Master Executive Council (MEC)

• Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, October 10, and Wednesday, October 11, to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
• As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight, crew planning, and labor relations management to discuss issues and concerns facing our work group and needing to be addressed.
• The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 14.

Our MEC held its regular meeting for October 2023 on Tuesday, October 10, and Wednesday, October 11. The MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee provided updates during the meeting. The MEC also reviewed written reports from other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons regarding their ongoing work.

Meeting with Management

As part of most Regular MEC Meetings, our MEC meets with management to review the current issues and challenges that Flight Attendants face. Attendees from management this month included Vice President of Inflight Matt Prainito, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Allen Thieman, Managing Director of Inflight Services Gloria Chow, Director of Inflight Training & Standards Thomas Kaminski, Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Vice President of Labor Relations Jenny Wetzel, Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams, Senior Labor Relations Program Manager Mike Link, Director of Payroll Leah Ables, Vice President of Finance Ryan St. John, and Managing Director of Operation Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette.

Some of the topics discussed include:

• Payroll training resources for Flight Attendants. Crew pay will be working to develop additional materials to help Flight Attendants understand how we’re paid. This will include a short training video geared toward new hire Flight Attendants.
• Crew Scheduling chat functionality. Management is working toward implementing the ability for Flight Attendants to have a text chat with a Crew Scheduler for help performing certain scheduling-related functions. Conversations will only be able to be initiated by Flight Attendants. Hopefully, this functionality will improve response times during irregular operations or weather events. Programming is ongoing, and the system should be ready for testing soon.
• Inflight irregular operations hotline. Management has devised a process to help alleviate long hold times for Crew Scheduling during weather events or severe irregular operations. Some management employees are being trained to assist with calls not specifically related to scheduling so that Crew Schedulers can focus on scheduling-related matters.
• Distribution of iPhone 13 Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs). Management continues distributing iPhone 13 IMDs to Flight Attendants with iPhone 7 or 8 Plus IMDs. Currently, over 600 Flight Attendants still need to be issued new devices. (Note: to view the iPhone 13 IMD distribution LOA, click here).
• Recurrent training (RT). Management is currently conducting practice run-throughs of the 2024 RT curriculum with a group of Flight Attendant Instructors. The 2024 RT program will include differences training on the MAX10 aircraft and a half-day service training review.
• Flight Attendant staffing. Management shared information about staffing plans for the remainder of this year and hiring predictions for next year. The projections are constantly shifting based on anticipated aircraft deliveries and market conditions.
• Pairing construction and keeping Flight Attendant and pilot pairings together. Management is exploring ways to keep Flight Attendant and pilot pairings together as much as possible (called “teaming”). The intent is to help improve operational efficiency as entire crews follow the aircraft instead of being split up frequently. Not all pairings will be teamed due to different contractual and regulatory rest and duty limitations for each work group.
• LOSA observations. LOSA observations resumed this week and will continue at a rate of one week per month on an ongoing basis (note: the Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee shared information about the continuation of LOSA observations in this article published last week).

Contract Negotiations, Mediation, and Mobilization

Our MEC held a productive discussion about our ongoing contract negotiations, upcoming mediation, and mobilization strategy. Our Negotiating Committee is fully prepared to return to the bargaining table with management next week and continue their fight for the improvements in pay and work rules we have rightfully earned. Additional solidarity activities are currently in the planning phase and will be announced before the start of December bidding.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s regular MEC Meeting, please get in touch with your LEC President.

Master Executive Council (MEC)

• Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Monday, September 18, and Tuesday, September 19, 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 for Tuesday, October 10, and Wednesday, October 11.

The September 2023 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Monday, September 18, and Tuesday, September 19. The meeting consisted of updates from our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee. Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work.

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. Several members of management who usually attend these meetings were missing as they were involved in negotiations that were taking place simultaneously.

Like the June meeting, our MEC arrived at the meeting with a full display of solidarity, dressed in red with red AFA pins. Their message to management and the group was straightforward: management’s efforts must focus on delivering a contract that includes real, meaningful work rule improvements and industry-leading pay increases. Our mobilization activities have demonstrated that we are united, and Flight Attendants demand a contract NOW!

Meeting With Negotiating Committee

On Tuesday, our MEC met with our Negotiating Committee and MEC Mobilization Committee Chairperson to review our Red Hot Summer campaign and discuss future mobilization activities. Our Pop-Up Pickets and Day of Solidarity informational picketing were hugely successful, and management has definitely taken notice. But these events were just the beginning. Our Mobilization Committee is working on more activities, and we will only get louder from here. More to come!

Action on Agenda Items

The MEC took action on one agenda item that was submitted in advance of the meeting.

• An extension to a current letter of agreement (LOA) providing additional pay for Flight Attendants in Requalification Level III status who are required to attend Initial Training class outside of the contractual hours outlined in Section 30.A.2 of the contract was approved. The additional pay also applies to Flight Attendant Instructors who are required to teach outside of the hours in Section 30.A.2 as well. The extension will remain in effect through the end of 2025.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please get in touch with your LEC President.

Master Executive Council (MEC)

• Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, August 8 and Wednesday, August 9, to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
• The MEC was scheduled to meet with management to discuss issues affecting our work group, but the meeting was canceled by our MEC due to a lack of availability by many key management participants.
• The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 18 and Tuesday, September 19.

The August 2023 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, August 8 and Wednesday, August 9.  The meeting consisted of updates from our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee.  Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work. 

Mobilization and Solidarity Activities

A large part of the meeting focused on discussing mobilization efforts for the upcoming Day of Solidarity informational picketing on August 15. Progress updates were given on logistics and planning for the events.

Meeting with Management Canceled

During most regular MEC meetings, we meet with management to review the challenges faced by Flight Attendants. Unfortunately, many key management participants were unavailable or did not respond to the meeting invitation from AFA this month. As a result, our MEC canceled the meeting as it would not have been productive without key decision-makers present to discuss concerns and work toward solutions.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please get in touch with your LEC President.

Master Executive Council (MEC)

• Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Monday, June 26, and Tuesday, June 27, 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 for Tuesday, August 8, and Wednesday, August 9.

The June 2023 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Monday, June 26, and Tuesday, June 27. The meeting consisted of updates from our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee. Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work. Council 19 (SEA) LEC President-elect Paula Isla-McGill joined the MEC for the meeting in preparation for the upcoming officer transition.

It’s Going To Be A Red Hot Summer!

On Monday afternoon, our MEC met with our Negotiating Committee and MEC Mobilization Committee Chairperson to discuss the next steps after last week’s negotiation session with management. Following the discussion, the first part of our Red Hot Summer campaign was put into motion. The distribution of red AFA pins will soon be underway, and more activities are planned to let management know that we stand behind our Negotiating Committee as they go back to the table to negotiate the industry-leading contract we deserve! 

More information about the Red Hot Summer campaign can be found on the Contract 2022 website.

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.

Our MEC came to the meeting with a full display of solidarity, dressed in red with red AFA pins on. MEC President Jeffrey Peterson offered a statement on behalf of our MEC that management must do better and provide our Negotiating Committee with an industry-leading contractual proposal that recognizes the contributions of our Flight Attendants to the company’s success. Flight Attendants will accept nothing less!

System Board of Adjustment Interviews

Our MEC spent part of Tuesday interviewing candidates for the System Board of Adjustment position that was previously posted in April. Members of the System Board of Adjustment are responsible for arbitrating any disputes or grievances that may arise under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Alaska Airlines and its Flight Attendants. Our MEC would like to thank all of the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the positions.

After extensive discussion and thorough consideration, the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) have re-appointed Rene Celestin to the position. Rene’s term of appointment will begin on July 1, 2023 and conclude on June 30, 2025.

Action on Agenda Items

The MEC took action on two agenda items that were submitted in advance of the meeting.

• A proposed update to the Line Observation Safety Audit (LOSA) letter of agreement was approved. The letter of agreement will now be sent out for signing by representatives from AFA and management.
• A resolution in support of negotiations was unanimously adopted. The resolution changed the color of the official AFA pin at Alaska Airlines to red.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please get in touch with your LEC President.