In This Edition
- REMINDER: Negotiating Committee Interviews
- AFA Dues FAQs
- Department of Transportation Warning About CBD Products
REMINDER: Negotiating Committee Interviews
Master Executive Council (MEC)
Our current Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) becomes amendable on December 17, 2021 but also contains an early opener clause for the negotiating process to begin as early as December 2020. In anticipation of early openers, the Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting interviews for the Negotiating Committee during the March Regular MEC Meeting, to be held March 10 and 11, 2020. All three Negotiating Committee positions are up for interview and consideration. Per the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, the MEC President is the chairperson of the Negotiating Committee and rounds out the Committee as the fourth member.
The Negotiating Committee is charged to negotiate and institute the needs and desires of the Flight Attendants into an effective collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The Committee should have a good working knowledge of the current CBA and be willing to devote their full time to the Committee during negotiations. The members of this Committee shall serve as the CBA Interpretation Committee until a new agreement is completed.
Selection of Committee Members
- Any person seeking a position on the Negotiating Committee must submit a resume to the MEC
- Committee Members will function until a new Committee is selected
- The Chairperson of the Negotiating Committee will be the MEC President or her/his designee
- Committee Members are selected by majority vote of the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents)
Committee Member Duties & Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of the Negotiating Committee shall include the following:
- The Committee, with the advice of the Staff Negotiator shall have the authority to conclude an agreement, subject to the provisions of Article XII of the Constitution and Bylaws.
- All members of the Committee, including alternates whenever possible, shall complete a negotiations training seminar prior to writing an “opener.”
- Be familiar with Union policy and keep abreast of new developments in the industry.
- Utilize the facilities and resources of the Union and the experience and knowledge of Union Officers, International Office staff and study committees of the Union. (eg., Legal, Retirement and Insurance, Wage and Working Conditions, etc.).
- Maintain a current record of the:
- Financial condition of the company.
- Management lines of authority and methods of communication.
- Operations statistics and experiences of the airline which may be used in bargaining, grievances, litigation, etc.
- Be familiar with the wishes of the Flight Attendant group with respect to wages, working conditions, and work rules, through, for example, system-wide distribution of contract surveys, periodic road shows, etc.
- Prepare the contract opener with the advice of the Staff Negotiator
- Provide regular updates to the membership on the status of negotiations
- Proof CBA language and agree with the Company on implementation and effective dates
- Review tentative agreement with the MEC
- Prepare membership summary package and Roadshow schedule
- Present the tentative agreement to the members
- Proof printed agreement and prepare CBA index
- Prepare CBA interpretations for new concepts
- Remain available as a resource for interpretations
- Maintain a complete record of the negotiations, including proposals, notes and communications, and such record is the property of AFA-CWA. A copy of this record will be forwarded to the International Office by the Negotiating Committee.
- Maintain contact, through the MEC President, with IAM, ALPA, TWU, AMFA, and other applicable labor unions on property
Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement
Flight pay loss (FPL) reimbursement will be provided to Negotiating Committee Members at the rate of 6 TFP at “A” pay for 8 hours of work. FPL is not reimbursed for days that solely contain travel to/from an activity.
Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling
The MEC will hold interviews during the March Regular MEC meeting from March 10-11, 2020. Bid around the interview date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.
Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/6vj5XPxDwv9x54eb9. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, March 3. After that time, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.
Please note that in order to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.
Questions?
Any questions regarding the Negotiating Committee positions or application process should be directed to MEC President Jeffrey Peterson at jeffrey.peterson@afaalaska.org.
AFA Dues FAQs
Membership Committee
How Often Are Dues Deducted?
Dues are deducted once per month on the 20th of the month and represent that months dues.
What If I Have a Past Due Amount?
Alaska Airlines will not deduct past due amounts from your paycheck. If you have a past due amount owing, the AFA International Membership Service department will send you an invoice. All past due amounts must be paid directly to AFA.
Do I Owe Dues If I Am On a Leave of Absence?
If you are on a leave of absence and coordinating any type of pay (sick leave or vacation), you are considered on payroll and you must pay your union dues.
If you are not coordinating enough to have your dues deducted (this is the last priority for payroll deductions) then you will receive an invoice from the AFA International Membership Services department. This is a bill and the amount must be paid.
If you are not receiving any pay, you are obligated to pay dues for the first 3 months of your leave. After the three months period has passed, you do not have any further dues obligation until you return from your leave.
Where Can I Access Dues Check Off and Membership Forms?
You can access the Dues Check Off (DCO) form used for automatic payroll deduction of AFA dues and the AFA membership application on the membership page of the AFA Alaska website.
Questions?
If you have any questions about AFA dues, please contact your Local Membership Committee.
Department of Transportation Warning About CBD Products
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee
On Tuesday, February 18, 2020, the Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy Compliance issued a compliance notice regarding the use of cannabidiol (CBD) products for employees in safety-sensitive positions who are subject to drug testing per 49 CFR part 40 (which includes Flight Attendants). You can view the notice by clicking here.
In summary, the notice states:
- The Department of Transportation requires testing for marijuana and not CBD.
- The labeling of many CBD products may be misleading because the products could contain higher levels of THC than what the product label states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not currently certify the levels of THC in CBD products, so there is no Federal oversight to ensure that the labels are accurate. The FDA has cautioned the public that: “Consumers should beware purchasing and using any [CBD] products.” The FDA has stated: “It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement.” Also, the FDA has issued several warning letters to companies because their products contained more CBD than indicated on the product label.
- The Department of Transportation’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulation, Part 40, does not authorize the use of Schedule I drugs, including marijuana, for any reason. Furthermore, CBD use is not a legitimate medical explanation for a laboratory-confirmed marijuana positive result. Therefore, Medical Review Officers will verify a drug test confirmed at the appropriate cutoffs as positive, even if an employee claims they only used a CBD product.
This information is consistent with other guidance on CBD previously communicated by AFA.
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact the AFA Alaska EAP Committee. You can find contact information on the EAP Committee page of the AFA Alaska website. Any contact made to AFA EAP is completely confidential.
