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Many of us are excited to soon resume service to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), but for the crew who are laying over there, their stay in suburban Virginia may not be so exciting. Despite an official recommendation by the AFA Hotel Committee for another property, management has selected an inferior hotel for crew accommodations.

How Hotel Selection Works

When a layover hotel in a new city needs to be selected or a hotel contract is up for renewal in an existing city, members of management and the AFA Hotel Committee visit the prospective hotels. Each hotel is evaluated for safety, cleanliness, quality, and to ensure it will meet the needs of our Flight Attendants. The Hotel Committee issues their official recommendation to management, who makes the final decision.

Management Isn’t Listening

The message that has been sent to our Flight Attendants is clear: sorry, you’re just not worth it.

Despite an official recommendation from the Hotel Committee and the urging of the MEC, management has decided to ignore the AFA recommendation for the IAD layover hotel. Under the new contract, when management selects a hotel that the Hotel Committee disagrees with, the MEC can request a written explanation from the division leader detailing the reason why the hotel was chosen (§34.A.1.c)

In an email from the MEC, Vice President of Inflight Services Andy Schneider was asked to provide her detailed explanation in accordance with the contractual language. The response, provided by Director of Crew Strategy & Administration Chad Koehnke, cited cost savings, payment discounts, and contractual terms that favored the company as the reasons for choosing the selected hotel over the preferred hotel recommended by AFA. The message that has been sent to our Flight Attendants is clear: sorry, you’re just not worth it.

Have Hotel Problems? Write It Up!

If you happen to be flying an IAD trip and have feedback to provide about the new layover hotel (or any layover hotel in any city), be sure to share it by writing a feedback report in CrewCare.   Reports submitted through CrewCare are automatically routed to the ALPA and AFA Hotel Committees as well as management—they will hear what you have to say. You can access CrewCare by following the link on the main page of the Flight Attendant website or by visiting http://www.alaskaaircrew.com.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

Note: To protect crewmember privacy, hotel names are not mentioned in this post as this article is posted on the AFA Alaska website. Information about crew hotels is available in the FA Crew Hotel Info conference in FirstClass.

MEC 5B Logo

Researchers from Harvard University are continuing their study of Flight Attendant health and need your help in collecting information. You’ll find a letter below regarding the study and what you can do to help. Your participation matters; please take a moment to take the survey now if you haven’t already.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt and MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Chairperson Seth Heiple

 

Harvard

 

Dear Flight Attendant,

We keep climbing, but we are only 50% towards our goal for participation, so we extended our deadline to March 8th.  Get your survey completed by 3/8/15 11:59 PM PST and you will automatically be entered into a raffle for an Apple Watch.  We need YOU!   We’ve doubled our numbers in the last few days, so we know you can do it.

Our results will only be as strong as our participation.  The more flight attendants who tell us about their health, the better our knowledge will be.  Have you retired or changed jobs?  Have you participated in other flight attendant studies?  Have you started the survey, but haven’t had time to complete it?  Do you only have time to take it on your phone or tablet?  Great, you’re still eligible to participate—the only requirement for participation is that you worked as a flight attendant in the past.

Take 15 to 20 minutes of your time to inform our understanding of flight attendant health for YEARS to come.  Join us at Harvard University School of Public Health by

Following this link to the Survey: www.fahealth.org/harvard-study

Also, please let your friends know that ALL flight attendants are welcome to participate.  We’ve heard some flight attendants have not received an email from us or maybe our email was caught in spam, so please spread the word that ANY former or current flight attendant can take the survey at www.fahealth.org.

Sincerely,

Dr. Eileen McNeely, Principal Investigator, Flight Attendant Health Study
Dr. Sara Gale, Project Manager, Flight Attendant Health Study

Harvard School of Public Health
Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Research
Landmark Center, Room 3-098
401 Park Drive, P.O. Box 15697
Boston, MA 02115
617-384-8861
www.fahealth.org

With the recent ratification of our new contract, your Master Executive Council (MEC) has started the process of forming a Scheduling Committee as outlined in section 27.P.2. Many other carriers, both AFA and non-AFA, have a Scheduling Committee responsible for reviewing and discussing scheduling concerns with management. The Scheduling Committee will ensure that our Flight Attendants have strong representation when it comes to any scheduling-related concerns.

The Committee Structure

At Your Base (LEC Level)

Within each domicile, the Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers will be responsible for appointing a Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson and Committee Members. Your Local Scheduling Committee will be responsible for collecting and researching concerns related to scheduling, hours of service, and trading. They will work with management to resolve concerns and potential contractual violations presented by Flight Attendants. In addition, local committees will gather feedback regarding bidding and pairing construction from Flight Attendants and share this information with the PBS and Pairing Construction Subcommittees.

At the Airline (MEC Level)

The MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson will coordinate the activities of the Local Scheduling Committees across the airline. The MEC Chairperson is responsible for supporting the Local Committee Chairperson and Local Committee Members in their interactions with management and providing any necessary resources. In addition, the MEC Chairperson will coordinate and lead the Scheduling Review Board, a meeting between AFA and management to be held every two weeks to address and resolve scheduling related issues before referring them to the grievance process.

PBS and Pairings

The Scheduling Committee also contains the PBS Subcommittee and Pairing Construction Subcommittee. The two subcommittees, each led by an MEC Vice Chairperson, represent Flight Attendant interests in their areas of expertise. Each Local Scheduling Committee will work closely with the subcommittees to share Flight Attendant feedback and help improve these systems and our quality of life.

Who Will I Contact?

Once appointed by your LEC Officers, your Local Scheduling Committee will be your point of contact for any concerns you have. Each Local Scheduling Chairperson and Committee Member will help Flight Attendants to address and resolve concerns or potential contractual violations. Contact information will be posted at http://afaalaska.org/scheduling after committee appointments have been made.

Scheduling Committee Communication Flow

How Do I Get Involved?

Local Scheduling Committees will soon be formed in each base. Within each base, the LEC Officers will appoint a Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson and Committee Members. If you’re interested in serving on the Scheduling Committee, please contact your LEC President. You can find contact information at http://afaalaska.org/locals, then by clicking on the link for your base.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

MEC 5B Logo

At a meeting held earlier this week, your Master Executive Council (MEC) interviewed candidates for the position of MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson.  In total, six candidates interviewed for the position (five Seattle-based Flight Attendants and one Anchorage-based Flight Attendant).  The MEC would like to thank those candidates for stepping forward in the spirit of Union service.  After much discussion, the MEC has appointed Jake Jones to the position.

About Jake

Jake Jones is currently serving a second term as vice president of AFA-CWA Council 19 Seattle.  Jake is a Seattle-based Flight Attendant and joined the company in 2006.  Recently, he served as a Negotiating Committee Member for the past three years on our new collective bargaining agreement.  He holds an AA in Business Administration and Management.  Prior to working for Alaska Airlines, he was in the banking industry for seven years.  His partner Jeff is an Alaska CSA and they live in Auburn, WA with their two dogs Shanti and Houston.

Local Scheduling Committees Forming Soon

More opportunities for involvement are coming up, as Local Scheduling Committees will be forming soon within each domicile.  If you are interested in serving on the Local Scheduling Committee, contact your LEC President.  You can find contact information for your LEC President through the Local Councils page of the AFA Alaska website at http://afaalaska.org/locals.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

MEC 5B Logo

 The good news and the bad news…

 

The Profitability Bonus (aka Cost of Living Adjustment, or “COLA”) will be paid out to eligible flight attendants tomorrow, Friday, February 13th. The COLA is usually paid on April 20th but at the request of AFA the Company has been kind enough to pay early this year. The good news is that it will be early. The bad news is the COLA is lower than years past despite very high profitability. This is due to an extremely low change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers’ (CPI-U) between December 2013 and December 2014.

COLA formula and contractual language

 

The formula for the COLA is found in 21.P of the former Collective Bargaining Agreement:

 

21.P. Any Flight Attendant who is at the highest step of the pay scale as of January 1 will be eligible for a profitability bonus, based on the profitability of Alaska Airlines during the ensuing calendar year as follows:

 

Operating Profit Margin Bonus Percentage

 

Less than 3%: 0

3.0 – 6.0%: 20% of COLA

6.01 – 8.0%: 30% of COLA

8.01 – 10.0%: 50% of COLA

10.01 – 12.0%: 70% of COLA

Over 12.01%: 100% of COLA

 

As used herein:

 

  1. COLA shall be the percentage change (of not less than zero) in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers’, U.S., published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, comparing statistics for December in the year for which the profitability bonus is earned with statistics for December in the previous year.

 

  1. The Company’s operating Profit Margin shall be defined as Operating Profits divided by Operating Revenues. All figures shall be audited figures of Alaska Airlines, Inc., which are publicly reported pursuant to S.E.C. reporting requirements, for the calendar year for which the profitability bonus is earned. The Association shall have the right to verify such numbers to the extent that any such information would be available to shareholders of the Company. Calculations shall be based on the operating results of Alaska Airlines only, excluding the results from any subsidiary, parent, or affiliated company. The profitability bonus will be based on all TFP flown or credited during the calendar year, multiplied by the step rate in Section 21 A, multiplied by the Bonus Percentage described above.

 

The profitability bonus will be paid in April of the following year.

 

Operating profit margin was high but change in CPI-U was low

 

Operating profit margin was 18.6% but the change in CPI-U December 2013 to December 2014 was only 0.32%. Falling fuel prices largely drove this statistic lower than in past years. Based on the contractual calculation, eligible flight attendants will receive 100% of the COLA: 0.32% of $46.48 (the old top of scale Step rate) or approximately $0.15 (15 cents) per TFP flown or credited in 2014. Only flight attendants who were at the top of scale Step 17 on January 1, 2014, are eligible for the COLA.

 

Longevity Premium replaces COLA in the new Contract

 

Longevity Premium in the new Contract replaces the COLA. Longevity Premium is a minimum of $1 per Worked TFP (exclusive of sick leave and vacation/Longevity PTO) for flight attendants who have completed at least 16 years of occupational service. Because Longevity Premium is not dependent on the Company’s profitability or the federal CPI-U statistics, AFA strongly believes this is a more consistently favorable provision than the COLA.

 

AFA Alaska Logo No Tag

Our contract provides the ability to use on-line travel benefits while on a medical, maternity, or Workers’ Compensation leave of absence.  In order to use these travel benefits, you’re required to provide a doctor’s release that states that travel will not adversely affect your ability to return to active service.  This requirement is spelled out in section 15.J.1 of the contract:

A Flight Attendant on a leave of absence who wishes to secure on-line travel passes will coordinate such travel through Inflight management. In the case of a medical, maternity or Workers’ Compensation leave s/he must provide a doctors release specifying such travel will not adversely affect the Flight Attendant’s ability to return to active service. 

Due to the contractual requirement that you provide a doctor’s release in these instances, AFA recommends that you obtain a doctor’s release to travel when you go out on any of these types of leave if you intend to use your travel benefits and your doctor is comfortable providing such a release.

For more information about this requirement or travel while on a leave of absence, please contact your Local Benefits Committee or one of your LEC Officers.  You can find contact information at afaalaska.org/benefits.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt and MEC Benefits Committee Chairperson Terry Taylor

MEC 5B Logo

After ten years of service in his position, Portland-based flight attendant Jeff Stein is retiring from his position as AFA Pairing Analyst. Consequently the Master Executive Council (MEC) is in search of qualified individuals interested in becoming the new AFA Pairing Analyst. This is in addition to the Scheduling Chairperson position previously announced several weeks ago (that is now closed and interviews scheduled for next week).

Background

  • The official title in the AFA Alaska MEC Policy Manual for the AFA Pairing Analyst is MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction. The Pairing Analyst is chairperson of the Pairing Construction Subcommittee. See below for additional information.
  • The pairings in our bid packets are “optimized” (usually for least cost) and built using a computer program designed by Jeppessen.
  • Currently our pairing building vendor Jeppessen produces pairings remotely in Montreal with input from Alaska Airlines and AFA. Efforts are currently underway to migrate pairing production “in house.”

Additional Background from the AFA Alaska MEC Policy Manual

4. PAIRING CONSTRUCTION SUBCOMMITTEE

a.Scope

(i)        The Pairing Construction Subcommittee will work with the company and the Inflight Crew Planning Department to build Flight Attendant pairings

b. Policy/Responsibilities

(i)        The Pairing Construction Subcommittee shall consist of the MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction.

(ii)       The Subcommittee shall:

(A)       Regularly communicate with and provide updates to the MEC Scheduling Chairperson on the activities of the subcommittee

(B)       Meet on a monthly basis with the Company and the Inflight Crew Planning Department to review problems and suggested resolutions regarding construction of Flight Attendant pairings and monthly lines of flying.

(C)       Maintain a permanent file for all local schedules for the use of the MEC Scheduling Committee.

(D)       Keep the MEC informed on all activities relating to the pairing construction process.  When meetings or communications are due to unusual scheduling activities, a written report will be made.

(E)       Keep the membership informed of the results of the pairing construction process on a monthly basis throught the MEC Communications Committee Chairperson.

(F)       Solicit feedback from the membership regarding desired pairings, trip lengths, and types of flying through Local Scheduling Committees and advocate for such during the pairing construction process.

(G)       Discuss any problems occurring within the pairing construction process with the Local Scheduling Committee Chairpersons on a monthly basis and will provide any suggestions for remedy of problems to the MEC.

Skillset/Requirements

  • Strong computer skills are a must.
  • Ability to independently meet several deadlines throughout the month.
  • Potentially frequent travel to Seattle for training and meetings. However, duties may generally be fulfilled remotely.

Duties

  • Review, validate and comment on the monthly pairing solutions.
  • Write a monthly pairings report.
  • Correspond with flight attendants regarding pairing solutions and related concerns.
  • Advocate for flight attendants in the pairing building process.

Time Commitment

  • Estimated 20-30 hours per month, most of which may be accomplished remotely.
  • The time commitment for the position has varied between 10-21 hours/month in the past 6 months, with an average of approximately 16 hours/month. This is likely to increase for the near future.

Compensation

  • This is a paid position compensated by the Company under 27.P Company Business (CB) Flight Pay Loss with a 5% override and “A” pay. CB is compensated at 0.75 TFP per hour of work.
  • Flight Pay Loss for this position has averaged 12 TFP per bid month over the past six months. However, once pairing building is brought back in house, the process is likely to become more complicated and therefore time consuming for at least a period of time.

Reporting Structure

  • Directly reports to the Scheduling Committee Chairperson, who in turn reports to the MEC.

Interested?

  • The MEC will hold Interviews on Tuesday, March 3, 2015. Bid around the interview date or arrange to adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate.
  • Interviews will be at the AFA Alaska MEC office in Seattle. Our office is located in the Alaska Airlines Flight Operations and Training Center, Suite 280 at 2651 S 192nd St, Seattle, WA 98188.
  • Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Yvette Gesch at yvette.gesch@afaalaska.org no later than February 20, 2015. Yvette will be able to provide additional information regarding transportation and booking of flights if necessary.

 

* * *

 

In solidarity,

 

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

MEC 5B Logo

Friday, February 6, 2015 @ 1030 PT

Incorrect pairings file requires a completely system shutdown and reload

 

Due to an inadvertent error, the incorrect pairings file was loaded into Navtech’s PBS. A complete system shutdown is required in order to load the correct pairings file. This is anticipated to take approximately two hours.

 

Bidding will not resume until at least noon PT and bids will close 12 noon PT February 11th

 

Bidding will not resume until at least noon Pacific Time, so the close of bids will be extended (from the normal 9am PT on February 10th) to 12 noon PT on February 11th. At this time the Joint PBS Committee is anticipating that bid awards will still be on time despite the 24-hour extension to the closing of bids.

 

Pairing numbers and/or layover cities will change in some cases

 

Because the pairings file will be a different file, some pairing numbers and/or layover cities within the same pairing numbers will change. AFA recommends that you take a very close look at your bid prior to submitting it—particularly if you bid by pairing number.

 

More information forthcoming on Company media outlets

 

Please check the Company media outlets (Navtech’s PBS, Inflight Splash page, bulletins and/or Outlook email) for more information as it becomes available.

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