On 10/3, we held a chapter meeting, with all members invited. CLICK BELOW to view the meeting minutes.
In This Edition
- Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2023
- October 2023 MEC Meeting Recap
- Sign Up For Text Message Updates From AFA Alaska
- Shared on Social
- Next Week’s Events
Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2023
Originally posted October 10, 2023
Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, October 5, to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to safety, health, and security in our workplace. The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants face onboard the aircraft. Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever, given the challenges we currently face as a workgroup. Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed using ReportIt! Please get in touch with a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.
October 2023 MEC Meeting Recap
Originally posted October 11, 2023
Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, October 10, and Wednesday, October 11, to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants. As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight, crew planning, and labor relations management to discuss issues and concerns facing our work group and needing to be addressed. The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 14.
Sign Up For Text Message Updates From AFA Alaska
Originally posted October 12, 2023
We’re excited to announce a new way for Alaska Flight Attendants to receive important news and updates. Starting today, you can sign up for text message updates from AFA Alaska. The process is quick and easy – just visit the sign-up page and provide your name, mobile number, and a few other details. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll receive an email confirmation to let you know that your sign-up was successful.
Shared on Social
Tell Them What You Think: Take Management’s Pulse Survey
We are so pleased to know that management wants to hear from all of us. Let’s make the October Pulse survey a success by telling management how we really feel!
Here are some talking points you may want to share in the comments section of your anonymous survey:
- How all of the unpaid duty time is illegal and affecting your livelihood
- If you are disappointed that management continues to prioritize “economic feasibility” over your well-being
- How lack of scheduling integrity through reassignments is eroding morale
- How 90%+ reserve utilization is unsustainable and inhumane
Encourage your crew members to take the survey!
Check your company Outlook email or Team AAG (AAG sign-on required) for the link.
The survey closes at 23:59 Pacific Time on Sunday, October 22.
Next Week’s Events
| Tuesday, October 17 – Thursday, October 19 | Contract Negotiations |
| Thursday, October 19 | SAN Base Safety Meeting |
Find Us on Social Media
You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts. Click below and follow so you can stay connected!
Communications Committee
We’re excited to announce a new way for Alaska Flight Attendants to receive important news and updates. Starting today, you can sign up for text message updates from AFA Alaska. The process is quick and easy – just visit the sign-up page and provide your name, mobile number, and a few other details. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll receive an email confirmation to let you know that your sign-up was successful.
Don’t worry, we won’t flood your phones with messages. AFA Alaska text messages will only be sent for significant events and time-sensitive alerts. For other news and information, you can continue to find updates on our websites, social media accounts, and email newsletters.
Text message updates from AFA Alaska will be sent to your phone from 49484. Please note that these messages are one-way only, so if you have any questions or need more information, please don’t reply to the message. Instead, feel free to contact your Local Council directly for assistance.
If you transfer to a different base, please submit a new sign-up form with your new base to update your record. At the moment, it’s only possible to subscribe to text message updates from one base at a time. We’re looking into ways to allow multiple base subscriptions in the future.
We’re excited to keep you informed about the latest happenings in a way that’s quick and convenient. Sign up now to stay connected and never miss an important update again!
Master Executive Council (MEC)
- Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, October 10, and Wednesday, October 11, to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
- As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight, crew planning, and labor relations management to discuss issues and concerns facing our work group and needing to be addressed.
- The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 14.
Our MEC held its regular meeting for October 2023 on Tuesday, October 10, and Wednesday, October 11. The MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee provided updates during the meeting. The MEC also reviewed written reports from other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons regarding their ongoing work.
Meeting with Management
As part of most Regular MEC Meetings, our MEC meets with management to review the current issues and challenges that Flight Attendants face. Attendees from management this month included Vice President of Inflight Matt Prainito, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Allen Thieman, Managing Director of Inflight Services Gloria Chow, Director of Inflight Training & Standards Thomas Kaminski, Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Vice President of Labor Relations Jenny Wetzel, Managing Director of Labor Relations Carmen Williams, Senior Labor Relations Program Manager Mike Link, Director of Payroll Leah Ables, Vice President of Finance Ryan St. John, and Managing Director of Operation Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette.
Some of the topics discussed include:
- Payroll training resources for Flight Attendants. Crew pay will be working to develop additional materials to help Flight Attendants understand how we’re paid. This will include a short training video geared toward new hire Flight Attendants.
- Crew Scheduling chat functionality. Management is working toward implementing the ability for Flight Attendants to have a text chat with a Crew Scheduler for help performing certain scheduling-related functions. Conversations will only be able to be initiated by Flight Attendants. Hopefully, this functionality will improve response times during irregular operations or weather events. Programming is ongoing, and the system should be ready for testing soon.
- Inflight irregular operations hotline. Management has devised a process to help alleviate long hold times for Crew Scheduling during weather events or severe irregular operations. Some management employees are being trained to assist with calls not specifically related to scheduling so that Crew Schedulers can focus on scheduling-related matters.
- Distribution of iPhone 13 Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs). Management continues distributing iPhone 13 IMDs to Flight Attendants with iPhone 7 or 8 Plus IMDs. Currently, over 600 Flight Attendants still need to be issued new devices. (Note: to view the iPhone 13 IMD distribution LOA, click here).
- Recurrent training (RT). Management is currently conducting practice run-throughs of the 2024 RT curriculum with a group of Flight Attendant Instructors. The 2024 RT program will include differences training on the MAX10 aircraft and a half-day service training review.
- Flight Attendant staffing. Management shared information about staffing plans for the remainder of this year and hiring predictions for next year. The projections are constantly shifting based on anticipated aircraft deliveries and market conditions.
- Pairing construction and keeping Flight Attendant and pilot pairings together. Management is exploring ways to keep Flight Attendant and pilot pairings together as much as possible (called “teaming”). The intent is to help improve operational efficiency as entire crews follow the aircraft instead of being split up frequently. Not all pairings will be teamed due to different contractual and regulatory rest and duty limitations for each work group.
- LOSA observations. LOSA observations resumed this week and will continue at a rate of one week per month on an ongoing basis (note: the Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee shared information about the continuation of LOSA observations in this article published last week).
Contract Negotiations, Mediation, and Mobilization
Our MEC held a productive discussion about our ongoing contract negotiations, upcoming mediation, and mobilization strategy. Our Negotiating Committee is fully prepared to return to the bargaining table with management next week and continue their fight for the improvements in pay and work rules we have rightfully earned. Additional solidarity activities are currently in the planning phase and will be announced before the start of December bidding.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this month’s regular MEC Meeting, please get in touch with your LEC President.
In this Edition
- ASHSC Committee Update
- Benefits Committee Update
- Communications Committee Update
- EAP Committee Update
- Grievance Committee Update
- Hotel Committee Update
- Human Rights Committee Update
ASHSC Committee
The Seattle Air Safety, Health, and Security Committee has continued working towards creating a safer work environment for our workgroup. We have participated in discussions around changing processes and announcements as we continue to grow and change. The Flight Attendants that conduct our Cabin LOSA observations had their annual recurrent training and are getting ready for the audits that will begin again in October.
This year, the switch from Summer to Fall seems to have happened overnight. With this change, we are starting to see the fall storms and the days are getting shorter. It’s important to remember to review and adjust some of our habits to stay safe. With more darkness, be aware of your surroundings, especially in parking lots, on layovers, and other places that aren’t well lit. While driving during this transition period, be aware that there are still lots of people out and often they aren’t wearing clothing that’s geared towards the dark. We also deal with a lot more wind which requires additional attention while driving.
Both NOAA and the national Weather Service have lots of good information on their websites. A couple of links follow:
https://www.noaa.gov/stories/4-safety-tips-for-fall-hazards-small-actions-can-have-big-impacts
Benefits, Retirement & Maternity
Our Benefits Committee is always very busy assisting Flight Attendants with planning their medical, maternity, and workers comp leaves.
When a staffing leave is offered, many calls are generated regarding benefits while on a staffing leave. We had many SEA based Flight Attendants that are on the October staffing leave. It is very important to double check your benefit enrollment when you return. An email will be sent from our benefits department with a link to your benefits enrollment.
The 2024 annual enrollment period is right around the corner. This year, the dates are 10/24/2023 – 11/17/2023. This is your once per year time to review your benefits and make any changes for plan year 2024. Our Benefits Committee will be doing base sits 11/9, 11/10, 11/16 & 11/17. Watch for detailed information regarding annual enrollment.
Our Benefits, Retirement and Maternity committee are committed to helping our SEA based Flight Attendants in any way we can.
Communications Committee
We launched our first newsletter since bringing on new committee members. As with any change, there will be some growing pains, and we are working to streamline our processes.
Moving forward, you will receive two regular email communications from us each month. The first will be our monthly committee update (like the one you are reading now) containing information/updates on a portion of our committees, being sent the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The second will be a monthly newsletter, coming the 4th Wednesday of each month.
In addition to the above communications, we will send out emails when we need to get important information out to the membership.
We are also going to focus on social media. We have already launched our new Council 19 Facebook group, and we will be launching our Instagram page soon. Moving forward, we will continue to evaluate other social media platforms to keep our members informed. As always, we will continue to make posts on our Council 19 webpage https://afaalaska.org/sea.
EAP Committee
Are you looking for a counselor? Alaska is in the process of switching to a new provider for company sponsored EAP benefits, which will be available in early 2024. In the meantime, we want to ensure that you have access to timely and quality counseling services. EAP has compiled a comprehensive list of providers that you can choose from if you need extra support. We can also assist you in finding someone who matches your needs and preferences, especially if this is your first time seeking professional help. Please visit the AFA EAP website for resources or email Andrea Korican at andrea.k@me.com or Lisa Haugen at skylis@hotmail.com and share your personal email for an updated list.
We continue to see professional standards concerns with social media misuse, unauthorized trip trades, bullying, and unprofessional behaviors on the airplane. We urge you to resolve any conflicts or issues through respectful dialogue and mutual understanding. Remember that everyone may be facing different challenges and stressors at work or in their personal lives. If you encounter a situation that you are unsure about or that makes you uncomfortable, you can always seek confidential guidance and support from an EAP Professional Standards representative or chairperson. They can help you with strategies and solutions to address or cope with your concerns.
Joint Meetup with AFA and ALPA Professional Standards Committees
Your AFA Professional Standards Committee, in coordination with ALPA’s Professional Standards Committee, invites you to coffee and snacks in the Seattle Village (i.e., the crew lounge on the first floor of the North Satellite) on October 19 from 0800 – 1100.
AFA and ALPA are making a joint effort to provide information about the committees and how they can support you on the line. The AFA and ALPA Professional Standards Committees are each part of their respective Assistance Programs available to all union members.
Your Professional Standards Committees goal is to provide you with a better understanding of who we are and how our two committees work individually and together to assist our fellow flight attendants and pilots. This is an opportunity to ask any questions you may have and gain a better understanding of how the professional standards process works. We are committed to assisting our fellow crew members by resolving situations that arise at the lowest level possible so they can continue to perform their duties professionally and safely in an increasingly challenging work environment. Please take a few minutes to stop by for coffee and snacks and meet our committee volunteers! We look forward to the opportunity to serve you!
Grievance
On September 12, 2023, there was a Grievance Committee Update published for the 3rd quarter of 2023. Items discussed included:
- Steps of Discipline
- Subjects of most recent discipline
- Recent Arbitration/Mediation
- Recent grievance Settlements
- Grievances recently filed, denied by management and currently awaiting arbitration dates
Steps of Discipline
As stated in the update, the steps of discipline are:
- Confirmation of Oral Warning (COW)
- Written Warning (WW)
- Suspension – the number of days varies
- Termination
These disciplines remain in your file for 18 months and then are eligible for removal. It’s important to understand that each violation builds on another, regardless of if they are related or of a different nature. So, if a Flight Attendant is still within the 18-month period of a previous discipline, then a subsequent violation will be the next step and the 18 months starts again.
For example, a Flight Attendant receives a COW for being late to plane and causing a delay. Twelve months later, the Flight Attendant loses their IMD and is issued a WW. Eight months later, the Flight Attendant forgets to do their CBT and is suspended. Even though it’s been 20 months since the first violation and the COW will have been removed from their file, they are still in the steps of discipline for the WW, so the next step is still suspension.
For more information regarding the removal of discipline, refer to the CBA, §19.D:
DISCIPLINARY EIGHTEEN (18) MONTH REMOVAL
All letters of discipline (warning or suspension) will be expunged after eighteen (18) months after the date of issuance and, at the request of the Flight Attendant, will be removed from the Flight Attendant’s personnel file.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Not all violations follow the steps of discipline. Some violations, including but not limited to, theft or sick leave abuse is cause for termination, even if the Flight Attendant is not already in a step of discipline.
Attendance Discipline
Unlike other violations, attendance disciplines follow a separate track and are dependent on point accumulation. Refer to the CBA, §32.E.1 to learn more about the steps of discipline related to occurrences of absenteeism. It is up to the Flight Attendant to be aware of the status of their own point accumulation. Make sure that you are utilizing your Quarterly Point Reduction form to help mitigate your point accrual. You have until the end of your next sequence to designate the sequence for your point reduction form. If you don’t submit your form in time, it will be denied, and your points will stay. In other words, a Flight Attendant can’t wait until the end of the quarter and try to use their form for a sequence weeks prior if they had already returned to work and flown subsequent trips since.
For example, a Flight Attendant calls out for a 4-day trip. They are off for 3 days and then report to work for their next 4-day trip. The Flight Attendant has to submit their Quarterly Point Reduction Form prior to their release on Day 4 of their trip.
Hotel Committee
Your hotel committee continues to advocate for the best hotels possible, while maintaining the language in our CBA.
We have seen an increased number of Crew Care reports coming through which is great. Please remember to continue to send the reports for both complaints and compliments. These reports are essential when we are evaluating markets. The Crew Care reports can be accessed directly on your IMD by clicking the API Icon, or on the Inflight Website, Hotels, Hotel Links, My Crew Care.
Our committee has been busy doing site inspections the last couple of months. Members of the committee have recently conducted inspections in CUN, BWI, DEN, SJC, ONT, EWR & PIT. Upcoming inspections include NAS, RDU, GUA, ZIH, IAH, and BNA.
We have seen recent new hotels in Downtown Seattle, and Downtown Chicago, we hope you are enjoying these great new locations and properties!
We hope you have been utilizing the API quick link on your IMD for all your hotel information and needs. Important information like shuttle pick-up times/locations, hotel amenities, and more can be found via the link. The quick link will be replaced with a stand-alone app in the next couple of months. We are currently testing the app and are happy with what we see so far. More information will come on this as we get closer to the launch. We are also planning a base sit in Seattle to highlight the functions!
Human Rights
A note from Yan Yan Teague, Local Human Rights Chairperson:
Hello Council 19,
After four years as your LEC Human Rights Chairperson, I have decided to step down at the end of the year.
To quote Chris Jackson as Washington in Hamilton:
“If I say goodbye, the nation learns to move on, it outlives me when I’m gone”
While I by no means am comparing my position to that of the nation, I do believe that it is important to get a fresh new perspective in this position. I know there is still so much to tackle, but I am proud of what we were able to accomplish in the past four years.
To ensure we have an equitable process in selecting a new Chairperson, the SEA LEC will hold interviews for eligible candidates during the week of December 4, 2023. If you are interested, please plan to bid around that week. All interviews will be conducted using Google Meet video conferencing.
Visit our AFA Alaska Human Rights Committee page to learn more and download roles and responsibilities of the committee. Interested candidates should submit a resume along with a cover letter outlining your interest to sea@afaalaska.org, no later than November 1, 2023.
Find Us on Social Media
You can find the most up to date information on our Council #19 Facebook Group. Click below to join our group and stay connected. Also, our communication team is researching other social media platforms, more information will come soon!
Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)
- Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, October 5, to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to safety, health, and security in our workplace.
- The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants face onboard the aircraft.
- Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever, given the challenges we currently face as a workgroup. Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed using ReportIt! Please get in touch with a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.
On Thursday, October 5, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting in person were Debi Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Blair Kimball (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Carin Meritt (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN). Also present was MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple.
The committee met with Inflight Training Supervisor Ken Hawkins, Infight Policy & Procedure Specialist Kevin Weatherbie, Manager of Inflight Safety & Compliance Johanna Giese, Manager of Inflight Policy & Procedure Kaliko Howell, Inflight Regulatory Compliance Safety Analyst Danette Thomas, and Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder.
The next scheduled Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee meeting is Thursday, January 4, 2024.
Topics of Discussion
The committee reviewed a number of items when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:
- Definition of “Guardian.” The FAM states that no one in an exit row can be responsible for a child 15 or under elsewhere in the cabin. The Committee would like “guardian” to be better defined in FAM. Kaliko will review verbiage in the FAM and include Airport Operations & Customer Service (AOCS) and Customer Advocacy in any discussions about updating definitions or language for alignment.
- Cabin divider curtain. Flight Attendants are closing the curtain in an overhead bin, using the bin door to secure it in the open position. Kaliko will ensure the FAM reflects the current procedure for closing and securing the curtain. He will also follow up with Maintenance & Engineering to see the status of the new curtain restraints.
- D position traveling alone/4 crew pairings. This concern has been escalated to EVP and COO Constance von Muehlen—no update at this time.
- Inboard jumpseat assignment. The Committee prefers that the B and C Flight Attendants move inboard for better cabin management and visibility. Inflight Policy & Procedure would like to keep the current practice. We will keep advocating for this change.
- Issues with onboard cleaning products. Flight Attendants have reported physical reactions that they believe may be caused by exposure to onboard cleaning products. One problem is that we only sometimes have the correct bag to stow the spray bottle. It was also noted that Fleet Service may be over-spraying more product than necessary to perform cleaning tasks. Their procedure is to spray into a cloth and then use the cloth to wipe. Fleet Service Agents should not spray cleaner directly onto surfaces. In the long term, the Committee wants to replace the bottle of cleaner with surface wipes for Flight Attendant use.
- Air quality events not identified and reported as they are happening. When multiple Flight Attendant operating the same flight experience symptoms, crews and ground personnel should suspect a possible air quality or hypoxia event. Failure to identify an event can result in an inadequate operational response and a lack of support for the impacted crew. Cabin Safety Manager Heidi Stiley will see if this information can be included in Pilot and Flight Attendant training. We will also look at manuals to make sure this is called out.
- Door opening procedure from outside the aircraft. There are different understandings about who may open an aircraft door from outside. It is taught in Alaska Initial Flight Attendant Training and will be added to Recurrent Training for 2024. However, legacy Virgin America Flight Attendants never received this training. Kaliko will look at past communications to see where it was communicated that Flight Attendants are not to open the L1 door from outside and report back to the group.
- Single-door catering stations. IAD had single-door catering, and crews were delayed in boarding/pre-flight due to inability to center aisle blockage and then rushed for passenger boarding. Single-door catering can happen anywhere. ACTION: Matthew will discuss with the Catering Ops team
- Surgical masks stocked on the aircraft. With the uptick in COVID-19 infections, we would like to see more masks boarded in Flight Attendant Kits for a total of 10 each. Heidi will bring the topic to an upcoming meeting.
- SFO airport transportation. Crew Access says to “walk to hotel.” The Committee has requested that the Air Train information’s phone number be added to Crew Access. Kaliko will follow up with the Crew Hotels team.
- Weigh restriction zones. We would like for there to be a more straightforward means of knowing what the zones are on a weight-restricted aircraft. We would also like management to allow some freedom in moving passengers within the same row or zone when weight-restricted.
- Firm/rough landings. Heidi shared that the aircraft registers a hard landing at 2.2Gs and higher. Anything else is not technically a “hard” landing. Regardless of what they are called, the Committee is seeing a lot of landing-related injuries of Flight Attendants, and we have asked management to look at ways to reduce the number of injuries occurring.
- EMK/EEMK supplies. We have previously requested that a better blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, and glucose monitor be added to the kits. Johanna told us that the FAA may update the required contents of the EMK, and management is considering adding an assessment kit, which would include a blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, glucometer, and stethoscope.
What the Committee is Working On
- MAX8 galley. A representative from the ASHSC and Inflight Service Committee spent several days with management and Boeing representatives reviewing the design of the MAX8 galley at the manufacturing facility. At this stage, the Committees were able to provide feedback on galley units that have been built but have yet to be installed. Almost all of AFA’s recommended changes to the design to improve functionality and safety will be implemented in the production units, including improvements to the trash receptacles and trash volume. Unfortunately, improvements to the MAX galley bar were not deemed feasible.
- Locking lavatories. We have been working with management to determine whether we should continue locking lavatories for taxi, takeoff, and landing. Our Local ASHSC Chairpersons have mixed feelings about this proposed change. There are concerns about cabin management, with passengers potentially entering the lavatory at an inappropriate time and possibly hindering egress should a lavatory door be open during an evacuation. Positive outcomes of the change may include reducing distraction during door-disarming procedures and allowing passengers to use the lavatory in an urgent situation without a Flight Attendant needing to leave the security of their jumpseat. The Committee has asked about benchmarking and what the procedures are at other airlines. In conjunction with a change to the lavatory door locking procedure, the Committee has asked Inflight management to assess the timing and necessity of the pre-departure and pre-landing lavatory flush.
- Adding passenger briefings to cabin areas of responsibility. We already use cabin areas of responsibility for emergencies, equipment checks, and compliance checks. The Committee would like to see this include passenger briefings to remove confusion about which Flight Attendant is responsible for ensuring they are completed before door closure.
We Want to Hear From You!
If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please help the committee to advocate for improvement and change by filing a report. Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) reports, and fatigue reports can all be submitted using ReportIt! If you’re not sure what type of report to file for a particular situation or need help, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of your Local ASHSC.
Do you have other feedback for the committee or items that you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local ASHSC is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the ASHSC page of the AFA Alaska website.
In This Edition
LOSA Observations Continue
Originally posted October 5, 2023
We are entering the next phase of our Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) program. Starting October 8, 2023, LOSA observations will occur over six continuous days each month. Like the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), participation in LOSA is entirely voluntary, and identifying information such as Flight Attendant names, dates, and flight numbers are never associated with observation data. If you have any questions about the LOSA program, please don’t hesitate to contact the AFA members of the LOSA Steering Committee.
Shared on Social
President Biden’s Speech At The Tempe Center for the Arts
On September 28, 2023, President Biden delivered a speech about the state of democracy at the Tempe Center for the Arts in Tempe, Arizona. The White House invited 40 Union leaders from the Arizona AFL-CIO, who, in turn, selected Melissa Osborne, LEC President of Council 35 (SFO), and Majo Tanco, LEC Secretary of Council 18 (LAX), to attend the event.
The event’s main focus was to announce the dedication of a local library to the late Senator John McCain. The audience had the opportunity to hear from various notable speakers, including Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Ambassador Cindy McCain (Senator John McCain’s widow), and President Biden himself. Other attendees included Tempe Mayor Corey Woods, former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, Phoenix City Mayor Kate Gallego, and more.
In his speech, President Biden emphasized the importance of unity in a country struggling with division and eroding democracy. He urged Americans to unite under a common cause and work together to maintain and protect the freedom our founding fathers secured for us. Union members in the room felt the message of solidarity and unity was not lost on them.
This year, the US labor movement has been a shining example of the power of solidarity. As we approach the end of the year, Flight Attendants all over the country are ready to stand together and fight for our right to fair wages and working conditions. We recognize that we can accomplish more when we help each other, regardless of the airline or Union we belong to.
Next Week’s Events
| Tuesday, October 10 – Wednesday, October 11 | Regular MEC Meeting |
| Thursday, October 12 | LAX Base Safety Meeting |
| Thursday, October 12 | Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) |
Find Us on Social Media
You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts. Click below and follow so you can stay connected!
Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)
- We are entering the next phase of our Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) program. Starting October 8, 2023, LOSA observations will occur over six continuous days each month.
- Like the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), participation in LOSA is entirely voluntary, and identifying information such as Flight Attendant names, dates, and flight numbers are never associated with observation data.
- If you have any questions about the LOSA program, please don’t hesitate to contact the AFA members of the LOSA Steering Committee.
As previously communicated, AFA and management agreed to a Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) program to help improve safety for Flight Attendants, other crewmembers, and passengers. The LOSA program is jointly administered by AFA and management as outlined in the Inflight Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) Program letter of agreement.
The information collected from LOSA observations will help us better understand how Flight Attendants manage threats and errors, evaluate compliance with standard operating procedures, and gain valuable insight into our day-to-day line operations from a safety perspective.
LOSA Observers are line Flight Attendants trained to perform LSOA observations. They are prohibited from recording Flight Attendant names, flight numbers, or dates in the collected data, as confidentiality is critical to this process. Any data collected is sent directly to the AFA LOSA Coordinator to ensure it is fully de-identified before being released for analysis by the LOSA Steering Committee. AFA and management will receive a final report outlining what went well and what can be better, identifying procedures that should be modified or re-emphasized.
Flight Attendant LOSA Observer may ask to join your flight to conduct an observation. Participation is entirely voluntary; however, we encourage you to participate in this valuable effort. You will also be able to provide your LOSA Observer with safety-related feedback during the flight.
Questions?
More information about LOSA can be found in the September 25, 2023 Bulletin Bundle (AAG sign-on required). If you have any other questions about the LOSA program, please reach out to the AFA members of the LOSA Steering Committee at losa@afaalaska.org.
In this edition:
- Summer of Mobilization Recap
- Upcoming Important Dates
- Membership Dues
- Hispanic Heritage Month
- AFA International HRE Committee
Summer of Mobilization Recap
It has been a busy summer for our LEC/MEC and Mobilization Volunteers! With Red Hot Summer systemwide events in July and August at Alaska, American, Southwest and United, and surprise pop up events in LAX and PDX in September, we have made sure management knows wherever they go, AFA will find out and we will be there. And we will keep being there until we achieve an agreement that properly recognizes our contribution to the success of the company!
Be on the lookout for ANC Mobilization Committee members who continue to hand out red pins and bag tags.
Many thanks to the members who have volunteered at our events and helped make them a success! You can keep up to date with the latest negotiations information here News (afaalaska.org)
Upcoming Important Dates
Save the Date – October 25, 2023 – Council 30 Meeting
Our next Council meeting will be Wednesday, October 25, 10:30am to 12pm at the Bayshore Clubhouse, 3131 Amber Bay Loop, Anchorage, AK. Members must be active status and in good standing (dues current) to attend local council meetings.
PBS Base Sits
Members of the ANC Scheduling and Reserve Committees will be hosting PBS base sits in the ANC Crewroom from 10/5, 6, 7, 8, 9 from 10am – 4pm each day.
National Group Protection – Open Enrollment
You should have received a couple of mailings from National Group Protection regarding open enrollment for Group Supplemental Benefits, including Accident and Critical Illness benefits. You can enroll online at www.ngp-ins.com/alaska-afa or call (800) 344-9016.
Second Round Vacation Bidding
Second round opened October 3rd and closes the 17th. Don’t forget to bid! Awards will be posted on October 25th.
Government Affairs Base Sit – November 2
ANC Government Affairs Committee members will have a base sit on November 2 to educate members on current ballot measures affecting our labor group. They will also provide information and locations pertaining to in person and mail in voting.
Use It or Lose It – Uniform Allotment
Our current uniform allotment will expire at the end of 2023. If you fail to use the allotment by the end of the year, you will lose the funds. Each FA will receive a new allotment on January 1, 2024.
If you are out of allotment funds and in need of uniform pieces or have allotment funds that will go unused, please reach out to ANC Uniform Committee Chair, Kim Mazzolini at kim.mazzolini@afaalaska.org.
Membership Dues
As we get closer to reaching an agreement on a new contract, it is important to make sure you are current on your membership dues. In order to have your vote counted on a new tentative agreement (TA) you must be an active member in good standing (dues current.) If you have questions about your dues status, please reach out to our Council 30 LEC Secretary, Annie Madsen at annie.madsen@afaalaska.org.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month officially started on September 15th and runs through October 15th. If you didn’t get a Hispanic Heritage AFA pin last year, reach out to a local AFA officer. Currently, we are recommending all members wear the red AFA pin to support our Negotiating Committee during ongoing contract negotiations.
AFA International HRE Committee
The AFA Human Rights and Equity Committee is committed to providing the broadest possible representation of our members regardless of age, disability, marital status, national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression. We honor and celebrate the shared humanity of the members in our care.
We shall at all times endeavor to promote the principles of tolerance, fairness, equity, justice, respect and inclusion within our Union. It is only when we all work together, we can tear down the walls of division and create a progressive culture that values social & economic justice for all working people.
CLICK HERE to view the latest HRE Committee Newsletter
If you are interested in joining the HRE Committee, please contact send an email to anc@afaalaska.org.
In Solidarity,
LeiLauni, Heather and Annie
Please remember that tomorrow (October 3rd) is our Council 19 base membership meeting and we are looking forward to seeing as many of our members as possible. During the meeting, we will cover our scheduled agenda items, and will be available to answer all of our members questions.
Parking is available free of charge in front of the building, or if you are parking in the rear, take a ticket when entering the lot and bring it to the meeting for validation.
Please REGISTER HERE if you plan on attending, and we look forward to seeing you!
Date: October 3, 2023
Time: 1 PM – 4 PM
Location: Earhart Room at the International Plaza (same building as 13 Coins) across from the airport.
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