AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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Welcome to AFA…so what do I do now?

The National Mediation Board (NMB) issued its determination today that AFA is the collective bargaining representative for Virgin America Flight Attendants!  As mentioned in a previous communication, Virgin America Flight Attendants will be part of AFA Transitional Local Council 35, which will represent Flight Attendants from JFK, LAX, and SFO.  Council 35 will be part of the Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council.

Now that AFA is the representative for Virgin America Flight Attendants, it’s time to take the next steps and get connected, stay informed, and become an AFA member!

Next Steps

Get Connected

Stay connected with the latest news and information by signing up for AFA Alaska email communications at afanewsletters.org/subscribe.  On the sign up page, enter your personal email address (no work email, please) and choose Alaska Air C35 (VX).

Prefer to stay connected on social media?  You can find AFA Alaska on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Also be sure to like the AFA Council 35 page on Facebook!

Stay Informed

You can always find the most up-to-date information on the AFA Alaska website at http://afaalaska.org.  Add a bookmark or add it to your favorites for easy access.

If you’re an iOS device user, you can save our mobile website as a shortcut on your home screen and access it just like you would an app.  Just open Safari and type afaalask.org into the address bar.  Once there, follow the instructions on the pop-up to save the web app to your home screen.

If you’re not an iOS user, you can still access our mobile website using your favorite browser on the device of your choice.

Become a Member

One of the most important things to do now that Virgin America Flight Attendants are represented by AFA is so complete, sign, and submit an AFA membership application.  By submitting your membership application, you’ll be guaranteed the right to participate in AFA elections, vote on a tentative agreement, and hold committee positions and elected office.

As an AFA member, you won’t be required to pay dues until you vote on and approve a contract.

AFA Representatives Will Be Visiting Soon

Over the next several weeks, AFA Alaska representatives will be spending time in the Villages in SFO and LAX with information about AFA and to answer questions that you may have.  We’ll also be scheduling AFA representatives to visit JFK.  They’ll also have membership applications and AFA pins available.  More information will be available on the Council 35 Facebook page and the Council 35 page of the AFA Alaska website.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please send us an email at vx@afaalaska.org.

 

In Solidarity,

Your AFA Alaska MEC Officers – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer and Linda Christou

AFA Now Represents Virgin America Flight Attendants

AFA confirmed as the collective-bargaining representative for Virgin America Flight Attendants

The National Mediation Board (NMB) has confirmed AFA as the collective-bargaining representative for Virgin America InFlight Teammates (ITMs).* Effective immediately, AFA takes over representation of Virgin America Flight Attendants from our sisters and brothers in the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU). We are the first union to achieve consolidated representation in the merger between Alaska Airlines and Virgin America.

* Going forward, AFA will refer to Virgin America ITMs as “Flight Attendants” unless there is a need to distinguish between the two. This is in order to maintain consistency in the AFA family of over 50,000 Flight Attendants at 20 carriers.

Transitional Local Council 35 Virgin America Officers to be appointed very soon

The Master Executive Council (MEC) expects AFA International President Sara Nelson to appoint a Transitional President and Secretary for the newly formed AFA Transitional Local Council 35 Virgin America SFO-JFK-LAX very soon. Pursuant to the AFA Constitution & Bylaws Article III.A.2 [Local Councils and Local Executive Councils: Establishment of Transitional Local Councils for Newly Organized Carriers], President Nelson has been soliciting input from VX F/As for names of potential appointees. The deadline for submitting potential appointees ended this past Wednesday, April 11, 2017.

Each potential appointee must have received a minimum of two recommendations and signed a commitment to serve. (The commitment to serve statement was included in a linked electronic recommendation form that was distributed to Virgin America F/As via company email.) The appointed Transitional Officers will serve as Council 35 leadership for a period of approximately four to six months until elections can be held to fill those positions.

Click here for more information >

Compensation

AFA is aware that non-represented employees at Virgin America typically receive wage increases around this time of year. We are very concerned that VX Flight Attendants have not received a wage increase in several years, which currently places VX F/A pay at the bottom of the industry. Consequently, AFA and Alaska Airlines management have agreed to meet in order to discuss this subject at our earliest opportunity. Once appointed, the AFA Transitional Local Council 35 President will also represent VX F/As in those discussions.

Virgin America Flight Attendants: Sign Up to Get Involved!

Involvement is one of the key hallmarks of AFA.  As a member-driven Union, the more people who get involved, the better off we are. We are “Stronger Together, Better Together.” If any Virgin America (VX) Flight Attendants are interested in getting involved in AFA and Council 35, we want to know!  If you are a VX F/A, please take a few moments to complete the volunteer interest form, and let us know how you might be interested in getting involved.

Click here to access the Council 35 Involvement Interest Form (Virgin America only) >>

Vacancies for two Virgin America Merger Representatives and one Joint Negotiating Committee member will be posted soon

In the coming weeks, the Master Executive Council will be soliciting applications from Virgin America Flight Attendants to fill vacancies for two Merger Representatives to serve in the Seniority Merger Integration Committee and for one Joint Negotiating Committee member. The MEC will review applications and interview final candidates prior to filling vacancies.

 

For additional information regarding the duties of a Merger Representative in the Seniority Merger Integration Committee, click here >

 

For additional information regarding the duties of a Joint Negotiating Committee member, click here >

 

If you have any further questions, contact your LEC president; Virgin America F/As may email vx@afaalaska.org.

 

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Virgin America ITMs: Ready to Get Involved?

We are anticipating that the National Mediation Board (NMB) will rule this week that AFA is the collective bargaining representative for Virgin America ITMs.  In anticipation of this ruling, the process of getting an AFA Local Council established and set up for Virgin America ITMs is already underway.  AFA Council 35 will be made up of all Virgin America ITMs based at JFK, LAX, and SFO and will be a part of the Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council.

Transitional Local Council Officer Appointments

Transitional Local Council Officers for Council 35, both a President and a Secretary, will be appointed by the AFA International Officers soon after the NMB issues its determination that AFA is the collective bargaining representative.  Transitional Officers will serve for a period of approximately four to six months until elections can be held to fill those positions.

If you haven’t already shared your feedback regarding who you would like to serve in these appointed positions, please do so by completing the online form (link provided by email).   Just a reminder that the feedback period will close on Wednesday, April 11.

Sign Up to Get Involved! 

Involvement is one of the key hallmarks of AFA.  As a member-driven Union, the more people get involved, the better your Local Council and our Union will function.  If you’re interested in getting involved in AFA and Council 35, we want to know!  Please take a few moments to complete the volunteer interest form and let us know how you might be interested in getting involved.

Click here to access the Council 35 Involvement Interest Form >>

Questions?

If you have any questions, please send an email to vx@afaalaska.org.

 

In Solidarity,

Your AFA Alaska MEC Executive Officers – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer and Linda Christou

AFA Welcome Message to the Virgin America InFlight Teammates

[Note: The following email was sent to all Virgin America InFlight Teammates at 9:30am PT on Wednesday, April 5, 2017.]

To: Virgin America InFlight Teammates

From: Jeffrey Peterson, AFA Alaska Master Executive Council President

Reply To: vx@afaalaska.org

Welcome to the AFA Family, Virgin America InFlight Teammates!

We look forward to the National Mediation Board (NMB) certifying the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA) as your collective bargaining representative, and we expect that certification around April 14th or shortly thereafter. The 50,000 Flight Attendants from 20 airlines in AFA are very excited to include you and strengthen our union with your participation.

Sign Up for AFA Communications

Alaska Air Group management has allowed AFA to utilize the Virgin America email system in order to contact you. Going forward, we will steer away from using company email, so we encourage you to sign up for AFA communications using a private (non-Company) email address by following this link: http://afanewsletters.org/subscribe/.

Representation from your Ranks

As AFA members, you have the right to representation from your Flight Attendant ranks at Virgin America. Shortly after each of you signs an AFA membership application, we will begin elections for union officers. It is critical that you complete a membership application right away so that you can vote for your union officers.

We encourage all Virgin America InFlight Teammates (ITMs) to learn more about what it means to represent your flying partners and serve as an AFA leader. Your resources include the AFA International and AFA Alaska websites as well as the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws.

In the meantime, the AFA International Officers will appoint two Virgin America ITMs to serve as Transitional President and Secretary of your new AFA Transitional Local Council at Virgin America.

We value your input and would be thrilled to hear from you by Wednesday, April 12th about who you would like to have appointed as Transitional Officers.

Please fill out this form to volunteer yourself or to recommend your flying partner for AFA Virgin America leadership > (Link removed.)

Transitional Officers serve for a period of approximately four to six months until elections can be held to fill those positions.

Compensation

AFA is aware that non-represented employees typically receive wage increases around this time of year. We are very concerned that ITMs have not received a wage increase in several years, which currently places your pay at the bottom of the industry. Consequently, AFA and Alaska Airlines management have agreed to meet in order to discuss this subject at our earliest opportunity.

We anticipate the NMB’s certification of AFA as your representative as soon as April 14th, so the parties are tentatively planning to meet the following week. Your Transitional Local Council President will also represent you in those discussions, which is why it is so important for you to provide your input by completing the AFA Virgin America Recommendations for Appointed Leadership form. (Link removed.)

AFA Membership Application

The next step in continuing to build your strong Flight Attendant union is a membership drive. We will send an AFA Membership application to your mailing address on file with the company. Or, if you’d like to get a head start you may download and print the application from our website and send the completed form to the address printed on the application. We will send you an AFA pin and information about our union. Several of your flying partners and AFA officers at Alaska are helping with the membership drive by visiting the Virgin Villages and carrying membership applications and AFA pins to share with you as well.

If you would like to help with the membership drive and/or support AFA Virgin America in another capacity, please reply “I Want to Help!” to this newsletter.

Remember, you pay NO DUES until you vote on and approve a contract.

AFA Recognizes the Distinctive Culture at Virgin America

AFA recognizes the distinctive culture you have built at Virgin America, including the unique name for your role: Inflight Teammate. Going forward, AFA will be using the more traditional title of “Flight Attendant” in reference to our profession. Please know that AFA celebrates the culture at each of our carriers and will continue to do so throughout this merger between Virgin America and Alaska Airlines—and beyond.

Ask any question you may have and know that you are valued. We often remind each other in AFA: It doesn’t matter if you’ve been here for five minutes or thirty years. You are becoming a member of the Association of Flight Attendants and your union stands with you. We are Stronger Together, Better Together.

Once again, welcome to the AFA Family, Virgin America Flight Attendants!

In Solidarity,

Sara Nelson

AFA-CWA International President

Jeffrey Peterson

AFA-CWA Alaska Master Executive Council President

Once the NMB certifies AFA as the collective bargaining representative at Virgin America, we anticipate more merger-related activities to occur at a faster pace. The Master Executive Council (MEC) will continue to keep you updated on developments as they occur.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives

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Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

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