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Scheduling Committee

  • On April 23, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

On Tuesday, April 23, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Kamako Yamado (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, and MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz.

The committee met with Managing Director Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director Ops Staffing & Resource Mgt Brittany Audette, Director of Crew Staffing Nicholas Giles, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Sr Mgr Product Management Rick Mitchell, Manager Inflight Crew Scheduling Goose Hlaingmyint, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, and other management representatives from Crew Planning/Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on May 21, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • Reassignments/Delays
    • FA’s seeing increase in Reassignments over past two months
    • Reassignments happening in base or after check-in with little notice
    • Delays on overnights reported close to report time
  • Rest Concerns
    • Flight attendants who did not waive rest are frustrated that their check in is delayed to allow rest rather than the Flight Attendant being removed from trip due to short staffing
  • Pay Issues
    • Trend in seeing delays in confirmation that corrected pay has been applied
  • Trading Issues
    • All bases discussed the open tickets regarding the JCTE trading issues and calendar display
  • Hotel Issues
    • Crews had incorrect information on pairings regarding their hotels creating lengthly waits for hotel rooms and short rest periods. All Local Scheduling Committee Chairs continue to fight for additional pay when applicable
    • Crews having non-contractual rooms
    • See Hotel Hotline for each hotel’s contract language as well as file an API report when issues arise
  • PBS Bidding
    • Request that PBS in-person bidding continue especially with new classes arriving

What the Committee is Working on

  1. NavBlue. The PBS Committee is seeking feedback on how they can improve their assistance to flight crews regarding bid awards and understanding results. They provided both in-person and virtual meetings for this purpose.
  2. Pairings Survey. There is a discussion about conducting a survey on pairing construction, and there is a possibility of organizing a virtual session or town hall. A meeting with management occurred June 5, 2023, with a follow-up meeting to be arranged. However, there is no update or estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the moment.
  3. Chime Communications. Flight Attendants may chat with crew scheduling via app/Microsoft Teams to reduce phone calls. Flight Attendant-initiated contact. Early stages of development, to be discussed with AS Labor Relations and AFA. Testing and implementation to occur in the next few weeks. We are working on a letter of agreement for implementation. This is still pending review. 
  4. Crew Scheduling. There was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that covered various aspects such as reserve utilization, detailed breakdowns, sick leave (week by week and year over year), premium, personal drops, and other relevant agenda items.
  5. Crew Planning. Similar to Crew Scheduling, there was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that cover subsequent month staffing, trip length distribution, Flight Attendant block hours, special initiatives (e.g., IROPs), commutability, and other relevant agenda items.
  6. ITS. Representatives from ITS joined the scheduling meeting to provide updates on NavBlue, Crew Access, internal systems, and Block 2 Block. These updates include performance reviews, data analysis, and information about future releases. 

We Want to Hear From You!

Whether you have feedback for the Committee, concerns to share, or items you’d like brought up with management – don’t hesitate to let us know. Your Local Scheduling Committee is here to be your voice to management. You can easily open a support ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or directly contact us using the information provided on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Our MEC thanks Elizabeth Dillon for the significant role she played in supporting Flight Attendants through her service as MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson.
  • MEC Committee Vice Chairperson Lisa Haugen will succeed Elizabeth as the new MEC Committee Chairperson, with the Vice Chairperson position becoming vacant.
  • Interviews for a new Vice Chairperson will be conducted at the June Regular MEC Meeting.

Our EAP/Professional Standards Committee has evolved incredibly the past few decades, thanks in part to the hard work and dedication of MEC Committee Chairperson Elizabeth Dillon. During her term, she helped develop new programs supporting and advocating for our Flight Attendants, such as the Flight Attendant Addiction Support (FAAS) program, while also coordinating the expansion of EAP and Professional Standards during the growth of our Flight Attendant group and the Alaska/Virgin America merger. We are grateful for Elizabeth’s service and commitment to our Flight Attendants.

As of this month, current MEC Committee Vice Chairperson Lisa Haugen will take over as the new MEC Committee Chairperson. Our MEC is confident that she will continue to provide strong leadership and support for our Flight Attendants. With the transition, this leaves the MEC Committee Vice Chairperson position vacant. Given this position’s significant role and the importance of continued representation, our MEC will conduct interviews for the position at the June Regular MEC Meeting.

Background

The MEC Committee Vice Chairperson of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee is responsible for assisting and working collaboratively with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson to assist Members, their families, and partners with personal and work-related problems that could affect or are affecting their health and well-being, on and off the job. 

Additional Information from the MEC Policy Manual

  1. SCOPE
    • The Committee exists to assist any Flight Attendant in any area that affects professional performance by means of a personal discussion, and has a responsibility to those submitting reports, those voluntarily seeking assistance and those brought to their attention by their peers.
    • The Committee will assist members experiencing emotional / psychological, marital/family, alcohol/other drug related, legal or financial problems which are affecting their health and well-being on and off the job.
    • The EAP committee will also address the maintenance of Professional Standards of the airline and serve in an advisory capacity in handling all career-related problems of a professional and ethical nature.  The Committee shall understand Company procedures and encourage people to work through AFA-CWA channels.  The Committee will conduct investigation of problems brought to the Committee and recommend a course of action for the disposition of cases as required.  
  2. POLICY AND RESPONSIBILITIES
    • The MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee shall consist of the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson and the Local EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson from each council.
    • EAP/Professional Standards Committee members will function in accordance with International EAP/PS Committee guidelines.
    • The EAP Resource Manual and EAP Handbook are the written guidelines for Committee structure and functioning. 
    • All matters brought to the Committee’s attention will be handled with utmost confidentiality.
    • AFA-CWA EAP/PS will coordinate and promote cooperation with other employee-represented groups in attempting to resolve conflicts that may arise out of working relationships.
    • EAP/PS will be available to assist any Flight Attendant prior to, or following, a disciplinary process.  The MEC and International EAP/PS discourage a Committee Member from being present in any grievance hearing.
    • EAP/PS does not evaluate performance, accuse or judge, punish, preach nor threaten.
    • EAP/PS will help troubled Flight Attendants when problems affect their personal and professional lives, including referral to appropriate treatment resource or self-help group, and assistance in gaining necessary leave of absence.
    • EAP members are knowledgeable of health and welfare plans as pertains to medical and psychiatric benefits as well as substance abuse issues.
    • EAP members participate in CIRP crew debriefings and operational debriefings when EAP issues are involved.
    • The committee will conduct ongoing education of the membership as to the function, scope and operation of the committee.
    • Each Flight Attendant has a responsibility to exercise reasonable personal efforts to resolve a problem prior to contacting this committee for assistance.
    • Flight Attendants are expected and encouraged to go to EAP/PS to attempt resolution of a conflict through peer efforts, rather than to request action from management.  

Qualifications

  • Current EAP/Professional Standards Committee Member or Chairperson.
  • Adherence to EAP policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information.
  • Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Google Workspace and Microsoft Office. Ability to use and manage cloud-based telephone platform for call routing and answering.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and take meeting minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate tasks to others as needed, and follow up on assigned tasks.
  • Ability to participate in all required conference calls and video meetings.
  • Ability to attend meetings and in-person activities as required.
  • Ability and willingness to plan, coordinate, participate in, and provide active leadership for committee meetings and training activities.
  • Ability to attend AFA International and other required training as needed.
  • Ability to remain publicly apolitical on internal AFA matters.
  • Maintenance of member-in-good-standing status.
  • Ability to remain in good standing with the company.

Duties

  • Coordinate with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the Committee. Collaboratively create and execute a plan that ensures full coverage and equitable distribution of all committee duties and responsibilities on an ongoing basis.
  • Perform the duties of the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson when requested or in their absence.
  • Act on and follow through on directives as established in the AFA-CWA Constitution & Bylaws and AFA Alaska MEC Policy & Procedure Manual. 
  • Working with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson, ensure that Local Committee Chairpersons’ responsibilities are fulfilled. Coordinate with applicable LEC Presidents to provide necessary support, resources, and tools to enable them to perform their duties effectively.
  • Communicate regularly with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson to provide status updates. Prepare and send a monthly activity report to the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson for inclusion in the monthly committee report to the MEC.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is eligible for up to 75 TFP per month of Company Business (CB) Flight Pay Loss (FPL) reimbursement, per the contractually negotiated allocation for the MEC EAP Chair/designee (§27.P.3.a).
  • This role involves sharing the responsibility for administrative tasks of the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee with the MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson on a rotating basis. When on call as the MEC EAP/Professional Standards designee, 24/7 availability and responsiveness are required. Most work can be accomplished remotely.

Working Relationships

With Local EAP/Professional Standards Committees

Frequent interaction with the Local EAP/Professional Committee Chairpersons and Committee Members.

With AFA International EAP

Regular interaction with the AFA International Director of EAP and staff.

With The Master Executive Council           

This position reports to the Master Executive Council. The designated MEC Officer responsible for the committee is the MEC Vice President.

Term of Appointment

The selected candidate will serve the remainder of the unexpired term coinciding with the MEC Officer election cycle, beginning immediately upon selection and concluding on December 31, 2025.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during the June Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around this date or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate. All interviews will be conducted in person or using Google Meet videoconferencing at the candidate’s discretion.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.  If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the position itself or any of the associated duties and responsibilities, please contact MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at mecvp@afaalaska.org.

If you have any questions about the expression of interest form or interview process, please contact MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou at mecst@afaalaska.org.

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Our Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting interviews for one (1) Member to serve on the AFA System Board of Adjustment.

Scope

Members are to serve on the System Board of Adjustment for the purpose of arbitrating any disputes or grievances that may arise under the terms of the Agreement between Alaska Airlines and its Flight Attendants.

Policy/Responsibilities

  • There shall be two members selected by the MEC from active members in good standing to represent the Association. Members will be selected at-large without regard to Local Council or domicile. 
  • Any person seeking a position as a System Board of Adjustment Member must submit a resume. Candidates must interview with the MEC.
  • System Board Members shall be selected for a two (2) year appointment period in accordance with the AFA Constitution and Bylaws. At least one appointment will be reviewed in June of each year. Selection shall be made, insofar as possible, to ensure that both members will not be new at the same time.  
  • The System Board Members will act in the best interest of the membership and the Association and will be consistent with the Agreement between the Flight Attendants and Alaska Airlines.
  • The MEC President shall have the ability, in the event of an emergency, to appoint a qualified member in good standing to fill an ad hoc position on the Board.
  • The MEC on an ad hoc basis, by majority vote, may appoint an expert as a substitute for one member of the System Board of Adjustment.

Qualifications

  • Current Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant
  • Willingness to attend the requisite grievance training(s)
  • In depth knowledge of the contract
  • Understanding of the principles of just cause
  • Adherence to Grievance Committee policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information
  • Maintenance of member-in-good-standing status
  • Ability to remain in good standing with the company
  • Ability to analyze written data and information with high attention to detail
  • Strong written and communication skills
  • Strong computer skills.

Term of Appointment

The selected candidate will serve a term of appointment that begins on July 1, 2024 and concludes on June 30, 2026.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during the June Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around this date or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate. All interviews will be conducted in person or using Google Meet videoconferencing at the candidate’s discretion.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.  If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions regarding the position or application process should be directed to MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams at stephanie.adams@afaalaska.org.

In This Edition

After Relentless AFA Advocacy, Alaska Management Finally Takes Initial Step To Protect Against Injuries From Dangerous Coffee Makers

Originally posted April 18, 2024

Alaska Airlines management has directed that older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers must not be used without a Brew Shield. The action follows months of advocacy by the AFA ASHSC, Inflight Service Committee, and MEC, highlighting ongoing injuries to Flight Attendants from the coffee makers. Our Committees and MEC continue to call for a complete suspension of the older coffee makers until the issue is fully resolved to ensure the safety of both crewmembers and passengers.

Read More >

Mediation Session 3

Originally posted April 18, 2024

This week was our third Mediation session with management and the mediator assigned by the National Mediation Board. We presented a comprehensive proposal that would significantly elevate pay for Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants and bring us in line with industry standard for RIGs/MPRs. We encourage management to come to the table ready to reach a deal soon. We are ready for a contract NOW.

Read More >

Shared on Social

April Mediation Agenda

Our Negotiating Committee is meeting today to prepare for mediation beginning tomorrow. Even though there was no mediation session in March, they used that time to discuss several sections that will be presented to management and the mediator during the April session. 

Every last detail of these sections affects our quality of life. We are standing strong in solidarity to fight for the contract we have earned!

C-Suite Bonuses

While Alaska Flight Attendants continue to struggle with severely outdated pay rates, Alaska C-Suite officers took their huge pieces of the pie. AFA led the fight for the airline’s Payment Protection Program approval during COVID. Don’t forget where those BILLIONS came from!

Watch Our Instagram Reel >

Mediation Session 3 Update

Our AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee presented a full comprehensive proposal to management during Mediation Session 3. This infographic focuses on proposed changes to Section 21: Compensation and additional economic components within the contract. Our proposals will only increase as additional airlines reach and ratify new contracts.

Update Video on Instagram >

Infographics for Section 21 >

Infographics for Economics >

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, April 23Monthly Scheduling Committee Meeting
Thursday, April 25SEA Base Safety Meeting
Thursday, April 25Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

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)

  • Alaska Airlines management has directed that older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers must not be used without a Brew Shield.
  • The action follows months of advocacy by the AFA ASHSC, Inflight Service Committee, and MEC, highlighting ongoing injuries to Flight Attendants from the coffee makers.
  • Our Committees and MEC continue to call for a complete suspension of the older coffee makers until the issue is fully resolved to ensure the safety of both crewmembers and passengers.

After months of relentless advocacy by our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Inflight Service Committee, and Master Executive Council (MEC), Alaska Airlines management has finally taken the first step towards meaningful action to protect crewmembers and passengers from injuries related to scalding hot coffee and grounds spewing from the brew basket of older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers. Effective immediately, management has directed that older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers must not be used to brew coffee under any circumstances if a Brew Shield is unavailable. In such cases, alternate coffee makers must be used to brew coffee; if no other coffee makers are available, coffee will not be served. If a Brew Shield is available, it must be installed and used. Flight Attendants should refer to Special Edition Bulletin #2024-0045 (April 17, 2024) for specific procedures, instructions for reporting missing Brew Shields, and other essential information.

Note: Management refers to the older-style B/E Aerospace coffee maker as the “B/E Classic Coffee Maker,” also identified as Coffee Maker #1 in the FAM. It has five square buttons that include the “COLD WATER” option and does not have a paddle on the hot water spigot.

Management’s recent action is a step in the right direction, but it should have been taken long ago when our ASHSC first raised this issue. It’s unacceptable that several months have passed, and more Flight Attendant injuries have occurred due to the continued use of older-style B/E Aerospace coffee makers. Our AFA ASHSC and Inflight Service Committee have been vigilant in putting management on notice that they were knowingly placing the physical safety and well-being of employees and passengers at risk by continuing to allow the use of these coffee makers. We have advised management that the temporary procedures implemented to mitigate the hazards are inadequate and unrealistic given the working environment that Flight Attendants face onboard the aircraft. The ineffectiveness of management’s mitigations has become increasingly evident as Flight Attendants continue to be injured by coffee makers spewing scalding hot coffee and grounds. 

Management’s action may have been overdue and necessary, but it still does not address the root cause of the hazard through physical mitigation. Our ASHSC, Inflight Service Committee, and MEC firmly believe that the only responsible action for management to take is to completely suspend the use of the older B/E Aerospace coffee makers until the issue is resolved. We continue to call on management to “own safety” by removing these coffee makers from service immediately. The safety of both Flight Attendants and passengers must not be compromised. It’s our right to work in a safe environment, and we demand that this right be upheld.

In This Edition

The 2024 Flight Attendant Financial Security Survey is Now Closed

Originally posted April 9, 2024

59.1% of Alaska Flight Attendants participated in the survey to help shed light on how painful it is trying to live with our outdated pay rates. The data compiled will be brought to the bargaining table during the next mediation session, taking place April 16-18. Management cannot continue to ignore the fact that our Flight Attendants are struggling to pay for normal life necessities due to their inaction at the table.

Read More >

April 2024 MEC Meeting Recap

Originally posted April 11, 2024

The April 2024 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Wednesday, April 10. Our MEC met with management to receive updates and review concerns, including DOT drug testing procedures, lack of meetings with the AFA Benefits Committee, coffee maker safety, and staffing adjustment leave administration. Our Negotiating Committee will return to the bargaining table next week in a scheduled mediation session, focusing on data from the Flight Attendant Financial Security Survey.

Read More >

Shared on Social

Flight Attendant Financial Security Survey: 24 Hours Left to Participate

Note: this post was originally published on Monday, April 8. The survey closed on Tuesday, April 9 at 12 PM PT and is no longer accepting additional responses.

The Flight Attendant Financial Security Survey closes tomorrow at Noon PT. If you have not yet taken it, please do so now so our Negotiating Committee can show the hard facts of our outdated pay rates to the mediator!

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, April 16 – Thursday, April 18Contract Negotiations (Mediation)
Thursday, April 18SAN Base Safety Meeting

See the MEC Event Calendar >

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!

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • The April 2024 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Wednesday, April 10.
  • Our MEC met with management to receive updates and review concerns, including DOT drug testing procedures, lack of meetings with the AFA Benefits Committee, coffee maker safety, and staffing adjustment leave administration.
  • Our Negotiating Committee will return to the bargaining table next week in a scheduled mediation session, focusing on data from the Flight Attendant Financial Security Survey.

Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) held its regular meeting for April 2024 on Wednesday, April 10. These meetings, required under the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, provide an important opportunity for the MEC to discuss and address issues and concerns affecting our Union and Members at the airline level. Your directly elected LEC President (or their designee) attends these meetings as your representative and votes on your behalf when decisions need to be made.

During the meeting, the MEC received updates from the MEC Officers and LEC Presidents. Additionally, the MEC reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons detailing their current work and activities.

Meeting With Management

During 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 Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Constance von Muehlen, Vice President of Inflight Matt Prainito, Managing Director of Inflight Services Gloria Chow, Senior Labor Relations Program Manager Mike Link, Director of Payroll Leah Ables, Vice President of Finance Ryan St. John, Managing Director of Operations Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette, and Director of Crew Staffing Nick Giles.

Some of the topics discussed include:

  • Aircraft deliveries and anticipated summer flying. Aircraft deliveries from Boeing have slowed, and no aircraft have been delivered to Alaska this year. Management is adjusting the summer schedule to reflect the reduced fleet numbers.
  • Flight Attendant hiring and staffing. Management is still hiring as planned for 2024, with four initial training classes scheduled.
  • Base supervisor consistency. Management is working to improve consistency among base supervisors systemwide by documenting procedures better and setting expectations.
  • DOT random drug testing procedures. Our MEC brought forward concerns about the lack of private testing facilities in certain outstations and where tests are administered in those locations (Hawaii stations in particular). Additional concerns were brought forward regarding the isolated location of some facilities and the possibility of having another employee accompany a Flight Attendant. Management will review the concerns and respond to the MEC. 
  • AFA Benefits Committee meetings with management. The ongoing lack of meetings between our AFA Benefits Committee and their counterparts in management continues to have a detrimental effect on our ability to address and resolve problems affecting Flight Attendants. Though management did agree to hold a meeting late last year, they have not continued meeting with the Committee on an ongoing basis. Our MEC reiterated that we believe it is essential for management to meet with the Committee every quarter at a minimum. Management will review the request further and respond.
  • Ongoing coffee maker safety issues. Despite management’s attempted mitigations and procedure changes, Flight Attendants continue to be injured by coffee makers spewing hot coffee and grounds during brewing. These continued injury reports indicate that the mitigations and procedure changes implemented are insufficient. Our Air Safety, Health, and Security Committee (ASHSC) and Inflight Service Committee will officially request to re-open the associated safety risk assessment (SRA).
  • Staffing adjustment leave administration. Our MEC shared several concerns about how staffing adjustment leaves are administered for Flight Attendants and ongoing issues with resolving problems. Management will review the recurring issues and agree to improve the current processes causing problems.

Contract Negotiations/Mediation

Our Negotiating Committee will return to the bargaining table with management next week in a session facilitated by our assigned mediator from the National Mediation Board (NMB). The Committee plans to review and share statistical data from the Flight Attendant Financial Security Survey with management and the mediator at the session. Thank you to everyone who completed the survey and for the support from our Mobilization Volunteers who encouraged participation!

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please get in touch with your LEC President.

In This Edition

Shared on Social

Financial Security Survey: Open One More Week

There’s just one week left to participate in the Flight Attendant Financial Security Survey. Help our Negotiating Committee compile the hard financial data of our outdated pay rates for the mediator!

Our Mobilization Volunteers will be sending out text reminders this week to see if you’ve had a chance to complete the survey. If you haven’t yet participated, they’ll be able to send you the survey link.

Mediation and a Merger?

While our Negotiating Committee has been fighting at the table for a new contract, management announced a merger with Hawaiian Airlines. What does this mean for our negotiations?

Read on for answers to your questions about mediation and the merger with Hawaiian.To ensure you are receiving up-to-date negotiations information, subscribe to AFA newsletters here: https://afanewsletters.org/subscribe/

See the Instagram Post >

Next Week’s Events

Wednesday, April 10Regular MEC Meeting
Thursday, April 11Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

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!

In This Edition

Flight Attendant Financial Security Survey Now Open

Originally posted March 26, 2024

Our Negotiating Committee is bringing the cold, hard financial facts to the table. The Financial Security Survey is formatted to show specific financial data that pertains to our collective struggle with outdated work rules and pay rates. Management will no longer ignore the fact that Alaska Flight Attendants are struggling to make ends meet. All Flight Attendants, regardless of seniority or financial status, should fill out the survey.

Read More >

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – March 2024

Originally posted March 29, 2024

On March 26, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling. The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding. Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

Read More >

Shared on Social

We Voted For CHAOS™

We voted overwhelmingly in favor of CHAOS™. What does that mean for our negotiations and our future? Read on for answers to your questions and more important information about the Strike Authorization Vote.

See the Instagram Post >

Next Week’s Events

Thursday, April 4Quarterly Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Meeting
Thursday, April 4Scheduling Review Board (SRB)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

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!

Scheduling Committee

  • On March 26, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

On Tuesday, March 26, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Virginia Fritz, and MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones.

The committee met with Managing Director Inflight Operations & Crew Scheduling Allen Thieman, Managing Director Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director Ops Staffing & Resource Mgt Brittany Audette, Director of Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, Director of Crew Staffing Nicholas Giles, Manager of Crew Planning Trisha Bennett, Manager of Crew Pay Debbie Bakke, and other management representatives from Crew Planning/Crew Scheduling.

The Committee is next scheduled to meet on April 23, 2024.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed several items both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • The popularity of 2-day DCAs and their new integration into 3-day trips.
  • Advocacy for fewer red eye flights from certain locations and more 2-day non-red-eye flights.
  • Questions about the efficiency of splitting certain flight legs into separate operations.
  • The desire for an increase in co-terminal turns and more productive 2-3 day trips.
  • Requests to reduce the number of 4-day trips and specific connections.
  • Issues with Crew Scheduling and open segments related to pre-cancellations for like assignments. Open legs are reviewed in all domiciles.
  • Concerns about the process of resolving issues with pay analysts.
  • Flight Attendant confusion regarding accrued sick leave and its availability for use.
  • Questions about the transportation of sick family/sick child calls on overnight stays.
  • Challenges with internal AFA OS tickets and restrictions on advertising.
  • Clarification needed on how screenshots work for combining and breaking apart trips. See labor memos related to screenshots on AFA website.
  • Request for CSA to meet the plane instead of other company employees (Flight Attendants/Pilots).
  • Increase in reassignments for line holders at report, impacting planned layovers.
  • April Bid awards were quick and had no issues, published the following morning.
  • Light April bid protest, one violation of junior line bidder seniority honored.
  • NavBlue discussions about meetings, including weekly pilot calls and management calls.
  • NavBlue future updates discussed, including transition to Red Hat 8 and AWS transition.
  • NavBlue UAT testing and install of version 23.7.10 to PROD contingent upon bug fixes.
  • NavBlue planning for password reset changes and removing IT from NavBlue logins.
  • Mention of NavBlue future releases 23.8, 24.1, and 24.3.
  • Discussions about pairing selection, analytics, and collaboration with crew planning monthly.
  • Challenges with pairing construction and optimizing for quality of life.
  • Request for improvements and review of Jeppesen’s optimization capabilities.
  • Navblue released an update, no problems reported from users at this moment.
  • JCTE release March 26, 2024, with Buddy Roster, screenshots to be published after implementation.
  • Trade analysis shows increased trades in March, performance remaining steady for Crew Access.
  • Database reindex scheduled for April 9, 2024 to improve trade analysis.
  • June JCTE release will include historical data of processed transactions and ability to advertise for work.
  • B2B tap to pay implementation coming soon, training sandbox in progress.
  • Outage message to be sent regarding JCTE update and for future updates at the request of Flight Attendants.
  • Christopher joined Inflight Crew Planning from Flight Ops, brings experience in aviation and used to work for JetBlue. Some management employees have expressed interest in retirement over the next year and assisting with integrating new members on the team.
  • Block hours are increasing significantly in May, with LAX showing a reduction.
  • Targeting 79.69TFP line average and 20.1% reserves for reserve staffing, we expect peak month in July for staffing.
  • Trip length distribution remains consistent, some more commutable trips.
  • SEA/ANC have best commutability for Flight Attendants, SFO/PDX most challenging.
  • 5 MAXs mitigated in latter part of Spring, potential risk to reduce schedule.
  • May bid month frequency to destination changes reviewed, Mexico flights shifting to Alaska and Transcon.
  • E-175 stage length reduced, Mainline overnights added to park aircraft in outstations due to limitations in some of our domiciles.
  • Remote parking/hard stand issues in Seattle, coordinating with wheelchairs and special services.
  • Concerns with pre-cancellations, PBS bidding, and FCR when trips release into subsequent day.
  • Absence rates increasing, Crew Scheduling goal to clean out Open Time daily utilizing reserves.
  • Waived pay causing a burden on the rest of the Flight Attendant population, reassignments increasing. Crew Scheduling reports that Flight Attendants are waiving pay for alternative assignments but not picking up and this sometimes causes a ripple effect on the operation to cover the remaining open segments. 
  • Reserve utilization at 82.2-92.9% January to March, month over month increases.
  • Fatigue reports in March increased. Total of 42 fatigue calls with several days remaining till month end.
  • Attrition seeing 5 ½ – 8 years of service, 50/50 commuter versus in domicile.
  • Payroll to attend scheduling meetings, communication and response clarity needed on processes and inquiries.
  • Quick reference guide requested for Inflight webpage information filtering for rainmaker and timelines to complete pay and query responses. There is a lot of information available but we don’t believe Flight Attendants are accessing the documents.

What the Committee is Working on

  1. NavBlue. The PBS Committee is seeking feedback on how they can improve their assistance to flight crews regarding bid awards and understanding results. They provided both in-person and virtual meetings for this purpose.
  2. Pairings Survey. There is a discussion about conducting a survey on pairing construction, and there is a possibility of organizing a virtual session or town hall. A meeting with management occurred June 5, 2023, with a follow-up meeting to be arranged. However, there is no update or estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the moment.
  3. Chime Communications. Flight Attendants may chat with crew scheduling via app/Microsoft Teams to reduce phone calls. Flight Attendant-initiated contact. Early stages of development, to be discussed with AS Labor Relations and AFA. Testing and implementation to occur in the next few weeks. We are working on a letter of agreement for implementation. This is still pending review. 
  4. Crew Scheduling. There was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that covered various aspects such as reserve utilization, detailed breakdowns, sick leave (week by week and year over year), premium, personal drops, and other relevant agenda items.
  5. Crew Planning. Similar to Crew Scheduling, there was a monthly review of PowerPoint presentations that cover subsequent month staffing, trip length distribution, Flight Attendant block hours, special initiatives (e.g., IROPs), commutability, and other relevant agenda items.
  6. ITS. Representatives from ITS joined the scheduling meeting to provide updates on NavBlue, Crew Access, internal systems, and Block 2 Block. These updates include performance reviews, data analysis, and information about future releases. 

We Want to Hear From You!

Whether you have feedback for the Committee, concerns to share, or items you’d like brought up with management – don’t hesitate to let us know. Your Local Scheduling Committee is here to be your voice to management. You can easily open a support ticket on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or directly contact us using the information provided on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Government Affairs Committee Update – 2nd Quarter 2026

Voting Primaries/ Important Dates Alaska Primary: July 19Registration Deadline: Aug 18 California Primary: June 2Registration Deadline:  May 18 Florida Primary: August 18Registration Deadline: July 20  Hawaii Primary: August 8Registration Deadline: July 29Deadline to request absentee ballot: August 1 Oregon Primary: May 19Registration Deadline: PASSEDBallots began being mailed to registered voters on April 29, check your mailboxes! […]

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, May 5, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), Bob Moore (PDX), Slater Areno (SFO), Heather […]

Crew Meal Survey Now Open

Crew meals are an important aspect of supporting the health and effectiveness of Flight Attendants. As part of ongoing efforts to enhance these provisions, the JNC is collecting feedback from Flight Attendants. Your participation in the Crew Meal Survey will directly influence future meal standards and help ensure that your needs and preferences are represented.

Navigating Recovery: Understanding FADAP and Other Support Options

If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with drugs or alcohol, it’s important to know that you are not alone, and support is available. Flight Attendants have treatment options designed to address the unique realities of this career. Note: This video references FAAS (Flight Attendant Addiction Support), which is a program for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants. […]

Go In-Depth with Our AFA EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairpersons

As we wrap up the first week of EAP/Professional Standards Committee Focus Month, we’re excited to share an open conversation that takes you behind the scenes of our support network built for Flight Attendants. MEC Communications Committee Chairperson Brian Palmer recently sat down with pre-merger Alaska MEC EAP/Professional Standards Committee Chairperson Melanie Buker and Vice Chairperson Elizabeth Dillon to […]

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