Dear Seattle Flight Attendants,
- Open your text messaging application
- In the “send to” field, enter 81010
- In the body of the text enter @sea19
- Press send
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council
Dear Seattle Flight Attendants,
Cancelled!
Meet the Candidates Forum
March 29th, 2017
Dear Seattle Flight Attendants,
Due to scheduling conflicts, the Meet the Candidates Forum on March 29th, 2017, is cancelled.
However, you still have several ways to contact candidates and ask questions:
1. Many of the candidates have an election Facebook page,
2. Candidates have an opportunity to send out their campaign letter via the AFA Newsletter system,
3. You may find candidates in the airport handing out campaign literature,
4. You can always directly contact candidates and ask questions.
Remember, polls open March 22, 2017 and close April 11, 2017 and once you vote you cannot change it!
Make sure you take the time to educate yourself on the candidates and remember to VOTE!
In solidarity,
Council 19 LEC Officers
The AFA Negotiating Committee (NC) and Alaska Airlines management met again February 28-March 1, 2017, in Portland to negotiate a new Open Time system. As you may recall, our current open time system was implemented on a trial basis. AFA chose to end the trial, which put us into negotiations for a new system. Our contract states that we will revert “Back to Book,” which was the Open Time system in effect under the previous contract. For information, see “Back to Book” following the signature block below.
Meanwhile, the parties will negotiate a new system. However, this cannot be accomplished until some computer programming is done, which may take several months. The current system remains in effect until then.
The NC is pleased to report that we are very close to reaching a tentative agreement (TA) with management. Both sides have worked hard to create an Open Time system that is easier to understand than the current one, gives Flight Attendants more schedule flexibility and does not negatively impact the operation. The parties will meet again on April 18th in Seattle, and we hope to be able to announce a TA after that session.
If everything goes according to plan, the NC will present the Open Time TA to the Master Executive Council (MEC) at the scheduled meeting April 25-26. The Local Executive Council (LEC) presidents will vote whether or not to accept the TA for membership ratification. If the MEC approves the TA for membership ratification, all members in good standing (dues current) will have the right to vote on it. Assuming the TA is approved by the MEC for a membership vote, the NC is anticipating roadshows sometime during the month of May.
The Negotiating Committee thanks you for your support and patience, and we hope to see you at a roadshow somewhere around the system in May!
In Solidarity,
Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput
AFA has received several requests from our members to refresh the group on the “Back to Book” provisions. We are definitely intending to put together a membership release dedicated to that topic as soon as we get a chance. As you can imagine, the Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) cutover and the subsequent fallout has kept AFA busier than usual. If you would like to familiarize yourself with “Back to Book,” refer to Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) §12 Exchange of Sequences: Back to Book, which follows the regular CBA §12 of your contract; most of the related provisions are in CBA (BTB) §12.F [Trades with Open Time]. See also AFA Grievance No. 36-99-02-18-11 “Withholding Open Time Award” at the back of the contract immediately following LOA 6 [Contract Implementation Schedule].
Council 19 Members,
On March 2, 2017 AFA International certified the nominations for the upcoming Council 19 LEC election. Please take a minute to read through the list of candidates and the important information listed below.
If you didn’t receive a nomination ballot, make sure you verify your mailing address with AFA International:
http://www.afacwa.org/change_of_address
Also, you can call to verify your voting credentials:
Credentials for Voting
If you have not received your Voting Instructions by March 22, 2017, please contact the AFA Ballot Helpline at 1-800-424-2401 EXT 706 (press 1 then 706). If the call is not answered, please leave a message. All calls received by 5 pm ET will be returned the same day.
The AFA Ballot Helpline can provide you with a new 16-digit activation code. This will allow you to enter the voting system and cast your vote. The 16-digit code will be sent via email along with instructions for voting via the internet or telephone.
When calling to obtain a new 16-digit activation code please verify your email address and current status with AFA. If you must leave a message, please make sure you leave your name, airline, employee ID & telephone number along with your email address. The email should be in your inbox however be sure to check your spam/junk folder just in case.
Final list of candidates for the upcoming Council 19 Election:
This information is posted on the election website at http://afacwa-elections.org/councils/ala-council-19-sea/.
If you have any questions about the election process you can contact AFA International for assistance.
In Solidarity,
Council 19 Officers
Your AFA Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) members, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Lindsey Steele and MEC President Jeff Peterson, met with Vice President of Inflight Services Andy Schneider and Managing Director of Labor Relations Elizabeth Ryan on February 15, 2017, at the Doubletree Seattle Airport to discuss a merger negotiations protocol agreement. AFA Senior Staff Attorney and Negotiator Kimberley Chaput filled in for our regular professional negotiator, Paula Mastrangelo, who had a scheduling conflict. A merger negotiations protocol agreement essentially sets the framework for merger negotiations, covering such items as frequency and location of meetings, table etiquette and expectations and how Alaska and Virgin America would operate until we have a joint agreement.
AFA had drafted the protocol agreement in advance of the session. Management reviewed it and prior to the meeting told us that they did not have any noteworthy concerns besides the references to a “joint collective-bargaining agreement.” We arrived at the session anticipating that it would merely consist of finding a mutually agreeable alternative term, signing the document and discussing any new information about the merger.
However, management presented AFA with a revised draft protocol agreement containing language that led to a discussion about each party’s understanding of their respective obligation to bargain and the scope of such bargaining. Management’s primary claim is they are not contractually obligated to negotiate a joint collective-bargaining agreement (JCBA). It is clear from the session that management wants to negotiate solely on the mechanics of bringing the Virgin America Inflight Teammates (ITMs) under our current agreement and nothing more. Management’s position at the table also echoes previous statements that executive management has made on the subject. Our position is that we are putting together two work groups and need to reach agreement on all topics. AFA has indicated to management and in previous membership releases that there must be improvements for the Alaska Flight Attendants as well as for the Virgin America ITMs.
When pressed for justification, management cited a federal circuit court case to support their position, but AFA’s reading of the case indicates that it actually supports our position there is a duty to bargain. Moreover, management claims that since Alaska is the surviving carrier and not a successor, CBA §4.C [Status of Agreement: Labor Protective Provisions], which sets forth the obligation to bargain, does not apply. The parties reached a temporary stalemate of sorts, so AFA agreed to further review related case law and precedent prior to the parties reconnecting to determine next steps.
AFA and Alaska Legal have since had an opportunity to discuss the dispute. From the preliminary conversations we have had so far, it is becoming obvious the parties do not agree on our respective bargaining objectives. However, management acknowledges that we have to negotiate some kind of merger agreement–although what exactly that might look like remains to be seen.
Keep in mind that actual merger negotiations will not begin until well after the National Mediation Board (NMB) issues a decision on single-carrier status and representation. AFA does not know exactly when that will be, but we are anticipating a ruling in the next few months. Once that occurs, AFA will move forward to the next steps in the process. Just one example of many: We will eventually add representation from the Virgin America ITMs to the JNC.
AFA and management are currently discussing how to get the protocol agreement back on track, and AFA will continue to update you on our progress.
In Solidarity,
Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee
Your Joint Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput (substituting for AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo)
Our local Council 30 Scheduling Chairperson, Justin Wetherell, attended the monthly Scheduling Committee Meeting in Seattle and compiled these notes for our base. Please direct any questions or feedback to anc.scheduling@afaalaska.org.
The plan for the new bidding system is to start in July for the month of August bid.
Flight Attendants will be able to “parallel bid” using both systems for three months.
Base Sits will be scheduled so you may come in for tutoring and assistance.
The difference in bidding systems is less drastic than that from eMaestro to JCA.
AFA began preliminary testing and asked to test bid prior to July.
You may have noticed a lot of changes to “premium flying” (i.e. 4K, high time turns) in the last bid. This is due to network/schedule changes and all bases were affected.
The Pairings team is working to keep the 1 and 3 pos crews together more often.
4 pos pairings after the 400s retired were considered; this is on hold with the merger.
The MEC appointed a new MEC Scheduling Chairperson, Zac Weeks. His term is through Dec 17, 2019.
If you receive incorrect or contradictory information from Crew Scheduling, please send an email with as much information as possible so we may follow up.
Programming an easy print of pairings directly from your roster is almost completed.
The Scheduling Chairpersons were all trained on a new system AFA will use to submit and track scheduling issues. This system will help track data, trend issues, and ensure you receive timely responses.
Please email any questions you have regarding pay during the JCA changeover
Quarterly Productivity Premium.
AFA requested the original Pairing Number remain with sipped/adjusted trips so TFP and pay can be compared.
Contractual fixes in JCA have priority, but AFA has a list of all requested fixes.
Find recent JCA fixes and FAQs at Scheduling & Bidding>Crew Access Help.
Cross training for Airbus is planned to start January 2018; no specifics at this time.
Van changes will be notified when: TransCon/Hawaii 60+ min, other 30+ min.
The last few forms from First Class are being updated for the FA Website.
Attendance Scorecard is being developed for the FA Website.
AFA requested an update on Out of Domicile Jetway Trades.
AFA requested an update to the Ground Delay form.
AFA requested an update for Flight Loads on the FA Website.
JCA should be updated with the correct hotel info, but no van times.
An update in June will notify API when hotel or transportation changes are needed.
In the meantime, AFA requested the Hotel Lookup be returned to the FA Website.
A link from the Roster with a hotel/van page similar to eMastro is being developed.
For any hotel-related issues, contact Council 30 Hotel Chairperson Dori Marron.
Thank you for continuing to send all scheduling and JCA issues/feedback to anc.scheduling@afaalaska.org.
In Solidarity,
Justin Wetherell, Council 30 Scheduling Chairperson
With our Committee Chairperson positions filled, our goal is to send out at least quarterly updates from each committee. This update includes information about several committee changes we have made, as well as updates directly from your Committee Chairpersons. Please send any questions or concerns you may have to the respective Chairperson.
Ruth Ann Bledsoe, 907-854-3393
Several years ago I started the “Shoulder To Lean On” support group for those of us who have had shoulder injuries and surgery. I will be at the Starbucks at Tudor Road and A Street on Saturday, February 25th from 1pm-3pm. Please stop by for literature on shoulder injuries as well as a sympathetic and confidential discussion of your shoulder, back, or neck concerns. Looking forward to seeing you!
Maternity: Kendall Brophy, 907-223-5653
Medical/FMLA: Lisa Pinkston, 512-850-7348
Worker’s Compensation: Ruth Ann Bledsoe, 907-854-3393
Due to the overwhelming abundance of work that falls under the Benefits Committee, we have decided to split the Chairperson position into three categories. Kendall has graciously stepped up to assist with Maternity questions/issues, Lisa will continue to assist with any Medical/FMLA questions/issues, and Ruth Ann will assist with any Worker’s Compensation related issues. We could really use additional committee members in all three areas under the Benefits umbrella so if you have a passion for assisting fellow FAs who have maternity, medical/FMLA, and/or work comp questions, or hear of anyone willing to assist in the Benefits arena, please email the respective Chairperson!
Media: Justin Wetherell, 541-980-3339
Technology: Maila Bischoff, 415-680-5460
Justin has agreed to take the role of Media Chairperson, focusing on newsletters, emails, Facebook, and text. He has already begun monthly newsletters (Arctic Ascent), and will continue to innovate new ways to keep our Base connected and informed. We will print the monthly newsletter and post a copy on the AFA bulletin board in the crew room and/or leave a few copies there as well as another avenue to make sure members receive information.
Maila will be spearheading the newly developed position of Technology Chairperson (think of this as an advocate for IT and technical issues we encounter). She has already been providing excellent feedback for several of the recent changes we have seen (IMD, FA website, JCA, etc.), and has agreed to serve as Chairperson of this newly created position. She will be a great asset and advocate for our members (especially in light of all the technological changes that have been coming and will continue to come our way).
Bonnie Walters, 907-230-7208
Several of our members have been dealing with the loss of loved ones, their own serious injuries/illness and/or those of family members, as well as the tragic passing of our friend and coworker, Alaska CSA Brandy Sullivan. Please know our Local EAP Committee is ready to assist anyone who would like help. You can find the telephone number of a Local EAP Committee member at www.afanet.org or by calling 800-424-2406. For information on Brandy’s Celebration of Life and how to assist her young daughters, please check your work email.
EAP also started a bake sale/fundraiser on Thursday, February 23, in the ANC Crew Room to assist with everyday expenses of FA’s who are in need. If you love to bake and would like to donate, great! Also, gift cards for Fred Meyer or Target are welcome donations.
Matt Cook, 907-854-0607
Matt is excited to step into the role as Government Affairs Chairperson and has already begun work on several important topics, including prohibiting phone calls on planes and denying NAI. He will attend a conference in D.C. next month for training and will spend time lobbying on Capitol Hill. If you are interested in joining the Government Affairs Committee, please email Matt.
Dori Marron, 907-854-8091
Many SLC pairings had shuffled hotel assignments this month, but pairings are being updated. Please double check your hotel assignment in Crew Access and pay attention to any Notifications. As always, make sure you submit a Crew Care Report for any Hotel or Transportation issues. Data is incredibly valuable to our Hotel Committee as they advocate on our behalf for hotel and/or transportation issues.
Betsy DeMay, 907-854-8091
A few product and service updates will occur in the coming weeks. New spatulas are being boarded in First Class, as well as ramekins for serving Trans-Con salad dressing. New cold cups are approved and will show up soon; the cups are slightly larger and separate more easily. In mid-March, Dasani water bottles will begin loading. Currently, we are testing new cart drawers that slide more easily, new hot towels for FC, and new coffee lids. Liquor counts are being discussed and we hope modifications will be made soon to more accurately reflect the quantities needed for our flights. As always, and feedback/suggestions should be sent to catering.feedback@alaskaair.com and CC’d to Betsy.
Matt Cook, 907-854-0607
A few Reserve fixes are planned for JCA, with some taking effect February 22nd. The interim Reserve Trading Board is up and running on the FA Website, but all trades must still be submitted through CrewSked.ReserveDesk@alaskaair.com. Crew Scheduling is currently working on an easier way to submit trades directly from the FA website, but this will not be available until February 24th at the earliest. Unfortunately, programming for Reserve trading and posting on JCA is still in progress. If you are interested in joining the Reserve Committee, or have any Reserve specific questions, please email Matt.
Justin Wetherell, 541-980-3339
Improvements are continuing to be made to the JCA system. An easy way to view and print the entire trip, with less clicks, is coming soon! Thank you for all the feedback and suggestions you have been providing! Please continue to submit any feedback/improvements to the system to CSS_SC@alaskaair.com, technical issues to help.desk@alaskaair.com, please be sure to continue to CC anc.scheduling@afaalaska.org. We will be sending out a pairings survey to our base soon. The data from that survey will be presented during our Pairings Discussion with Andy, Chad, Crew Planning and Karen (AFA Pairings Analyst) on March 30th at the Alaska Airlines Regional Headquarters.
Tallee Wellman-Ulom, 907-351-4881
Preliminary designs are being produced and we are looking forward to wear-testing phase when that begins. We are committed to sharing more details as they are allowed to be shared; “West Coast Modern” is the description being given at this time. The tentative timeline scheduled to have final uniforms ready for distribution is by Q2 of 2018.
Your Local Officers would like to thank all the Committee Chairs and Committee members for all the work they do on behalf of our members. We would also like to thank each of you for allowing us the opportunity to assist each of you! If you have any questions or concerns you would like to discuss with us, please email your Local LEC Officers.
In Solidarity,
Your Anchorage Council 30 LEC Officers and Committee Chairpersons
We are hosting a Local Council Meeting and are asking you to join us for a review of our local committees. We are looking at the needs of each committee and seeking those with a commitment to serve our fellow co-workers as our new term in office begins January 1, 2017.
Date: | December 8, 2016 |
Time: | 10:00am – 1:00pm |
Location: | Alaska Airlines Regional Office Building / Susitna Room |
Agenda: |
Officer Reports Guest Speaker – Brian Palmer, MEC VP |
Interested in Joining a Local Committee?
Please join us for this meeting! We look forward to connecting with each of you as we review our committee structure, committee chair and committee member roles and responsibilities. We are doing this in anticipation of opening up all committee chair and committee member positions to new and interested members. In the first quarter of the new year, we will be conducting interviews for all committee chair positions and committee member positions. All current members will be welcome to apply along with anyone who is interested in stepping up and being involved.
Brian Palmer, MEC VP, will be our guest speaker. He will be discussing the over all structure of our AFA committees, the duties, responsibilities and expectations of both committee chairs and committee members.
RSVP by 12/7/16 to anc@afaalaska.org. RSVP is not required, but is appreciated for planning purposes as we will be providing lunch!
According to David Boyce, our Alaska Airlines head of maintenance for the state of Alaska, this is what happened: This aircraft worked SEA-DCA-PDX-ANC yesterday on 11/30. The jumpseat was inop out of PDX to ANC with a MEL in the log book and DO NOT OCCUPY sign on the jumpseat. The plan was to fix it in ANC last night but the parts were not available. Today, December 1st, this aircraft flew to PHX and is coming back to be fixed tonight in ANC as the parts should be here.
This is a Catagory B MEL which has to be fixed within three days. This is a high priority MEL as the F/As are not in their jumpseats, the loss of revenue from the two First Class seats, and it looks bad to our customers. Please contact Ruth Ann, your local AFA officers, or your local Base Management Team if you have any further questions relating to this or any other safety related topic.
Thank you Ruth Ann for such quick action in finding out what was going on in this situation so we could share the information with our members.
In extremely rare occasions one might see St Elmo’s fire which is a large glowing ball of plasma energy float down the aisle. Lightning strikes typically hit forward of the wings 90% of the time, and 96% of strikes happen in clouds.
Ruth Ann Bledsoe
Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson
Alaska Airlines Council 30, Anchorage
(907) 854-3393
ruthann.bledsoe@afaalaska.org
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced early this morning that they reached an agreement with Hawaiian and Alaska managements to extend the merger review process 10 days until August 15th. What does this mean? There is no way of knowing. In fact, the DOJ could not render a decision on August 15th and could further […]
Grievance Committee Supplemental Ditching Training Update Dear Flight Attendants, We wanted to take a moment to remind and encourage all of you to complete your Supplemental Ditching Training (SDT) as soon as possible but by July 31, 2024. The SDT drill requires completion of an in-person hands-on drill, completion of the SDT CBT, and to […]
Our AFA Reserve Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, June 13, to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent and advocate for our Reserve Flight Attendants. The Committee also met with management to review specific concerns that Flight Attendants brought forward. Your Local Reserve Committee is available to answer questions, clarify contractual language, or help resolve reserve-related issues. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!
On June 25, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling. The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding. Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!
AFA has not agreed to any extra-contractual terms for the newly announced supplemental ditching training; discussions with management just started. Many management decision-makers are away at contract negotiations, delaying progress toward any sort of agreement. Our AFA Committees are committed to advocating for your rights and will address unresolved issues through the contractual grievance process if necessary.