Master Executive Council (MEC)

Upcoming AFA Alaska Phone and Email Outages

March 18, 2025 16:00

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

As we move forward with merging the Alaska and Hawaiian Master Executive Councils (MECs), we want to inform you about some changes happening this week that may affect your ability to contact AFA Representatives. Some of the communication systems we use at AFA Alaska, including our email and phone systems, will be combined with those used by AFA Hawaiian. During this transition, you may need to use alternative methods to reach an AFA Representative.

Phone System Outage

Starting tonight, March 18, at 5 PM PT, AFA phone lines—such as the main AFA Alaska number, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) line, and the Air Quality hotline—will be temporarily unavailable. We expect these services to be offline until early next week. In the meantime, if you need to reach someone, here are some alternatives:

You can contact Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers using their direct phone numbers on our website.
For EAP or Professional Standards assistance, please refer to the Committee Member or Chairperson phone numbers on your Local Committee page or call AFA International EAP at (800) 424-2406 to be routed to an on-call EAP Representative.
The Air Quality Reporting Hotline will be available at (503) 358-3436.

Email System Outage

Additionally, starting at 5 PM PT on Friday, March 21, our AFA Alaska email systems will also be offline until Monday morning, March 24. During this time, AFA Representatives won’t be reachable via their AFA Alaska email addresses and won’t be able to view or respond to tickets submitted through the AFA Online Support Center. However, you can still contact AFA Representatives directly by phone using the numbers listed on your Local Committee page.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate this transition. Merging our AFA systems is an important step towards better communication and efficiency, which will help us serve our combined group of Flight Attendants more effectively.

Time To Swap Out Your Red AFA Pin & Lanyard!

March 4, 2025 13:00

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

With our contract negotiations at Alaska wrapped up and our new collective bargaining agreement in place, we’ve officially completed our mobilization activities related to Contract 2022. A huge shoutout to everyone who stood with our Negotiating Committee during this journey. Your unwavering solidarity—wearing the red AFA pin, sporting the red lanyard, and participating in our days of action and other solidarity activities—really showcased our strength to management. We couldn’t have done this without your incredible support!

Now, it’s time to shift gears and put away those red AFA accessories. The MEC has officially passed a resolution to transition back to the classic white AFA pin, so the red pin is no longer our official pin. Please swap your red AFA pin for your white one, or pick a special edition AFA pin that you love! And don’t forget to trade in your lanyard for one that follows the company’s uniform policy (check the Uniform Policy Guide for all the details—AAG SSO required).

Need a new white AFA pin? Just reach out to your Local Council. If you’re looking for a compliant lanyard, your supervisor or manager at your base can help you out.

Thanks again for your amazing solidarity—it truly makes a difference!

Alaska & Hawaiian Master Executive Councils Become One Today

March 1, 2025 09:00

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Today marks the official merger of the Master Executive Councils (MECs) of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Our combined MEC consists of eight Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents—two from pre-merger Hawaiian and six from pre-merger Alaska—along with our newly elected joint MEC Officers, who begin their terms today. Together, our joint MEC will now be able to speak with one voice on behalf of all Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants, strengthening our voice with management, the public, and other stakeholders.

While we have now come together as one MEC, we continue to operate under two separate collective bargaining agreements. This will remain the case until we negotiate and ratify a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). This process will take time. Until then, decisions related to the Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant contract will be made by the LEC Presidents from pre-merger Hawaiian, while decisions about the Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant contract will be made by the six LEC Presidents from pre-merger Alaska. When decisions impact both Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants, all eight LEC Presidents will collectively decide.

One thing that remains unchanged is the support and representation you receive from your Local Council. Each Local Council remains in place, and your directly elected LEC Officers continue to be your first point of contact for anything you may need help with. Eventually, and only once we reach and ratify a JCBA, the dual Local Councils at LAX will also merge.

Introducing Your Joint MEC Officers

As part of the MEC merger, our new MEC Officers, elected at a joint MEC meeting on January 29, begin their term today. They will serve for the remainder of the Alaska MEC election cycle, which concludes on December 31, 2025.

Timothy Green, MEC President

Tim Green has been an LAX-based Flight Attendant since hired in 2003. At different times throughout his career, he has flown regularly out of LAX, BUR, and SNA. This experience has helped him gain an understanding of the unique challenges we face.

Prior to running for MEC President, Tim represented Council 18 (LAX) as LEC President and previously as the Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson. During that time, he became a staunch advocate for our members. That experience inspired him to become more involved and run for elected office in 2016. As an elected officer Tim has never forgotten that he is a Flight Attendant first, union leader second, spending his weekends flying and sitting shoulder to shoulder with our local members. He believes our Union is strongest when everyone is informed and involved. To help facilitate that, he will ensure that AFA has a stronger, more visible presence. Tim believes in honest and open two-way communication and encourages members to reach out to AFA with their concerns.

Brice McGee, MEC Vice President

Brice began his career as a Flight Attendant first based in Los Angeles in 2006, transferring to Seattle and finally San Diego. He skillfully balances his professional responsibilities with family life, calling places like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and Heredia, Costa Rica home. Renowned for his dedication, Brice has served as LEC Secretary for San Diego and is currently in his third term as the San Diego LEC President, prioritizing Union unity and the well-being of his colleagues.

He shares unforgettable travel experiences with his growing family. Brice’s life is a blend of professional commitment, family love, and a passion for adventure, all driving him to advocate for a stronger and more unified AFA.

Paul Ikioka, MEC Secretary-Treasurer

Paul Ikioka is Secretary-Treasurer for the joint Master Executive Council. Born and raised on the island of Maui, he attended Maui High School. He went on to attend college at California State University Long Beach and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, as well as his MBA.

Paul had a 30-year career as a Financial Analyst at the Boeing Company, when he decided to become a Flight Attendant at Hawaiian Airlines. Citing Quality of Life as the main driver behind his career change, he started on the line in May of 2018 and never looked back.

Paul initially volunteered to join the Grievance Committee as a way to learn more about the Collective Bargaining Agreement. His experiences on the team made him realize that education of our Flight Attendants is the best way to help them to be able to advocate for themselves, and protect the rights that our contract provides.

Paul is committed to be transparent, fair, and continue to promote further education of the contract. He is excited to start on this new journey and continue to serve and support all of our team members.

It’s Time for a New Generation to Lead

January 13, 2025 17:00

Master Executive Council President Jeffrey Peterson

MEC Elections Update: The MEC Officer elections for the merged MEC will occur on January 29th, effective March 1st. The candidate page is updated each workday by the Membership Department at afacwa.org/AlaskaHawaiian.
Leadership Transition: After five terms, MEC President Jeff Peterson will not seek reelection, planning to return to the line on February 28th. His focus remains on setting up the new MEC president for success in JCBA negotiations starting in March.
Contract Negotiation Goals: The ideal goal is to use a ratified TA2 as a foundation for further contractual improvements during JCBA negotiations.

As has been previously reported, the MEC Officer elections for the merged MEC will be conducted on January 29^th with an effective date of March 1^st. The Membership Department has been updating the candidate page at the end of each business day at afacwa.org/AlaskaHawaiian.

Although I have previously posted my intentions on social media a few times in the past many months, I believe it’s important to communicate more broadly via official AFA Alaska channels. This is especially true now that the preferred deadline of January 15^th for candidates to make themselves known is just days away. I would have made the announcement sooner, but I was holding off on doing so because my focus has been on bargaining.

After five consecutive terms as MEC president, it’s time for me to step aside and give a new generation the opportunity to lead. Therefore, I am not seeking reelection and plan on returning to the line. I sincerely thank all the candidates who step forward and are willing to serve, and I look forward to the interviews in a few weeks.

However, this isn’t a goodbye from me quite yet as there is a lot of work to be done between now and my last day in office on February 28^th. The next month and a half will be spent closing the books on TA2 and preparing for the new joint MEC administration. My primary goal is to set up the next MEC president to helm Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) negotiations starting in March from the most optimal position possible.

I’ll leave you with this thought for your consideration: If the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) were able to use a ratified TA2 as a stepping stone to build upon in the JCBA, then we would all benefit from a proverbial second bite at the apple for additional contractual improvements. In the meantime, stay tuned for developments as we work through the TA2 ratification process.

In Solidarity,

Jeff

Southern California Wildfires

January 9, 2025 15:00

Master Executive Council (MEC)

The wildfires in the Los Angeles area are devastating, and the situation is rapidly evolving, including the spread of the fires and connectivity outages. If you are in the area, please stay safe and evacuate if authorities advise you to do so. For live updates, click here.

AFA EAP is on alert and available at 1-800-424-2406. To locate shelters near you, text “SHELTER” & your zip code to 43362.

If you have been affected by the fires or are helping family members evacuate, please contact Crew Scheduling if you need assistance with your schedule. Your AFA Local Councils are available to help if you encounter any difficulties.

Resources to protect you and your family before, during, and after a wildfire can be found at ready.gov/wildfires.

Flight Attendants Outside of Los Angeles – Our AFA Siblings Need Our Help

One action you can take immediately to help is to donate to the AFA Disaster Relief Fund and share the donation link with family and friends. Together, we can help take care of our LAX Flight Attendant family.

Los Angeles Flight Attendants

If you have been evacuated and need a place to stay, LA 211 has partnered with Airbnb. Anyone evacuated due to the fires can stay in an Airbnb for one week at no charge. Just dial 2-1-1 or visit Airbnb.org for more information.

AFA Disaster Relief Fund

The AFA Disaster Relief Fund is actively monitoring messages for applications. Any AFA member and RAFA member in good standing who is involuntarily displaced from their primary residence for seven or more days because of a natural disaster is eligible for a one-time per calendar year gift of $500. If a member would like to apply for AFA Disaster Relief Funds, they can go to www.afacwa.org/drf and download the Disaster Relief Fund Application. Submission instructions are included on the site.

Additionally, members can apply for FEMA financial relief at https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or 800-621-3362.

FEMA disaster assistance may help with a range of needs including:

Serious Needs Assistance. Money to help one pay for essential items such as food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies.
Displacement Assistance. Money to help with housing needs. If one cannot return to their home because of the disaster, this money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family and friends, or other options while one looks for a rental unit.
Other eligible expenses. This includes expenses from things like rental assistance, basic home repairs and property losses.

If you have any questions, please contact Linda Foster (lfoster@afacwa.org) with the AFA EAP Department.

Upcoming AFA Alaska Phone and Email Outages

Phone System Outage

Email System Outage

Time To Swap Out Your Red AFA Pin & Lanyard!