Negotiations News Archives

Dear Flight Attendants,

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) along with many of you are extremely frustrated with the challenges we’re experiencing regarding the email survey invitations from Hart Research Associates.  The good news is, for most who have taken the survey, we have received feedback that it is comprehensive and worthwhile.  It is extremely important to the MEC that all Flight Attendants have a reasonable opportunity to take the survey.  We have been in contact with Hart Research Associates and have jointly agreed to extend the survey.  The survey will not close until the MEC is satisfied that all Flight Attendants who wish to take the survey have had the opportunity to do so.

As a reminder, your AFA leadership is currently participating in the AFA Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting in Orlando, FL.  As part of our representational duties, the BOD meetings are scheduled from 9 AM to 9:30 PM each day through Wednesday evening.  We are working through the survey challenges as quickly as possible given the time constraints and the necessary coordination with our survey vendor Hart Research Associates.

We wish we had the answers as to why some Flight Attendants have not received their survey invitation.  Emails are being sent directly by Hart Research Associates and although an address list was provided by the MEC to Hart, the AFA email system is not being used to send the invitations.  At this time, we do not know why some people have received the invitations while others have not.

If you have not received the survey invitation and have not yet provided your contact information to survey@alaskamec.org, please do so as soon as possible.  If you have already reached out to survey@alaskamec.org, please be patient as your contact information has been forwarded to Hart Research Associates and they will be following up.  We know some of you have been waiting several days for contact.

It is important that you wait to receive your own personalized invitation to the survey as it contains a link that is unique to you.  If you use the link that is associated with another Flight Attendant’s email invitation, your response will overwrite any previous responses tied to that link.

More information will be communicated as it becomes known.  Rest assured that the survey will remain open for responses until the MEC directs Hart Research Associates is directed otherwise.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

Dear Flight Attendants,

The follow up AFA negotiations survey by Hart Research Associates will begin this evening.  The first phase is a phone interview, which will be capped at a limited number of respondents.  Calls will begin at approximately 5pm PDT and will continue until 9pm PDT.  This will be repeated each evening for 4-5 days or until we have reached the cap–whichever occurs first.  Only Flight Attendants for which we have already received an updated phone number will be eligible to participate in the limited phone interviews.

Important: Interviewers from Hart Research Associates will display as “blocked” or “restricted” on caller ID.  Unfortunately there was no way around this.  You must be prepared to answer a blocked or restricted call between 5pm and 9pm PDT.  Hart will not leave a message and there is no call back number.  If you are not able to participate in the phone survey, you will have the opportunity to take the Internet survey which will be live after completion of phase one phone interviews.

April-May Negotiations Timeline*

* Dates are approximate.  Following Negotiating Committee appointments, negotiations training for the second round NC is anticipated sometime between the week of April 21 and the next mediation session on May 13.

Week of April 21: AFA negotiations phone survey conducted by Hart Research Associates to be live for 4-5 nights.

Week of April 28: AFA negotiations email survey conducted by Hart Research Associates to be released following completion of the phone survey.  Email survey to be live for approximately one week.

Week of May 5: Survey results provided by Hart Research Associates to second round Negotiating Committee

Week of May 12: Round two of mediation begins in Tempe, AZ

May 20: System-wide solidarity action (details to follow)

Once the phone interviews have been completed, the Internet survey will begin shortly thereafter.

In solidarity,

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow; and

Your Negotiating Committee—MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

Dear Flight Attendants,

The Master Executive Council (MEC) is pleased to pass along some additional information to help you get to know the second round Negotiating Committee a little better.

Jeffrey Peterson, AFA-CWA Alaska MEC president

Jeffrey Peterson hails from Anchorage, AK, and graduated from A.J. Dimond High in south Anchorage. Jeff was conferred a Presidential Scholar Award in 1991 and went on to achieve a BA in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego. Prior to being a Flight Attendant, he spent several years in hotel management working for Marriott International and a franchise company associated with Marriott Hotels. He started out his Flight Attendant career 15 years ago in Los Angeles. Jeff has also been based in Seattle and now San Diego. Jeff’s term as AFA-CWA Alaska MEC president began on July 1, 2011, and he is in his second term of office which expires December 31, 2016. Jeff currently commutes between his home in San Diego and the AFA office in Seattle, which he believes is a small price to pay for living even part-time in “America’s Finest City.”

“There was a lot of good work done in the previous Tentative Agreement that will provide a framework for the second round of negotiations. With their votes, the membership has communicated a very clear mandate to me as MEC president that the next TA must contain significant improvements. Please guide the bargaining objectives of the Negotiating Committee by completing the follow-up negotiations survey to be released shortly. I am re-energized by the high participation rate of our membership in the TA vote and the unambiguous result. With the assistance of this Negotiating Committee and “Five Bases Standing Strong” behind us, I am confident we will deliver a much-improved TA.”

Kristy Stratton, social media coordinator

Kristy Stratton has been a Los Angeles-based Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant since 2005. In addition to flying, Kristy is an entrepreneur, mother and artist. Her professional history and wide range of experience includes business development, project management and she has been a freelance executive consultant for more than 15 years.

“I am honored to represent our outstanding workgroup with expertise and fortitude to achieve a mutually beneficial and innovative contract which represents our commitment and contributions to the success of our great airline.”

Lisa Pinkston

Lisa Pinkston has been a Flight Attendant at Alaska Airlines since 2005.  She is married to “my best friend, Brian,” and she has two daughters, Kinsley (6) and Keeley (3), both of whom she describes as “wonderful.”  Lisa loves living in Alaska and enjoys everything that beautiful state has to offer.  Prior to joining Alaska Airlines, she held a number of positions in the insurance industry, including writing medical policies for Aetna, adjusting claims at Oklahoma Farm Bureau, and assisting the General Counsel in handling mediation, arbitration, and litigation at State Farm. Lisa is currently serving as AFA-CWA Council 30 Anchorage vice president.

“I am very excited to be a part of the negotiating committee, and I look forward to working towards a contract that recognizes the great contribution and positive spirit our flight attendants bring to our customers and company.”

Jake Jones

Jake Jones is currently serving a second term as vice president of AFA-CWA Council 19 Seattle. Jake is a Seattle-based Flight Attendant and joined the company in 2006. He holds an AA in Business Administration and Management. Prior to working for Alaska Airlines, he was in the banking industry for seven (7) years.  His partner Jeff is an Alaska CSA and they live in Auburn, WA with their two dogs Shanti and Houston.

“I’m excited to once again represent Alaska flight attendants in achieving a contract that truly recognizes our contributions and award winning service through increasing compensation, work rules and benefits while continuing to provide financial and long term success to Alaska Air Group.”

Christina Frees

Christina Frees started what she calls “my grown up life” working in the medical field stitching up wounds and what she describes as “poking small children with needles.” Since then, she has worked large scale events for Microsoft across the US. Christina has raised funds for children with cancer and their families with Ronald McDonald House Charities. She has also taught children computer tech skills and worked with children with disabilities in Northshore School District. Christina is a co-owner in a plumbing and contracting business in which her husband has carried on the family trade in Seattle dating back to the 1930s. She became a member of the Alaska family two years ago to “start a new adventure of travel with my family.” Christina has found this job to be more unique than any other she has done.

“In my life, I have always been drawn to advocate for others. I’m a mother of three–ages 20, 14 and 12–and couldn’t be more honored and excited to advocate on behalf of this wonderful and unique work group. Looking forward to the work ahead!”

Congratulations to your second round Negotiating Committee!

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

Dear Flight Attendants,

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) interviewed for the second round Negotiating Committee on April 17th and 18th at the AFA Alaska office in Seattle, WA. The MEC was joined by Council 39 Vice President-elect Steven Maller in addition to Council 39 President Cathy Gwynn. Since the Council 39 Portland presidency is in a run-off election for the next term of office, Steven is the highest confirmed officer-elect at present. Although not required by the AFA Constitution and Bylaws (C&B), Cathy extended the invitation for Steven to attend and provide input for Council 39. Council 18 LAX Vice President Kelly Johnson sat in as Local Executive Council (LEC) President Sandra Morrow’s designee on behalf of Council 18. Sandra Morrow was unavailable because she is at home expecting her first set of grandchildren any moment–twins, in fact!

As a reminder, under the AFA C&B the voting members of the MEC are the LEC presidents (LECPs) or their designees in accordance with the C&B. As the directly-elected representatives of membership, the LECPs are guided by the will of their membership. The MEC executive officers (president, vice president and secretary-treasurer) provide recommendations but do not have a vote except in the case of a tie amongst the LECPs, in which case the MEC president may break the tie.

The following candidates applied for the positions: Karina Cameron-Fetters, Christina Frees, Jake Jones, Kenny Kasel, Lisa Pinkston, Kristy Stratton, Bryan Wall and Erik Velez. There were many factors to consider in the decision-making process, including but not limited to membership feedback, previous experience, specific skills, demographics (i.e. seniority, domicile, etc.) and how individual personalities would affect the committee’s “chemistry.”

After much discussion, the MEC unanimously arrived at the same appointments. Keep in mind that per Article VII.C.2.a.(5) of the AFA C&B, the MEC president is automatically a member of the Negotiating Committee by virtue of holding the office.Your MEC is pleased to announce your second round Negotiating Committee:

• MEC President Jeffrey Peterson
• Kristy Stratton*, social media coordinator
• Lisa Pinkston
• Jake Jones
• Christina Frees

* The second round Negotiating Committee will not have an alternate like the first round committee. The MEC petitioned AFA-CWA International President Veda Shook for an additional committee member per Section VI.A.1.c of the C&B. Veda has verbally approved the request and given permission to communicate regarding the fourth member of the committee, Kristy Stratton.

The MEC recognizes the power that social media had on the previous Tentative Agreement. Kristy will be present as an additional set of eyes throughout the process. An agenda item in regard to social media is an agenda item for the upcoming AFA-CWA Board of Directors meeting next week. Following the BOD, the MEC will communicate a formal social media policy and Kristy will be working with us to maximize the power of social media in the second round negotiations.

There is much work to be done and the second round Negotiating Committee will be hitting the ground running in the coming weeks. However, let’s take a moment to recognize the invaluable contributions of the first round Negotiating Committee. The MEC sincerely thanks Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters and Jake Jones for their years of dedication and personal sacrifice. They built a solid foundation with their own blood, sweat and tears; that effort will not be forgotten!

The follow up negotiations survey will begin this coming week and the initial second round mediation session is scheduled for the week of May 12th in Tempe, AZ. A separate introduction to the second round Negotiating Committee will follow.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow