In this edition:

• Annual benefits enrollment ends November 15th
• Scheduling update
• Grievance update
• Investigation meetings

Annual benefits enrollment

Enrollment ends November 15th. Postcards and alerts have been sent to all employees. Re-enrollment is required for HSA/FSA deductions and it’s always a good idea to review your elections for the upcoming year. This is the only time of the year when you can make changes without a qualifying life event, such as birth or marriage. Changes you make during the enrollment period are effective January 1, 2025.

Questions?Get started by visiting myalaskabenefits.com or call the Benefits Center at (844) 231-3476 during the hours of 8am to 7pm Pacific Time.

Scheduling update

Melodie Anderes, Chairperson

In December we are welcoming over 100 Flight Attendants to Portland! This is exciting growth for the PDX base. 

With the increase in Flight Attendants, we should be eligible for an increase in our TSN (Threshold Sequence Number) §12.F.3, increasing from four (4) to five (5) per day.

With the additional Flight Attendants, many will see a change in their base seniority percentage and schedule. If you have any bidding questions, or would like bidding assistance, please reach out to our AFA PBS Committee at PBS.QA@alaskaair.com 

The PBS Committee will be offering virtual assistance in November for December bidding. You can find the schedule and links on the PBS Info page. 

With holiday bidding upon us, remember to check out the NavBlue Info page for dates and times of the virtual assistance hosted every month. 

Grievance Update

Calls from Supervisors

Get a call from your supervisor after a sick call? We’ve learned management is choosing to exercise §32.A.4 of the contract:

32.A.4 Inflight management may contact the Flight Attendant via telephone or electronic communication on the Company intranet and the Flight Attendant will be expected to return the contact as soon as practical under the following circumstances:

a. If a Flight Attendant has accrued a total of four (4) points (regardless of points reduction and/or total bank points) within two (2) consecutive calendar quarters: or

b. If a Flight Attendant calls in sick at or after scheduled check-in and prior to wheels-up of her/his first flight (Sick Leave On-Line at Scheduled Check-in). Inflight management may contact the Flight Attendant via telephone or electronic communication on the Company intranet. 

We do recommend you call them back, but note you are not required to disclose any medical information nor discuss anything but Lyra (company EAP) and leave options with them without a Union representative present. If you have any questions, please reach out to a local officer or Grievance Committee member.

Investigation meetings

If you are asked to participate in a meeting with a performance supervisor or HR “business partner,” you should always have a Union rep with you. The performance supervisor or HR partner will advise you not to discuss the issue or case with anyone outside the “circle of know.” This is usually limited to those management and Union representatives present at the meeting, although whoever is conducting the meeting will usually allow for talking to “loved ones at home” as long as they are not employees.

What they specifically prohibit is discussing the case with other employees, especially fellow Flight Attendants, in airports and on planes, jumpseats, etc. Whether your actions are being investigated or you are called in as a witness, you should not discuss the case with anyone outside the circle of know. This should be considered a directive from management. Failing to comply with a management directive can subject you to discipline, up to and including termination, for insubordination.

It is important to understand that violating a directive can open a whole new investigation for the person who disregards the directive. Please protect yourself and fellow Flight Attendants by following management’s directions, whether you are the subject of an investigation or a witness. Please do not discuss cases outside of the circle of know. This is for the protection of everyone involved.

In Solidarity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

Important dates

October 14th – 16th – NGP Supplemental Benefits counselor onsite at PDX crew room; 8am – 4pm PT on 10/14; 5:30am – 1:30pm PT on 10/15 and 10/16

October 15th – Vacation bidding Round 2 closes at 11:59pm PT

October 16th – Management crew pay reps available – Laurelhurst Room 8am – 11am PT

October 17th – Local Council Meeting in Laurelhurst Room 10am – 12 noon PT

October 28th – Vacation trading opens at 10am PT

Hawaiian merger committee interviews

Originally published via MEC update on September 19^th, 2024. MEC Update 9/19/24

Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) Interviews

Expressing Interest & Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during the November Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, November 12 and Wednesday, November 13. If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around this date or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate. All interviews will be conducted in person in SeaTac, WA.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.  If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Disaster Relief Fund

AFA International

There have been recent changes to the AFA Disaster Relief Fund program.

We are aware of members whose lives and households have been affected by Hurricane Helene. 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.

For more information and/or to contribute to AFA’s Disaster Relief Fund to help fellow members, please visit Disaster Relief Fund – Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (afacwa.org)

Grievance report

Recent performance meetings include sick leave abuse, personal conduct and attendance warnings. There has been a notable increase in attendance written and final warnings for points. If you are not familiar with attendance policies, please review Section 32 – Attendance Policy in our contract at AFA-ALA-eJCBA-2018-2021-v.2019.06.12.3.pdf (afaalaska.org)

Please make sure you are aware of your attendance points status and check your attendance points regularly (Crew Access>Reports>Attendance points.) If you find an error, please contact your attendance supervisor directly to resolve.

Multiple members have received no-shows lately for not returning calls to crew scheduling. In the absence of a documented network outage at a cellular carrier level, there is little that can be done to mitigate the points from a no-show when a claim is made that a call wasn’t received and/or a voicemail wasn’t delivered. Management can document the outbound call to your phone number on file through call logs and the voice messages that are left are on a recorded line. Management’s position is that it is your responsibility to be contactable. This applies to both Reserve and Lineholder Flight Attendants.

Google Voice number recommendation

If you only have one phone number on file, it is recommended that you establish a free Google Voice number and provide that as a secondary number for scheduling to call should they not reach you on your primary number. From Anthony Eskander, local Reserve Committee Chairperson and Inflight Instructor:

Due to the recent nationwide issues with cell phone carriers, my advice is to get a free Google Voice number to use as your secondary number. The Google Voice App offers a free service that assigns you a free phone number that lets you forward calls and voicemails to your cell phone and email using data/W-Fi. If you would like to use this as your secondary number, it needs to be listed as mobile, home, or work in PeopleSoft.

Visit Voice (google.com) for more information and to establish an account. 

New committee members

Megan Getske – Government Affairs Committee

Megan began flying in 2008 with Virgin America. While there, she was elected to the Work Rules committee and was later involved in getting a Union to represent the Virgin America Flight Attendants. 

Megan transferred to the Portland base in 2019 and now lives in Vancouver, WA with the two best kitties a cat lady could ask for!

Jessica Rodriguez-Aguinaga – Scheduling Committee

Jessica has been a Flight Attendant since 2016. A proud graduate of Washington State University (WSU), she earned a bachelor’s degree and has an educational background encompassing business administration, human resources, accounting, and social sciences.

Beyond her professional achievements, she enjoys spending quality time with her family and their beloved four-legged companions; three charming Chihuahuas and an adorable Frenchie! Jessica describes her journey as a harmonious balance between professional success and personal fulfillment, reflecting her dedication to both career and cherished loved ones. She looks forward to working with all of us in the Portland base.

Please join us in welcoming Megan and Jessica!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

AFA International 

In 2024 an estimated 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S., as well as 56,500 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. There are currently over 4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. – many who fly with us every day. A study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that Flight Attendants have a higher prevalence of every cancer they studied, especially breast cancer, melanoma, and non-melanoma skin cancer.

Early detection of the disease remains the cornerstone of breast cancer control. When breast cancer is detected early with adequate diagnosis and treatment, there is a good chance that breast cancer can be cured. 

This is something that affects all of us within our Flight Attendant community and the world. Use this month to encourage your mothers, spouses, sisters, and flying partners to get an exam or perform a self-exam.

Remember, your AFA EAP is available to confidentially assist you with any health-related issues. You can find a listing of your local EAP committee members at Council 39 Committees (afaalaska.org)

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

From AFA International Membership Services

Elected; Term of office July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026

LEC President:            Steven Maller
LEC Vice President:    Krystle Berry
LEC Secretary:            Bethany Badalamenti

You can see the certified results here: 

council_39_certified_election_results_2023.pdf (afacwa-elections.org)

Thank you for voting!

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

In this edition:

• End of year reminders
• AFA dues
• Scheduling and reserve FAQs
• Send a letter – Fund the NLRB

End of year reminders

December 15: Travel Open Enrollment closes

December 31: Annual compliance training – Q4 CBT due

December 31: Print or email unused Guest Passes 

AFA dues

Many Council 39 members are in arrears with their monthly AFA dues based on the most recent report from AFA’s Membership Services department. Any amount may cause a member to fall into “Bad Standing” if not paid within 90 days. Once in Bad Standing, members’ votes are not counted nor are they permitted to attend local Council meetings until they become current or make alternate payment arrangements.   

The Membership Services department has sent invoices directly to all members who are showing in arrears. Our local Membership Committee has also reached out to members who are behind in their dues. If you have questions regarding your balance, please reach out to AFA Membership Services.  

Scheduling and reserve FAQs

Am I contactable on a sit?

Yes. Lineholders and Reserve Flight Attendants must remain contactable during ground time per Section 8.Q [Contactability]. If Crew Scheduling follows all the required steps to contact you during ground time and you do not return the call as specified in Section 32.C.1 [No Show] and Section 32.C.15[Failure to Contact], you will likely be assessed attendance points.  

Can Crew Scheduling attempt contact during crew rest?

Yes. One time. If you are contacted more than once on a layover, please submit a support ticket at support.afaalaska.org  Flight Attendants are not required to be contactable on layovers but must return Crew Scheduling’s call at the start of the next duty period. Please see Section 8, Addendum 10. 

Must Crew Scheduling place uncovered flights in Open Time?

No. There is no contractual requirement to place uncovered flying in Open Time prior to being assigned to a Flight Attendant. Crew Scheduling may withhold trips for up to 15 minutes to determine an assignment. Please see Section 12.E.1.d [Open Time] for more information.

Please reach out to any Scheduling or Reserve Committee representative if you have any questions.

Send a letter – Fund the NLRB

From the AFL-CIO

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is in a funding crisis. We need a fully funded NLRB to investigate unfair labor practices and conduct union elections. Take two minutes to send a letter to your senators to demand funding for the NLRB.

All over the country, workers are organizing to win union elections and fight illegal corporate union-busting. The NLRB is supposed to back us up by enforcing labor law and worker protections. 

But the NLRB is severely underfunded and doesn’t have enough staff to do its job. 

The agency hasn’t had a budget increase since 2014, which is a 25% budget decrease when you factor in inflation. 

Without the NLRB, we can’t hold corporations accountable or build worker power through stronger unions. 

It’s that simple.

Take two minutes to write a letter and tell your senators: Fund the National Labor Relations Board.