Dear Flight Attendants,

 Approximately 1 year ago, your MEC posted an informational guideline for those flight attendants experiencing health related issues due to the TwinHill uniform titled, “Your Uniform, Your Health”.  Since then many of the policies and procedures have changed and so we are providing you with an updated version. (Please see below). 

Approximately 6 weeks ago we posted the most current statistics obtained from responses to the multiple surveys and questionnaires that we sent out to those of you with reported adverse reactions to the TwinHill uniform.  At that time the total number of reported cases was 597.  Just 6 weeks later the number has risen to 652.  That’s 55 new cases in 6 weeks!  (Please see below for updated statistics). 

 AFA leadership and members of the Uniform and Safety, Health and Security Committees are working with management to procure a new uniform as quickly as possible.  However, the projected rollout date is not until Fall 2014.

 If you believe you are experiencing an adverse reaction to the TwinHill uniform, please follow the guidelines provided in “Your Uniform, Your Health”.

 Additionally, if you would like more detailed information and references you can click on:

http://ashsd.afacwa.org/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=160011&page=HealthIssues

This will take you to AFA International’s Air Safety, Health and Security Department website.  

YOUR UNIFORM_YOUR HEALTH -1

 AFA UNIFORM STATS FOR MEMBERSHIP MAY 2013

May 27, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

Early this morning, a male passenger was arrested in Portland for interfering with flight crew after he allegedly attempted to open an emergency exit row window during descent on flight 132 from Anchorage to Portland. The attempt was unsuccessful as the locking pins for the next generation aircraft window exits were still engaged, and the passenger was ultimately restrained by passengers and crew. The Association praises our Portland- and Seattle-based Flight Attendants for their professionalism under pressure. This incident has made national headlines so we expect there to be increased media attention for the next few days. Please remember that Flight Attendants should not make statements to the media and should refer all inquiries to Alaska Airlines Corporate Communications.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Terry Taylor, Yvette Gesch, Melanie Buker, Laura Masserant and Sandra Morrow

“Five Bases, One Voice”

www.alaskamec.org

References

Alaska’s World May 27, 2013 “Passenger arrest: FBI detains man after he tries to open emergency exit inflight” (login required): http://splash.alaskasworld.com/NEWS/2013/05/27_passenger_arrest.asp

May 23, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

Alaska Airlines management advised AFA that two “No Knives On Planes” stickers were found on the sides of two different inbound beverage carts yesterday. Management reports that the stickers cannot be removed so the affected side panel must be replaced at a cost of $100. Although the Master Executive Council (MEC) appreciates the enthusiasm our members have shown for ensuring that no knives are ever brought back into the cabin, we must insist that the stickers are not affixed to Alaska Airlines property. Thank you very much!

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Terry Taylor, Yvette Gesch, Melanie Buker, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

“Five Bases, One Voice”

www.alaskamec.org

‘No Knives’ sticker on a cart:

May 22, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

Many of our brothers and sisters participated in informational leafleting and picketing at the Alaska Air Group Shareholders meeting yesterday afternoon at the Bell Harbor Conference Center on Pier 66 in downtown Seattle. The event was a very successful solidarity action and the Flight Attendants delivered a professional, respectful message to management and our shareholders. Several AFA representatives entered the actual proceedings and Master Executive Council (MEC) President Jeffrey Peterson was the first to address the group during the Q&A portion of the meeting. AFA is appreciative of management’s efforts to ensure AFA was heard.

The Shareholders meeting was reported in an Alaska’s World article today (May 22, 2013) “Striving for success: Taking a long-term view on finances, growth and serving all stakeholders” (login required): http://splash.alaskasworld.com/NEWS/2013/05/22_annual_meeting.asp.

Private recording devices were prohibited during the proceedings, so we have to paraphrase the full text of Jeff’s question:

“The Flight Attendants have been negotiating with Alaska Airlines management for the past 18 months and talks have recently stalled, largely over compensation. We have since applied for mediation with the National Mediation Board. There are Flight Attendants engaging in informational picketing out front, which the Association believes is an unfortunate but necessary distraction. We had hoped to be announcing a tentative agreement at this meeting.

Back in 2009 AFA signed a contract extension that provided only very moderate increases to our base wage in order to ensure Alaska Airlines would be in a position to prosper in an uncertain economy and a turbulent industry. In the presentation we just saw, there was discussion about aligning shareholder and employee interests. It was mentioned that in the past several years there has been more than a 500% increase to share value. In approximately that same period, the Flight Attendant wage scale his slipped nearly 8% when adjusted for inflation.

Knowing all this, how are we going to move things forward to get the Flight Attendants a contract we deserve so that we can focus our efforts back on closing the gap with our competitors?”

The meeting broke at 3:30 pm, at which point the entire coalition reconvened outside for a brief recap of the activities. An unofficial social mixer followed at Anthony’s for several hours. Check out pictures of the event below!

The next negotiations session is scheduled for July 8-11, 2013, in Valencia, California.

In solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Terry Taylor, Yvette Gesch, Melanie Buker, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

“Five Bases, One Voice”

www.alaskamec.org

References:

Alaska’s World May 22, 2013 “Striving for success: Taking a long-term view on finances, growth and serving all stakeholders” (login required): http://splash.alaskasworld.com/NEWS/2013/05/22_annual_meeting.asp

May 20, 2013

Dear Flight Attendants,

The Master Executive Council (MEC) invites you to join us for informational leafleting at the Alaska Air Group (AAG) Shareholders meeting beginning at 1pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at the Bell Harbor Conference Center, Alaskan Way, Pier 66, Seattle, WA 98121 (http://www.bellharbor.com/).

From 1pm to 2pm, the entire group will participate just outside the venue, along the pier, on the Alaska Way sidewalk and possibly over the sky bridge leading to the parking structure across the street. You can check out a map and interactive view of the site on Google: http://goo.gl/maps/lF7DE. At 2pm, several members of the contingent with shares or proxies will enter the conference center and designated spokespersons will possibly make statements inside as appropriate. Those who do not have proxies may remain outside and continue to participate. Flight Attendants do not need to own shares or have a proxy in order to join us for leafleting, as there is plenty to do outside the venue! It is extremely important that we show our solidarity at this event so we need anybody who is not working but previously scheduled to be in Seattle or who is on a layover to come on down and join us for a few hours.  We are asking for your participation between approximately 1pm-3:30pm.

If you are coming from a layover in Seattle, you can be at the venue in about an hour and ten minutes. Directions for taking the light rail from SeaTac Airport station to Westlake Center downtown (approximately 50 minutes) are here: http://goo.gl/maps/dTdhe, and then walking directions from Westlake Center to the Bell Harbor Conference Center (approximately 20 minutes) here: http://goo.gl/maps/lbwdj. Driving directions from all points: http://www.bellharbor.com/directions.php; a printable driving map of the area: http://www.bellharbor.com/pdf/BH_Driving_Directions.pdf. For those of you that live in the Seattle Area there are several non-driving options available to get to Pier 66.  If you live in West Seattle, the West Seattle Water Taxi service drops you off a short walk from Pier 66: http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/kcdot/WaterTaxi.aspx. If you are coming from the Peninsula, the Bremerton and Bainbridge Ferry service will drop you off a short walk from Pier 66: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/. In King County several bus routes will take you to Westlake Center where you will be able to follow the walking directions posted above. These routes include: Aurora Bus Route 358, Ballard Route 40 or Rapid Ride D, U District Route 73, Bellevue Route 550, Kirkland Route 255, Issaquah Route 554, and Mountlake Terrace Route 511.  For Information on these and other transit routes visit http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/.

AFA will be supplying complimentary AFA Alaska t-shirts to all who attend the event, supplies permitting. We ordered a fairly significant quantity of t-shirts in a variety of sizes so we anticipate having enough for everybody. The t-shirts are a royal blue with the AFA logo and identify us as Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants; there are no other slogans so these may be used for a wide variety of purposes. Again, a free AFA Alaska t-shirt to all those who can make it, supplies permitting. Please do not wear your uniform to the event! We will also have signs, buttons, flyers, and balloons.

We want to show our professionalism, and why we are the best FAs in the industry, to the shareholders while we express our concern over the company’s inability to negotiate a fair contract with us!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Terry Taylor, Yvette Gesch, Melanie Buker, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn and Sandra Morrow

“Five Bases, One Voice”

www.alaskamec.org