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Council 35 Grievance Report

Grievance LOA

The new VX Grievance Procedure Letter of Agreement (LOA) has been a great benefit to Virgin America and Council 35 has already filed 12 grievances on behalf of VX Flight Attendants—three have been contractual, five terminations and four disciplinary cases.  Additionally, Council 35 officers have been in attendance for more than 40 meetings as official representation since taking office in April.  In many cases, the need for a grievance was avoided due to diligent advocacy.

Contractual Grievances Filed

Grievance No. 36-35-2-2-17:  A Flight Attendant was forced to attend a disciplinary meeting prior to a trip that resulted in an adjustment of report time.  This was a violation of Section I.A.1.b Lineholder Investigatory or Work Performance Meetings which clearly defines when meetings may take place.  This grievance was sustained (granted).

Grievance No. 36-35-2-9-17:  A Flight Attendant was denied AFA representation and offered representation by someone outside of AFA leadership.  This was a violation of Section I.A.1.a Failure to Provide Union Representation which clearly states that all Flight Attendants will be given the opportunity to obtain appropriate AFA Union representation for any investigatory/disciplinary meetings with management.  This grievance is pending.

Grievance No. 36-35-2-10-17:  Two Flight Attendants were denied due process when they were prevented from exercising their right to the grievance process.  This grievance cited two violations of the LOA.  The first was a violation of Section I.A.1 Failure to Provide Notification and the second was a violation of Section I.A.2 Denial of the Grievance Process.  This grievance is pending.

Disciplinary Grievances Filed

To date, nine grievances have been filed on behalf of Flight Attendants disputing discipline that was issued (for privacy, details of the grievances cannot be revealed). In most cases Flight Attendants and AFA believed that the discipline issued was too harsh for the violation, treatment was considered disparate (not equal or fair) and several were filed by teammates that were terminated.  Labor relations sustained one grievance prior to the hearing, several are still pending a hearing date and/or decision from management, and one was denied and sent to System Board (arbitration). One termination grievance was sustained due to failure of management to adhere to established timelines, which resulted in the Flight Attendant returning to work fully restored.

Please stay tuned for more updates on the progress of currently filed grievances. If you have any questions about the grievance process, please review the LOA that defines the process as well as the July 5 Council 35 News that defines  “at will” vs. “just cause” employment relationships.  If you need assistance or have questions regarding a potential grievance, please reach out to your Council 35 officers for assistance.  You can reach us at vx@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & James

[VX] Virgin America Flight Attendant Trial Commuter Policy Survey

This message is for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants

AFA and the Virgin America (VX) leadership team (management) have agreed to test a commuter policy for VX Flight Attendants. The trial commuter policy is paired with a third Short Call Reserve (SCR) reserve availability period for the duration of the Commuter Policy and a sunset clause for the Stuff Happens Pass (SHP) if the Commuter Policy is extended beyond the four-month trial period of October 2017 through January 2018. (A sunset clause for the SHP means the SHP would be phased out if the Commuter Policy extends beyond January 2017.) See the VX F/A Commuter Policy LOA Final Draft for details.

Prior to implementing the trial commuter policy, AFA is polling the Virgin America Flight Attendants to determine if there is sufficient interest in proceeding with such a test. For security reasons, the survey link will be included only in the emailed version of this communication and distributed to personal email addresses on file in the AFA Newsletter Sending System. The survey link will not be available on the afaalaska.org website nor on social media, and AFA requests that you do not repost the link.

The survey is now open to VX F/As only and will close on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, at 9am Pacific Time.

(Survey link is located here in the emailed version of this communication.)

If AFA goes forward with the trial, we will again poll the VX F/As in November to gauge membership satisfaction with the trial and interest in continuing the Commuter Policy beyond January 2017. AFA will then have an opportunity to end or extend the trial depending on the survey results.

If you have any questions or if you need the survey link sent to you, email your Local Council 35 officers or the Joint Negotiating Committee from a personal email address. If you are requesting a survey link, please provide the following for verification purposes: your name, employee number and current domicile.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

[VX] Proposed Virgin America Flight Attendant Commuter Policy Letter of Agreement

This message is for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants

As previously reported, AFA and the Virgin America (VX) leadership team (management) have agreed to test a commuter policy for VX Flight Attendants. It took a little longer than anticipated for the parties to finalize the proposed letter of agreement (LOA), so AFA apologizes for the slight delay.

Prior to implementing the trial commuter policy, AFA will be polling the Virgin America Flight Attendants to determine if there is sufficient interest in proceeding with such a test. Realistically, AFA now anticipates that poll to be released early next week. In the meantime, AFA is publishing the final draft of the proposed Commuter Policy LOA for your review.

AFA VX F/A Commuter Policy LOA FINAL DRAFT (August 2017) >

If you have any questions, contact your Local Council 35 officers or the Joint Negotiating Committee. Be on the lookout for the membership poll regarding implementation of the trial commuter policy early next week!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

JFK Virgin America Base Closure Announcement

Earlier today, Virgin America (VX) management announced that the JFK Flight Attendant base would close effective November 1, 2017. The announcement of this closure will have a significant impact on the lives of our JFK-based Flight Attendants. At the same time, this will also have a ripple effect throughout the system on the way VX pairings are built in the near term and will impact downline Alaska pairings as well.

AFA and management have been in discussions to reduce the impact of the base closure on the JFK-based Flight Attendants and to implement accommodations that will make the transition easier. Paid moving expenses, positive-space travel for commuters, commuting stipends and other provisions will help to facilitate the transfer to new bases. No one will be furloughed and management has assured us that they will do their best to ensure that each JFK Flight Attendant will be accommodated at the VX base of her or his choice.

Management has established a timeline for transitioning JFK-based Flight Attendants to either SFO or LAX. Management and AFA worked on a packet of information that includes this timeline and relocation/commuter provisions. This packet has been sent via FedEx to each JFK-based Flight Attendant.

Click here for the Q&A document included in the packet >>

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) officers, your Local Council 35 officers and the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) members are working together to offer support and assistance. JFK-based Flight Attendants should feel free to contact your Local Council 35 officers at vx@afaalaska.org or call them at (206) 457-2010, extension 10 with any questions or if you need assistance navigating this process.

We understand how disruptive this announcement is for JFK Flight Attendants, and we are here for you in this difficult time.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 officers – Melissa & James

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osbourne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Your JNC – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Jamie Cogen, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

 

[VX] Virgin America Flight Attendant Work Rule Improvements – Part 3

This message is for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants

AFA met with the Virgin America leadership team (management) and Alaska Airlines management on Thursday, August 3rd in Seattle, WA as follow up to the past two Virgin America Flight Attendant Work Rule Improvements discussions over the last several months (click here and here for more information). Representing the Virgin America (VX) leadership team: Vice President of Inflight & Guest Services Jeff Butler, Managing Director of Inflight Valerie Jenkins, Inflight Project Manager John Maze and CSS Supervisor Andrew Barnes; representing Alaska Airlines: Vice President of Inflight & Call Center Services Andy Schneider; representing both carriers: Managing Director of Labor Relations-Air Elizabeth Ryan; and representing the Association of Flight Attendants: MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Council 35 VX President Melissa Osborne and Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo. It turned out to be a very productive session.

Commuter Policy

AFA is happy to report that the parties successfully negotiated a long-anticipated commuter policy. AFA and management agreed to a 4-month trial period to see how the policy affects the operation and to observe whether Flight Attendants are benefitting from the program. To ‘fund’ this policy, management required changes to the reserve program. We believe the changes could potentially enhance reserve life, however we would like members’ input prior to entering into a letter of agreement (LOA) that would change your work rules.

Consequently, we will be asking for you to participate in a brief survey regarding your interest in implementing the commuter policy. Once AFA publishes the full text language of the proposed LOA next week, please review the LOA and provide your feedback in the survey that will follow. Time is of the essence because we would like to have the policy in place by October 1st, which means CSS will need to complete the programming changes before September 1st. Stay tuned for an update very soon.

Relaxing Hair Standards

Management has agreed to allow current Alaska Flight Attendant hair standards to be adopted at VX. With the manual revision due on Oct 21st, VX Flight Attendants will be able to enjoy more relaxed hair standards.

Pass Travel and Jumpseats

Additionally, with the manual revision due on Oct 21st, you will see improvements to the VX jumpseating policy. VX Flight Attendants will be able to pass ride in the jumpseat out of uniform. You will also be able to nap and to use the InFlight Entertainment (IFE) and personal electronic devices while commuting or deadheading in uniform while sitting in a guest seat.

Crossing Seatbelts

Management continues to affirm the requirement to cross and clean seatbelts will change by the end of the year.

Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) for VX

The ASAP program is a self-reporting program administered in partnership with the FAA in order to provide flight crews the ability to self-report incidents without fear of discipline. AFA and management have been discussing an ASAP program for VX since the last interim work rule improvements meeting on June 2nd, and the parties progressed further towards making it a reality this time. Programming is the biggest challenge causing the delay, but with the new IMDs arriving we are seeing ASAP implementation as a definite possibility in the near future. Look for updates on this important program.

Pelesys E-learning Pay

Management agreed to pay for recently unpaid Pelesys modules, including security and OPL, but advised AFA that changes will be forthcoming. In the meantime, check your mid-month ADP pay statements for your e-learning pay.

Personal Electronic Device (PED) Policy Update

In only a few more weeks, VX Flight Attendants will be under the AS PED policy. As you know, the policy lives in the manual and is tied into the revision cycle. With the distribution of the new IMDs, VX will be given a special PED bulletin, which will include the AS PED policy. Until then, please keep in mind that the VX PED policy regarding personal use is still very much in effect.

If you have any questions, contact your Local Council 35 officers.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & James

Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants We’re excited to introduce the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives for the upcoming MEC Officer term. They’ll begin transitioning into their roles over the next few months and officially start their terms on January 1, 2026. Below, you’ll find brief biographies that […]

Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives

We’re excited to introduce our next group of newly elected merged MEC Committee Chairpersons, who will begin their roles on November 1. These leaders are dedicated to representing the interests of our Flight Attendants as they coordinate activities across the merged committees of both airlines. They’ll work closely with the Local Committee Chairpersons from all […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – October 2025

On Monday, October 13, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Chris Cardenas (LAX), and Kanani Vallot […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of merged MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been elected: MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee […]

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