Council 35 Membership Meeting November 2 in SFO

AFA Constitution and Bylaws require that local councils hold a membership meeting twice per calendar year.  Our first meeting was held in June with United Council 11 to discuss the AFA Board of Directors Meeting Agenda.  The next meeting for Council 35 members will be November 2 in the SFO Terminal 2 Conference Room. This meeting will be open to all Council 35 members in good standing who have submitted a membership application.  The purpose will be to provide members the opportunity to ask questions and receive updates on the latest issues that are impacting Council 35 members. Light refreshments will be offered, so please complete the online registration form to help with attendance expectations.  Click here to view the Meeting Agenda.

Disciplinary Process Changes and Improvements Begin Nov 1

AFA has reached an agreement with management to align disciplinary processes to match AS standards.  Historically at VX, the Reliability Policy was combined with performance discipline, which escalated F/As through the disciplinary steps at a faster rate.  At AS, the attendance and performance disciplinary policies are separated into “tracks” which may exist concurrently on an F/A’s record.  The VX Reliability Policy has now been defined as a “no-fault” program, and monitors attendance issues only.  In the event an F/A is on a level of discipline through the Reliability Policy, it will not be considered if a performance issue for that same F/A is discovered.  The performance disciplinary steps will remain the same, however cannot be combined with Reliability Points to escalate the F/A to a higher level of discipline.  Please review the Establishing Separate Disciplinary Tracks for Performance and Reliability Letter of Agreement that defines the separation of “tracks” and outlines the new procedures for Reliability and performance discipline.

New Jump-seat Policy with Revision 16

Flight Attendants may now enjoy less restriction when jump-seating on Virgin America flights and experience more freedom while commuting/deadheading in uniform.  The new policy allows those in uniform to “be a guest” while assigned to a guest seat during a commute or deadhead flight.  F/As may sleep, watch the IFE, use PEDs and the internet.  Additionally, F/As may sit in the jump-seat out of uniform, with minimal dress code restriction.

Seniority Verification Letters

By now you should have received your Seniority Verification letters by US Mail.  Several of these letters have been returned and Council 35 officers will be distributing the letters via V-files in the Virgin Villages this week.  For more information, please review the October 27 Seniority Merger Update from the Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC). If you have not received your Seniority Verification letter, please contact the SMIC at seniority@afacwa.org.

AFA Membership Applications Needed

Every VX Flight Attendant must complete and submit a membership application to become an official member of AFA.  Please be aware that this form cannot be completed online.  The hard copy form must be submitted directly to an AFA representative or mailed to the AFA International Office in D.C. Completing an application ensures that you have the right to participate in voting activities and to attend membership meetings.

Grievances and AFA Representation at Meetings

Council 35 has been in attendance for over 100 meetings with VX Flight Attendants since June 1, when the Grievance Letter of Agreement went into effect.  These meetings have been for investigations and issuance of discipline.  To date, we have filed 33 grievances on behalf of Flight Attendants to dispute discipline issued and for contractual violations.  If you want to know more about the grievance process please review the Letter of Agreement and the July 5 Council 35 News for an explanation of the just cause employment relationship.  If you need representation for a meeting with management, please contact your Council 35 officers.

FAQs and Rumor Control

What happens if I try to use the commuter policy but can’t provide proof of commuting challenges?

When you encounter challenges with commuting, notify CSS as soon as you are aware and the COM code will be added to your line.  If commuting by air, retain your paper boarding passes to provide as evidence of your attempt to commute.  If commuting by ground, screenshots of 511 alerts should be taken.  If the evidence you provide is not sufficient, the COM code will be removed and discipline may occur.  If no evidence is submitted at all, and no attempt is made to justify the use of the Commuter Policy, the COM code will be converted to a NSH or Late depending on the situation. Please be sure to keep a copy of the VX Commuter Policy to reference while experiencing commuting difficulties. For more information about the policy please refer to the FAQs or contact your Council 35 officers.

Can you explain the boarding priority for using the cabin seat agreement on AS flights? It appears that all pilots regardless of airline, get priority over VX Flight Attendants when flying on AS flights.

Pilot jump-seaters (OAL) board at J8 and F/A cabin seat riders board at K2. VX employees traveling under ZED zero board at E7. The priority list is automatically generated and CSAs work off that list to assign seats. Therefore, to have a better priority while commuting, it is recommended that you list as a ZED zero via MyIDTravel.

When will VX transition to the AS monthly pay schedule and what will happen to our deductions?

Management has confirmed that VX will continue to be paid on the current bi-monthly schedule, with deductions occurring in both pay periods.  Currently there are no transition plans in place to convert to the AS pay schedule, as it requires VX F/As to be on the AS crew scheduling system.

Is it true that if my spouse has insurance through his/her own employer, he/she may not be on my AS health benefit plan?

Coverage for spouses is available if the spouse does not have the option to obtain health benefits through their own employer.  If the spouse has coverage, and the employee wishes to insure their spouse with additional coverage, the spouse must take the coverage offered through their own employer as the primary insurance provider and the AS health benefits would provide co-insurance.  For questions regarding this issue, please reach out to Alaska Air Group Benefits Center.

When completing open enrollment for health benefits, there was no option to select travel plans.  When will open enrollment begin for Team Travel?

This year Team Travel open enrollment has been separated from the health benefits open enrollment. You may make changes to your travel selection 11/15/17-11/30/17. For questions regarding this issue, please reach out to VX Team Travel.

Please let us know if you have any questions or thoughts!  You can reach us at vx@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & Jamie

AS Benefit Enrollment Starts Today October 23

Annual enrollment begins today 10/23/17 and will run through 11/13/17.  The new benefit plans will take effect 01/01/2018.  You should have already received your personalized benefits recommendation from Alaska Air Group Benefits Center. Additionally, you should have received your email invitation to begin the enrollment process which contained a link to the Alaska Air Group Benefits Center website.

A few reminders as you review and select your benefit options:

• Although the appropriate plan has been selected for you based on your previous VX selection, you are still required to complete the enrollment process online to confirm the selection
• The enrollment process allows you the opportunity to make changes and select other options that may not have been available in previous years
• Open enrollment will close earlier than usual for VX—don’t miss the deadline of 11/13/17 to complete the enrollment process
• Travel plan selection is not included with this open enrollment
• The AS benefit team will be hosting a roadshow over the next couple of weeks and will be visiting many VX bases and stations to provide more information and answer questions

For more information please visit myalaskabenefits.com.  You can also contact the Alaska Air Group Benefits Center with questions by phone, at 1-844-231-3476.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to us at vx@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & Jamie

New Commuter Policy 

On October 1, 2017, the Virgin America Commuter Policy went into effect. Your Council 35 officers highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the specific policy guidelines prior to using it. This will avoid potential confusion in the event you encounter commuting challenges. The policy indicates the steps required to utilize the provision as well as the discipline that could potentially be issued if not followed correctly.

FAQs

What documentation is required to use the Commuter Policy?
Ground: documentation in the form of screenshots of alerts or similar showing proof of the unanticipated ground issue. Normal rush hour traffic is not covered under this policy.
Air: two (2) paper boarding passes printed from the commuting airport. This can be achieved by checking in at an airport kiosk or requesting a printed copy of your listing from a gate agent. Additionally, the flights must be scheduled to arrive at base (2) hours prior to report time.

How much notice do I need to provide to CSS?
Please provide as much notice as possible when encountering commuting challenges. The minimum requirements are:
Ground: (1) hour prior to scheduled report time.
Air: (2) hours prior to scheduled report time.

What will happen to the Stuff Happens Pass (SHP) during the trial period?
The SHP will be available for use concurrently with the commuter policy during the trial period. Flight Attendants will also be able to accrue SHP during the trial period. If the commuter policy is officially adopted after the trial period, the SHP program will sunset.

Does this policy cover ground transportation issues?
Yes. This policy covers both ground and air commuting challenges.

How many times may I use this policy?
There are no limits to the number of occurrences an F/A can use the commuter policy to cover transportation challenges.

Are there any black-out dates?
Unlike the SHP program, there are no black-out days for using the commuter policy.

Can you clarify that this policy does not cover recurrent training?
The commuter policy does not cover recurrent training, company events, or other events related to maintaining currency. Please refer to VX Work Rules Chapter 2, Section B.10 for information regarding calling in sick, missing, or rescheduling recurrent training.

If a line-holder is released to rest after being assigned RRR on the calendar day of the original report will the line-holder be provided with a hotel?
No hotel will be provided. In-base hotels are only provided if a F/A is displaced re-assignable (DRA) from a pairing.

Will a Flight Attendant on LCC be able to use the commuter policy on a subsequent day of a pairing if they are not able to return to base a second time?
The commuter policy is intended for use once per assigned pairing. Section E.3.d stipulates that corrective action will occur if an FA calls out late due to a commuting issue for the replacement assignment.

If I’m a Flight Attendant using the commuter policy, could I be assigned reserve in another base? For example – I’m a commuter out of JFK and I can’t get to SFO would I ever be asked to sit in JFK to help the operation?
It is management’s right to send one or more reserves to an outstation to help cover the operation. However, in the case of JFK, management has indicated that they will no longer be sending F/As to sit reserve in that city once the base is closed.

If a pairing originates in another city will it be up to the Flight Attendant to get themselves there?
Management has agreed that the company will be responsible for getting the VX F/A to the origination point of the trip. As an example, if an VX F/A is stuck in LAS and the trip assigned originates in LAX, CSS would deadhead (DHD) the F/A from LAS to LAX.

Will Flight Attendant feedback be gathered in anticipation of the trial closing?
Yes. AFA will send another survey out to VX F/As towards the end of the trial to gather feedback about whether the program should continue or cease.

Can you confirm that if the commuter policy is not extended through January 2018, that the SHP program will remain in effect without a sunset?
The proposed commuter policy stipulates that if the commuter policy is cancelled, the SHP program will remain in effect

It is recommended that you read the Commuter Policy thoroughly and keep a copy of it readily available for reference. If you have any questions about the requirements or need additional assistance understanding the policy, please reach out to your Council 35 Officers at vx@afaalaska.org.

In solidarity,

Melissa & Jamie

Commuter Policy Starts Today October 1

Today we begin the trial period of the newly negotiated VX Commuter Policy.  Please read the Letter of Agreement to understand how the policy can help when encountering commuter challenges by air and ground transportation. As a reminder, for the trial period, SHP will be available for use concurrently with the new policy. Stay tuned in November for a request by AFA to participate in another survey to give feedback on the effectiveness of the policy.  For questions, please review the FAQs or contact your Council 35 officers.

Relaxed Hair Standards Starts Today October 1

Council 35 has been advocating for a change to the hair requirements for VX since interim improvement talks began in April.  As of today, management has agreed to allow VX Flight Attendants to follow the AS uniform standard as it relates to hair requirements while on duty. Please see the September 29 VX Uniform Update communication for details on the new standards.

Council 35 Membership Meeting November 2 in SFO

AFA Constitution and Bylaws require that local councils hold a membership meeting twice per calendar year.  Our first meeting was held in June with United Council 11 to discuss the AFA Board of Directors Meeting Agenda.  The next meeting for Council 35 members will be November 2 in the SFO Terminal 2 Conference Room. This meeting will be open to all Council 35 members in good standing who have submitted a membership application.  The purpose will be to provide members the opportunity to ask questions and receive updates on the latest issues that are impacting Council 35 members. For specific topic discussions, please submit an agenda item to Council 35 by October 26.  Light refreshments will be offered, so please complete the online registration form to help with attendance expectations.

AFA Membership Applications Needed

Every VX Flight Attendant must complete and submit a membership application to become an official member of AFA.  Please be aware that this form cannot be completed online.  The hard copy form must be submitted directly to an AFA representative or mailed to the AFA International Office in D.C. You can download and print one by clicking here. Completing an application ensures that you have the right to participate in voting activities and to attend membership meetings.

New AS PED Policy in Effect for VX

Management has recently implemented the new and improved PED policy for Virgin America Flight Attendants. The policy, in relation to PED use, was taken from the AS Flight Attendant Manual.  Please review the Personal Conduct portion of the policy to ensure understanding of the changes as it relates to personal use while on duty.  If you have any questions about PED usage, please contact your Council 35 officers.

Grievances and AFA Representation at Meetings

Council 35 has been in attendance for 75 meetings with VX Flight Attendants since June 1, when the Grievance Letter of Agreement went into effect.  These meetings have been for investigations and issuance of discipline.  To date, we have filed 25 grievances on behalf of Flight Attendants to dispute discipline issued and for contractual violations.  If you want to know more about the grievance process please review the Letter of Agreement and the July 5 Council 35 News for an explanation of the just cause employment relationship.  If you need representation for a meeting with management, please contact your Council 35 officers.

FAQs and Rumor Control

I heard that the AS eligibility requirement for baby bonding is 1250 hours. As a CA employee am I subject to this requirement?

Council 35 officers have been investigating the changes to benefits and leaves that are coming to VX because of the merger.  Leave requirements differ by state and there are a lot of factors involved to determine an individual’s eligibility. This week C35 officers will be meeting with management and leave specialists to review these changes and determine how they will impact VX F/As.  Please stay tuned for an upcoming communication with more details regarding benefit changes.

Please let us know if you have any questions or thoughts!  You can reach us at vx@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & Jamie

PED Policy Finally!

Management has finally released the long-awaited new and improved PED policy for Virgin America Flight Attendants.  The policy was tied to the Inflight Manual (IFM) therefore changes needed to be included in a revision cycle.  The policy, in relation to personal PED use, was taken from the AS Flight Attendant Manual.  Please review the policy to ensure understanding of the changes as it relates to using your personal PEDs while on duty.  If you have any questions about the new policy, please contact your Council 35 officers.

Grievances and AFA Representation at Meetings

Council 35 has been in attendance for 68 meetings with VX Flight Attendants since June 1, when the Grievance Letter of Agreement went into effect.  These meetings have been for investigations and issuance of discipline.  To date, we have filed 21 grievances on behalf of Flight Attendants to dispute discipline issued and for contractual violations.  If you want to know more about the grievance process please review the Letter of Agreement ​and the July 5 Council 35 News for an explanation of the just cause employment relationship.  If you need representation for a meeting with management, please contact your Council 35 officers.

Upcoming Commuter Policy

In just a couple of weeks on October 1, we will begin the trial period of the newly negotiated VX Commuter Policy.  If you have any questions about the policy, please review the FAQs.  In November, we will be sending another survey requesting participation of members to give feedback on the effectiveness of the policy.  If you have any additional questions, please contact your Council 35 officers.

Membership Applications Needed

According to our records, 30% of VX Flight Attendants have not submitted a paper membership application.  Although the National Mediation Board has ruled that AFA is our collective bargaining representative, VX Flight Attendants are not automatically considered an AFA member.  Everyone must complete and submit a membership application to become an official member.  Please be aware that this form cannot be completed online.  The hard copy form must be submitted directly to an AFA representative or mailed to the AFA International Office in D.C. You can download and print one by clicking here. Completing an application ensures that you have the right to participate in voting activities and to attend membership meetings.

Save the date—Council 35 Town Hall Membership Meeting

AFA Constitution and Bylaws require that local councils hold a membership meeting twice per calendar year.  Our first meeting was held in June with United Council 11 to discuss the AFA Board of Directors Meeting Agenda.  We are planning our next meeting for November 2. Stay tuned for updates for location, time and agenda topics.  If you wish to bid the day off, please keep in mind the meeting will be held in SFO.

Inflight Management’s Recent Email about Changes to VX Inflight

VX Flight Attendants have asked Council 35 officers for clarification on a recent email from VX inflight management which stated upcoming changes expected for F/As.  It was mentioned that we are on the AS AFA contract, which is incorrect. VX F/As will not be on a merged contract with Alaska Flight Attendants until we have a ratified merged agreement.  Additionally, some new terms caused confusion, specifically relating to the ITL position.  Alaska’s lead flight attendant position, is called the “A” Flight Attendant.  They do not have a separate lead program, with separate bidding pools.  All are assigned to positions during the single group bidding process.  To differentiate the two programs, instead of using the term ITL, VX management would like to transition to the term Legacy VX “A” Flight Attendant.

FAQs and Rumor Control

Is Alaska sending ghost riders on our flights to audit us?

No. Alaska is not sending ghost riders on VX flights to audit and report back to AS corporate. Jeff Butler, VP of Inflight and Call Centers, has made it clear that this practice has never been a consideration as they receive ample information about flights and customer service issues from guest initiated communications.

Will changing my hire date on the new I9 requirement affect my seniority?

No.  Management has assured AFA that putting today’s date as the hire date will not in any way affect seniority, benefits, retirement or travel privileges.

If I pick up on my day off as a reserve will I get paid for it or will it just help me get to my guarantee sooner?

Management has agreed that reserve Flight Attendants who pick up on their days off will receive a credit above their guarantee.

When we achieve Single Operating Certificate (SOC) in early 2018, will we be covered automatically by the AFA Alaska Flight Attendant Contract?

Single Operating Certificate is the approval granted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to two airlines to allow them to operate their aircraft for commercial purposes as one airline going forward. It is a major regulatory step forward toward the eventual merger of the two airlines into a single entity. Achieving SOC does not mean that all work groups will be fully merged and integrated at that time. VX F/As will see some company-wide benefit changes through the process of integration (with SOC being part of that process), however we will not automatically be covered by the AS contract at SOC.  Integration of the VX F/As into the AS contract is currently being negotiated. Although there is no set time for negotiations to be completed, AFA and management have a vested interest in making the process as smooth and expeditious as possible.

When will we see a return of the Flight Locator by Crew feature?

Council 35 officers have had multiple conversations with management about the return of this feature and management has stated that the functionality of Flight Locator by Crew will not be returned. The VX legal department has instructed that the feature be removed, and the company is obliged to follow their instruction.  The company did say that CSS would provide crew information if we call and ask, however your Council 35 officers recognize that the process is a hassle.

Please let us know if you have any questions or thoughts!  You can reach us at vx@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & Jamie