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        You are here: Home / Archives for Council 35 SFO

        SFO Base Reserve Buddy Program

        April 24, 2020 15:19

        SFO Reserve Buddy

        Due to the unprecedented number of traditional line-holders who are now holding reserve lines, the Council 35 Reserve Committee will be offering Reserve Buddies to those who might desire extra support as they navigate the reserve system.

        A Reserve Buddy is an AFA representative who is knowledgeable about reserve issues and has volunteered to be contactable via text/email/phone to answer questions you may have about the contract, reserve trading and reserve life in general.  A Reserve Buddy can provide peace of mind to those who have not been on reserve recently.  

        To request a Reserve Buddy, please fill out this form and a Buddy will contact you.  

        If you have reserve experience and are interested in becoming a Reserve Buddy , please reach out to the Reserve Committee at sfo.reserve@afaalaska.org.

        Please review the Reserve 101 Quick Reference Guide or the Reserve Survival Guide (on IMD) for more information about reserve life. 

        In solidarity,

        Melissa, Aladrian, James, Brad and Rachel (SFO Reserve Chair) 


        Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  Melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
        Aladrian Hillmon, LEC Vice President • Aladrian.hillmon@afaalaska.org •  415-991-3791
        James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
        Bradley Young, Council Representative • Bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

        Filed Under: Council 35 SFO Tagged With: Council 35, Newsletter, Reserve, SFO

        Resources for Council 35 Members

        April 5, 2020 22:57

        Dear Council 35 Members,

        In collaboration with United Council 11 and the San Mateo Labor Council (SMLC), your Council 35 Officers have gathered information for SFO-based Flight Attendants that should be helpful when seeking guidance for leaves, unemployment benefits or other community-based assistance.  We understand the frustration and confusion, and although we don’t have all the answers our members are seeking, we would like to provide as much information we can to help members navigate through this stressful time.

        As of today, Alaska Airlines has offered Staffing Leaves and a variety of COVID-19 Leaves to alleviate COVID-19 safety concerns and overstaffing of Flight Attendants.  The company has also offered the use of sick leave bank, vacation and longevity PTO to provide compensation to FAs for taking these leaves.  It is possible that these leaves will not be the only ones offered, and there could be other types of leaves available in the future, depending on staffing projections and other possible unforeseen factors.  Because of the immense uncertainty, it’s difficult to predict what may or may not happen in the next few months.  I would like to assure you that as Council 35 President, and part of the AFA Alaska MEC, I commit to my members to not only advocate for them but also keep them updated as the information is made available.  

        Many members have asked us if we can advise them on leaves or unemployment applications for the California Employment Development Department (EDD).  We can provide insight on trends we have seen, or help members understand options, however your Council 35 Officers cannot offer a confirmation to any of our members with the following two questions:

        1. Whether taking a staffing leave is right for them
        2. If the CA EDD will accept their unemployment insurance (UI) application 

        Taking a leave is a very personal choice, FAs must evaluate their own situations with the information provided to make the best choices.  Additionally, the company has indicated that they will not dispute any UI claims filed for COVID-19 related applications, however even Alaska Airlines cannot predict the decision of the state. The responsibility to approve or deny a UI application lies with the CA EDD.  We understand this is frustrating, and if we had the ability to provide a definitive answer, I can assure you we would be providing it to our members. 

        AFA has been pressuring management to model after other airlines and provide a more organized resource for Flight Attendants.   If you have any suggestions about possible resources or guidance, please contact your Council 35 Officers.  We would also like to thank everyone for their patience as we work though the daily challenges of managing this pandemic.

        SFO Resources:

        • SMLC Resource Guide
        • SFO Business and Career Center Assistance 

        Resources on Alaskasworld:

        • COVID-19 absence FAQs for Alaska AFA
        • Staffing Adjustment Leaves and Low Bid Option forMay 2020
        • AS Coronavirus Updates

        AFA and more:

        • AFA-CWA Coronavirus Updates 
        • AFA-CWA Unemployment Resources
        • AFA Alaska MEC Updates
        • DOT and FAA Health Guidance for Crews

        Hang in there!  We are in this together!

        In solidarity and Health,

        Melissa, Aladrian, James and Brad

        sfo@afaalaska.org


        Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  Melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
        Aladrian Hillmon, LEC Vice President • Aladrian.hillmon@afaalaska.org •  415-991-3791
        James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
        Bradley Young, Council Representative • Bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

        Filed Under: Council 35 SFO Tagged With: Council 35, Newsletter, SFO

        Council 35 News – March 2020

        March 31, 2020 19:26

        April Membership Meeting Cancelled

        The AFA Annual Board of Directors Meeting scheduled for May 4 in Cleveland has been cancelled due to COVID-19 safety concerns.  The cancellation will therefore make the April 23 Council 35 and Council 11 combined membership meeting unnecessary.  Our sincerest apologies if you bid for the time off to attend. Stay tuned for an update if a reschedule will take place. 

        New Timeline for May Bidding

        With all the scheduling changes and cancellations scheduling has asked for a contractual waiver to push back May bidding for one week to accommodate all the anticipated schedule changes.  Please see Bulletin 2020-0022 for the full notice.  The new timeline for SFO is as follows:

        • All Bidding Opens April 12
        • Bidding Closes April 17
        • Awards Posted April 20
        • Bid Protest Begins April 20
        • Bid Protest Final April 21
        • Awards Final April 21

        The trip trade schedule for SFO will be adjusted as follows:

        • SFO FA to FA April 22 0900
        • SFO Open Time April 23 0900

        New SFO Parking

        SFO parking facilities have moved employee parking to the garage adjacent to the terminal.  Please review the resource bulletin for instructions to use your parking badge at the new location.

        SFO Village Sleep Room Closed

        Base management has recently announced a temporary closure of the sleep room in the SFO Village.  Flight Attendants have a daytime option of using the Freshen Up facility in the International Terminal, pre-security, G gates. Crew rates are available for showers, nap rooms, and toiletries when you show your crew badge. Their hours of availability have been reduced from 24 hours to 06:00-23:00 and are subject to change, so please call to verify operating hours before visiting. They can be reached at 650-877-0798.

        COVID-19 and Leave Resources

        There are so many changes happening right now its hard to keep track!  What we are experiencing is unprecedented in the airline industry and we are all exhausted just trying to keep up.  Please stay informed of all the changes by reading company emails, bulletins and AFA emails for the latest information.  The following is a list of resources to help you navigate through the chaos: 

        • COVID-19 Leave FAQ Page
        • Staffing Leaves and Low Bids
        • AS Coronavirus Updates
        • AFA-CWA  (Coronavirus Updates)
        • CDC Guidance for Crews

        Stay Informed…

        There is lots of information out there–some good, some not so good.  Don’t get caught up in rumors!  Please reach out to your Council 35 officers for guidance.  The volume of questions and concerns we have received the last couple weeks has tripled.  Thank you for your patience as we do our best to answer member inquiries.  

        …and Stay Sane!

        If you find yourself overwhelmed with everything there are many resources to attend to your mental health. The level of anxiety, fear and apprehension has increased over the past several weeks due to the rise in COVID-19 cases and potential financial impact of the pandemic.   To provide assistance to members, AFA International EAP is hosting COVID-19 Support Groups with the following schedule:

        April 5 8pm EST

        April 7 3pm EST

        April 12 8pm EST

        April 14 3pm EST  

        Groups are facilitated by a Mental Health Professional and are specific to flight attendants.  Flight Attendants may participate by calling 855-544-2320 or 401-648-9218.   Sessions are completely confidential.

        How do I contact Council 35 Officers?

        The best way to contact Council 35 officers is via email using a personal email account. The preferred methods of contact are: 

        • Open an AFA Online Support Ticket 
        • SFO@afaalaska.org (this is the group contact for all officers-if one officer is flying /unavailable the other officers can respond)
        • Individual officer emails (if information is for a specific officer)
        • Calls/text (if situation requires more urgent attention)

        When contacting Council 35 Officers please avoid the following methods: 

        • Sending to/from alaskaair.com email (subject to company audits and therefore not private)
        • Officer personal Facebook/social media accounts (not actively monitored for AFA concerns)
        • Excessively lengthy texts (please use email for important information as it’s easier to respond and forward to appropriate resource-texts should be reserved for alerts to an issue that requires a timely response)

        Please allow at least one business day for a response to any method of contact (ticket, email, phone, text).  

        In solidarity and health,

        Your Council 35 Officers


        Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  Melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
        Aladrian Hillmon, LEC Vice President • Aladrian.hillmon@afaalaska.org •  415-991-3791
        James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
        Bradley Young, Council Representative • Bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

        Filed Under: Council 35 SFO Tagged With: Council 35, Newsletter, SFO

        Council 35 News – February 2020

        February 28, 2020 20:45

        Membership Meeting April 23 in SFO

        Alaska Council 35 and United Council 11 will host a combined membership meeting in preparation of the AFA Board of Directors (BOD) meeting.  The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the BOD agenda and how members would like AFA leaders to respond to proposed agenda items.  More information such as location and time will follow in a future communication.

        What You Need to know About COVID-19

        • Alaska’s World – 2/27 Update
        • CDC Travelers Information
        • CDC Crew Guidance
        • AFA International

        Updates regarding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) and its progress have been constantly changing.  To stay informed on the latest news and helpful information for crewmembers, please visit:

        Recurrent 2020

        The Recurrent 2020 training program is still a hot topic for Flight Attendants.  AFA continues to advocate for management to “do the right thing” and create a program that sets F/As up for success.  Many communications have been published by the MEC in the last several weeks and there is more to come. Please stay tuned by visiting the latest news on our website.  If you have any concerns or issues regarding RT 2020 please submit an online support request  for your Council 35 officers to review and investigate.

        CSAs and Pro Stands

        Professional Standards (PS) should always be the first point of contact whenever Flight Attendants find it difficult to work together.  In the event you find yourself contemplating “turning someone in” to management, please consider Professional Standards as the first step in this process. Part of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) committee, PS committee members are trained to help facilitate a conflict resolution process between the affected Flight Attendants.  All this is done in a safe and confidential environment, without involving management.  PS can also facilitate conflict resolution with other Alaska Airlines work groups, such as pilots and Tech Ops.  If your issue involves a CSA, unfortunately PS is not an option.  Please bring the issue forward to your base supervisor and/or submit an incident report.  For a confidential consultation, please contact EAP/Professional Standards Committee at sfo.eap@afaalaska.org. 

        Scheduling Concerns

        Flight Attendants who encounter operational issues while on duty often find themselves frustrated or in disagreement with a scheduler should reach out to the scheduling Manager on Duty (MOD).  If you believe a scheduler has not followed SOP or has not followed contractual guidelines for an assignment, please request to speak to the MOD at the time of the event.  Keep in mind that if you are unable to resolve the conflict at the time of the event, be prepared to “fly in protest” and present the issue to your base scheduling committee for follow up with crew scheduling management.  With more information, scheduling committee members and crew scheduling management can more efficiently research flight attendant inquiries and determine a resolution.  The best way to contact the SFO scheduling committee is by opening on an online support ticket. This portal will allow dialog and provides a convenient place for uploading all supporting docs and screenshots.

        Trending Discipline

        Holding for sit pay:  

        • Flight Attendants that intentionally cause an operational slow down by holding the door open or closed to extend the duty time.  The company views this as timecard fraud and if discovered, will result in termination

        Positive DOT Drug Test:  

        • If you take medications that result in a positive test (ie Adderall for ADHD) be sure your prescriptions are up-to-date.  If you feel the drug test facilitator is not following DOT guidelines for collection, comply to the test, but follow up with an incident report to drug abatement later.  A refusal to submit to a test is the same as a positive result and will result in termination.

        CBT:  

        • Please remember to do your CBTs on time!  The Council 35 grievance team has filed many grievances as a result of automatic discipline issued for failure to complete CBTs by the deadline.

        Commuter:  

        • Monthly audits are occurring and Council 35 has seen disciplines for misuse lesson however there are still Flight Attendants that are using it incorrectly.  Please be sure your registered cities are current and comply with guidelines set forth in the commuter program outlined on the FA webpage.

        Missing Required Items:  

        • Misplacing, losing or forgetting to bring a required item to work will result in discipline. 

        Uniform Update

        by Lisa Mueller, Uniform Chair
        March 18th our new uniforms launch!  We want you to have the smoothest transition possible into the new uniforms.  Be sure you are ready!  Uniforms, coats, shoes, etc. all need to compliant with the new uniform standards March 18th.

        Try it on!

        • If you haven’t already, try on all of your new uniform pieces as soon as possible! We want to make sure you have everything you need for the March 18th launch.   Wrong size?  Wrong item?  Wrong whatever?  Contact Unisync and let them know ASAP!  Right now they are making it as easy as possible to exchange items.  Send back your items right away to expedite things!

        Missing Items

        • For those of you who have not received your uniform bottoms (skirts, pants, etc.), they have arrived at the distribution site and are being shipped out now.  If you haven’t received a tracking number regarding your shipment by February 28th, contact Unisync.

        Footwear

        • Due to production issues and delays associated with the coronavirus, the shoes designed by Luly Yang won’t be arriving until this summer…several months after the new uniform launches.  You can still pre-order the Luly shoes from the company store but be sure you have an alternate compliant uniform shoe option ready to wear on March 18th!  Alaska also partnered with zappos for shoes, which makes it easy to order shoes that Alaska has pre-approved.  Not every shoe can be worn with every uniform option.  Some options can only be worn with the pants or during cold weather months.  Please refer to the uniform guideline for more information.

        2019 Allotment Rollovers and 2020 Allotments

        • Flight Attendants should receive the allotment rollover by April 8, 2020.

        Luggage

        • Be sure to switch to your new luggage!  If you are still carrying Virgin America branded luggage and haven’t received the replacement luggage, contact your supervisor.

        Special Circumstances?

        • Be sure to contact your supervisor as soon as possible if you have any special circumstances such being out on leave, maternity uniform concerns, delayed uniform shipments, etc.  Your supervisor can help ensure any special circumstances or concerns are documented and ensure the smoothest transition possible.

        Helpful Uniform Links

        • Uniform Policy Guide
        • Alaska’s Uniform page
        • Shoe guidelines
        • Luly Yang shoes
        • Alaska at Zappos
        • Contact Unisync:  1.833.525.2752 or alaskaservice@unisyncgroup.com

        In their own words…

        On February 4, Council 35 had four new committee members attend Committee 101, the AFA training program for first time committee members.  Your Council 35 officers are happy to introduce the following new members:

        Shonna Schroedl – Hotel Committee

        Shonna began flying for Alaska Airlines in Fall of 2017, fulfilling her life-long goal of working as a flight attendant.  Prior to coming on board with AAG, Shonna worked for 20+ years in meeting and event management.  Shonna was fortunate to be able to work in a variety of meaningful positions with international organizations in high tech and sports.  As a meeting manager, Shonna planned, organized and implemented meetings in locations around the world.  Her work included hotel sourcing, site selection and contraction negotiation. She was the Portland Venue Coordinator for the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup, hosting many national teams and international government officials and VIPs.  Shonna resides in Happy Valley, Oregon with her husband and children.  She is proud that she and her husband have gotten 3 out of 4 children to adulthood, with one still in elementary school.  Her youngest son, Adin was just named to the US Paralympics Swimming team for 2020.  Shonna volunteers on several boards – she is one of 8 Adult Commissioners for US Soccer Federation,  and serves on the Order of the O – the alumni athletes board for University of Oregon.

        Andrew Gonzalez – Reserve Committee

        Andrew has been flying at Alaska since January 2018. He was raised in New York City, where he attended Columbia University and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Prior to joining Alaska, Andrew flew for Norwegian Air Shuttle from June 2016 – January 2018, where he primarily flew international flights to Europe on the 787 Dreamliner. After serving 18 months on reserve in Seattle, Andrew felt compelled to assist reserves in San Francisco as they maneuvered the new terrain of reserve life. Given his prior experiences working with lawyers during his time in college, he figured his understanding of legalese and contracts would help in navigating the nuances of our contractual language. In his role as reserve committee member, Andrew wants to make himself available and assist new flight attendants with their transition to reserve life at Alaska. Starting out can be very intimidating, but having someone to turn to can help alleviate some of the stress.

        Mariana Pappageorge – Air Safety, Health & Security Committee

        Mariana started her aviation career with Virgin America in October of 2013. During her time with Virgin America, she was an Inflight Team Leader and Air Transportation Supervisor. In addition to flying, she participated in various promotional events with the Promo Team and helped with the certification of the A321 Neo aircraft as a cadre crew member. Aiding the merge of Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, Mariana was on a special assignment in the cabin safety department and was a part of manual merging and assisting in the day to day operation and safety in the flying world.  Mariana is very proud to be Greek and is an avid Bay Area sports fan.  

        Amanda Sawicki – Air Safety, Health & Security Committee

        Amanda is originally from Colorado and found flying around 4 years ago through a family friend. She inspired Amanda to give it a shot and she never looked back. On her days off you can find her borrowing a friend’s dog for a hike or commuting to visit scattered friends and family. During sits at the airport she is often laughing at comedians online or talking herself through a Duolingo lesson. Amanda is excited to learn more and to help support our inflight team.

        Committee Openings

        Committee member openings in the following committees:

        Benefits

        Human Rights (chair)

        Retirement

        Scheduling

        Members interested in these positions may submit a letter of interest to your Council 35 officers. 

        How do I contact Council 35 Officers?

        The best way to contact Council 35 officers is via email using a personal email account. The preferred methods of contact are:

        • sfo@afaalaska.org (this is the group contact for all officers-if one officer is flying /unavailable the other officers can respond)
        • Individual officer emails (if information is for a specific officer)
        • Open an online support ticket
        • Calls/text (if situation requires more urgent attention)

        When contacting Council 35 Officers please avoid the following methods:

        • Sending to/from alaskaair.com email (subject to company audits and therefore not private)
        • Officer personal Facebook/social media accounts (not actively monitored for AFA concerns)
        • Excessively lengthy texts (please use email for important information as it’s easier to respond and forward to appropriate resource-texts should be reserved for alerts to an issue that requires a timely response)

        Please allow at least one business day for a response to any method of contact (email, phone, text).  

        In solidarity,

        Melissa, Aladrian, James and Brad

        Filed Under: Council 35 SFO Tagged With: Council 35, Newsletter, SFO

        Council 35 News – January 2020

        January 31, 2020 00:09

        Final Notice for Outstanding Dues Payment

        by James Ikehara, Council 35 Secretary

        There are several Flight Attendants in jeopardy of being terminated by January 31 for failure to correct their outstanding dues obligation. Final notices were sent on January 16, informing the Flight Attendant if the amount owed is not received by January 31, the company will move forward with termination, without the ability to dispute the discipline via the grievance process.  This process is outlined in the JCBA §26.D.

        Flight Attendants have one last supplemental income opportunity to help meet their dues obligation by using today’s PBP payout. Please note that payment needs to be received by AFA International before January 31, 2020, 2pm Eastern Time, in order for the payment to be successfully credited to the account.

        To make a payment:

        https://secure.unasecure.net/afanet/dues_payment.cfm

        Have you recently moved or need to update your email address? Use the Change of Address link on the AFA-CWA website to make any changes and keep up to date with information regarding all union activities.

        Preparing for RT 2020 

        We get it…it’s a mess.  If you have any concerns or want to share about your Recurrent Training 2020 experience, please contact your Council 35 Officers for assistance.  We are here to support you while preparing for the changes to the program and want to help alleviate any stress or trepidation Flight Attendants may be experiencing with the prospect of attending RT 2020.  There have been many communications sent by both AFA and management regarding this issue and more is to come.  AFA continues to strongly advocate for management to “do the right thing” and create a program that sets F/As up for success, not failure.  Please stay tuned for more info as changes to the program are happening frequently. To review AFA publications regarding RT 2020, please visit the latest news on our website. 

        Understanding 480 for 2020

        Welcome to a new year of benefits!  As a reminder, L-VX F/As are no longer exempt from the 480 TFP requirement to maintain benefits for the following year (2021).  Please familiarize yourself with the provisions that require the 480 TFP minimum in the JCBA:

        • §13.D.6 Uniforms
        •  §16.L.4 Vacation
        • §22.B.1-4 Eligibility for Insurance
        • §32.G.4  Attendance
        • §32 Addendum #26 Record Improvement

        Calculators found on the Inflight Webpage can be useful for tracking yearly progress for attaining the 480 requirement.   To navigate to the calculators:  Alaskasworld>>Inflight Page>>Administration>>Calculators.

        Trending SFO Disciplines

        The Grievance Committee has seen the following trending issues in cases for discipline following a performance investigation:

        • 10-hour rule violation on reserve
        • Layover/hotel incidents
        • Commuter policy
        • Insubordination
        • Holiday Sick Leave

        If you have any questions about discipline and the performance investigation process, please contact your Council 35 Officers.  

        Reserve and the 10-Hour Rule

        As a reminder, reserves that enter an on-call/availability period (RAP) are considered for potential duty at that time and the countdown for drinking abstinence would be 10 hours prior.  For example: a reserve that goes on-call at midnight, would need to stop alcohol consumption before 1400 the day prior.  This is also true if a reserve self-assigns a trip that has a scheduled show-time later than RAP start time.  For example: a reserve that goes on-call at midnight, but has self-assigned a trip that has a show time of 0900, will still need to refrain from consuming alcohol before 1400 the day prior.  If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to the SFO Reserve Committee.

        Commuter Policy FAQs

        The Grievance Committee has represented many Flight Attendants flagged for investigation as a result of the commuter policy audit.  Management has indicated that they will no longer be giving “grace” for unintentional misuse.  Please familiarize yourself with the policy, which can be found on the Inflight Webpage: Alaskasworld>>Inflight Page>>Administration>>Commuter Form Instructions.  The 3-month audit has identified common errors in commuter boarding priority usage.  Please be aware that using D8Y listings is not permitted in the following situations:

        • Commuting from a non-registered city as a result of dropping a DHD either before or after a pairing 
        • Commuting from a non-registered city as a result of picking up out of base
        • Different cities other than officially registered cities unless part of an approved connection within FLY and required due to route structure or flight loads 
        • Commuting to/from base with registered cities but no trips on F/A’s schedule  
        • Partial OAL routing to/from base (i.e. commute part of the way on another airline and pick up an AS flight in a connecting city)

        Honor System for Trading Trips

        The Scheduling and EAP/Professional Standards (PS) Committees are still hearing about Flight Attendants “stealing” trips or giving away trips to F/As that don’t want them.  Please be aware of your trading habits and do the courtesy of ensuring the other F/A is in agreement with the transaction.  Your Council 35 officers and Scheduling Committee recommend that explicit details be included in the trade request.  To initiate a trade, be sure to read and comply with all the conditions requested by the trade post.  It is frustrating and disappointing that the current trading system does not allow for a more fail-safe trading procedure, however until that issue is resolved, please “do the right thing” and respect your fellow Flight Attendants whenever transacting a trade.  If you find yourself with an unwanted trade, please reach out to EAP/PS for assistance.  The company has taken the position to not participate in resolving any disputes regarding trips trades and will refer F/As to EAP/PS for assistance.

        Air, Safety, Health & Security (ASHSC)

        By Brad Young, ASHSC Chairperson and Council Representative

        Boeing MRTs

        MRTs will be added to Boeing since we will be losing the pin-backed name tags with our new uniform. They will be under the jumpseat like Airbus and Inflight and Engineering know it needs to be accomplished before the new uniform launches on 3/18/20.

        Airbus Assist Handle

        The ASHSC Chair and Vice Chair will be meeting in the hanger with the company on January 23rd to assess a subway strap type assist handle the company is proposing. It attaches to the L1 & R1 aft assist handles which the Company made unusable with the forward screen placement on Aura interiors. The original strap type handle proposed was so long that we were concerned it would get caught in the door or allow the F/A to swing out of the A/C while pulling the manual inflation handle. We do not have time line for adding these yet, but once approved and procured installation should happen fairly quickly.

        A Joint Message from the Council 35 Hotel and Scheduling Committee

        By James Bozanich, Hotel Chair  andVirginia Fritz, Scheduling Chair

        Now that the new year is upon us, we wanted to bring a couple items to your attention and let you know what recourse you have when things don’t exactly go as planned in regards to your overnight.  As scheduling and hotel issues often share some overlap, this is a joint PSA between the Hotel and Scheduling Committee.

        When rooms are not available upon check-in:

        Please let Crew Scheduling know when you arrive and rooms are not ready. Keeping in touch with Crew Scheduling allows them to correct the situation more quickly. Once you have gotten your rooms please call Crew Scheduling to let them know as well. These calls record the length of your delay. Please email sfo.scheduling@afaalaska.org to let them know the time stamps of the delay as well the pairing and date affected. We will then reach out to crew scheduling to attempt to ask for additional compensation for your delay.

        When company provided transportation is late:

        When transportation is not provided within thirty-five minutes (:35) from block-in or within ten minutes (:10) of the scheduled departure time from the hotel, Flight Attendants will be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred for transportation to or from the airport. This is laid out under Section 34.B of our contract. 

        The procedures to document and seek transportation:

        • Call Crew Scheduling to notify of delayed transportation.
        • Scheduling will first attempt to coordinate with API to find alternate transportation (including API to order an Uber for the crew).
        • If that does not work, or in an extreme transportation delay, the Inflight MOD will skip the step above and use a business Uber or Lyft account to transport the crew.  NOTE:  the business Uber or Lyft is subject to availability and the priority for those accounts are FAs that are sick online or need transportation for testing
        • If crew opts for their own transportation when delayed longer than contractual agreement, they will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred

        Although there is a scheduling process in place to arrange alternative transportation, organizing your own transportation may be the quicker option in certain situations.  However, scheduling MUST be notified first so that it can be documented.  Please note that if you choose to organize your own transport, you will need to pay upfront and then submit for an expense reimbursement through PeopleSoft:   Alaska’s World >> Benefits/Pay >>PeopleSoft Login >> Expense Reimbursement >> Expense Reimbursement (Add: for new expense reports).  No expense report is necessary if the company arranges alternative transportation for you.  

        Don’t Miss Out on Free Money!

        by Aladrian Hillmon, VP and Interim Benefits/Retirement Chair 

        Vanguard Group offers a Bi-annual retirement meeting in SEA to update the various Employee Union Retirement committees on the progress of our retirement plan. 

        During the meeting in November it was brought to our attention that 1200 of our flight attendants either aren’t enrolled in our retirement plan. This means they are not eligible to receive the 7.5% company match. 

        It is important to understand that company will match your contributions dollar for dollar up to 7.5%. Essentially that can be seen as “free money” added to your retirement the Alaska. Those funds have the potential to add up to a significant amount over the course of your career at Alaska. 

        We urge each of you to go onto Alaska’s World and read up on the retirement options that are available to everyone of us. Your Council 35 Officers would hate to see any of our members not take advantage of this investment. Please remember, this is an opportunity to invest in yourselves and your futures.

        How do I contact Council 35 Officers?

        The best way to contact Council 35 Officers is via email using a personal email account. The preferred methods of contact are:

        • sfo@afaalaska.org (this is the group contact for all officers-if one officer is flying /unavailable the other officers can respond)
        • Individual officer emails (if information is for a specific officer)
        • Calls/text (if situation requires more urgent attention)

        When contacting Council 35 Officers please avoid the following methods:

        • Sending to/from alaskaair.com email (subject to company audits and therefore not private)
        • Officer personal Facebook/social media accounts (not actively monitored for AFA concerns)
        • Excessively lengthy texts (please use email for important information as it’s easier to respond and forward to appropriate resource-texts should be reserved for alerts to an issue that requires a timely response)

        Please allow at least one business day for a response to any method of contact (email, phone, text). 

        In solidarity,

        Melissa, Aladrian, James and Brad

        Filed Under: Council 35 SFO Tagged With: Council 35, Newsletter, SFO

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