AFA Council 19 Seattle November Newsletter

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AFA EAP

At times, our lives can become challenging and even overwhelming or perhaps you have encountered a troubling experience. Please know our EAP committee is always available to you whenever you may feel the need.  The EAP is a peer-to-peer committee, by Flight Attendants for Flight Attendants, as they assist with extra support along with referral services and critical incident response. If you ever need to talk to someone, be assured your voice is always confidential and heard with trained embrace and support. You can refer to this link for more information and contact information. https://afaalaska.org/eap

December Solidarity Event

Please make sure to keep December 19th open on your calendar, as we will be holding our next large Solidarity Event on that day. More information on the event will be cooking soon, but please remember to register for the event. 

Date: December 19th, 2023

Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm

Location: SeaTac Flag Pavilion

Council 19 Membership Meeting

We will be holding a Council 19 Membership meeting in conjunction with the Solidarity event on December 19th, please stay tuned for more information. 

Spotlight On the Contract

This month we’d like to bring further awareness to our contractual Ground Commuting Policy. As we know, we are always required to make all reasonable efforts to arrive on time in advance of our scheduling obligation. With that said, unforeseen ground commuting obstacles can occur, in which case please refer to your contractual protections. 

Here is some highlighted language for your review. For full language, including Commuter Policy Recovery Options, please refer to your contract, section 28 Domiciles. If you have any questions, you can reach out to your local SEA LEC Council 19 leaders.

2. Ground Commuting Policy 

a.     The provisions set forth in this Agreement regarding ground commuting apply to all Flight Attendants (whether or not they are a “registered air commuter”), including Flight Attendants who have picked up out of domicile/co-terminal. 

1.     Ground commuting will encompass traveling to work by car (e.g. personal vehicle, liveried transport, shared ride service excluding car pool options, etc.), public transportation (e.g. ferry, light rail/train, bus, etc.) or other ground transport method (e.g. bicycle, etc.). 

2.     In the case of an unanticipated ground commuting failure, a Flight Attendant may utilize the Commuter Policy recovery options in G.3., below, provided that s/he calls Crew Scheduling at least one-hour (1:00) prior to scheduled check-in time (e.g. one-hour (1:00) prior to the commencement of APSB or two hours (2:00) prior to departure for scheduled sequences) and submits dated proof to management within seven (7) days of the event. 

3.     Dated proof may include, but is not limited to, evidence of vehicle breakdown or accident, light rail/train service interruption, screenshot of SIG Alert, 511.org snapshots showing unplanned road closures. If proof is not provided within seven (7) days, then the appropriate Attendance Policy points will apply. 

Example: A Flight Attendant who is stuck in traffic on a freeway that is shut down for three hours (3:00) due to a mudslide while on the way to work. 

Example: A Flight Attendant who is stopped on the light rail for one hour (1:00) due to a power outage while on the way to work. 

It is important to reach out to your AFA Representative if you have questions about the above language, as there are areas that can be confusing and “gray”. 

CBT Reminder

Do not forget to complete your CBT (Annual Compliance Training) by the end of the year deadline. It is important to remember if you do not complete the required training, the discipline is progressive. If you are already in steps of discipline, failure to complete your CBT will move you up the steps, up to and including discharge. If you encounter any technical issues, please contact the ITS Help desk. To verify your CBT is complete, check that your Cornerstone transcript lists under “Completed” and check your email for a confirmation. 

AFA International HRE Committee

The AFA Human Rights and Equity Committee is committed to providing the broadest possible representation of our members regardless of age, disability, marital status, national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression. We honor and celebrate the shared humanity of the members in our care. We shall at all times endeavor to promote the principles of tolerance, fairness, equity, justice, respect and inclusion within our Union. It is only when we all work together we can tear down the walls of division and create a progressive culture that values social & economic justice for all working people. 

You can view this month’s HRE Committee newsletter here.

Membership Dues

We have solidarity events coming up, so it is important to make sure that you are up to date on your membership dues, as you are required to be current in order to attend. Also, please remember that when a tentative agreement is reached with the company, you must be up to date in order to vote! If you have questions about your dues status, please reach out to our LEC Secretary, Adam Clarey at adam.clarey@afaalaska.org. 

There is a great article on the AFA Website, “Dues & Voting: What You Need To Know To Make Sure You Can Vote”. We suggest taking a look at that for some helpful information. 

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up to date information on our Council 19 Facebook Group. Click below to join our group and stay connected. We have also launched a new Council 19 Instagram page, which you will find a link for below as well. Our communication team is researching other social media platforms, more information will come soon!

  

Throughout the years unions have played an integral role in attaining reasonable work rules, sanitary and safe conditions, as well as living wages…without them the current workers’ landscape would look quite different. We owe a large debt to the formation and continuance of ensuring continued equality in maintaining all things held sacred, enabling collective bargaining as well as reducing income inequality. In particular, within the arena of the airline industry, lending itself to reasonable work hours in stark contrast to FAA minimums also becomes paramount. 

Unions are indeed the hand that holds and protects, as we never forget where workers once were in years past and the hard years fought for change…and so it continues. Our union being that of a beacon of light, ensuring our well-being and quality of life. Many thanks to our membership for continuing to place pressure for change throughout our current negotiations, keeping the resolve and with much gratitude to all; as we are the force to always attain better…just as our predecessors have done throughout all moments in history. We are union proud. 

In Solidarity,

Your Council 19 Officers and Committees

In this Edition

• Workplace Wellness
• Spotlight on the Contract
• CBT Reminder
• Council 19 Meeting Recap
• FlightPAC
• Text Notifications
• AFA International HRE Committee
• Membership Dues
• Human Rights Chair Position
• Uniforms
• Native American Heritage Pins
• Social Media

Workplace Wellness

Being healthy at work is extremely important. If you are not feeling well, it lowers your focus and can lead to accidents and/or mistakes. There are many ways to be “healthy”. When we talk about being healthy, it is important to remember that we need to focus on both mental and physical health.

Research shows that just 30 minutes of regular activity 5 days a week will help strengthen and boost your immune system, increase energy and endurance, improve sleep, reduce the risk of many diseases, as well as reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. 

Did you know that being on the airplane is drier than being in the Sahara Desert? There are many benefits to drinking at least 8–10 glasses of water a day. Some of those benefits included an increase in energy, relief of fatigue, weight loss, flushing of toxins, improved skin complexion, maintaining your regularity, it boosts your immune system, and is a natural headache remedy. Drinking those 8–10 glasses is what is recommended on the ground, so with the dryness of the plane you should increase that amount. Try to drink at least a large “box” of water per flight and remember to take your opened box with you on your layover.

It is also important to try to eat healthy. We realize that this can be difficult when flying but try to choose more fruits and vegetables. Most people should aim for at least 9 (4.5 cups) servings a day. Look for different kinds and colors to give your body a mix of nutrients. Best bets? Dark leafy greens, cooked tomatoes, and anything that’s rich orange, red and yellow in color. It helps lower blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. 

Part of the above was taken from “Understanding Reserve: An informational series by the Council 39 Reserve Committee.”

Spotlight On the Contract

This month we will be focusing this section to our Reserve Flight Attendants, specifically to Reserve Flight Flight Attendants who commute.

Commuting on Reserve 

You must be physically in domicile during your reserve availability period (AM: 00:00 – 14:00, PM: 10:00 – 23:59, ER: 00:00 – 23:59) This includes the beginning and end of your reserve availability period. 

For example: At the beginning of your block, you have a 4-day PM reserve block starting on the 20th. On the 19th between 10:00 -14:00 you self-assign a 4-day trip with a 21:00 report on the 20th. You still must be in domicile prior to 10:00 on the 20th. You cannot commute in a few hours before your report of 21:00. Even though you have self-assigned a trip, scheduling can still contact you at 10:00 and under certain circumstances they can even remove your self-assigned trip and give you a new assignment. 

Also, on the last day of your Reserve block, if the last Company-operated flight that you would be legal to work (per the last flight of the day report) has departed the domicile you must call scheduling and ask to be released from the remainder of your reserve availability period before you commute home. Failure to do so can result in an attendance issue up to termination even on first offense.

CBT Reminder

Do not forget to complete your CBT (Annual Compliance Training) by the end of the year deadline. It is important to remember if you do not complete the required training, the discipline is progressive. If you are already in steps of discipline, failure to complete your CBT will move you up the steps, up to and including discharge. If you encounter any technical issues, please contact the ITS Help desk. To verify your CBT is complete, check that your Cornerstone transcript lists under “Completed” and check your email for a confirmation. 

Council 19 Meeting Recap

On October 3rd, we held our Council 19 membership meeting, which was open to all council members. In addition to our Council 19 Officers and Committee Chairs, several members attended. We discussed current issues, committee updates, and got a negotiations update from our MEC President, Jeff Peterson. If you would like to view the minutes from the meeting, you can visit: https://afaalaska.org/sea/10-3-member-meeting

FlightPAC

Did you know that none of your Union Dues goes to support a political candidate? With elections around the corner, it is more important than ever to support candidates that support OUR UNION. 

In order for AFA-CWA to maintain our influence in the legislative arena, it is essential to support political programs which complement our legislative activity, and that’s why we have FlightPAC. Dues from our members are never contributed to campaigns. FlightPAC contributions are voluntary. FlightPAC provides financial support to our federal candidates in office who are committed to helping us accomplish our goals. 

FlightPAC is non-partisan. We give to candidates who help Flight Attendants. AFA understands that not all members have the same political/social beliefs. The fact remains that there are issues that affect all members. These include 10-hour rest, human trafficking awareness, the fight to collective bargaining, air quality and a host of other workplace issues. 

In these difficult and uncertain times, it’s more important than ever that we have a strong and powerful voice in Washington, DC. We must stand together to protect ourselves and our flying partners. Please join us in supporting FlightPAC today. You can visit this link to sign up: http://legislative.afacwa.org/docs/COPE-FPAC_brochure.pdf.  You can also automatically set donations up through Peoplesoft (peoplesoft, payroll, voluntary deductions, add deduction, search AFA Political Action Committee, make your choices, submit). 

Every dollar helps our agenda, so any amount is great!

If you have any questions about FlightPAC, please contact our LEC Government Affairs Chairperson, Melinda Jorge at melinda.jorge@afaalaska.org.

Text Notification System for MEC Messages

We are excited to announce a new way to receive messages from the MEC. You can now sign up for text message updates from AFA Alaska. Initially, these will only be messages being sent from the MEC level. We are looking at ways to utilize this from the local level, and more information will come soon. We will not flood your phones with messages. AFA Alaska text messages will only be sent for significant events and time-sensitive alerts. You can visit the sign-up page to enroll. 

AFA International HRE Committee

The AFA Human Rights and Equity Committee is committed to providing the broadest possible representation of our members regardless of age, disability, marital status, national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression. We honor and celebrate the shared humanity of the members in our care. We shall at all times endeavor to promote the principles of tolerance, fairness, equity, justice, respect and inclusion within our Union. It is only when we all work together we can tear down the walls of division and create a progressive culture that values social & economic justice for all working people. 

Click Here to view the latest HRE Committee Newsletter 

Membership Dues

We will be planning solidarity events soon, so it is important to make sure that you are up to date on your membership dues. Also, please remember that when a tentative agreement is reached with the company, you must be up to date in order to vote! If you have questions about your dues status, please reach out to our LEC Secretary, Adam Clarey at adam.clarey@afaalaska.org. 

Human Rights Committee Chair Opening

To ensure we have an equitable process in selecting a new Chairperson, the SEA LEC will hold interviews for eligible candidates during the week of December 4, 2023. If you are interested, please plan to bid around that week. All interviews will be conducted using Google Meet video conferencing. 

Visit our AFA Alaska Human Rights Committee page to learn more and download roles and responsibilities of the committee. Interested candidates should submit a resume along with a cover letter outlining your interest to sea@afaalaska.org, no later than November 1, 2023.

Uniforms

We have a few Uniform Committee reminders. The first is to make sure to login to our uniform website and check your remaining allotment amount. Please remember to spend this prior to the end of the year, or you will lose it. This amount will NOT rollover. This is a great time to buy those pieces you have been wanting and use the funds that were negotiated for you. 

Also, all active employees should have received the uniform survey from Management to their Alaska Airlines email by now. If you have not received it, make sure to check the “other” box on your outlook email. This is the time to share your feelings on the uniform with management. As always, you can reach out to our Council 19 Chairperson at sea.uniform.chair@afaalaska.org.

Native American Heritage Pins

For those of you who would like to wear a Native American Heritage pin, there will be a supply available in the inflight office by November! Please remember, it is approved to wear this pin for the month of November.

 

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up to date information on our Council 19 Facebook Group. Click below to join our group and stay connected. We have also launched a new Council 19 Instagram page, which you will find a link for below as well. Our communication team is researching other social media platforms, more information will come soon!

There are times in our lives of whole-hearted inspiration. All of you together, is nothing short of inspiration. We endeavor to provide our very best, every moment, of every day, to each other and our guests. We simply are the best in the industry. Presently, we once again are shining, as our unity has never been stronger. Our resolve has never been more ignited. Our passion for a true industry leading contract has never been more laser focused. Thank you for this moment in history, of once again whole-hearted inspiration in unity as we endeavor to bring change as a collective, in solidarity. Keep the resolve, keep the fire ignited and the inspiration in unity as a beacon that continues on…..

In Solidarity,

Your Council 19 Officers and Committees

SEE BELOW FOR A PDF VERSION OF NEWSLETTER WITTH GRAPHICS

On 10/3, we held a chapter meeting, with all members invited. CLICK BELOW to view the meeting minutes.