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The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is publishing a comprehensive summary of agreements that make up the overall AFA Alaska Airlines-Virgin America Merger Agreement. The summaries contain a listing of the provisions agreed to during merger negotiations. The full text Merger Agreement and related agreements will be posted by the end of the week.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES TO THE 2014-2019 CBA >

This summary denotes the negotiated changes made to the current 2014-2019 AFA Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). If the overall Merger Agreement is ratified, these changes would become immediately in force and incorporated into the contract. The new document would become the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA).

SUMMARY OF AS TRANSITION AGREEMENT >

This summary denotes the changes that would occur to transition the pre-merger (“Legacy”) Alaska Flight Attendants into the JCBA. These are temporary provisions that are variations on current contract provisions or are one-time happenings.

SUMMARY OF VX TRANSITION AGREEMENT >

This summary denotes the changes to pay, work rules and benefits that would occur to transition the pre-merger (“Legacy”) Virgin America Flight Attendants into the JCBA. Because of technology, training and software constraints, management cannot combine the Inflight operations until approximately first quarter 2019.

Please take the time to read all the summaries. The JNC will answer questions through a negotiations blog on afaalaska.org once the full text Merger Agreement and related agreements have been posted by end of week.

In Solidarity,

Your JNC – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Jamie Cogen, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

The roadshow schedule may be found in the February 3, 2018 ”Save the Date: Tentative Merger Agreement Roadshows” membership release. AFA anticipates voting will open shortly after the completion of roadshows in mid-March and will end in early April. Any pre-merger Alaska Airlines (pmAS) or pre-merger Virgin America (pmVX) FAs are welcome to attend any and all sessions. Please be aware that only AFA members in good standing may vote on the TA, so it is extremely important that pmAS FAs are current on their dues and pmVX FAs have completed an AFA membership application prior to the vote.

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) presented the tentative Merger Agreement to the Master Executive Council (MEC) in a special session today (Monday, February 12), and the MEC unanimously approved to release the tentative agreement for membership ratification.

The JNC will be publishing a comprehensive summary of agreement tomorrow and full text language to follow by end of week. However, we know everyone is eagerly anticipating more details, so…we’re going to give you a sneak preview to tide you over until tomorrow’s summary of agreement.

Spoiler Alert: Pay Raises for Everyone!

If the Merger Agreement is ratified:

  • The entire Alaska pay scale will receive an across the board 4.5% increase to every step rate of pay;
  • “Legacy” Virgin America Flight Attendants will be immediately brought up to the Alaska pay scale (converted from $/TFP to $/block-hour); and
  • The new pay rates will be retroactive to January 1, 2018.

More details to follow tomorrow…

In Solidarity,

Your JNC – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Jamie Cogen, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

The roadshow schedule may be found in the ”Save the Date: Tentative Merger Agreement Roadshows” membership release. AFA anticipates voting will open shortly after the completion of roadshows in mid-March and will end in early April. Any pmAS or pmVX FAs are welcome to attend any and all sessions. Please be aware that only AFA members in good standing may vote on the TA, so it is extremely important that pmAS FAs are current on their dues and pmVX FAs have completed an AFA membership application prior to the vote.

The AFA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) just reached a tentative Merger Agreement with Alaska Airlines management during our twelfth negotiations session this week in Seattle, WA.

A tentative agreement is not released for a membership-wide vote until approved by your directly elected union leaders in the Master Executive Council (MEC). The JNC will be presenting the full text tentative Merger Agreement to the MEC on Monday, February 12.

No information about the Merger Agreement will be released until after the MEC has reached a decision whether or not to release the tentative agreement for ratification. Assuming the MEC approves the Merger Agreement, the JNC will conduct informational roadshows around the system in early March.

More updates to follow pending the outcome of the Special MEC meeting on Monday!

In Solidarity,

Your JNC – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Jamie Cogen, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

Keep in mind that merger negotiations are a different process than regular negotiations. Discussions are focusing on a limited list of Flight Attendant priorities. All the provisions in the AFA Alaska contract (scheduled pay raises, etc.) will continue in force for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants; all the provisions in the Virgin America work rules will remain in effect for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants unless modified and/or superseded by the AFA Virgin America letters of agreement.

 

Commuter Policy Update

With the trial period complete, AFA would like to thank all of the members who provided valuable feedback regarding the VX Commuter Policy.  It became apparent during the trial period that it was necessary to clarify one of the provisions. As a result, a minor amendment to the Commuter Policy was made that to specify how a Flight Attendant would be paid in the event they are not given a flying assignment.

AFA and management agreed that the intent of the provision was for Flight Attendants to receive 3.5 hours per day when they are designated LCC and not given a flying assignment pursuant to the Commuter Policy. AFA has also encouraged management to ensure that Crew Scheduling (CSS) is provided with adequate training of the program in order to help facilitate its effective use by VX Flight Attendants with commuting challenges.

As a reminder, the VX Commuter Policy will remain in effect until VX Flight Attendants are covered under a merged agreement with Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants and the VX Commuter Policy has been retired.

Please view and/or download the full text version of the Commuter Policy Clarification Letter of Agreement  and the amended VX Commuter Policy for your reference.

Please let us know if you have any questions. You can reach us at vx@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & Jamie

 

Tentative Agreement Merger Roadshows

The JNC is planning to present the comprehensive full text agreement to the Master Executive Council (MEC) on Monday, February 12. If the MEC votes to release the tentative agreement (TA) for membership ratification, then the TA will go out for a vote.

*** The following proposed roadshow schedule is subject to change or cancellation. ***

Morning: 9 am – Noon, Afternoon: 1 pm – 4 pm (All times local.)

Tu 3/6 – ANC – Morning & Afternoon

Th 3/8 – SEA 1 – Morning & Afternoon

F 3/9 – PDX – Morning & Afternoon

Sa 3/10 – SEA 2 – Morning & Afternoon

M 3/12 – SFO 1 – Morning & Afternoon

Tu 3/13 – SFO 2 – Morning & Afternoon

W 3/14 – LAX 1 (LAX) – Morning & Afternoon

Th 3/15 – LAX 2 (SNA) – Morning & Afternoon

F 3/16 – SAN – Morning & Afternoon

PBS Training Base Sits

If you have questions and you are on a layover or have sit time in one of the bases feel free to stop by. You can also email questions to San.scheduling@gmail.com or pbs.qa@alaskaair.com

Base Sit Schedule:  subject to change due to  just announced, upcoming TA roadshows

ANC   Mar 5   @ Alaska Regional HQ   Check with local AFA officer for times

Mar 8  @ Alaska Regional HQ   Check with local AFA officer for times

LAX   Mar 6    6am-2pm

Mar 8    6am-2pm

PDX  Mar 6     6am-2pm

Mar 9   10am-6pm

SAN  Mar 6    5am-11am  (change from Mar 5th)

Mar 8    5am-11am

SEA  Mar 5    5am-6pm   Inflight-Mezzazine

Mar 6   10am-6pm  Inflight-Mezzazine

5am-4pm  C Concourse Break Room-hosted by SEA Reserve Comm.

Mar 7   5am-6pm   Inflight-Mezzazine

Mar 9   5am-1pm   Inflight-Mezzazine

5am-4pm   C Concourse Break Room-hosted by SEA Reserve Comm.

AFA Base Meeting

​

Mar 27 10:00-1:00 Location to be determined

Topics:

Agenda Items for the International AFA Board of Directors meeting being held in April.

Answering questions and concerns regarding the Merger TA

Discussing issues or concerns regarding the SAN Base.

​

Special Guests:

Karen Farrell will discuss Pairing Building and how pairings are chosen (AFA vs Company).

Lisa Pinkston ANC President will be assisting with PBS bidding

Adam Clarey will be assisting with PBS Questions

 

AFA alerted management in early January about a new paid sick leave law in effect January 1, 2018.  The law is encompassed in I-1433, RCW 49.46, and WAC 296-128.  Management did not respond to us with their position until yesterday at which time they advised their lobbying group, Airlines for America (A4A), filed suit against the State of Washington.

Management is planning on issuing a communication regarding their reasons why they believe these laws do not apply to you.  AFA does not agree with their interpretation of these laws, and we wanted to be the first to communicate this information to you.

Attached is the Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief filed February 6, 2018.  AFA strongly believes based on the timing, that we are the national union named on page 11 line 20 as insisting that management comply with the Act.

Be assured that AFA will utilize its full legal resources to fight this, and we will advise in upcoming communications how you can help with this fight.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

A message from your AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee

Flight Attendants, both male and female, are not immune from the risks of violence, including sexual assaults. Consider the following statistics on rapes and attempted rapes from the Department of Justice:

  • Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
  • Most rapists are not a masked or unknown person. Approximately 70% of female victims and 74% of male victims know their assailant (i.e. friend, acquaintance etc.)
  • Only one out of ten rapes involves the use of a weapon.
  • 60% of rapes take place away from the victim’s home and most take place between the hours of 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM.

Physical force or the threat of physical force is the primary mode of victimization.  This includes the use of drugs that renders the victim physically helpless and usually unable to remember what happened.  These drugs are called “date rape drugs”.  They often have no color, smell or taste and can be easily added to flavored drinks without the victim’s knowledge.  Educate yourself on the use of these drugs and ways in which you can protect yourself, on and off the job.  Below is some information to help you with this.

What are date rape drugs?

These are drugs that are sometimes use in facilitating a sexual assault. Sexual assault is any type of sexual activity that a person does not agree to.  It can include inappropriate touching, sexual intercourse and attempted rape. The effects of these drugs render victims physically helpless, unable to refuse sex, and unable to remember what happened. The drugs often have no color smell or taste and are easily added to flavored drinks without the victim’s knowledge. There are at least three common date rape drugs.  (Although we use the term “date rape,” most experts prefer the term drug facilitated sexual assault.”).

  • GHB (gamma hydroxybutyric acid) is a drug used to treat narcolepsy. The drug can be in many forms including liquid, powder and pill.
  • Rohypnol is a used for sleep disorders and as an anesthetic. It also comes in pill form.
  • Ketamine is a drug used as an anesthetic for humans and mostly for animals. The drug is a white powder.

What effects do these drugs have on the body?

These drugs can affect you quickly.  The length of time that the effects last varies. It depends on how much of the drug is taken and if the drug is mixed with other substances, like alcohol.  Alcohol can expedite and worsen the drug’s effect.  These drugs can cause relaxation, drowsiness, dizziness, unconsciousness, impaired motor function, memory problems, numbness, distorted perception of sight and sound, confusion, vomiting, even coma and death.

How can I protect myself ?

  • Never leave your drink or food unattended, not even with a person whom you think you should be able to trust.
  • Only order beverages that are brought to your table in sealed bottles.
  • If you have a history of black-outs from drinking, you can never predict when one will occur. For your safety, consider ordering only non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Should you find yourself awakening without any memory in a strange environment or situation, proceed immediately to the emergency room to be tested for the presence of a date rape drug and medically evaluated for a sexual assault.
  • If you have a friend who passes out, do not let anyone take the unconscious person to her/his room. Instead, keep the person exactly where they are and insist that medical help be called.

Assistance available to you

Remember, confidential support and assistance is just a phone call away through your AFA EAP.  Call anytime.  AFA Alaska EAP can be reached at (949) 470-0493 or you can find contact information for your Local EAP Committee at http://afaalaska.org/eap.  You can also contact the International AFA EAP Helpline at (800) 424-2406.

Updated PBS Website

Your Joint PBS Committee is ready to roll out the newly updated NAVBLUE PBS website. The internal functionality of PBS remains the same as far as processing bids. However, there are several updates to logging in, entering bids, searching for pairings, and options for saving or submitting bids.

Training Materials

Training materials are available on the PBS QA/Help page. Access from the Flight Attendant Webpage under Line Bidding> PBS QA/Help. Links for training materials are also available at the top of the PBS Info Page.

A great start would be to watch the PBS Quick Tour video, produced by ANC Scheduling Chairperson Justin Wetherell.  More tutorial videos are available on the PBS QA/Help page, or by clicking here. *It may be difficult to navigate the updated website without using the training materials and videos.
Access the updated PBS website here: https://asa.classbid.com/webapp/#/

Base Sits

March 6, 5am- 4pm (reserve help in the “C” Concourse sit room)

March 6, 10am – 6pm (ready room)

March 7, 5am – 6pm (ready room)

March 9, 5am – 1pm (ready room)

March 9, 5am – 4pm (reserve help in the “C” Concourse sit room)

Base sits will also be scheduled for April, supported by members of our local Scheduling Committee.

Why the Update?

Updates to the PBS website allow functionality on tablets and smartphones with 5.5”+ screens. Changes also allow creating/editing bids offline, which can be saved and submitted once an internet connection is established. Watch the Bidding Offline tutorial to learn how.

Your AFA PBS Committee was involved in the entire process of bringing the updated PBS website to you from the start of development.  Other airlines have already been using the updated website, some for more than a year. This allowed testing, catching errors, and incorporating fixes prior to implementing at Alaska. AFA Scheduling and Reserve Committee members have been bidding with the updated system and reached a consensus that it is ready to roll out for all flight attendants.

NAVBLUE plans to end access to the current version of PBS later this year, so we recommend taking time now to learn the updated website. Links to the ‘old’ and ‘new’ websites are found on the Flight Attendant Website under Schedule & Bidding> Line Bidding. Parallel bidding will be available for two months, starting in February for the March 2018 bid.  Access will be available to both versions of PBS. The most recently submitted bid, regardless of which website was utilized, will be used during bid awards.  

Send questions and feedback to the PBS Committee at pbs.qa@alaskaair.com.

 

Become A Member and Have the Right to Vote!

Although the National Mediation Board has ruled that AFA is our collective bargaining representative, you are not automatically considered an AFA member.  Every pre-merger VX Flight Attendant must complete and submit a membership application to become an official member.  Please be aware that this form cannot be completed online.  The hard copy paper form must be submitted directly to an AFA representative or mailed to the AFA International Office in D.C. You can download and print an application, or pick one up from the bag/file rooms the next time you pass through either SFO or LAX Villages.

Only AFA members may:

  • Vote on Tentative Agreements (TAs)
  • Attend Membership Meetings and Roadshows
  • Vote for Officers
  • Hold a position as an AFA officer or committee member

AFA will be available in SFO and LAX during the next several weeks to assist with applications and verification of membership.  Please visit our Council 35 Facebook page for times and locations.

If you believe you have already submitted your form and want to verify your status, or you have additional questions, please inquire at vx@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & Jamie

As mentioned in the previous merger negotiations update, the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is scheduled to meet in Seattle the entire week this coming week (February 5-9) as a final push towards completing a Tentative Merger Agreement. The JNC is pleased to report that we are confident we will be able to close out the remaining open items this week.

The JNC is planning to present the comprehensive full text agreement to the Master Executive Council (MEC) on Monday, February 12. If the MEC votes to release the tentative agreement (TA) for membership ratification, then the TA will go out for a vote. AFA would not normally publish a contract roadshow schedule at this point in the process, but pre-merger Virgin America (pmVX) Flight Attendants are bidding for March right now and pre-merger Alaska Airlines (pmAS) Flight Attendants will be bidding for March shortly. Consequently, the MEC is supportive of releasing a proposed roadshow schedule prior to the formal presentation of the full text TA by the JNC to the MEC.

To recap, the proposed roadshow schedule is based on these assumptions:

  1. The JNC will finalize all provisions with management and the parties will complete a comprehensive full text TA prior to the JNC’s presentation to the MEC, and
  2. The MEC approves the TA for membership ratification.

*** The following proposed roadshow schedule is subject to change or cancellation if the above conditions are not met. ***

Morning: 9 am – Noon, Afternoon: 1 pm – 4 pm (All times local.)

Tu 3/6 – ANC – Morning & Afternoon

Th 3/8 – SEA 1 – Morning & Afternoon

F 3/9 – PDX – Morning & Afternoon

Sa 3/10 – SEA 2 – Morning & Afternoon

M 3/12 – SFO 1 – Morning & Afternoon

Tu 3/13 – SFO 2 – Morning & Afternoon

W 3/14 – LAX 1 (LAX) – Morning & Afternoon

Th 3/15 – LAX 2 (SNA) – Morning & Afternoon

F 3/16 – SAN – Morning & Afternoon

Any pmAS or pmVX FAs are welcome to attend any and all sessions. Please be aware that only AFA members in good standing may vote on the TA, so it is extremely important that pmAS FAs are current on their dues and pmVX FAs have completed an AFA membership application prior to the vote. We are anticipating that voting would open shortly after the completion of roadshows in mid-March and would end in early April.

More updates to follow pending the outcome of this week’s session!

In Solidarity,

Your JNC – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Jennifer Wise MacColl, Jamie Cogen, Lindsey Steele and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, December 11, representatives from our AFA Local Reserve Committees met to discuss their ongoing work to advocate for Reserve Flight Attendants. Representing you at the meeting were Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). Also present […]

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

On Thursday, December 4, our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work in representing our Flight Attendants and advocating for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Naomi Parcell (ANC), Ross DeJong (SEA), Todd Horn (PDX), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX pmAS), and Andrew Malone (SAN). MEC […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 10 – December 2025

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) met with management this week to continue bargaining sessions in Seattle, WA. Discussions focused on narrowing issues in Leaves of Absence, Association General, and reviewing vacation provisions as part of the joint contract process.

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

On Monday, December 8, our AFA Human Rights & Equity Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing activism to raise awareness and create positive change within our workplace and community. Your representatives attending the meeting included Louise Borras (LAX-pmAS), Bruni Agosto-Pinal (LAX-pmHA), Aaron Miller (PDX), Trista Vanta (SFO), and Yan Yan Teague (SEA). MEC Human […]

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