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April 8, 2014 16:30

Dear Flight Attendants,

Bidding will close very soon for the month of May. As you prepare your bids, we hope you will plan on getting involved with the Mobilization Committee by attending Mobilization Training. To ensure that you’ll have the opportunity to get involved, please bid one of the following dates off and sign up for a Mobilization Training session here: http://alaskamec.org/mobilization/training.

Anchorage – Monday, May 12 – 10 AM to 12 PM / 1 to 3 PM
Seattle – Tuesday, May 13 – 8 to 10 AM / 11 AM to 1 PM / 2 to 4 PM
Portland – Wednesday, May 14 – 10 AM to 12 PM / 1 to 3 PM
Los Angeles – Thursday, May 15 – 10 AM to 12 PM / 1 to 3 PM
San Diego – Friday, May 16 – 9 to 11 AM / 12 to 2 PM

The training will include guest speakers, negotiations and mobilization strategies, Railway Labor Act (RLA) history and planning of future solidarity actions.

The backbone of our mobilization efforts will be our Mobilization Volunteers. Mobilization Volunteers will provide support to the Negotiating Committee through coordinated solidarity activity and two-way communication between the membership and the committee. The Mobilization Volunteers will work closely with their respective Local Mobilization Chairperson to call other Flight Attendants to action through participation in organized solidarity activities and a program of information sharing.

We are excited about the new Mobilization Committee and look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate our resolve to achieve the contract improvements we deserve! If you cannot attend one of the training sessions there will other mobilization opportunities in the future.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and MEC Mobilization Chairperson Adam Clarey

April 8, 2014 11:45

Hello Seattle Flight Attendants,

Please find the attached agenda for the upcoming base meeting next week.

Time: 1pm Place: Central Annex Room, SEA TAC airport- Mezzanine Level

Parking is free in the parking garage on all floors except 4!

AFA-CWA BASE MEETING

Council 19- Seattle

April 16, 2014

1:00 pm

Agenda

I. Call meeting to order

A. Call for late agenda items

1. Late Agenda Items:

B. Announcements

II. LEC Update

A. Officer Update- Board of Director’s Agenda Items

B. Donation to Project Help

C. Year End Budget Review

III. AFA-CWA Next Generation Program: Krystle Cook

IV. Update on Negotiations

April 7, 2014 21:59

Questions on Maternity leaves?

Your LEC Maternity Chairs, Beth Hogger and Danni Peterson, are hosting a maternity roundtable April 14th in room 227 of the Flight Ops building from 10am to 12:00pm.

April 6, 2014 12:00

http://www.afacwa.org/flight_attendant_union_promotes_bill_for_permanent_ban_on_knives_in_the_aircraft_cabin

April 02, 2014

Washington, DC– The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), today pledged unyielding support for a new bill that would place a permanent ban on knives in the passenger cabin. The bi-partisan bill, H.R. 4368, was introduced by Representatives Michael Grimm (R-NY), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), David Joyce (R-OH), and Daniel Lipinski (D-IL). It serves as companion legislation to Senate bill S. 1008. AFA issued the following statement, commending the lawmakers who are taking sound action for aviation security and refusing to forget why there is a ban on knives in the passenger cabin.

“After leading intense efforts last year to ensure that knives are kept on the prohibited items list and out of the passenger cabin, our Flight Attendant union remains steadfast in pushing for a permanent ban secured by law. We are dedicated to working with Congress on swift passage of this bill. Passengers, law enforcement, crew members, airport ground staff, security experts and airlines all agree: there should be no knives ever again.

“We applaud the leadership of Representatives Grimm, Gabbard, Joyce and Lipinski. These lawmakers are helping to strengthen our nation’s aviation security. Their work will result in safer flights for millions of Flight Attendants and passengers.

“Flight Attendants are united in this fight and have resoundingly sent one simple message: no knives on planes ever again. Together with our allies, AFA has been successful in keeping knives on the prohibited items list, but it is crucial that Congress act on this legislation for a permanent ban.

“This is a bipartisan issue that is supported by an overwhelming majority of Americans. It’s about our history and our future security. It’s time: No Knives, Ever Again.”

The Association of Flight Attendants is the world’s largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 68 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions. Nearly 60,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.

April 5, 2014 19:43

Dear Flight Attendants,

The Master Executive Council (MEC) has received quite a bit of feedback in response to the “New Sick Leave Communication” email sent by Managing Director of Inflight Services Ron Calivin, dated April 1, 2014. Many of you have specifically requested the MEC to respond to the communication. In that email, management stated an intent to begin sharing charts and data highlighting one’s sick leave usage and balance. The charts and such will be contained in emails sent following a sick leave event. According to the email, management plans to include de-identified information about the individual’s peer sick leave average and the highest peer sick leave balance as well.

If you did not receive this email in FirstClass, you should contact your base supervisor. AFA has reason to believe management is experiencing continuing issues with their FirstClass distribution lists. This is not the first time in recent memory that AFA has received feedback from our membership indicating problems with Inflight communications via FirstClass. Because not everybody received the communication there is a rumor out on the line that the email (and the new policy) was retracted, but this is not true.

Many Flight Attendants have expressed they are upset with various aspects of the new policy highlighted in the email—particularly the peer comparison. The reality is that management is allowed to communicate with Flight Attendants regarding their sick leave usage as long as such communication is not disciplinary in nature. Flight Attendants may be disciplined for sick leave usage solely pursuant to the Attendance Policy outlined in Section 32 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement—except in the case of sick leave abuse.

If management were in violation of a contractual provision or established practice, AFA would take immediate action by filing a grievance. A Flight Attendant is not required to respond to email(s) sent in response to a sick leave event and the receipt of such email is not disciplinary in nature. Therefore, AFA does not find grounds to object to this new practice. It’s essentially a similar practice as the “get well” communications that management has been sending for some time now following an individual’s sick leave event.

Rest assured the MEC has communicated our members’ feedback to Inflight management. If you are concerned about the April 1^st communication and/or aspects of the new policy, we encourage you to contact your base supervisor or Ron Calvin. Inflight management has publicly stated a desire to have open and honest two-way communication, so AFA encourages our members to take them up on the offer. If you think management is being too paternalistic or passive-aggressive, tell them so!

In solidarity,

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

April 5, 2014 14:16

Dear Flight Attendants,

Bidding in Navtech’s PBS has re-opened and the bidding deadline extended to 12 noon PDT on April 10th.

This is from Inflight Bulletin 2014-0071 “May Bids Reopened – New Aircraft Codes Added”:

“Fleet planning has added new aircraft-type designator codes for aircraft that
have been through the fleet modification. These new aircraft types were not
added to PBS prior to bids opening at 9am on April 5th. Consequently bidding
was shut down at 1120am April 5th to add these new aircraft type codes.

Bidding reopened at 1:45pm PDT April 5th and will be extended until 12noon PDT
April 10th.

Here are the definitions of the new aircraft types:

8EX is the 73H (non-ETOPS 737-800) with 6 extra seats
9WX is the 737-900 with 9 extra seats w/winglets
9EX is the 737-900 with 9 extra seats

If you use Aircraft Type in your bid, check to make certain if these new
aircraft codes need to be added to your Award or Avoid statements.
Questions can be sent to PBS Q&A on FirstClass.”

There will be no further updates regarding this issue unless warranted.

In solidarity,

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

Your AFA PBS Committee—Stephen Poynter and Rebecca Asbell

April 5, 2014 12:57

Dear Flight Attendants,

A problem has been identified with the May pairings that is affecting bidding. Consequently, bids have been locked in Navtech’s Preferential Bidding System (PBS) and the Joint PBS Committee is working quickly to resolve the issue. Bidding will reopen as soon as possible and the bidding deadline will be extended.

What is known so far is that unbeknownst to Crew Planning and the Joint PBS Committee, several new aircraft codes were loaded into the system: 8EX, 9WX and 9EX. The Joint PBS Committee began investigating the codes as soon as they were discovered. They have found out that these codes are related to aircraft that have been reconfigured with extra seats (the ‘X’)—nine seats on the -900 and six seats on the -800—and the new scimitar shaped winglets (the ‘W’).

Because many Flight Attendants bid by aircraft type, not addressing the issue would most likely significantly impact bid awards. Stand by for further updates!

In solidarity,

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

Your AFA PBS Committee—Stephen Poynter and Rebecca Asbell

April 5, 2014 12:34

Dear Flight Attendants:

The VOICE (Volunteer Organizers for Information, Communications, and Education) Committee has served us with distinction over the past several years during contract negotiations. The MEC would like to thank these committee members for their dedication and contribution to AFA. Today, we announce a new chapter, as the VOICE Committee evolves to become the new Mobilization Committee.

As we gear up for another round of negotiations, demonstrating our solidarity and unity is more important now than ever before. Bringing Flight Attendants together through participation in organized solidarity activities will be the primary responsibility of the Mobilization Committee. The Committee will also work to actively share information pertaining to negotiations and help Flight Attendants to find and access official sources of information.

Mobilization Volunteers

The backbone of our mobilization efforts will be our Mobilization Volunteers. Volunteers will provide support to the Negotiating Committee through coordinated solidarity activity and two-way communication between the membership and the committee. They will work closely with the Local Mobilization Chairperson to call other members to action through participation in organized solidarity activities and a program of information sharing with Flight Attendants.

Specific duties of a Mobilization Volunteer include:

Responsible for educating the membership and moving them to action. They will provide information and support for targeted issues or specifically identified groups of Flight Attendants as defined by the Negotiating Committee.
To further the Flight Attendants’ understanding of key issues through active information sharing and referral to official sources of information
To dispel gossip, rumor, and inaccurate information regarding negotiations by directing Flight Attendants to official sources of information
To provide two-way communication of the needs and responses of the membership through feedback to the Local Mobilization Chairperson and the Negotiating Committee
Actively participate in organized solidarity activities such as canvassing of membership at airports and crew rooms, informational leafleting or picketing before the general public, or other activities as approved by the Master Executive Council (MEC)

How To Get Involved

In order to get involved as a Mobilization Volunteer, plan now to attend one of the upcoming mobilization training sessions to be held in May. Sessions will be held as follows:

Anchorage

Monday, May 12

10 AM to 12 PM § 1 to 3 PM

Seattle

Tuesday, May 13

8 to 10 AM § 11 AM to 1 PM § 2 to 4 PM

Portland

Wednesday, May 14

10 AM to 12 PM § 1 to 3 PM

Los Angeles

Thursday, May 15

10 AM to 12 PM § 1 to 3 PM

San Diego

Friday, May 16

9 to 11 AM § 12 to 2 PM

In order to sign up for one of these sessions, visit the online registration form here: http://alaskamec.org/mobilization/training. Please note that space in each session is limited and registration will close once capacity is reached.

We are excited about the new Mobilization Committee and look forward to the opportunity to demonstrate our combined resolve for the contract improvements that we deserve!

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and MEC Mobilization Chairperson Adam Clarey

April 5, 2014 11:31

Dear Fellow Flight Attendants:

This is just a reminder that you have less than one week left to have your voice heard in our Local Executive Council (LEC) Officer Elections. Polls are currently open to elect the three officer positions—President, Vice President, and Secretary. The officers who are elected to these positions take office on July 1, 2014 and represent you for a three-year term of office. Polls close on Friday, April 11 at 10 AM Pacific Daylight Time and election results will be announced as soon as the Ballot Certification Committee at AFA International has certified them.

If you have not received your voting instructions with the 16-digit activation code, call the AFA Ballot Helpline at (800) 424-2401, option 1 then extension 706. If you have questions about dues or membership issues should call AFA Membership Services at (800) 424-2401, option 7.

For more information about the elections, including a list of nominated candidates, please visit the AFA-CWA Elections website at http://afacwa-elections.org/councils/ala-council-39-pdx.

In Solidarity,

Your LEC Officers – Cathy Gwynn and Brian Palmer

April 4, 2014 19:32

Just a reminder that April 10th is our LEC Union Meeting.

Thursday, April 10th, 2014, from 11am-2pm

@BJ’s Restaurant, 16060 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA 92647.

The meeting is specifically to go over BOD agenda items, but we will do business as usual with all of the other things such as Negotiations and Committee reports.

AGENDA

Union Meeting
April 10 2014

BOD Agenda Items
Negotiations
Mobilization
Committee Reports
Officer Reports
Open Forum

Mobilization Volunteers

How To Get Involved

Election Notice: Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Officer Elections

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025 Update #2

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2025

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – September 2025

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