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March 6, 2015 18:28

Background

On May 1^st, 2012, Alaska Airlines management unilaterally made a significant change to the employee travel pass policy. Effective that day, almost all Alaska Airlines employees who had previous service with Horizon Air had their year of hire adjusted to their Alaska Air Group (AAG) date of hire for the purposes of non-revenue travel priority. Over three hundred (300) employees had their travel seniority changed—approximately one hundred fifty (150) of them flight attendants. All former Horizon employees hired after July 1, 2012, have received their Alaska date of hire as their travel seniority.

AFA and ALPA filed grievances in response

AFA and ALPA filed grievances in response to that change. This was not something we undertook lightly, because many of our flight attendants are former Horizon employees. Ultimately, however, the Master Executive Council (MEC) filed the grievance because we felt—and still feel—that the Company’s actions abrogated our seniority. Seniority is the bedrock of our contract and the guiding principle governing our work rules. The grievance was intended to protect our contract and the workgroup as a whole, not to hurt a group of flight attendants.

Recent developments

ALPA recently settled its grievance, and now management has informed us that it will respond to our grievance by rolling back the travel seniority of Alaska flight attendants and pilots who are former Horizon employees. The Company is not rolling back the travel seniority of former Horizon employees in any other work group.

AFA believes the grievance is not resolved

AFA has told management that we do not believe that the grievance is fully resolved. The MEC is evaluating its options and determining its next steps. We will, of course, keep you informed of any developments. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact your local officers.

***

In solidarity,

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt; MEC Grievance Chairperson Jennifer Wise MacColl; and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput

March 6, 2015 09:22

Council 19 Local Base Meeting

When: April 8, 2015

Where: Hampton Inn- across from Alaska Flight Ops

Time: 11am

It’s that time of the year when your AFA Officers are preparing for the annual AFA Board of Directors (BOD) meeting and we need to discuss the agenda items for the BOD and seek your input. We will be posting the agenda items for review and look forward to discussing them with you at the April meeting.

We welcome our Sisters and Brothers from Horizon Council 16 to this meeting!

LEC Scheduling Committee

Many of you have reached out expressing interest for the local scheduling committee. This is a new committee for Alaska AFA and we are working through the process of establishing the foundation of the committee. Currently, the LEC Presidents are seeking out their local chairs and your SEA Officers are proud to present your LEC Scheduling Chair, Erik Velez!

Erik will be working with the Seattle Officers over the next few months to select the local committee and we will be reaching out to everyone who had contacted us.

Contacting your LEC Officers and Committee Members

Your LEC Officers and Committee members would like to ask for you help on this issue- While we realize the importance of finding solutions to your issues as quick as possible we would like to ask that you only reach out to one person at a time. There are many times where several of us get the same email or phone call and we each begin the process of working through the issue and duplicate efforts. If you have not heard back from your first point of contact within 24 hours then feel free to reach out to another person on the list.

Your Committee members fly a full line of time and the majority of your officers also fly and there are times where it takes us a few hours to return a call.

We appreciate your help and understanding with this request!

Grievance Update

All 5 of your Council 19 Officers and Jarod McNeill, are grievance trained and ready to assist with any disciplinary meetings/questions. Remember, you have a right to bring in an AFA representative to any meeting with management. With that said, you also have an obligation to return phone calls from management. If you receive a call from management and have any questions please reach out one of the six grievance representatives and we will be happy to discuss the issue with you.

Uniform Guidelines

There is a lot of confusion over the changes to the uniform policy and each supervisor appears to have a different approach to the changes. Your MEC Grievance Chair, Jen Wise-MacColl is working with the MEC and the MEC Uniform Chair, Bob Moore, on the proposed changes and how these changes will affect our group. Once we have received the proposed language from the company we will be communicating with the members. In the mean time, if you have questions please reach out to one of your Officers for assistance.

Implementation Update

March 2^nd, 2015 additional contractual provisions were put into place which include the following:

11.C.3.a. – b. – No pre-plotted ER days:

Flight Attendants who bid and are awarded a reserve line will have no pre-plotted ER days. Please be aware the company may convert a Reserve to ER a maximum of two (2) times per bid month, including a lineholder who has picked up reserve days. If you receive voluntary/involuntary conversions you will receive premium pay for the converted duty period, if flown, but no less than 1.0 TFP paid above the guarantee for ER conversions if not used.

LTFA preferences:

The LTFA preferences are live and being utilized by Crew Scheduling. There are many options available to Reserve Flight Attendants, which may assist in your quality of life. The fly/pass preferences refer to those Reserves who want to go First Out (fly) or Last Out (pass).

For example:

Pass/Fly 4k Night Flying

2 day PM FA1 preferences Fly Y N

2 day PM FA2 preferences Pass N Y

If Crew Scheduling is looking to award a 2-day sequence with night flying they will assign it to FA2. FA1 is asking to go out first, but does not want a night flying sequence, FA2 is asking to go out last but wants a night flying sequence. In an attempt to provide both FA1 and FA2 with their preferences, FA1 is bypassed and FA2 is awarded the sequence.

——————————————————————————-

Pass/Fly 4k Night Flying

3 day AM FA1 preferences Fly N N

3 day AM FA2 preferences Fly Y Y

If Crew Scheduling is looking to award a 3-day sequence with 4k flying they will assign it to FA2. FA1 is positioned to go out first, but does not want a 4k sequence, FA2 is positioned to go out first as well but below FA1 in the LTFA however s/he is willing to accept a 4k sequence. In an attempt to provide both FA1 and FA2 with their preferences, FA1 is bypassed and FA2 is awarded the sequence.

——————————————————————————-

In the past our LTFA list was based on days of availability, classification and TFP. With our new system there are preferences that may or may not change the way in which the order of assignment is awarded. With any change there are always challenges and opportunities. If you have concerns, comments or questions please feel free to bring those forward to your Local Reserve Committee. Providing us with both positive and negative feedback will assist your leadership in reviewing these newly implemented preferences.

March 5, 2015 18:53

Distribution begins on Monday

Alaska Airlines management will begin distributing the iPhone 6+ as our Inflight Mobile Device beginning on Monday, March 9, 2015. Distribution will continue over the next six weeks. There will be no less than twenty-one days available per domicile to pick up the device with additional accommodations made for the Los Angeles co-terminals. Management will provide dedicated staff to distribute the device.

Flight Attendants will be compensated 0.5 TFP for picking up the iPhone 6+

AFA and management have agreed to pay and credit flight attendants one-half (0.5) TFP for simply picking up the iPhone 6 Plus. The 0.5 TFP will serve as a “bonus” towards achieving the Quarterly Productivity Premium (QPP) in whatever quarter the device is picked up (Q1 for March, Q2 for April). The estimated amount of time to pick up the device is between five and fifteen minutes. However, flight attendants should allot up to a half-hour. The pay will be reflected in the flight attendant’s next adjustment check associated with the date of device pick up. “Early adopters” who have already received the iPhone 6+ will likewise be paid and credited one-half (0.5) TFP.

Arrangement for pick up

Flight attendants may pick up the iPhone 6+ either on or off duty. A Flight attendant who does not have scheduled flying or airport standby during the scheduled pick up dates must make arrangements with Inflight supervisor to receive her or his device at a mutually agreed-upon time and place. Nobody will be disciplined for not picking up the iPhone 6+ during the required period but everybody will be issued a device and are expected to make a good faith effort to facilitate this process.

Los Angeles co-terminal arrangements

For Los Angeles-based flight attendants who wish to pick up her or his iPhone 6+ in a co-terminal, she or he must pre-arrange to do so through a sign-up process. No less than two days will be available in Burbank (BUR), two days in Ontario (ONT) and five days in Orange County (SNA). Each co-terminal session will be no less than six hours and targeted around scheduled crew check-in times.

Pick up does not constitute training

This is not training. Nobody is expected to start using the Inflight Mobile Device for a couple months. For now, the iPhone 6+ is being issued simply in order to familiarize flight attendants with the device. Additional training will occur at a later date prior to any required use.

More information about the Inflight Mobile Device

A copy of the Inflight Mobile Devices Distribution Letter of Agreement is here. We know many of you will have additional questions. More information regarding the Inflight Mobile Device will be forthcoming in the next few days.

* * *

In solidarity,

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

March 1, 2015 14:49

March Newsletter

February 27, 2015 20:00

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.

February 25, 2015 20:00

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

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

February 24, 2015 08:00

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

February 13, 2015 12:00

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

February 12, 2015 19:07

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 13^th. The COLA is usually paid on April 20^th 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:

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.

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.

February 10, 2015 17:00

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

Background

AFA and ALPA filed grievances in response

Recent developments

AFA believes the grievance is not resolved

***

Distribution begins on Monday

Flight Attendants will be compensated 0.5 TFP for picking up the iPhone 6+

Arrangement for pick up

Los Angeles co-terminal arrangements

Pick up does not constitute training

More information about the Inflight Mobile Device

* * *

How Hotel Selection Works

Management Isn’t Listening

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!

The Committee Structure

At Your Base (LEC Level)

At the Airline (MEC Level)

PBS and Pairings

Who Will I Contact?

How Do I Get Involved?

About Jake

Local Scheduling Committees Forming Soon

The good news and the bad news…

COLA formula and contractual language

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

Longevity Premium replaces COLA in the new Contract

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