Benefits Committee Meeting Recap – July 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Wednesday, July 22, our pre-merger Alaska Benefits Committee Chairpersons met for their regular monthly meeting. This meeting was an internal AFA-only meeting and did not involve management. 

Representing you at the meeting were Ava McWilliams Ellington (LAX), Linda Gunselman (PDX), Sonia Quackenbush (SAN), Kathy O’Malley (SEA), and Julie Pearson (SFO). MEC Benefits Committee Chairperson Dianna Ripley also attended and facilitated the discussion.

The next Benefits Committee Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 19.

Discussion Topics

The Committee reviewed challenges in leave processing and discussed administrative protocols to improve Member communication, documentation, and consistency. These included:

• Google Workspace Training: The Committee was joined by MEC Communications Committee Chairperson Brian Palmer, who conducted a training session on best practices for use of Google Workspace. Information was shared to improve the Committee’s use of Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and Chat to better coordinate work and more effectively represent Members.
• June Committee Metrics: The Committee addressed a high volume of cases, particularly those related to medical and on-the-job injuries. The group raised concerns about systemic issues such as Kaiser benefit terminations for employees returning from leave and payroll deduction errors. We encourage all members to verify their benefit enrollment status promptly upon returning from leave.
• Policy Advocacy: The Committee discussed the challenges caused by management’s practice of running Workers’ Compensation and FMLA leave concurrently, which forces Flight Attendants to use personal sick leave for appointments. Advocacy to change this policy is currently being pursued through the Joint Negotiating Committee.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Committee Resource Development: We are building a central resource hub for Benefits Committee Members on the internal AFA representative website. By organizing tools and resources in one location, we will be able to assist Flight Attendants more efficiently and effectively.
2. Maternity Benefits Gap: The Committee is actively pursuing solutions to the potential gap in maternity benefits that can arise when a Flight Attendant begins leave at 29 weeks, especially when coordinating Short-Term Disability and state-paid leave benefits in Washington.
3. ILOA Handbook Update: The Committee has submitted recommendations for the ILOA Handbook and is awaiting management’s final review.

We Want To Hear From You!

We’re focused on ensuring every Flight Attendant receives accurate information, timely support, and clear guidance when navigating complex benefit and leave situations. If you have questions about the leave process, please connect with your Local Benefits Committee as early as possible. Reaching out before issues arise helps us provide timely guidance and ensures you can make informed, confident decisions about your benefits.

Every question, concern, or suggestion you share helps us advocate more effectively with management and ensures that we focus on what matters most to you. If you have questions or ideas, we encourage you to contact your Local Benefits Committee. Our contact information is always available on the Benefits Committee page of the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian website.