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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.

A note from our ASHSC Chair, Ruth Ann Bledsoe

I wanted to address this topic as we had four lightning strikes on aircraft with ANC based F/As on board in a two month period from July 21st to September 23rd.  Lightning strikes usually happen between May and September with July and August having the most strikes. The last aircraft accident from lightning was recorded in 1988.  Following that event the FAA and aircraft manufacturers worked together to better isolate all critical components from the damaging effects of a lightning strike.

From the F/A’s Perspective:

F/As can expect one or all of the following:
  • loud booming noise
  • bright flash of light
  • the aircraft may jerk or momentarily shake

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.

From the Pilot’s Perspective:

We were grateful to have Captain Dan Pike speak on this interesting topic.  Most strikes happen around 10,000 feet during climb or descent which is the busiest time for pilots.  On a scale of one to five (five being the most serious) pilots consider a lightning strike usually as a two. Be patient and remain calm as the pilots are busy and will make an announcement as soon as possible.  Pilots should call after the announcement with updates and at that time tell them what you need in the cabin.  You may need to divert, do an air turn back (ATB) to your departure city, or continue on to your destination to have the aircraft inspected. Please feel free to ask for a debriefing with the pilots after the flight has landed to make sure all your questions are answered.

From the Maintenance Perspective:

We were pleased to have David Boyce, who is the Regional Manager of Maintenance for the state of Alaska, comment on what happens once the aircraft is on the ground following a suspected lightning strike.  About seven years ago Alaska Airlines tightened their procedures for aircraft hit by lightning, and now there is a very thorough inspection preferably done in a very well-lit hangar.  Mechanics use LED lights to inspect every inch of the aircraft fuselage including walking across the top of the aircraft.  The mechanics are looking for tiny holes, loose rivets, scorch marks on the outside, and on the inside attempting to determine the reasons for any popped circuit breakers and make sure all systems are working properly. Only when all the tests are done will that aircraft fly again.

From the Weather Perspective:

Don Moore is the meteorologist in charge of the Alaska Aviation Weather Unit and Volcanic Ash Advisory Center.  Carrie Haisley is the meteorologist in charge of the Anchorage Center Weather Service Unit, a small National Weather Service office in the FAA’s Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center.  They both work for NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and they addressed the weather conditions associated with lightning strikes and turbulence.
At any given moment there are several thousand thunderstorms active around the world.  Many of these will affect airports and flight routes.  For a thunderstorm to truly be a thunderstorm instead of a rain shower, it must produce thunder, which is a shockwave created by a lightning discharge.  A single storm may produce hundreds of lightning strokes, which averages worldwide to around eight million lightning strikes per day, or 100 every second. Lightning is simply a massive discharge of electricity, not unlike the tiny spark of static you might notice when you reach for a metal door handle on a dry winter’s day.
I sincerely hope this helps you feel more comfortable with lightning strikes.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want more information on this interesting topic.

Ruth Ann Bledsoe
Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson
Alaska Airlines Council 30, Anchorage
(907) 854-3393
ruthann.bledsoe@afaalaska.org

The Association of Flight Attendants has joined the American Football Coaches Association to help protect our children.  Why should we fingerprint our children?

  • 450,000 children run away each year
  • 300,000 children are abducted each year by family members
  • More than 58,000 children are abducted every year by non-family members

That’s more than 800,000 children in America missing each year, one child every 40 seconds. Yet, when the National Child Identification Program began; less than two percent of parents had a copy of their child’s fingerprints to use in case of an emergency.

The National Child Identification Program is a community service initiative dedicated to changing these statistics by providing parents and guardians with a tool they can use to help protect their children. The ID Kit allows parents to collect specific information by easily recording the physical characteristics and fingerprints of their children on identification cards that are then kept at home by the parent or guardian. If ever needed, this ID Kit will give authorities vital information to assist their efforts to locate a missing child.

A gift of safety, from our AFA family to yours will be placed in your mail file.  We have ordered one kit per member for our base.

We will be hosting a Local Council Meeting and are asking you to save the date when bidding your December schedules. We would like to discuss our local committees as we need assistance on several of the 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: TBD
Location: TBD
Agenda: Officer Reports
Review of Local Committees – We Need You
Committee Reports

Please save the date and plan to join us for this meeting!  Stay tuned for additional information!  We look forward to connecting with each of you!

MEC Officer Interviews will be held during the MEC Meeting October 24th-26th. MEC Officers serve a three year term.  We will be interviewing candidates who expressed interest in holding one of the MEC officer positions for the upcoming term of January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2019.

Position Candidate(s) 
MEC President Jeffrey Peterson
MEC Vice President Brian Palmer
Kelly Letourneau
MEC Secretary/Treasurer LInda Christou

The five Councils will be represented at the MEC Meeting and will each cast one vote for each position.  LEC President, Lisa Pinkston will represent Council 30 at the October MEC Meeting.  Please email anc@afaalaska.org with any comments.

The MEC conducted interviews for several MEC Committee Chairperson positions at the MEC Meeting that concluded this afternoon.  We would like to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and a willingness to serve.  After careful consideration and much deliberation, the following candidates were appointed:

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards

Elizabeth Dillion
Jeanne McCleave

Scheduling

Zac Weeks

Preferential Bidding System (PBS)

Steve Poynter (Chairperson)
Rebecca Asbell (Committee Member)
Adam Clarey (Committee Member)

Uniform

Bob Moore

Reserve

Jarod McNeill

Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC)

Seth Heiple

Benefits

Terry Taylor

Retirement

Terry Taylor

Hotel

Laura Hinojosa (Chairperson)
Jodi Snow (Vice Chairperson)

 

Appointments are effective immediately.  Terms of appointment coincide with those of the MEC Officers, concluding on December 31, 2019.

If you have any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson appointments, please contact your LEC President.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Everyone experiences personal or work related problems from time to time. Sometimes our own resources or support systems just aren’t enough. We could all benefit from assistance from another source, one that you can trust and rely on for help.

Problems your EAP can help you with:

·         Relationship issues

·         Family concerns

·         Emotional well-being

·         Physical health concerns

·         Stress

·         Chemical dependency

·         Other addictions

·         Financial difficulties

·         Legal matters

To do this, your EAP representative can help you with: 

·      Defusing the situation

·      Thinking through the conflict or concern

·      Exploring the outcome you seek

·      Identifying who and how to best approach the issue

·      Addressing the problem through another work group’s professional standards committee

Professional Standards– Problems can occur amongst coworkers. However, there is an alternative to making a report to management if you have a conflict with, or concern about, a flying partner.

Whenever you are involved in a professional standards matter, you are encouraged to address the issue in a reasonable and timely manner.  If a resolution is not possible, your EAP Committee is an available resource to you. If you receive a call from Professional Standards, please know we are there to help and provide assistance to both parties involved in an objective and confidential manner.

Every concern brought to EAP/Professional Standards is addressed. 

Our Local Work In Seattle- In Seattle, we are a group of trained Flight Attendants who assist our work group confidentially each and every day with difficult situations both personally and professionally. It is of utmost importance we remain confidential throughout our processes. If a Flight Attendant contacts Professional Standards about a concern with a flying partner, we will address the concern in a timely manner. It is important to understand that due to confidentiality laws, EAP/Professional Standards cannot give personal information or feedback to either party in regards to the matter.  If both parties agree, EAP is always willing to bring parties together to discuss a concern for a positive outcome. EAP does not have authority to discipline another Flight Attendant. Lastly, to protect all parties involved, EAP does not keep documentation of casework.

Is EAP confidential?

Yes! EAP/Professional Standards is completely confidential and held under very strict guidelines set forth by the HIPAA Laws. Your local EAP/Professional Standards Team works under a license and must uphold all guidelines at all times.

Does EAP wait for three calls before addressing a concern?

No. EAP will address each and every complaint or concern in a timely manner. Our goal is to help all parties as soon as possible.

What should I do if EAP/Professional Standards calls me?

Answer! EAP is here to help you in an objective and confidential manner. Our goal is to address concerns and assist with all resources available to help Flight Attendants come to a resolution to the matter, concern or challenge. Remember, our calls are help completely confidential. We are a safe and reliable resource for you and are here to serve you.

Does Alaska Airlines encourage Flight Attendants to use EAP?

Yes! Alaska Airlines encourages our work each and every day by providing communication and encouragement in helping our work group.  They understand the importance of EAP as a resource for employees to receive the assistance and guidance needed. This support is given to us without direct knowledge of our casework by understanding confidentiality is our responsibility.

What if I have concerns about EAP and their processes?

EAP has an open line of communication at all times. Please contact us with your concerns. We will address your concerns immediately. You can contact, LEC Chair, Lisa Haugen, or MEC Chairs, Jeanne McCleave or Elizabeth Dillion, at 949.470.0493.

SEA Employee Assistance/Professional Standards Committee:

The Master Executive Council (MEC) has been very hard at work ensuring disciplinary due process and contractual compliance on your behalf. In fact, we have filed an unprecedented number of contractual grievances due to the cutover to Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA).

Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) §20.N.2. [Board of Adjustment] allows for ten arbitration dates per year to argue discipline/termination cases and contractual issues. AFA typically prioritizes termination cases in order to return a Flight Attendant back to work as soon as possible, however we seek a balance between discipline and contractual cases. AFA and management mutually decide which cases to arbitrate next based on many factors.

The following is a list of open contractual grievances:

Grievance set for March arbitration:

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-10-16- Mandatory Attendance Counseling in Violation of Section 32. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 32.A. [Attendance Policy/Reporting Procedure], Section 32.E.1. [Attendance/Control Procedure/Attendance Policy Disciplinary Action], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Railway Labor Act when it required Flight Attendants to attend meetings to discuss sick leave under the guise of an investigation when in fact it was a counseling in violation of Section 32.E.1.

Grievances settled:

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-17-16- Violation of §30.C. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 30.C. [Training/Training Pay], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to compensate Flight Attendants at three-quarters (.75) TFP per hour additional pay when the Recurrent Training Computer Based Training App, CourseMill, experienced problems and required Flight Attendants to spend multiple hours of their personal time reinstalling the App.

Settlement details: The parties agreed that Flight Attendants who completed Recurrent Training in January 2016, February 2016 and January 2017 will receive 1.0 TFP and an Information Technology Review Process will be enacted, which any Flight Attendant may join who spent a significant amount of time attempting to fix RT/CBT issues.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-24-16- Suspension of Flight Attendant Trades and Denial of Related Contractual Provisions. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 12 [Exchange of Sequences] past practice and all related provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, specifically but not limited to: Section 12.A [Unlimited Trading], Section 12.B [Types of Trades], Section 12.C [Trading Procedures], Section 12.E [Open Time], Section 12.G [Sequence Interruption Point (Sip) Sequences],
Section 12.H [Out of Domicile Trades, Pick-Ups, Drops or Give-Aways], Section 11.H [Exchange of Days, Pick-Ups and Trades],
Section 11.E.2 [Flying Preferences],
Section 10.DD [Long Stage Length Duty Period (“4k”)],
Section 9.E [Premium Open Time], and Section 8.T [Base Turns], when it announced its intention to suspended the Flight Attendant electronic trading system on or around October 1, 2016, to implement the new JCTE crew tracking system.

Settlement details: The parties agreed that all Flight Attendants will receive a two (2) point credit to their Attendance Points balance in recognition of the challenges associated with having trip trading suspended for a prolonged period of time due to the JCA cutover and the impact to a Flight Attendant’s quality of life.

Grievances recently filed and awaiting an answer:

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-1-17. Violation of §32.C.5. Assessing Short Sick Call Points to Flight Attendant on FMLA. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §32.C.5 [Attendance Policy: Short Sick Call], past practice, all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and Federal Law when it assessed short sick call points (2 ½) to Flight Attendants on qualified Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) status when they called in sick within two hours of scheduled check-in.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-4-17- Violation of §9.E. & §12.E. All Open Time Trips Withheld from Open Time and Premium Pay Removed. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 9.E. [Junior Available//and Premium Open Time/Premium Open Time] & 12.E. [Exchange of Sequences/Open Time], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about February 9, 2017, all Open Time trips across the entire system were withheld from Open Time and premium pay was removed.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-6-17- Violation of §11.E. Low Time First Available (LTFA) Out of Order Assignments January 31 to February 2, 2017. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 11.E. [Reserve/Order of Assignment], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about January 31, 2017, at 8:00pm PST to February 2, 2017, at 11:00am PST, Crew Scheduling assigned Reserve Flight Attendants out of order because of the inability for Crew Scheduling to accurately verify order of assignments due to the cutover to the new crew tracking and scheduling system, Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA).

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-7-17- Violation of §11.E. Low Time First Available (LTFA) Out of Order Assignments Post Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) Cutover. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 11.E. [Reserve/Order of Assignment], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when starting on or about February 2, 2017 at 11:00am PST, and including all subsequent violations, Crew Scheduling assigned Reserve Flight Attendants out of order because of the inability for Crew Scheduling to accurately verify order of assignments due to the cutover to the new crew tracking and scheduling system, Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA).

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-8-17- Violation of §29.A. Failure of Company to Include All Eligible Earnings in Calculation of Performance Based Pay (PBP). This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 29.A. [Profit Sharing and Retirement], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed, from December 2014 to present, to include all eligible earnings (as described in the Alaska Airlines, Inc. Profit Sharing Plan) in the PBP payout for Flight Attendants, including but not limited to: Longevity Premium (§21.C.) and Sit Pay (§21.T.).

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-9-17- Violation of §23.C.2.a Failure to Include all TFP Earnings in Monthly Long Term Disability (LTD) Benefit. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 23.C.2.a [Insurance Benefits: Long Term Disability Insurance Plan/Benefits], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to include all TFP earnings, including but not limited to: Longevity Premium (§21.C) and Sit Pay (§21.T) in Flight Attendants’ monthly Long Term Disability benefit.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-10-17- Violation of §11.F.15, §11.H.7 & §11.H.8 Failure to Provide Automated Ability for Reserve Flight Attendants to Self-Assign and Trade APSB. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §11.F.15 [Reserve: Airport Standby], §11.H.7 & §11.H.8 [Reserve: Reserve Exchange of Days, Pick-Ups and Trades], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to provide automated ability for Reserve Flight Attendants to self-assign and trade airport standby (APSB) assignments due to the cutover to the new crew tracking and scheduling system, Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA).

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-11-17- Violation of §21.V Failure to Compensate for Sit Pay on Pairings Adjusted by Winds Aloft Program. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §21.V [Compensation: “Scheduled” or “Actual” for Minimum Pay Rules (MPRs) and/or Sit Pay], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to compensate for sit pay (1.0 TFP) on pairings adjusted by Winds Aloft program which made them eligible for sit pay; and then the pairing was picked up by another Flight Attendant from one-way trades and/or open time; and the sit time on said pairing was subsequently adjusted below the required 2:01 time for sit pay.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-12-17- Violation of §12.C.2-3 Allowing Out of Domicile Trades, Pick-Ups, Drops and Give-Aways on Incorrect Dates. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §12.C.2-3 [Exchange of Sequences: Trading Procedures], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it allowed out of domicile trades, pick-ups, drops and give-aways on the fifteenth (15th) and sixteenth (16th) of the month rather than the required seventeenth (17th) of the month.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-13-17- Violation of §11.H.7-8 Denial of Automated Trading of Reserve Flight Attendant Assignments. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §11.H.7-8 [Reserve: Reserve Exchange of Days, Pick-Ups and Trades], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it denied Reserve Flight Attendants the ability to trade assigned trips, automated and processed in real time, due to the Jeppesen Crew Access trading system cutover.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-14-17- Violation of §11.J.3 Reserve Repositioning Prior to Open Time Trading Day. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §11.J.3 [Reserve: Reserve Repositioning], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it allowed Reserve Flight Attendants to reposition their reserve days on a day prior to open time trading day.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-15-17- Violation of §11.E.1.a Incorrect Reserve Self-Assignment Start Time. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §11.E.1.a [Reserve: Order of Assignment/Reserve Self-Assignment], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it started reserve self-assignment at 10:01am PT rather than 10:00am.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-16-17-Violation of §11.E.1.a Incorrect Reserve Self-Assignment Start Time in ANC. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §11.E.1.a [Reserve: Order of Assignment/Reserve Self-Assignment], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it started reserve self-assignment at 11:01am PT (10:01 AKT) rather than 10:00am PT (9:00am AKT).

Grievances granted by management:

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-19-15- Failing to Pay Flight Attendants for Reasonable Suspicion Drug/Alcohol Testing. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Addendum to Section 21 [Compensation], when it failed to pay Flight Attendants for reasonable suspicion drug & alcohol testing.

Details: The Company agrees that it violated the CBA when it failed to pay the contractually mandated $15 for each reasonable suspicion drug test.  

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-3-16- Association Consideration Pursuant to Uniform Change. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 13.G. [Association Consideration Pursuant to Uniform Change], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Railway Labor Act when it failed to: (1) Consult with the Flight Attendant Uniform Committee and consider their recommendations before making any change in the style, color or material of the uniform; and (2) Consider the recommendations of the Association Air Safety, Heath and Security chairperson in regard to materials available, including application FAA or NTSB flammability standards.

Details: The Company agreed it failed to comply with Section 13.G. of the CBA and has advised the division procuring the new uniform and inflight that they must comply with Section 13.G. in all changes to the uniform in the future. It believes that everyone involved with the uniform changes understands and in the future will give notice, consult with and consider the Flight Attendant Uniform Committee recommendations and will consider the recommendations of the Association Air Safety, Health and Security chairperson in regard to materials available, including applicable FAA or NTSB flammability standards.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-4-16- Order of Reserve Assignment. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 11.E. [Order of Reserve Assignment], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Railway Labor Act when it out of order assigned reserve Flight Attendants to pairing 1164 on June 12, 2015.

Details: The Company agrees based on the October 3, 2011, Quarterly Reserve Meeting minutes that were in violation of CBA §11.E.9 when [Flight Attendant name] was skipped on the Low Time First Available (LTFA) list and [second Flight Attendant name] was assigned out of order on Trip Number 1164, 12June15. Therefore [second Flight Attendant] is due an additional .5 of the 4.0 credit value for a total of 2.0 TFP.

Grievances recently filed and denied by management:

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-31-16- Benefit Re-enrollment-Failure to Provide Insurance. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 23 [Insurance Benefits], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it: Intended to deny insurance to Flight Attendants who fail to reenroll following any duration leave of absence; and failed to provide sufficient notice regarding insurance reenrollment following any leave of absence.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-32-16- Automation of Stranded and Delay Pay. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 21 [Compensation], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it continues to automate its payroll system yet failed to include automated stranded pay for the entire crew.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-40-16- Violation of Paternal Leave §15.E.2. & §15.M. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Sections 15.E.2. & 15.M. [Leaves of Absence/Parental Leaves of Absence], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to allow a Flight Attendant to utilize sick leave or vacation while on a paternal leave of absence.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-43-16- Violation of §11.H.8. Failing to Allow Trades. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 11.H.8. [Reserve/Reserve Exchange of Days, Pick-Ups and Trades], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to allow Reserve Flight Attendants, [Flight Attendant Names], to trade on December 18, 2016, and December 30, 2016, under its provisions; it failed to allow other Flight Attendants to do trades on other various dates as well.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-2-17- Violation of §11.H.7. Denial of Reserve Automated Posting and Trading of Assignments. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 11.H.7. [Reserve/Reserve Exchange of Days, Pick-Ups and Trades], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its new Jeppesen Crew Access trading system denied Reserve Flight Attendants automated posting and trading of reserve assignments.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-3-17- Violation §30.A.3.c. Failure to Pay for Lodging for Recurrent Training. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 30.A.3.c. [Reserve/Reserve Exchange of Days, Pick-Ups and Trades], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to pay for a Flight Attendant’s lodging when she came to Seattle to attend required Recurrent Training.

Grievances previously filed and currently awaiting arbitration dates:

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-22-13-Failing to Allow Electronic Trading of Vacation Days. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 14, the Addendum to Section 14, Section 12, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to allow Flight Attendants to make electronic, real time vacation open time trades. Long standing practice allows Flight Attendants to make real time electronic trades of vacation days with vacation open time, subject to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Due to an accounting issue those Flight Attendants who have “cashed out” their vacation and/or failed to attain 480 TFP per year to earn pay for their vacation days are blocked from electronic trading of vacation days.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-22-14-Violation of Required Maternity Leave. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 15.D. and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to require Flight Attendants to begin Maternity Leave after the 28th week of pregnancy.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-6-15- Incorrect Assessment of a No Show. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 32 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it incorrectly assessed a No Show to a Flight Attendant on November 30, 2014.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-15-15- Limiting Access to the SAN Domicile. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 28.I [Company Provided Computers and Printers at Domiciles], when it limited access to the SAN Domicile including contractually required resources to only those Flight Attendants based in SAN.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-20-15- Converting a Line Holding Flight Attendant to ER Reserve Outside of her/his Contactable Period. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 11.C.3.b.6 [Conversion of Reserves to ER] and 11.C.3.c [ER Contactability], when it converted a line holding Flight Attendant to ER Reserve outside of her/his contactable period.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-24-15- Ground Floor Lodging While on Company Business. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 34 [Hotels], when it failed to avoid ground floor lodging for Flight Attendants attending company required Beyond Service training.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-29-15-Commuter Boarding Priority. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 28.G.6. and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it allowed Company employees (and their dependents) on pleasure travel to be given higher boarding priority than commuting Flight Attendants.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-32-15- Concourse Uniform Shoe Standards. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 25.B. and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and past practice when it issued Revised Emergency Interim Bulletin 15-23 (Inflight Bulletin 2015-0179) requiring Flight Attendants to wear concourse shoes: With a defined heel between a half inch and three inches in height; with added restrictions, i.e., solid black in color, single functional strap with a plain silver or gold buckle, button, or snap smaller than a quarter, and no textured leather, suede, cloth fabric, color threading, or separate colored trim styles; and during boarding up until the aircraft door closes. These restrictions essentially limit Flight Attendants to wear a pump type shoe only, and unlike past practice eliminates many ‘healthy shoe styles’, e.g., Danskos, Naot, and makes them non-compliant.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-33-15- In-Flight Uniform Shoe Standards. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 25.B. and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and past practice when it issued Revised Emergency Interim Bulletin 15-23 (Inflight Bulletin 2015-0179) requiring Flight Attendants to wear in-flight shoes with all concourse shoe requirements except the defined heel (with at least half inch height) requirement until the aircraft door closes. Unlike past practice these restrictions eliminate many ‘healthy shoe styles’, e.g., Danskos and Naot, and makes them non-compliant.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-34-15- Uniform Luggage Standards. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Railway Labor Act when it issued Emergency Interim Bulletin 15-23 (Inflight Bulletin 2015-0179) which says: Designated “Crew” luggage tag and/or Company-approved recognition luggage strap is the only permitted accessory/adornment that may be attached on luggage items; recreational equipment must fit into company issued luggage; and individual or union lanyards with personal pins may not be worn.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-41-15- Section 34.C.3. Alternative Hotel Selection/Site Visit. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 34.C.3. and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to include the hotel committee in the selection of alternate hotels; and when it failed to provide site visits on alternate hotels.

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-2-16- Violation of ASAP and Discipline LOA. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Letter of Agreement: ASAP and Discipline July 2006 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to allow the ASAP process to complete prior to disciplining and terminating a Flight Attendant. The Letter of Agreement specifically states, “Flight Attendants participating in the ASAP program, whether reporting or non-reporting as defined in the ASAP Memorandum of Understanding, will not be subject to discipline. Neither the written ASAP report nor the content of the written ASAP report will be used to initiate or support any company disciplinary action.”

Grievance No.: 36-99-2-5-16- Non-Negotiated Compensation. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 21 [Compensation] and Section 32 [Attendance Policy], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Railway Labor Act when it awarded, without prior consistent notice, policy and application, $5 gift cards to all Anchorage based Flight Attendants for meeting the daily attendance goal.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams; and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput

We know filing for a Medical Leave or Worker’s Compensation can be challenging and we are working to make the process a little easier for you. For now, here are some tips.

When filing for a Medical Leave you have several ways to choose to file your claim.  ​

  • Online at www.matrixabsence.com.
  • Matrix application, that once it is downloaded to your device allows you to use your camera to send documentation.
  • Phone Matrix at 888-205-2590 to file your intake claim. When calling, you will be given the option to have the forms emailed to you or sent by regular mail, the quickest option is to have it sent via email (you will need to print the documents). You have the option of using your Alaska email address and print them at work.

Once you have been assigned a claims examiner, you should ask for their phone number, extension, email address and their fax number. We do hear occasionally that phone calls are not returned in a timely manner, by sending an email you have proof of submitting required paperwork or answering pertinent information.

Matrix will need your doctor’s name and fax number so that they can send a medical certificate that he/she needs to complete and sign. Once your doctor has completed this form and faxes the information to Matrix we think it will be beneficial for the doctor to send you a copy also, they can do this by fax or by email. This gives you the heads up that the documents were sent and also gives you a copy to work from if there should be any questions or need for follow up. If for any reason Matrix should tell you they did not receive this form, please feel free to take it to our Inflight office and they will help you fax the form. Keep the fax receipt as proof it was sent!

For those with Kaiser, you would bypass having the doctor’s office fax and just use the other recommendations.

Our AFA benefits chair is Sonia Quackenbush and she can be reached at 951-252-5707 or Squack22@gmail.com and our AFA Workers Compensation chair is Jill Haller 760-524-6554 or hallers737@msn.com.

If a Medical absence or Workers Compensation claim should cause financial difficulties, the Employee Assistance Fund could be of some help. You will find them on Alaskasworld.com under the Employee Resources tab. Your EAP Representatives are a great resource, if you would like to make contact, give Jean Sharrock a call at 949-257-9663 and she will give you a list of available Representatives and you can always contact one of your Officers.

We are working on making Worker’s Compensation an easier process and will send a communication soon.

In solidarity,

Passport Renewal

When it’s time to renew your passport, the contract has a process outlined to ensure that you only fly domestic trips while your passport is out of your possession.  If your passport is in the renewal process and you have international flying on your line, the pre-cancellation language outlined in section 10.S.12 will be used to find alternative flying.  If no flying is available that meets this language, pay protection as outlined in section 10.S applies as long as your attempt to renew your passport was initiated at least 15 days before the expiration date of your passport (see section 22.D [expenses/passport renewals] and the addendum to section 22 #1).

Inflight bulletin #2014-0218 also has information about expediting passport renewals.

Union Representation

You are entitled to AFA representation when you have a discussion or meeting with management and the possibility of discipline exists for you, another Flight Attendant or another employee. If a supervisor contacts you, you have a right to ask, “Could this conversation result in discipline?”  If so, we recommend that you tell the supervisor that you would like an AFA representative before having any further discussion.  The supervisor should provide you with the name and phone number for your Local Executive Council (LEC) President.  Regardless of whether there is a possibility of discipline, you can always contact your Local Grievance Committee for AFA representation.  You can find contact information for your Local Grievance Committee on the AFA Alaska website.

Probationary Flight Attendants may also ask for an AFA representative to be present in a supportive (non-representational) role.  Again, if you are asked to provide a written statement or account of events, you are always entitled to confer with an AFA representative prior to doing so; this is also true for probationary Flight Attendants.

Disciplinary Issues

The Grievance Committee has recently noticed an increase in discipline for using profanity, making discriminatory statements, and sitting in passenger seats playing games or watching movies.  Management is taking a hard line on these issues regardless of intent or seniority.  In many instances, they are skipping steps of progressive discipline and going straight to suspension without pay or even termination.  Management says this increase in discipline is coming from the Legal department and upper management. We will continue to dispute inappropriate and/or inconsistent discipline and are available to represent all members regardless of circumstance.

Medical/Maternity/Workers’ Compensation/LTD/STD Leaves

If you are contemplating taking a leave, be sure to contact your Local Benefits Committee for assistance.  Members of the Benefits Committee have specialized expertise involving leaves of absence and can help to guide you through the complicated leave process.

Sick Leave and Attendance Points

Management takes the following position regarding short sick calls and the associated 2.5 attendance points: even if management can back date a medical leave, they will not remove short sick call points associated with the dates of the leave.  This can be an issue if you are struggling with an illness. The following is a recap of contractual provisions regarding sick leave.

“Short Sick Call” or FS2 (formerly S2 in eMaestro)

Contract section 30.C.5

If a Flight Attendant calls in sick less than two 2 hours prior to scheduled check in, then s/he will be given 2.5 points with no option for quarterly point reduction.

“Sick Leave on Line at Scheduled Check-in” or FSB (formerly SB in eMaestro)

Contract section 30.C.6

If a Flight Attendant scans in on time and subsequently calls in sick later than scheduled check-in time, then s/he will be given 0.5 points in addition to the points value of the trip, e.g., 1-day is 1.0 points (0.5 points + 0.5 points), 2 day is 1.5 points (0.5 points + 1.0 points), et cetera. If the Flight Attendant is on FMLA then s/he will receive no points.

“Sick Leave on Line” or FSO (formerly SO in eMaestro)

Contract section 30.C.7

If a Flight Attendant calls in sick after flying one leg, then s/he will be given only points for the value of the trip, e.g., 1-day trip is 0.5 points, 2-day trip is 1.0 points, etc.

Please make sure you are familiar with the above provisions, especially if you are struggling with an illness and point accumulation.

Questions?

For further questions, contact one of your LEC Officers.  Contact information for your LEC Officers can be found on your Local Council page of the AFA Alaska website.

 

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

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Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – July 2026

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