Human Rights Committee
- Our AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met on Monday, May 6, to discuss their ongoing program of work to advance human rights within our workplace and community.
- The Committee also met with management to receive updates on what progress has been made on concerns that had been previously brought forward and address new concerns that have come to light.
- If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!
On Monday, May 6, our AFA Local Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to build awareness and effect change within our workplace and community. Representing you at the meeting were Annie Madsen (ANC),Erika Daniel (SAN), Freddy Vega (SEA), and Louise Borras (LAX). Also present was MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson Chip Hestle II.
The committee met with Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman and Seattle Director of Inflight Base Operations Jenny Bookert.
The committee is next scheduled to meet with management on Friday August 30, 2024.
Topics of Discussion
The committee reviewed several items during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:
- High Deductible Insurance Plans: Concerns of having to pay the full deductible prior to paying for the benefit of certain medications. SEA Local Committee Chairperson Chair Freddy Vega will be reaching out to our AFA Benefits Committee about the Committee concerns. Inflight Management wasn’t aware of this possible change and are also looking into this with Alaska HR/Employee Benefits.
- Spanish speakers on international flights. Flight Attendants have the translate option on their IMD as a resource if there aren’t any Spanish speaking individuals on the flight.
- Discussions of May & June heritage events.
- Flight Attendant listening sessions will resume in June. Local Human Rights Committee Chairpersons will co-facilitate the sessions along with inflight management. The Committee and management have asked a representative from our various 13 BRGs (Business Resource Groups) to also attend. June will be hosted with LAX Local Committee Chairperson Louise Borras, Inflight Management, and a BRG Representative. The first session will give Flight Attendants an opportunity to learn more about our BRGs, how to join, and what opportunities are available.
What The Committee Is Working On
- Optional Pronouns on Wings. Working toward the ability to add pronouns to our wings.
- Arrival “Land Acknowledgement” announcements.
- Resource for Flight Attendants about safety concerns in layover cities (Layover Safety Alerts) on the AFA Website.
- The ability for Flight Attendant names to be spelled phonetically on our IMD.
- CSA manual being more gender neutral. Removal of the use of the identity language of he/she when addressing proper dress attire for non rev travel.
- Formal change of the Human Rights Committee (HRC) name to be inline with AFA International Human Rights Equity (HRE) name.
We Want to Hear From You!
Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Human Rights Committee is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the Human Rights Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.
