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Human Rights Committee

  • November 1st marks the first day of Native American Heritage Month in the United States.  This tradition dates back to the early 20th century when proclamations were adopted by various organizations and state governments celebrating American Indian Day.
  • Read more about Native American Heritage Month, learn about the accomplishments of Native Americans, and find out about events that you can take part in using the resource links below.
  • Join the celebration by wearing a Native American Heritage Month AFA Pin during the month.  If you need a pin, check with your Local Council for more information.

November 1 marks the first day of Native American Heritage Month in the United States.  The celebration, which is also referred to as National Native American Heritage Month, began with efforts to recognize an American Indian Day in the early 20th century.  In 1916, New York became the first state to proclaim American Indian Day after a declaration from the governor.  

The first national recognition came in 1976 when President Gerald Ford signed a proclamation designating Native American Awareness Week.  In 1990, President George H.W. Bush approved a resolution recognizing the first National American Indian Heritage Month.  This recognition has continued with similar proclamations issued each year under varying names (including Native American Heritage Month and National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month) since 1994.

Learn More About Native American History

You can learn more about the accomplishments of Native Americans through some of the dedicated websites and resources below.

Celebrate with a Native American Heritage Month AFA Pin

In 2021, the AFA Executive Board unanimously passed a resolution in recognition of Native American Heritage Month.   The resolution established a special commemorative pin for AFA Members to wear throughout the month.

For more information about the pin, contact your Local Human Rights Committee.  Also be on the lookout for a communication from your Local Council or contact your LEC Officers to determine pin availability.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Human Rights Committee.

In This Edition

Election Notice: MEC Officer Candidates

Originally posted October 25, 2022

As previously communicated, the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will conduct an election for MEC Officers at the upcoming regular November MEC meeting.  Elections will be held on the first day of the meeting which is scheduled to begin on November 1, 2022.  This notice, communicating a list of eligible candidates for MEC office, is being provided in accordance with Article III.C.3 of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual.

Read More >

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – October 2022

Originally posted October 27, 2022

Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, October 25 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.  The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.  Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Read More >

Shared on Social

Stronger Together, Better Together: Join the Delta AFA Campaign

What happens at Delta matters for all of us. Delta Air Lines has undercut our careers by billions of dollars, spoken in place of Flight Attendants on Capitol Hill, and as globalization speeds up, no contract for Flight Attendants at Delta also jeopardizes job security for all of us. Delta CEO Ed Bastian wouldn’t do his job without a contract to protect him and his interests, yet the airline he runs spends tens of millions of dollars to deny Flight Attendants the same rights. Undercutting our worth and standing at Delta ultimately means Delta is stealing from all of us. But we can change that by supporting Delta Flight Attendants in their efforts to gain AFA representation and the means to negotiate a contract. The only way to push our careers forward is through strength in numbers and continuing to set the highest standards at every airline. 

You can do a lot to help our flying partners at Delta. Sign up to be a supporter, connect us with a Delta Flight Attendant you know, learn more about their campaign, and get tools to help organize.

AFA Alaska is joining the campaign. Show your support and help Delta Flight Attendants secure their union!

Sign up now >

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, November 1 – Wednesday, November 2Regular MEC Meeting
Thursday, November 3Scheduling Review Board (SRB)
Thursday, November 3Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Thursday, November 3Council 19 (SEA) Local Council Meeting
Friday, November 4Council 39 (PDX) Local Council 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!

Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, October 25 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to lineholder scheduling.
  • The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are experiencing with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.
  • Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to answer questions, provide clarification, or help to resolve any lineholder scheduling-related issues.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

On Tuesday, October 25, 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), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), Jaqui Bellenie (SFO), Natalie Codd (LAX), and Kitty Cohen (SAN). Also present were MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction Karen Ferrell, and MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Adam Clarey. The committee met with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Manager Sara Cook, Director of Crew Staffing Nicholas Giles, and other management representatives from Crew Planning and Crew Scheduling.

Topics of Discussion

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

  • CARE Retreat.  Review of the process for bidding, awarding and assigning. Crew Planning reviews who is assigned or has attended prior to and during the bid award process.  Crew Scheduling does assign approximately 5-10 reserves to a class with openings and reviews the LTFA per the letter of agreement which allows assignment to reserves.  The reserve assignments to CARE Retreat occur mostly in the Seattle domicile.
  • Charters.  If you bid for a charter it is possible for Crew Scheduling to repost the charter for bid prior to awarding.  If the charter is reposted, any previous bid that you submitted is erased.  You will receive an email indicating that you need to submit a new bid if you would still like to bid on the reposted charter.  It’s possible that charters could be reposted any time during the bidding process, so it’s imperative to regularly check and read your company email.  Recently, several Flight Attendants have read the email after the rebid and award were issued. 
  • 4 Position Pairings.  Flight Attendants continue to ask for pairings to be built with the A, B, C, and D positions together.  The Company is still operating Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-700 aircraft which requires that 3 position pairings also be constructed.  Management is committed to reviewing the suggestion if it is in line with costs and makes operational sense.
  • Crew Access Issues.  There have been recent reports of hotel notifications not coming through, rosters not appearing on schedules, and other system glitches.  If you experience a glitch or malfunction please contact the ITS Service Desk. Thorough reporting is the key to resolving these issues for a future release.  Contact information for the ITS Service Desk can be found by clicking here (AAG sign-on required) or from Alaska’s World, choose Workgroups > ITS Service Desk from the menu.
  • Staffing Levels.  The Committee discussed concerns with management about the perception of over staffing given the current flight schedule. In the future, there will be opportunities to increase the line averages.  In addition, there will be no staffing leaves offered for December.  Flexibility will still exist with the ability to drop trips into Open Time based on TSN thresholds and the awarding of Personal Drops as the operation permits.  Management reports that there is currently an 85-90% approval rate of Personal Drops at this time. 
  • Crew Hotels and Layover Transportation.  Please continue to file CrewCare reports that include positive and negative feedback.  If you experience any issues with a hotel or layover transportation that is not listed as a reporting category in CrewCare, please contact your Local Hotel Committee. 
  • December 2022 and January 2023 Bidding.  The next few months of bidding are the most difficult for coverage awards.  The first half of December is usually a lighter flight schedule with the bulk of flying in the last two weeks.  Additionally, the dates most Flight Attendants request off will fall on the weekends. The PBS Subcommittee has updated the coverage information from last year and is available to assist you with your questions/concerns. 
  • Month End Overlap.  During the bid award process trips that touch the last 5 days of the prior bid month will be restricted.  Once the awards are posted the restrictions are removed and trading resumes as normal.  
  • Crew Access Known Issues Document.  Known issues with Crew Access are tracked and are posted in a document on the Flight Attendant website.  The document was last updated on October 19, 2022.  The Committee recommends that all Flight Attendants review the document on at least a quarterly basis.  You can find the document on the Flight Attendant website > Schedule and Bidding > Crew Access Help > Crew Access Known Issues.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Scheduling a meeting with Network Planning.  The Committee would like to meet with Network Planning in 2023 to discuss our contract, legalities and suggestions. We want to provide management with the Flight Attendant perspective and in an effort to improve our quality of life. 
  2. Review of JCTE/Crew Access transaction performance.  Each month, ITS provides the Committee with data on performance and transactions within JCTE/Crew Access.  The Committee reviews these reports to ensure our service levels are maintained at the appropriate thresholds.
  3. Scheduling Quality of Life Improvements.  Reviewing ways to improve Trip Length Distribution (TLD) and other quality of life options.  Working with management to develop a quality of life survey to determine Flight Attendant scheduling priorities. 
  4. Review of user guides and links of Flight Attendant website.  Ensuring information is still accurate in existing resource materials, links are still active and working, etc.
  5. Updating Crew Access videos.  Working with management and ITS to update the Crew Access instructional videos to reflect updates and changes to the user interface.

We Want to Hear From You!

Do you have feedback for the committee, concerns you’d like to share, or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local Scheduling Committee is your voice to management.  You can open a support request on the AFA Alaska Online Support Center or contact us directly using the information on the Scheduling Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

As previously communicated, the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will conduct an election for MEC Officers at the upcoming regular November MEC meeting.  Elections will be held on the first day of the meeting which is scheduled to begin on November 1, 2022.  This notice, communicating a list of eligible candidates for MEC office, is being provided in accordance with Article III.C.3 of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual.

Eligible Candidates

The following Flight Attendants have met the requirements outlined in Article III.C of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual and are considered eligible candidates for MEC office:

MEC President

Jeffrey Peterson (view resume | view willingness-to-serve statement)

MEC Vice President

Brian Palmer (view resume | view willingness-to-serve statement)

MEC Secretary-Treasurer

Linda Christou (view resume | view willingness-to-serve statement)
Melissa Osborne (view resume | view willingness-to-serve statement)

Questions?

If you have any questions about MEC Officer elections, please contact your LEC President.

In This Edition

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2022

Originally posted October 19, 2022

Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, October 13 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 are facing onboard the aircraft.  Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever given the challenges we are currently facing as a work group.  Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed through Report It!  Please contact a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.

Read More >

Third Negotiation Session

Originally posted October 20, 2022

Our Negotiating Committee met with management this week for the third negotiation session.  Discussions continued and several Tentative Agreements were reached, including agreements on section 3 (Scope of Agreement), section 4 (Status of Agreement), section 6 (Seniority), and section 33 (Charters).  The next negotiation session is scheduled for November 7-9.

Read More >

Shared on Social

Negotiating Committee Blog Update – October 17, 2022

Additional responses are now published on the Negotiating Committee Blog! Read this week’s answers for clarification on Open Time trading, starting pay rates, and contractual penalties.

Negotiating Committee Blog

Negotiation Session 3 Recap Video

The Negotiation Session 3 Recap Video is now posted! This week, hear updates from the Negotiating Committee on Charters, Seniority, Scope, and more. Watch the video recap here!

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, October 25Monthly Scheduling Committee Meeting
Wednesday, October 26ANC Base Safety Meeting
Thursday, October 27Alternate 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)

  • Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, October 13 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 are facing onboard the aircraft.
  • Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever given the challenges we are currently facing as a work group.  Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed through Report It!  Please contact a member of your Local ASHSC if you need assistance.

On Thursday, October 13, 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 were Debi Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Blair Kimball (PDX), Brad Young (SFO), Carin Meritt (LAX), and Eva Gatus (SAN).  Also present were MEC ASHSC Vice Chairperson—Air Quality Yvette Satterlee and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple.  The committee met with Cabin Safety Manager Cari Smith-Allen, Director of Inflight Training & Standards Thomas Kaminski, Inflight Policy & Procedure Specialist Cassie Tevis, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Director of Inflight Safety & Compliance Corey Chestnut, Interim Manager of Inflight Policy & Procedure Johanna Giese, and Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items when meeting with management.  Some items discussed include:

  • IMD Replacement Status.  F/As hired prior to 2022 should be receiving new IMDs before 2023.
  • Trash Stowage.  A Trash Task Force (which includes a representative from both the ASHSC and AFA Inflight Service Committee) meets every other week to monitor trash reports and work on solutions.
  • Single Door Catering.  Working with other divisions to come up with a documented process for catering out of just the aft or forward galleys where dual door catering cannot be accomplished.
  • 737 MAX 9 G1 Trash Compartment: Management is reviewing process for cleaning the MAX 9 G1 trash compartment in response to Flight Attendant complaints.  Management is also looking at improving the design on future versions of the MAX. 
  • Undesirable Lavatory Odors.  Toilets cowls are being removed on regular intervals to deep clean underneath them, which should help alleviate unpleasant smells.  Flight Attendants should write up the aircraft (using a Cabin Discrepancies form) if odors are overwhelming and need immediate attention.
  • Passenger POC Batteries.  Discussed concerns about passenger’s POC battery not being charged enough to last the length of the flight.  Management reported that CSAs are trained to ask if the POC battery is charged and can last at least 1.5x the length of the flight.  All POCs should have cabin approved tag attached prior to boarding to indicated they have been verified by CSAs
  • 737-900 Seatbelts Extensions.  Not all seat belt extensions on our fleet are compatible with every aircraft type. Maintenance checks each aircraft to ensure the correct ones are boarded every 120 days.  The Committee also brought forward concerns to management that some extensions require opening the buckle 180 degrees to release, which makes performing the safety demo awkward and may be difficult for passengers to use.
  • Onboard Cleaning Products. Management is looking at removing the large bottle of cleaning spray currently boarded due to issues with leakage. They may place a smaller bottle in the UPK instead so it is still available when needed.
  • Event Follow Up Emails.  Management reported that they are trying to constantly provide information to employees about significant events.
  • MELs.  Significant discussion was had about ways to improve communication from Maintenance Technicians and Pilots when sharing information with Flight Attendants regarding MELs.  The Committee believes management can do a better job training Flight Attendants about the MEL process and how to apply safety principles (Ready, Safe, Go).  The Committee also wants to build awareness with Flight Operations and Maintenance & Engineering so that there is a better understanding of how legally applied MELs affect Flight Attendant working conditions and can lead to the perception of an unsafe work environment.
  • Recurrent Training (RT) Drills for 2023.  Review of the number and type of drills planed for RT 2023.  Management currently plans to evaluate Flight Attendants on both Boeing and Airbus drills and a new arrival procedure drill.  The Committee is concerned that the number of drills when accompanied by hands-on practice time will not fit comfortably in the RT footprint.
  • Trays.  The Committee discussed issues with trays coming out of galley compartment unexpectedly and striking Flight Attendants.  Management reports that trays should all be catered inside of beverage carts.  It is a catering error if they are found elsewhere and should be reported using the catering feedback function in Block2Block (B2B).
  • Emergency Medical Equipment.  The Committee continues to advocate that additional equipment, such as pulse oximeters, be added to onboard medical kits.
  • Layover Transportation Safety.  Reports have been received about a number of recent accidents involving layover transportation.  The Committee wants to ensure drivers are well vetted by management and encourage Flight Attendants to wear a seatbelt whenever they are available.
  • Personal Items Plugged Into Galley Power Outlets.  There have been reports of Flight Attendants plugging personal items, like tea kettles, into galley power outlets.  No personal items may be plugged into galley power outlets as they are not tested to be safe for the environment or with the 400Hz power supplied by the outlets.
  • Apple AirTags.  Lufthansa recently banned Apple AirTags on checked luggage. The Committee asked management to provide a safety assessment of Apple AirTags and similar tracking devices on checked luggage.
  • Lack of Reach Out After Significant Events. Discussed better ways to ensure that management and AFA representatives are aware of significant events which take place on the aircraft. There can be a lag time if the only notification is from a FAIR filed by the Flight Attendants involved in the event.  Flight Attendants need better information about how and when to reach out to Inflight management about an event.  
  • Change Location of “In an evacuation, leave all carry-on items behind” Announcement.  The Committee provided feedback to management that this announcement doesn’t flow well in the safety demo and suggested moving to a different location.  Management agreed and will look at improving the flow.
  • CSA Boarding Questions in B2B Teams Messaging.  Management understands that there is significant confusion among Flight Attendants and CSAs with this process. There seem to be very different expectations between CSAs and Flight Attendants about the meaning of the “ready to board” message.  Per Company policy, boarding should start at D-40, so it is expected that when answering “ready to board” that boarding will begin accordingly at D-40.  The Committee also expressed concern about the questions being asked before Flight Attendants have even reported to the aircraft and with messages not going through in a timely manner because of connectivity issues. 
  • Block2Block (B2B) Passenger Age Group Identifiers.  The Committee shared a request to have identifiers added to B2B to help Flight Attendants assess compliance related to age-related policies and regulations (under 2, 15 or over, 21 or over). Management indicates this is on the development list but a low priority.
  • Final Compliance Checks at 18,000 Feet.  After years of advocacy by the Committee, management indicates that final compliance checks will move from being conducted at 10,000 feet on descent to 18,000 feet to improve safety. This change is being made to reduce turbulence related injuries.
  • Cabin Lighting During Compliance Checks: The Committee had previously requested brighter lighting for pre-landing compliance checks.  Management recently made the change based on this request.

What the Committee is Working On

  1. Simplifying Cabin Lighting Settings.  Together with the Inflight Service Committee, working to reduce the number of cabin lighting scenes and simplify settings while ensuring a safe level of lighting whenever carts are in the aisle.
  2. 737 MAX 8 Galley Designs.  Working with the Inflight Service Committee and management to ensure the new 737 MAX 8 galleys are as safe and as Flight Attendant friendly as possible.
  3. Launching the Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) Program.  Working with the members of the LOSA Steering Committee to launch the LOSA Program.  Additional communications from management will be coming soon about the opportunity for Flight Attendants to get involved in the program as LOSA Observers. 

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

October 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Originally posted October 12, 2022

Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, 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 payroll management to discuss issues and concerns that are facing our work group and need to be addressed.  The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 2.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

Read More >

Second Negotiation Session

Originally posted October 13, 2022

Our Negotiating Committee met with management for the second negotiation session.  Discussions continued and several Tentative Agreements were reached.  The next negotiation session is next week, October 18-20.

Read More >

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, October 18 – Thursday, October 20Contract Negotiations

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)

  • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, 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 payroll management to discuss issues and concerns that are facing our work group and need to be addressed.
  • The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 2.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

The October 2022 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, October 11.  The meeting consisted of updates provided by our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee.  Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work. 

Meeting with Management

As part of most Regular MEC Meetings, our MEC meets with management to review current issues and challenges that Flight Attendants are facing.  Attendees from management this month included Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, and Director of Payroll Leah Ables.

Some of the topics that were discussed include:

  • Domicile staffing & upcoming growth.  Our MEC once again advocated that upcoming staffing growth be distributed proportionally among all domiciles.  This is a continued reiteration of the message that our MEC sent to management in the Proportional Domicile Staffing letter in August. 
  • Staffing adjustment leaves & KCM eligibility.  Request that management continue to allow Flight Attendants access to KCM while on staffing adjustment leaves to the extent allowed by TSA policy.  Management agreed to work with other departments to establish a process when future staffing adjustment leaves are offered.
  • California meal and rest break laws.  Our MEC requested an update from management regarding their plan to comply with California meal and rest break laws in accordance with the decision in the Bernstein v. Virgin America case.  Management indicated they are continuing to lobby for a legislative resolution and did not have any further updates to offer.  
  • Employee parking lot bussing concerns.  Our MEC shared reports of overcrowding, lack of adequate space for luggage, chaotic boarding, and other safety issues that are ongoing with employee parking lot busses in multiple Flight Attendant domiciles.  These issues need to be addressed and resolved as soon as possible.

Upcoming MEC Officer Elections

As previously communicated, elections for Alaska MEC Officers will be held at the regular November MEC meeting on Tuesday, November 1, 2022.  The voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will elect an MEC President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer for a three year term that begins on January 1, 2023.  For more information about MEC Officer elections, click here.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please reach out to your LEC President.

As bidding has opened for November (a major holiday month) the following resource is available to help you with bidding.

If you have already submitted your bids for November, you may wish to review the document and adjust your bids accordingly. Bidding closes October 10th at 9am PT.

Using your inflight page sign-in credentials, you can view the attached document regarding NAVBLUE holiday coverage and bidding examples. If you have bidding questions or need assistance, please reach out to PBS.QA@AlaskaAir.com 

 Holiday Coverage and Bidding Examples 2022 (AAG SSO required) >

In Solidarity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

Save the Date – Local Council Meeting

  • November 4th from 11am – 1pm. Village meeting room TBA.

Please join us at the PDX Village for an opportunity to meet with local Council 39 committee chairs and officers. 

Benefits and Leaves Update

Local Chairperson Ann LaRue

Open enrollment is coming up, starting on October 26th and ending November 16th. There are a few changes.

The company will be offering medical benefits for registered domestic partners. If you have a domestic partner and have not already enrolled as domestic partners, now is the time to get that done if you would like your partner to be covered on your medical benefits as you will have to provide proof that you are registered domestic partners.

Premiums for medical benefits and all optional benefits are remaining the same. There are no changes to optional benefits currently offered.

There will be no changes to dental or vision. Delta Dental and VSP remain our providers and coverage remain the same. There will be a mental health resources page on http://myalaskabenefits.com  available for you to see all the different options to receive mental health care for yourself and family members. Additional benefits just for children will be an option available after January 1st through Brightline Behavioral Health program. 

For those of you on the high deductible CC-PPO plan, there are new IRS maximums for your personal contributions to your HSA. HSA IRS maximum contributions increase to $3,850 employee only / $7,750 family. The company contribution to your HSA will not change.

The HSA company contribution will be deposited into your HSA twice a year on the first paycheck after January 1st and July 1st.

For all of you who have been frustrated with Matrix (the company’s medical leave and FMLA administrator) you’ll be thrilled to know that the company is changing vendors. Starting January 1st, all claims will be handled by The Hartford. For anyone on a medical leave or FMLA claim, your claim will be transferred from Matrix to The Hartford after January 1st, and you will be contacted by your new claims examiner.

An open enrollment mailer will be sent to your address on file on October 14th and the first follow up emails will be sent with links to the drop-in sessions on October 26th.

During open enrollment, drop-in sessions will also be posted on AlaskasWorld for any questions you might have. Ann LaRue is available to help answer any questions at 503-701-2722. We will update with times and dates if base sits are scheduled. 

Supplemental benefits program for AFA Alaska members – Onsite enrollment at SEA and PDX in October. PDX onsite visits:

  • We will have a benefit counselor onsite October 17—19
  • We will enroll interested members and provide customer service to those already in the plans

Inflight Service Committee Update

Local Chairperson Todd Horn

  • First class service, and stacking plates, dishes, and cutlery is necessary at the end of each meal service. Be sure to scrape all dishes and utilize either an empty drawer, or oven tin on an oven rack, in the used meal cart. This is a requirement for space availability and trash management. (see Service Standards, Ch. 4 – Meal Service – To Clear a Tray Table.) Many of our mid-con flights are double-catered and the downline crew may need the space emptied for trash stowage as well. Be sure to pull out garbage and recycling bags from the carts at the downline stations for collection by fleet service before you leave the aircraft.
  • Do Not turn off the Airbus music player entirely (power off button) for the flight. Instead, pause the music. In the event of a cabin pressure loss, the player will activate and advise guests to don their oxygen mask with a automatic, pre-recorded message. If the unit is powered off, the announcement will not play. 
  • The 3rd cart has been temporarily postponed. If you continue to run out of supplies, and/or run out of room for trash, please report it via the catering feedback form on the Block2Block app on your IMD. 

Reserve Update

Local Chairperson Anthony Eskander

A Personal Drop (PD) can be awarded at any point, including after your reserve availability (contactability) period begins. Because it could be unfair to grant a PD to a Reserve Flight Attendant who’s already sat several hours of reserve (no credit for the entire shift), through AFA’s alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process, it is agreed that it is a requirement for crew scheduling to make positive contact with the Reserve to accept a PD for a shift that has already begun. This requirement is met by calling the Reserve to offer the PD.

A Reserve can choose to decline the PD and finish the reserve availability period or accept the PD and be released for the day. In either case, a Reserve is responsible to answer the call from crew scheduling if it occurs during their reserve availability period. If a Reserve doesn’t return the call, applicable attendance points for the No Show/Unavailable for Contact can be assessed. 

We are beginning to see PDs granted at a higher rate for Reserves, often after their contactability period begins. If you do not want a PD potentially awarded after your contactability period begins, you can have the PD request cancelled by calling crew scheduling at any time to remove it. Take note that once you accept a PD, it cannot be reversed.

Scheduling Update

Local Chairperson Melodie Anderes

• Modification of Section 10.S – Pre-Cancellation 

AFA and management have recently come to an agreement to provide better clarity as to how pre-cancellations and reassignments are confirmed in advance of the first day of a sequence.  The agreement expands existing pre-cancellation language and provides protections to Flight Attendants in how Crew Scheduling handles several additional situations.  The new language goes into effect at midnight on Saturday, October 1, 2022.  If you have any questions, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee for more information

Modification of Section 10.S – Pre-Cancellations

• 2023 Vacation 

First round of Vacation Bidding is posted. Second round opens on October 3rd and closes on October 18th. Second round vacation awards will be posted October 25th. 

Vacation trading will begin for PDX on October 27th at 10am PT. 

 • Charter Flight Numbers

Occasionally we have Charter Flights in our PDX Bid Packet. The Charter Flights operate with flight numbers 9600-9699.

• Crew Access Known Issues

Please familiarize yourself with the Crew Access Known Issues. They can be found on the Scheduling & Bidding section under Crew Access Help. 

• Holiday Flying

There is a reduction of flying on Thanksgiving Day. This will affect layovers and holiday pay. We will see more pairings with minimum pay rules over the holiday. 

• 4 Position Pairings 

AFA is asking crew planning for 4 position pairings. This is under review. 

• PBS

The info page on the bidding site has great resources and tips. There are step-by-step videos. If you have questions, please reach out to our PBS Committee pbs.qa@alaskaair.com. 

Disaster Relief Fund: Hurricane Ian Relief

From AFA International

President Biden has issued a disaster declaration for counties in Florida as the state recovers from the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian. The storm continues to make its way up the East Coast and more counties may be added as the destruction is assessed.

If you’ve been impacted by Ian, and your primary residence is in Florida, you are eligible for AFA Disaster Relief Funds. The application can be found at afacwa.org/DRF.

If you would like to help your flying partners with recovery, consider donating to the AFA Disaster Relief Fund. 100% of the fund’s contributions will go directly to impacted Flight Attendants in the form of cash assistance.

Support Delta Flight Attendants fighting for a Union!

From Team AFL-CIO

Thousands of Flight Attendants at Delta Air Lines are organizing for fair wages and better benefits. Management is spending millions of dollars trying to stop them. Will you support the Flight Attendants as they fight for a Union?

In recent years, Delta had nearly double the profits of any other airline in the industry. All thanks to the people behind those profits—Delta Flight Attendants.

Delta Flight Attendants are organizing with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) for a real voice on the job, for work rules management can’t just change on a whim, and for industry-leading compensation and work rules that match Flight Attendants’ contribution to the industry’s leading, most profitable airline.

So in 2019, Flight Attendants at Delta launched their organizing drive and have been fighting for a Union ever since. Even in the face of management’s union-busting.

If you’d like to support Delta Flight Attendants in their fight to form a Union, click here Join the Movement! | Delta AFA

AFA News in Review – September 19, 2025

In This Edition Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month Originally posted September 15, 2025 Join us in celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, a time dedicated to honoring the vibrant cultures and significant contributions of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. Discover the history, participate in special events, and grab your commemorative Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month AFA Pin […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the first group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of merged MEC Committee Chairpersons. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have […]

Election Notice: Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Officer Elections

The term of office for our current Alaska + Hawaiian Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers will conclude on December 31, 2025. The voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents) will elect new MEC Officers at the November Regular MEC meeting. This communication serves as notice of the election in accordance with the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual. […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025 Update #2

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Negotiations Update Our SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met with the company on September 11 to review their response to our September 5 proposal.  We feel that it is important to acknowledge the challenges within our company as Alaska management is struggling to understand our Collective Bargaining Agreement […]

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