

        ChairpersonElizabeth Dillon
        Vice ChairpersonJeanne McCleave

        Grievance Committee

        ChairpersonStephanie Adams
        AssistantBianca Dew
        Payroll RepresentativeKiara Jenkins

        Government Affairs Committee

        ChairpersonKrystle Berry
        CWA Next Gen RepresentativeMartin Monteblanco

        Hotel Committee

        ChairpersonLaura Hinojosa
        Vice ChairpersonJodi Snow

        Inflight Service Committee

        ChairpersonStephanie Garnett

        Inflight Training Committee

        ChairpersonMegan Brown
        Committee MemberSteve Vincent
        Committee MemberSamuel Clifton
        Committee MemberJustin Wetherell

        Reserve Committee

        ChairpersonJulie Pinson
        Vice Chairperson—New Hire & ProbationJarod McNeill

        Retirement Committee

        ChairpersonTerry Taylor

        Scheduling Committee

        ChairpersonJake Jones
        Vice Chairperson—Pairing ConstructionKaren Ferrell
        Vice Chairperson—Preferential Bidding System (PBS)Steve Poynter
        PBS Subcommittee Member (Alternate Vice Chairperson)Adam Clarey
        PBS Subcommittee MemberSheri Rochel
        PBS Subcommittee MemberVirginia Fritz

        Uniform Committee

        ChairpersonTodd Scarlett

        All appointments are effective January 1, 2020.  Terms of appointment coincide with those of the MEC Officers, concluding on December 31, 2022.

        Filed Under: Committees, Latest News, Master Executive Council (MEC) Tagged With: 2019, committee appointments, MEC Committee, MEC Committee Chairperson, MEC Committee Vice Chairperson

        AFA Update – November 22, 2019

        November 22, 2019 12:00

        In This Edition

        • Changes to 2020 Recurrent Training
        • Violation of Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book Grievance Sustained
        • FINAL REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

        Changes to 2020 Recurrent Training

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        On Wednesday, November 20, management announced changes to how Recurrent Training (RT) will be conducted in 2020.  For many years, RT has been conducted in a single day and was supplemented by home-based study in the form of a workbook and, more recently, a computer-based training (CBT).  Based on new FAA guidance, management has determined that they are unable to contain all of the required elements of RT in a single day and will begin conducting RT as two full, 8-hour days of training in 2020.

        Though this change is a shift in practice, it is intended to allow more time to address the necessary regulatory and safety components required by the FAA.  Management has also stated that they will be including some additional service-related content in RT including a follow-up module to the company’s latest Flight Path training held in 2018.

        PBS Bidding Credit

        Since the inception of PBS in 2007, Recurrent Training has always carried a credit of zero (0) toward PBS line awards.  This means in a bid month containing RT, PBS views RT as having a value of 0 TFP and builds your line accordingly.  Under the language in the collective bargaining agreement, RT carries a value of zero without mention as to the number of days the class itself covers.

        We are happy to announce that your Master Executive Council (MEC) was able to reach an agreement with management to provide partial credit for RT for the purposes of line construction.  For RT 2020, the first day of RT will continue to credit toward your line in PBS at 0 TFP, but the second day will credit at the full value of 6 TFP.  During a month that you have RT, PBS will read the 6 TFP value for RT and credit that toward your line award accordingly.

        Hotels

        The MEC is calling on inflight management to “own safety” and “do the right thing” by providing each Flight Attendant with a hotel room during RT in 2020.  

        During Transition Training (TT) in 2018, many of us experienced having to attend two full days of training and then deal with the associated logistics of braving multiple rush hour commutes in some of the worst cities for traffic in the nation.  Those who commute were left to fend for themselves and find a place to stay for the evening as TT did not allow for any possibility of same-day commuting.  Your AFA leaders received reports of exhaustion, fatigue, and stress from numerous Flight Attendants in relation to these and other factors from TT.  

        These issues fresh in mind, your MEC is extremely disappointed and outraged to hear that management has refused to provide hotels for Flight Attendants between the two days of RT.  Even when not contractually required to do so, the Company has previously provided Flight Attendants with hotels during multi-day training activities such as Beyond Service in 2015.  Just as we are constantly told to use the “service framework” to assess each situation when dealing with passengers and make a decision accordingly, management has the opportunity to live up to their own expectations and do the same in this case.

        The MEC is calling on inflight management to “own safety” and “do the right thing” by providing each Flight Attendant with a hotel room during RT in 2020.  Just like when we are out flying, we need a training environment that sets us up for success by allowing us to get proper rest and focus on safety.  The responsibility for providing this environment falls on the shoulders of management and it’s time for them to step up and act on the same values they expect us to live by every day that we come to work.

        Questions?

        If you have questions about the changes to Recurrent Training in 2020, please contact your LEC Officers.


        Violation of Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book Grievance Sustained

        Grievance Committee

        On October 31, 2019, your MEC Grievance Committee filed grievance number 36-99-2-163-19, for the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 12.F.9.a [Exchange of Sequences: Open Time Trial], past practice, its sustained response to grievance 36-99-2-35-17 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on July 7, 2017, it sustained grievance number 36-99-2-35-17 (Violation of §12.F.9.a Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book); however it has continually failed to provide sufficient Information Technology (IT) resources for reverting to the Open Time System in place in the 2006-2010 Flight Attendant Agreement as modified by the arbitration award (AFA No. 36-99-2-18-11) [“Withholding Open Time” award]).

        In summary, the Company sustained (admitted to the violation) the original grievance (number 36-99-2-35-17) and should have prioritized with IT to program the back to book language, but it did not.  Management has admitted that the current system stayed in place rather than prioritizing resources within IT to make the necessary programming changes to revert to the language outlined in Section 12 as back to book.   Since it failed to prioritize the IT resources, AFA filed the present grievance, which the Company also sustained.  

        As a result of your MEC Grievance Committee filing the grievance, the Company is now making immediate efforts to program the back to book trading rules with IT.  The project kicked off on November 4, 2019, and IT is currently developing the technical requirements for the system to provide to Jeppesen by early January 2020.  Jeppesen will then be providing a timeline for implementation by mid to late January 2020.

        As of right now, your MEC is presuming that we will have more information regarding Open Time back to book programming to pass along to you by late January 2020.

        Questions?

        Please feel free to contact your LEC President with any questions that you might have about this grievance or Open Time back to book programming.


        FINAL REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        As a reminder, the term for those currently serving in MEC Committee Chairperson roles and other appointed positions will end on December 31, 2019.  Your MEC, of which the six directly elected Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents are voting members, will be conducting interviews for these positions during the December MEC meeting.  The October 4, 2019 AFA Update contained the initial announcement of these upcoming interviews including a list of positions, information about qualifications and duties, and a link to the online expression of interest form.  The deadline to submit an expression of interest is Monday, November 25, 2019 at 5 PM Pacific time.

        If you have questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed positions or the interview process, please contact MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at brian.palmer@afaalaska.org.

        Filed Under: Committees, Grievance Committee, Inflight Training Committee, Latest News, Master Executive Council (MEC) Tagged With: 2019, Back to Book, chairperson appointments, grievance, MEC Committee Chairperson, Open Time, recurrent training, RT

        AFA Update – November 8, 2019

        November 8, 2019 12:00

        In This Edition

        • MEC Officer Election Results
        • Council 30 (ANC) LEC Officer Election Results
        • REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews
        • Grievance Committee Update
        • Dues – Know Your Obligation
        • At Risk Drinking–How Much is Too Much?
        • AFA Statement on Boeing 737 MAX Hearings
        • We Support Delta Flight Attendant Efforts to Join AFA

        MEC Officer Election Results

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        As the term of office for the current MEC Officers will end on December 31, 2019, your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews this week for the upcoming MEC Officer term.  We would like to thank the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the positions.

        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.  After thorough deliberation, the LEC Presidents have elected the following candidates: 

        MEC PresidentMEC Vice PresidentMEC Secretary-Treasurer
        Jeffrey PetersonBrian PalmerLinda Christou

        The newly elected MEC Officers will serve a three-year term of office from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022.  More information about their duties and responsibilities can be found in the AFA Constitution and Bylaws and the AFA Alaska MEC Policy Manual.

        Council 30 (ANC) LEC Officer Election Results

        Local Council 30 (Anchorage)

        The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing the Flight Attendants based in Anchorage:

        LEC PresidentLEC Vice PresidentLEC Secretary
        Matthew CookKaren FerrellLisa Pinkston

        View the certified election results here >

        These officers will serve a term of office from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2022.

        The Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the officers-elect and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.

        REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        As a reminder, the term for those currently serving in MEC Committee Chairperson roles and other appointed positions will end on December 31, 2019.  Your MEC, of which the six directly elected Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents are voting members, will be conducting interviews for these positions during the December MEC meeting.  The October 4, 2019 AFA Update contained the initial announcement of these upcoming interviews including a list of positions, information about qualifications and duties, and a link to the online expression of interest form. 

        If you have questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed positions or the interview process, please contact MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at brian.palmer@afaalaska.org.

        Grievance Committee Update

        Grievance Committee

        Your MEC and Local Grievance Committees have been very hard at work ensuring disciplinary due process and contractual compliance on your behalf. AFA filed several contractual grievances in response to the recent Open Time trading and Vacation Open Time trading systems crashes.

        The Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) increased the number of arbitration dates from 10 to 13. Terminations are usually prioritized 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 based on many factors.

        Many of our disciplinary grievances come about from Flight Attendants writing up and/or turning in other Flight Attendants for behavior they may find undesirable.  We know that many of you have friendly relationships with managers or supervisors, but if you mention an issue to a manager/supervisor, s/he has an obligation to move the concern forward.  This could result in discipline or termination when that was not your intent of discussing the issue with management.  Some disciplinary cases are ultimately escalated to arbitration; if you turn in someone who is suspended or terminated, you will most likely be required to testify at an arbitration hearing.  A more preferential option is to utilize AFA Professional Standards, who will reach out to the Flight Attendant to try and help solve the problem without involving management and the possibility of discipline.   

        Rumor Control

        Rumor: Around 200 to 300 Legacy Virgin America Flight Attendants have been terminated since ratification of the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA).  

        Truth: The rumor is false.  Since we ratified our JCBA on April 3, 2018, there have been approximately 60 terminations to date including both Legacy Virgin America and Legacy Alaska Flight Attendants.  This number is slightly higher than prior years, however given the increase in the overall number of Flight Attendants it isn’t entirely disproportionate.

        Subject of Most Recent Discipline

        In order to keep terminations low, we want to give you an idea of what areas management has recently focused on in regard to disciplining (including terminating) Flight Attendants.  See below: 

        • 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 can be seen, even if eventually deleted.  If the company determines abuse, it results in termination.  
        • Drug/Alcohol violations
        • Social media violations.  This includes sending friend requests and/or following passengers on social media using personal information gained from Block2Block.
        • Required item violations.  This includes lost or forgotten IMDs or other required items.
        • 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.  
        • Harassment

        Recent and Upcoming Arbitration & Mediation

        ArbitrationWednesday, September 25Disciplinary Grievance
        ArbitrationTuesday October 22Disciplinary Grievance
        ArbitrationThursday November 14Disciplinary Grievance
        ArbitrationTuesday December 17Contractual Grievance

        Recently Settled Grievances & Mediations

        None

        Grievances Recently Granted by Management

        None

        Grievances Recently Filed and Awaiting Response from Management 

        Grievance No.:  36-99-2-161-19- Violation of §12.E Withholding Trips from Open Time.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §12.E [Exchange of Sequences:  Open Time], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) failed to immediately place all uncovered sequences or portions of sequences including but not limited to sick calls, Management Drop(s), Personal Drop(s), leaves of absence, jury duty, bereavement leave.

        Grievance No.:  36-99-2-162-19- Violation of §12.C.1 Real-Time Trading Procedures Grievance 36-99-2-28-17 Mediated Settlement.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §12.C.1 [Exchange of Sequences:  Trading Procedure], past practice, its mediated settlement of grievance 36-99-2-28-17 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it agreed but failed to adhere to its July 5, 2017, mediated settlement of grievance 36-99-2-28-17:  To have AFA and Alaska representatives meet with Jeppesen to explore the capabilities of the system and how to align the front-end with the “real time” experience of the back-end user.  This is a continual violation as such meeting did not take place in a reasonably timely manner, and sufficient action was not taken to rectify the underlying system issues. 

        Grievance No.:  36-99-2-163-19- Violation of §12.F.9.a Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §12.F.9.a [Exchange of Sequences:  Open Time Trial], past practice, its sustained response of grievance 36-99-2-35-17 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on July 7, 2017, it sustained grievance 36-99-2-35-17 Violation of §12.F.9.a Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book; however it has continually failed to provide sufficient IT resources for reverting to the Open Time System in place in the 2006-2010 Flight Attendant Agreement as modified by the arbitration award (AFA No. 36-99-2-18-11) [“Withholding Open Time” award]).

        Grievance No.:  36-99-2-165-19- Violation of Vacation Trading Past Practice.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement § 14 [Vacation], an established past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it violated an established past practice for a real-time, electronic vacation trading system and the subsequent failure of that system to allow SEA-based Flight Attendants to access and trade vacation at the established start time.  

        Grievance No.:  36-99-2-170-19-Violation of §19.A Investigatory Meetings.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement § 19.A [Grievance Procedures], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about October 29, 2019, at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), it conducted an investigatory meeting related to a slide deployment with all Flight Attendants assigned to work flight 623 (IAD-SFO) while they were on duty, without providing adequate opportunity to obtain Union representation in the form of an AFA Grievance Representative, and without providing the option of conducting the meeting on their day off with accompanying pay of four (4.0) TFP.  

        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.

        Dues—Know Your Obligation

        Membership Committee

        Each of us has an obligation to ensure that our AFA dues payments are current and up-to-date.  Section 26 of our collective bargaining agreement outlines the requirement for each of us to pay dues as a condition of employment.  If you receive a notice that dues are past due, it is important to remedy the past due amount immediately.  Failure to remedy a past due amount may result in termination of employment.

        How Do I Know If I Have a Past Due Amount?

        If you have a past due amount, you will receive a statement from the AFA International Membership Services Department sent to your mailing address on file with AFA.  The statement will show for which month(s) dues have not been paid.

        What To Do If You Receive a Past Due Notice for AFA Dues

        If you receive a statement indicating that you owe dues, the easiest way to make a payment is through the AFA Membership Services website.  You can also contact the Membership Services Department to discuss options for a payment plan if you are unable to pay the owed amount immediately.  More information about payment options can be found here.  

        What If I Don’t Pay The Amount I Owe?

        If you don’t pay the amount you owe within 15 days of receiving final notice from AFA, AFA will provide notice to the Company that you have not made the required payment.  At that point, the Company will terminate your employment in accordance with Section 26.D of our collective bargaining agreement.

        Questions?

        If you have any questions about dues, please contact your Local Membership Committee or AFA International Membership Services at (800) 424-2401, ext. 707.

        At Risk Drinking–How Much is Too Much?

        Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

        How much alcohol is too much? It could mean drinking too much at one time, drinking too often, or both. It’s important to be aware of how much you are drinking, whether your drinking pattern is risky, the harm that some drinking patterns can cause, and ways to reduce your risks.

        Many people are surprised to learn what counts as a drink. In the United States, a “standard” drink is any drink that contains about 0.6 fluid ounces or 14 grams of “pure” alcohol.

        What is “Low Risk” Drinking?

        “Low risk” is not “no risk.” Even within these limits, alcohol can cause problems if people drink too quickly, have health problems, or are older (both men and women over 65 are generally advised to have no more than 3 drinks on any day and 7 per week). Based on your health and how alcohol affects you, you may need to drink less or not at all.

        What is “at risk” or “heavy drinking”?

        For healthy adults in general, drinking more than these below single-day or weekly limits is considered “at-risk” or “heavy” drinking: remember too much + too often = too risky. 

        Men:               More than 4 drinks on any day or 14 per week

        Women:          More than 3 drinks on any day or 7 per week*

        Remember, as safety sensitive professionals, Flight Attendants must also comply with company policy that requires no alcohol use 10 hours before duty and no BAC above a 0.00%.  If at an international destination, Flight Attendants must also comply with the myriad of laws dictated by other countries.  Any use of alcohol within these restricted parameters should be considered “too risky” for your personal wellness, flight safety and career retention.  If you are questioning your drinking and have concerns, please contact your AFA EAP thru the confidential helpline at (800) 424-2406 or the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program at (855) 333-2327.  Help is available 24/7. 

        *Alcohol use impacts women differently than men due to physiological differences such as lower body weight and having lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes in the stomach that help eliminate alcohol. Consuming more than one drink per day places women at risk for health concerns such as heart disease, breast cancer, and, for pregnant women or women trying to become pregnant, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. For some women, no alcohol use is recommended.

        AFA Statement on Boeing 737 MAX Hearings

        The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) issued the following statement following hearings in the Senate and House last week with Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg:

        As AFA President Sara Nelson testified in June before the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, “Flight Attendants continue to receive questions from the traveling public about the 737 Max. There remains confusion about the progression of 737 aircraft models. It is common for crew to receive questions when working the 737NG about whether the aircraft is safe. This signals a fundamental question about the progression of the 737 aircraft models and whether or not the Max should have been designed as an entirely new aircraft type. This is an example of questions that will need to be answered within the process to safely return the 737 Max to flight and regain public confidence.”

        “We have been clear throughout this process and repeatedly in public forums, that we will not work the 737 MAX until and unless we have full assurance from regulators around the world, our colleagues in the flight deck, engineers, and our airlines that the 737 MAX is safe,” Nelson said. “This week took a step backward in this process, not forward.”

        We Support Delta Flight Attendant Efforts to Join AFA

        Last Friday, AFA launched a new effort to help Delta Flight Attendants become AFA Members!  Thousands of Flight Attendants at Delta Air Lines have asked AFA to join them in efforts to become full members of our union.  Now is the time to affirm our full support of their efforts to join AFA.  Watch the welcome video from AFA International President to Delta Flight Attendants by clicking here.

        As long as Delta management retains control of pay, benefits and working conditions at the industry’s most profitable airline, our bargaining power at each of our airlines is cut short. As long as Delta can claim to speak for the 25,000 Flight Attendants at the airline, our efforts to achieve proper staffing, rest, job security, and safety standards through government regulations are undermined.

        Right now, we can start to correct this by helping to lift the voices of Delta Flight Attendants and protect their rights under the Railway Labor Act as they organize. And, when Delta Flight Attendants vote to join AFA we will strengthen our voice, our bargaining power, and our standing in every issue that affects our jobs like never before.

        AFA Endeavor Flight Attendants are a Delta wholly-owned regional airline, and this effort directly affects their representation too as we address issues like concerns about toxic uniforms and the ability to share in Delta’s success.

        Already, talk of AFA at Delta has encouraged management to improve the wage scale, announce plans to implement 10 hours minimum rest by February 2020, and promise to implement certain provisions of the United contract that produce more compensation for Flight Attendants. But, as long as Delta Flight Attendants are without a contract like management at Delta has for themselves, promises can change and our ability to move our careers forward will not reached its full potential.

        AFA has a long history with Delta Flight Attendants, and we have always thought of all Flight Attendants as part of our AFA family. Interestingly, over 40 percent of the seniority list has been hired at Delta since the last union vote nine years ago. The energy and excitement for our Flight Attendant union is palpable. Help us welcome Delta Flight Attendants to our union today as we work together to build power for aviation’s first responders. Visit afacwa.org/deltawelcome to learn more about how you can support Delta Flight Attendants.

        Show Your Support!

        It’s easy to show your support for Flight Attendants at Delta Air Lines who are working to earn representation through our Flight Attendant union. Put on your AFA pin, take a pic, and post it with a brief note of support and the hashtag #SelfiesForSolidarity

        Filed Under: Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Council 30 ANC, EAP/Professional Standards Committee, Grievance Committee, Latest News, Master Executive Council (MEC) Tagged With: 2019, ANC, Boeing 737 MAX, Council 30, Delta, dues, election results, MEC Committee Chairperson, MEC Officers, organizing

        Yet Another System Malfunction (This Time Vacation Trading)

        October 28, 2019 21:00

        Your Master Executive Council (MEC) is aware that the vacation trading system malfunctioned for approximately 25 minutes just as vacation trading opened for Seattle around 2 PM PT. Just like with the recent Crew Access malfunction, this all went down despite a whole crew of IT personnel monitoring the vacation trading system. Access was restored immediately following the outage, but the root cause is still not known as of this writing. We will continue to monitor and report issues to management for resolution.

        A dedicated AFA representative was monitoring the system with IT throughout the entire day from 8 AM to 5 PM PT. Once there was a known issue, our AFA rep was immediately briefed and worked alongside those with first-hand knowledge of the system to find a quick resolution. Despite those efforts, the MEC is once again extremely disappointed in the results—just like you are. 

        We want a vacation trading system (and a trip trading system and a payroll system) that meets the needs of our Flight Attendants. Anything less is unacceptable. The MEC has heard you loud and clear: You don’t want apologies. You want results. And you demand systems that meet our contractual requirements. 

        AFA leadership has and will continue to communicate to management the universal frustration our members feel about the various Company IT systems—and the expectation is that management should stop talking about it, and FIX it!!

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee; and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones

        Filed Under: Latest News, Master Executive Council (MEC), Scheduling Committee Tagged With: 2019, system failure, vacation, vacation opentime, vacation OT, vacation trading

        AFA Special Update – Negotiations

        October 22, 2019 14:00

        In This Edition (October 22, 2019)

        • Open Time Negotiations October 9 & 10 Recap
        • Send Your Message to Management: Fix Crew Access NOW!
        • Block or Better vs. TFP—and Other Concerns

        Open Time Negotiations – October 9 & 10 Recap

        Your AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee resumed Open Time negotiations with management on October 9 & 10 in Seattle. The Master Executive Council (MEC) pulled the Open Time Tentative Agreement (TA) in May of this year over concerns that AFA and management had different interpretations of how a day would open and close for Open Time trading. The parties are re-negotiating Open Time trading rules to replace the Open Time Trial, which was officially actually canceled by AFA back in the summer of 2016. The Open Time Trial trading rules remain place today.

        The parties made a lot of progress during the two-day session. In order to maintain the momentum of that session, the negotiating teams are meeting today (October 22) in Seattle.

        Send Your Message to Management: Fix Crew Access NOW!

        Regardless of the progress on Open Time negotiations, any possible changes to contractual trading language will mean nothing without a real-time, stable trading system that management is obligated to provide.  Your AFA Master Executive Council (MEC) is calling upon all Flight Attendants to stand together and let management know that we are tired of the excuses and ready for management to act!

        Click here to send management your letter

        As of today, only 25% of Alaska Flight Attendants have submitted letters to management demanding that immediate programming fixes be made to Crew Access.  That means that on a 4-person crew, only one Flight Attendant has taken action to stand up and fight back.  Spread the word and share the campaign and the link above with your flying partners and fellow Flight Attendants.  We must stand together and speak with one overwhelmingly loud voice to ensure that management hears our message—that they need to honor their obligations and fix Crew Access NOW!

        Block or Better vs. TFP—and Other Concerns

        Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) Flight Attendants have brought forward concerns that at least some contractual pay provisions may not be as generous as the related pay provisions in the now-defunct L-VX Work Rules. The chatter about “Block or Better” vs. TFP is just one example of several. All educational materials out there at the moment—including pay calculators—are grassroots efforts and have not been vetted for accuracy and are not endorsed by AFA leadership.

        We are just one year away from serving notice to engage in Section 6 negotiations. Discussion and debate about potential negotiations topics is not only expected but also beneficial—as long as the conversation remains respectful and factual. Be aware that management often gains access to the “secret” social media venues, so we recommend that Flight Attendants refrain from discussing negotiations “wish list” items on social media due to the potentially negative strategic impact.

        AFA Alaska will publish a series of educational articles covering some of the topics being talked about on the line, such as “Block hours vs. TFP” and “Block or better vs. block delay.” See the “Coming Soon” section for a more comprehensive list.

        Coming Soon

        Stay tuned for the following AFA negotiations special updates (order of release subject to change):

        • Open Time Negotiations – October 21 Recap
        • Block hours vs. TFP
        • Block or Better vs. Block Delay
        • Incentive Pay vs. Productivity Premium Program (PPP)
        • Inflight Team Leader (ITL) Pay vs. “A” Pay
        • Section 6 Negotiations Overview
        • Negotiating for Our Future

        Filed Under: Latest News, Master Executive Council (MEC), Negotiations Tagged With: 2019, crew access, History of Open Time, negotiations, Open Time

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        Latest News

        • Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution
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        Refreshed Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) Distribution

        October 2, 2025

        This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants Management has recently informed our Master Executive Council (MEC) that they are distributing new Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs) to Flight Attendants with devices nearing the end of their lifecycle. The specific schedule for this distribution will be communicated by management separately. Flight Attendants with the oldest devices […]

        Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

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        This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, September 23, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met in person at Alaska Airlines Corporate Headquarters to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), […]

        Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

        September 24, 2025

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        Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

        September 24, 2025

        On Thursday, September 18, our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing efforts to represent our Flight Attendants and advocate for improvements in our workplace. Although our Inflight Service Committee has now merged, meetings with management continue to focus primarily on the Alaska or Hawaiian brands individually. This particular meeting was centered […]

        Vacation Survey Closing Soon

        September 23, 2025

        There’s just 1 DAY LEFT to complete the crucial vacation survey that will help shape future provisions—your insights are essential for advocating the best outcomes for all Flight Attendants. The survey is currently open and will remain available until Wednesday, September 24 at 12 PM PT.

        Recent Posts

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        • AFA News in Review – September 26, 2025
        • Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025
        • Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives
        • Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025
        • Vacation Survey Closing Soon
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