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A Message from Local Council 35 President Melissa Osborne

Thank you everyone for voting in this historic first election at Virgin America!  I am so grateful that I have been chosen to continue the work of bringing an improved life to VX Flight Attendants. It has been an honor to represent all of you and I thank you for giving me the chance to continue what I’ve started!

Every one of you have my pledge that I will represent you individually and collectively to the best of my abilities, regardless of your seniority, your voting history, or your political views.  One of my many goals as president is to bring unity and solidarity to our workgroup.  Now is not the time to dwell on events of the past that divided us, but it’s a time to put the past where it belongs and move towards a better and brighter future.

Thank you to everyone who stepped up to the plate and offered themselves in service to our union.  It takes courage and dedication to make that kind of commitment, and I appreciate those with a true servant’s heart who chose to take a chance and run in this election.

I would also like to thank the outgoing Council 35 Secretary, James Ikehara.  He was a joy to work with and I appreciate all the support he gave to me as I took on this role.

Thank you, members, for taking the time to vote and for electing me as your Council 35 President!

In solidarity,

Melissa Osborne
Local Council 35 President

A Message from Local Council 35 Secretary Jamie Cogen

I am humbled and honored to be elected as Council 35 Secretary. I look forward to continuing James Ikehara’s and Melissa Osborne’s work of supporting our Members and to continue to support Melissa and the AFA Alaska Master Executive Council.

I look forward to working in this new capacity for our workgroup and hope to see you in a village or on the line soon.

Yours in Service,

Jamie Cogen
Local Council 35 Secretary

The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council officer positions:

Local Council President: Melissa Osborne
Local Council Secretary: Jamie Cogen

View the certified election results here

These officers will serve a term of office starting immediately and concluding on June 30, 2019.  Should a joint collective bargaining agreement be ratified before that date, the election process to form a full Local Executive Council (LEC) would be triggered with 30 days of ratification (AFA Constitution & Bylaws Article III.A.2.d).

The Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the newly elected officers and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.  The MEC would also like to offer a special thanks to outgoing Local Council Secretary James Ikehara for stepping up and helping to provide immediate representation upon the formation of Council 35.

In Solidarity,

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

Grievance LOA

The new VX Grievance Procedure Letter of Agreement (LOA) has been a great benefit to Virgin America and Council 35 has already filed 12 grievances on behalf of VX Flight Attendants—three have been contractual, five terminations and four disciplinary cases.  Additionally, Council 35 officers have been in attendance for more than 40 meetings as official representation since taking office in April.  In many cases, the need for a grievance was avoided due to diligent advocacy.

Contractual Grievances Filed

Grievance No. 36-35-2-2-17:  A Flight Attendant was forced to attend a disciplinary meeting prior to a trip that resulted in an adjustment of report time.  This was a violation of Section I.A.1.b Lineholder Investigatory or Work Performance Meetings which clearly defines when meetings may take place.  This grievance was sustained (granted).

Grievance No. 36-35-2-9-17:  A Flight Attendant was denied AFA representation and offered representation by someone outside of AFA leadership.  This was a violation of Section I.A.1.a Failure to Provide Union Representation which clearly states that all Flight Attendants will be given the opportunity to obtain appropriate AFA Union representation for any investigatory/disciplinary meetings with management.  This grievance is pending.

Grievance No. 36-35-2-10-17:  Two Flight Attendants were denied due process when they were prevented from exercising their right to the grievance process.  This grievance cited two violations of the LOA.  The first was a violation of Section I.A.1 Failure to Provide Notification and the second was a violation of Section I.A.2 Denial of the Grievance Process.  This grievance is pending.

Disciplinary Grievances Filed

To date, nine grievances have been filed on behalf of Flight Attendants disputing discipline that was issued (for privacy, details of the grievances cannot be revealed). In most cases Flight Attendants and AFA believed that the discipline issued was too harsh for the violation, treatment was considered disparate (not equal or fair) and several were filed by teammates that were terminated.  Labor relations sustained one grievance prior to the hearing, several are still pending a hearing date and/or decision from management, and one was denied and sent to System Board (arbitration). One termination grievance was sustained due to failure of management to adhere to established timelines, which resulted in the Flight Attendant returning to work fully restored.

Please stay tuned for more updates on the progress of currently filed grievances. If you have any questions about the grievance process, please review the LOA that defines the process as well as the July 5 Council 35 News that defines  “at will” vs. “just cause” employment relationships.  If you need assistance or have questions regarding a potential grievance, please reach out to your Council 35 officers for assistance.  You can reach us at vx@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa & James

This message is for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants

AFA and the Virgin America (VX) leadership team (management) have agreed to test a commuter policy for VX Flight Attendants. The trial commuter policy is paired with a third Short Call Reserve (SCR) reserve availability period for the duration of the Commuter Policy and a sunset clause for the Stuff Happens Pass (SHP) if the Commuter Policy is extended beyond the four-month trial period of October 2017 through January 2018. (A sunset clause for the SHP means the SHP would be phased out if the Commuter Policy extends beyond January 2017.) See the VX F/A Commuter Policy LOA Final Draft for details.

Prior to implementing the trial commuter policy, AFA is polling the Virgin America Flight Attendants to determine if there is sufficient interest in proceeding with such a test. For security reasons, the survey link will be included only in the emailed version of this communication and distributed to personal email addresses on file in the AFA Newsletter Sending System. The survey link will not be available on the afaalaska.org website nor on social media, and AFA requests that you do not repost the link.

The survey is now open to VX F/As only and will close on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, at 9am Pacific Time.

(Survey link is located here in the emailed version of this communication.)

If AFA goes forward with the trial, we will again poll the VX F/As in November to gauge membership satisfaction with the trial and interest in continuing the Commuter Policy beyond January 2017. AFA will then have an opportunity to end or extend the trial depending on the survey results.

If you have any questions or if you need the survey link sent to you, email your Local Council 35 officers or the Joint Negotiating Committee from a personal email address. If you are requesting a survey link, please provide the following for verification purposes: your name, employee number and current domicile.

In Solidarity,

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

SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS – 2017 ENROLLMENT

From August 21st – 25th, National Group Protection (NGP) will be in the crew lounge in Seattle to communicate the AFA supplemental benefit plans.  Please look for the NGP benefit counselors during the on-site enrollment to enroll or make changes to your existing coverage.  Note that you can enroll in any of the crew lounges, not just your base location.

  • Accident Insurance
  • Critical Illness Coverage (NEW PLAN!)
  • Whole Life Insurance

We have enhanced the Critical Illness plan—lower rates and more covered illnesses.  Please take the time to sit down with a benefit counselor and review your options.  This is also an excellent time to make sure you have filed for your annual health screening benefits, which are part of the accident and critical illness benefit plans.

  • Supplemental – these plans supplement any existing coverage
  • Voluntary – members choose to participate
  • Limited Underwriting – no medical or physical exams required
  • Family Coverage – available with all of the plans
  • Portable – members can continue coverage if they leave the company
  • Payroll Deduction – premiums are paid through payroll deduction

If you have any questions regarding the upcoming enrollment, please contact National Group Protection (NGP) at 800-344-9016.

 

In Solidarity,

Your Council #19 Officers

Terry Taylor, Jake Jones, Adam Clarey, Megan Brown & Melinda Jorge

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO August 25, 2017 

PDX AFA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Applications are Being Accepted for

Local Council 39 Portland Committee Positions

If you are interested in serving on a committee, please review the requirements below and email your committee letter of interest and resume to pdx@afaalaska.org by midnight on August 25, 2017.

Flight attendants must be current on dues and maintain their member in good standing status. Probationary flight attendants may volunteer; once they start paying union dues.

Committee Requirements 

  • Regularly work 40+ TFP
  • No intention of transferring from Portland in the near future.
  • Considerable knowledge and adherence to Service Standards.
  • Understand that this is a volunteer and not a paid position. There may be occasions for flight pay loss for meetings or projects.
  • Professional in manner with Management and Flight Attendants.
  • Adhere to committee policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct.
  • Maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information.
  • Be an advocate and support for all flight attendants.
  • Ability to communicate by email, phone, and in-person with Flight Attendants and Alaska Management.
  • Working knowledge of the Current Bargaining Agreement.
  • Some positions require knowledge of scheduling, pay, work rules, and duties.
  • Receive guidance from AFA Officers and Committee Chair.
  • Commit to volunteering for a minimum of one year.
  • Provide information promptly and meet occasional deadlines.
  • Must sign a Willingness to Serve Commitment

Committee Descriptions

Air Safety Health Security http://afaalaska.org/ashsc

ASHSC acts in an advisory role to the LEC Officers on safety matters. Studies local air safety and health problems and prepares recommendations to the LEC Officers for consideration. The committee reviews and handles correspondence keeping the members informed of developments. You may be asked to attend management debriefings regarding safety related issues.

Benefits http://afaalaska.org/benefits#purpose

The Benefits Committee works to educate and provide assistance to in all matters involving benefits (including insurance, maternity, worker’s compensation, and leave of absence programs)

Employee Assistance http://afaalaska.org/eap

The EAP is a support service provided by Flight Attendants for Flight Attendants. EAP peer representatives are trained to provide three distinct, but interrelated, services that include assessment, support, and referral. The EAP also handles professional standards and critical incident response.

Government Affairs http://afaalaska.org/governmentaffairs

The Government Affairs Committee’s responsibility is to monitor and pursue legislative activities that relate to the AFA-CWA political agenda and to build positive relationships with candidates for office and elected officials regardless of party.

Grievance http://afaalaska.org/grievance

The Grievance Committee’s is responsible for the protection of Flight Attendants against arbitrary and unjust disciplinary action and the upholding of the collective bargaining agreement.

Hotel http://afaalaska.org/hotel

The Hotel Committee investigates complaints regarding hotels and transportation and periodically inspects layover hotels for any decline in quality. The committee surveys potential hotels and attempts to eliminate or avoid any possible problems.

Inflight Service http://afaalaska.org/inflightservice

The Inflight Service Committee represents Flight Attendant interests regarding catering and inflight service/sales and addresses complaints and concerns regarding catering and inflight service/sales.

Retirement http://afaalaska.org/retirement

The Retirement Committee assists members with questions regarding retirement, 401(k) plans, and other investment vehicles that may become available and keep members up-to-date and educated about these programs.

Scheduling http://afaalaska.org/scheduling

The Scheduling Committee assists Flight Attendants with concerns relating to pairings or scheduling including legalities.

Uniform http://afaalaska.org/uniform

The Uniform Committee is responsible for ensuring contract language compliance in the area of uniforms. The Committee represents Flight Attendant interests to management regarding design, fabric selection, and other details.

AFA Council 39 Information http://afaalaska.org/pdx

An applicant cannot be guaranteed an interview. Resumes and letters of interest will be screened for qualifications, and successful applicants will be invited to interview.

The SAN Officers extend a hearty thank you to Jacob Rahn for serving as SAN LEC Scheduling Chair. Due to personal commitments, Jacob will be stepping down as Chair but has agreed to share his knowledge as a committee member.

To that end, we are accepting applications for that vacated position and one more committee member position. We are seeking individuals with a desire to learn and a passion to help fellow Flight Attendants navigate the Scheduling related sections of our contract.

​​Duties as a member of the scheduling committee include:

  • Answering Scheduling questions via email, phone, text message and Facebook
  • Assisting with PBS/Bidding
  • Working within the committee to identify trends and notify Local Officers
  • Occasional Base sits
  • Occasional Training/Meetings

Interested candidates should submit a brief letter of interest to: SAN@afaalaska.org

This message is for pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants

As previously reported, AFA and the Virgin America (VX) leadership team (management) have agreed to test a commuter policy for VX Flight Attendants. It took a little longer than anticipated for the parties to finalize the proposed letter of agreement (LOA), so AFA apologizes for the slight delay.

Prior to implementing the trial commuter policy, AFA will be polling the Virgin America Flight Attendants to determine if there is sufficient interest in proceeding with such a test. Realistically, AFA now anticipates that poll to be released early next week. In the meantime, AFA is publishing the final draft of the proposed Commuter Policy LOA for your review.

AFA VX F/A Commuter Policy LOA FINAL DRAFT (August 2017) >

If you have any questions, contact your Local Council 35 officers or the Joint Negotiating Committee. Be on the lookout for the membership poll regarding implementation of the trial commuter policy early next week!

In Solidarity,

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

The AFA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council (MEC) administrative office moved to a new location this week after a whirlwind of packing. The prior location in the Alaska Airlines Flight Operations and Training Center in Seattle is being repurposed for additional training facilities as a result of the merger, so AFA was relocated in order to make room. We are extremely grateful to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou for coordinating the move on relatively short notice.

The new office location is at the SeaTac Office Center (“STOC”), 18000 International Blvd, Seattle, WA 98188. We are in the south tower—the same building as the 13 Coins restaurant and the administrative offices of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Alaska Airlines MEC. The exact suite address is still being worked out with building management, but in the meantime you can find us on the 11th floor in suite 1103. Once AFA receives confirmation of the official new address, we will update the AFA Alaska website and the membership release footer accordingly.

The MEC thanks you in advance for your understanding as we work through settling into the new office.

In Solidarity,

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

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

On Tuesday, September 16, 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 Nyachan Chuar (ANC), LaLa Davis (LAX-pmAS), Bruni Agosto-Pinal (LAX-pmHA), Aaron Miller (PDX), Erika Daniel (SAN), and Trista Vanta (SFO). […]

AFA News in Review – September 19, 2025

In This Edition Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month Originally posted September 15, 2025 Join us in celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, a time dedicated to honoring the vibrant cultures and significant contributions of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. Discover the history, participate in special events, and grab your commemorative Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month AFA Pin […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the first group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of merged MEC Committee Chairpersons. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have […]

Election Notice: Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Officer Elections

The term of office for our current Alaska + Hawaiian Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers will conclude on December 31, 2025. The voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will elect new MEC Officers at the November Regular MEC meeting. This communication serves as notice of the election in accordance with the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual. […]

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