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Scheduling Committee

  • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, August 23 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, August 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), Martin Vance (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 Managing Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling & Strategy Denia Pisia, Managing Director of Ops Staffing & Resource Management Brittany Audette, 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:

  • AFA Online Support Center system issues and working with vendors to restore access. 
  • Night Rule Section 8.I – pay, duty, premiums.
  • FAs sick online – stranded due to subsequent cancellation.
  • Crew Access login issues – working on issues, expect a new update in fall 2022.
  • NavBlue login issues – Vendor monitoring and added more servers.
  • Reassignments/Pre-cancellations – rare, shouldn’t be daily occurrence.
  • Crew Scheduling updated phone system – ability for call back and prompts.
  • Personal Drops/TSN increases/sick leave – increase TSN for September.
  • Pairing feedback and construction.
  • November/December Vacancies – expect communication in September.
  • 2023 Vacation Bidding instructions and dates.
  • Care Retreat – expecting 1000 a month to attend.
  • 2023 Staffing for pilots/FAs.
  • Company social events and planning, such as baseball games and aviator sunglasses.
  • Staffing Adjustment leaves – 150 offered system wide.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Reassignment Flow Chart.  Scheduling Committee Members reviewed a draft of the reassignment flow chart and it has been moved forward to the final stages of review and approval.  Refer to sections 10.R and 10.R.5 of our CBA.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.
  4. 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 we initially reported last Thursday, August 18, we are continuing to experience an outage to the AFA Alaska Online Support Center.  Though we were initially advised by our hosting provider that the issue would resolve within 48 hours, that has not been the case and the website remains inoperable.  The issue has been escalated with our hosting provider and we are continuing to monitor their progress.  Unfortunately, we do not have an estimated time that the website will return to operation.

As long as the system is down, please email your LEC Officers directly if you have an issue to report to AFA. Contact information is below.

BASEEMAIL
ANCanc@afaalaska.org
LAXlax@afaalaska.org
PDXpdx@afaalaska.org
SANsan@afaalaska.org
SEAsea@afaalaska.org
SFOsfo@afaalaska.org

Master Executive Council (MEC)

The AFA Alaska MEC sent a letter to Alaska Airlines management last week advocating for growing each domicile proportionally via vacancy awards and new hire domicile assignments through 2023. We have all read and heard “we appreciate you” and “we care” in one form or another, but management must now demonstrate its values to do the right thing by turning those words into action. Management acknowledged receipt of the MEC’s letter and indicated they will respond early this week.

In This Edition

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2022

Originally posted August 15, 2022

Our AFA Hotel Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, August 12 to discuss their ongoing program of work to protect and improve the quality of Flight Attendant hotel accommodations and ground transportation providers.  The Committee met with representatives from management and the Company’s crew accommodations vendor to review current trends and concerns related to layover hotels and transportation.  More than ever, the Committee needs your help in reporting hotel and transportation concerns through CrewCare.  Issues that are reported through CrewCare provide the Committee with important data to drive change with management.

Read More >

TAKE ACTION: Demand No Stock Buybacks

Originally posted August 18, 2022

COVID relief legislation temporarily prohibited airlines from using stock buybacks that enrich executives and big investors on the backs of workers and consumers. But those prohibitions end on September 30.

Now is not the time to start sending cash to Wall Street when the airlines can’t yet meet public demand or manage effectively through operational challenges. Airline workers have had contract negotiations on hold for years – delaying raises and improving working conditions needed to keep skilled workers on the job and attract new applicants.

We call on all airline CEOs to take the No Stock Buybacks Pledge!

Read More >

Ready to Get Involved?  Become a Mobilization Volunteer!

Originally posted August 18, 2022

Solidarity is the key to our success in upcoming contract negotiations.  Keeping others informed and involved in the process is the role of our Mobilization Committee and Mobilization Volunteers.  Mobilization Volunteers are responsible for sharing negotiations news and information, gathering feedback, and encouraging other Flight Attendants to take action to support our Negotiating Committee.  If you’re interested in getting involved as a Mobilization Volunteer, fill out an expression of interest form today.  If you want to know more, get in touch with your Local Mobilization Committee Chairperson.

Read More >

AFA Alaska Online Support Center Outage

Originally posted August 18, 2022

At around 6 PM Pacific time this evening (Thursday, August 18) the AFA Alaska Online Support Center at support.afaalaska.org went offline due to an issue with our hosting provider. We are currently working to resolve the issue but have been advised that it may take up to 48 hours to restore the system. As long as the system is down, please email your LEC Officers directly if you have an issue to report to AFA. 

Read More >

Shared on Social

Have You Taken Our Negotiations Survey?

Note: these were originally posted earlier in the week and are being shared for historical reference.  The survey closed earlier today at 12 PM Pacific time.

Monday, August 15

Our Negotiating Committee needs your feedback!  As of today, 32% of Flight Attendants have taken our negotiations survey.  The survey is your direct line to our Negotiating Committee to share your thoughts and have your feedback included.  Make sure that your voice is heard and take the survey now!

Tuesday, August 16

Our Negotiating Committee needs your feedback!  As of today, 42% of Flight Attendants have taken our negotiations survey.  Check with your flying partners—has everyone completed the survey yet?  If not, share this QR code and encourage them to have their voice heard!

Wednesday, August 17

Our Negotiating Committee needs your feedback!  As of today, 48% of Flight Attendants have taken our negotiations survey.  Haven’t taken the survey yet because you’re short on time?  It’s easy to take the survey…

🚐 On the van 

🪑 On a sit 

🏨 On your layover 

🏡 At home 

or almost anywhere in between!

Thursday, August 18

🚨 REMINDER 🚨 Less than 24 hours left to take our negotiations survey!  The survey closes tomorrow (Friday, August 19) at 12 PM Pacific time.

Our Negotiating Committee needs your feedback!  As of today, 54% of Flight Attendants have taken our negotiations survey.  Check in with your flying partners and reach out to your Alaska Flight Attendant friends to make sure they’ve taken the survey!  Text, call, email, video chat—get in touch with as many people as you can and ask them to make sure they have their voice heard!

Our Negotiations Survey is Now Closed

Our Negotiations Survey is now closed. Thank you to everyone who took the survey and encouraged your flying partners and Flight Attendant friends to do the same. Our final participation rate for the survey was 62%.

Don’t forget, you can still share your thoughts and feedback with our Negotiating Committee at any time. Send a direct email to negotiations@afaalaska.org or fill out a Negotiations Feedback Form online!

https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/contact/

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, August 23Monthly Scheduling Committee Meeting
Thursday, August 25Special MEC 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!

At around 6 PM Pacific time this evening (Thursday, August 18) the AFA Alaska Online Support Center at support.afaalaska.org went offline due to an issue with our hosting provider. We are currently working to resolve the issue but have been advised that it may take up to 48 hours to restore the system. As long as the system is down, please email your LEC Officers directly if you have an issue to report to AFA. Contact information is below.

BaseEmail
ANCanc@afaalaska.org
LAXlax@afaalaska.org
PDXpdx@afaalaska.org
SANsan@afaalaska.org
SEAsea@afaalaska.org
SFOsfo@afaalaska.org

AFA International

COVID relief legislation temporarily prohibited airlines from using stock buybacks that enrich executives and big investors on the backs of workers and consumers. But those prohibitions end on September 30.

Now is not the time to start sending cash to Wall Street when the airlines can’t yet meet public demand or manage effectively through operational challenges. Airline workers have had contract negotiations on hold for years – delaying raises and improving working conditions needed to keep skilled workers on the job and attract new applicants.

We call on all airline CEOs to take the No Stock Buybacks Pledge!

Airlines pledge to extend the COVID relief ban on stock buybacks until:

  • operational meltdowns are not the norm and staffing and flights schedules are aligned to support public demand; and
  • labor contract negotiations are concluded.

Stabilizing the industry must be CEOs #1 priority. Not $1 in stock buybacks until this is achieved.

Take Action and Sign the Petition!

From 2014 through 2019, United, Southwest, American and Delta rewarded Wall Street with more than $39 billion in stock buybacks. That’s money that should have been invested in improving passenger experiences, better staffing, and good jobs. When the pandemic struck, aviation unions secured a historic relief package, the Payroll Support Program (PSP), which provided the airlines with funding to maintain payroll and benefits, while temporarily banning stock buybacks and capping executive compensation. At the same time, frontline workers helped the U.S. aviation system weather the economic and public health storm.

We know Wall Street will demand airlines resume buybacks the minute this ban ends. But if CEOs don’t prioritize operations, the crisis in the industry will only deepen.

Airline CEOs can use resources to end operational meltdowns and restore stability, or they can feed Wall Street greed. Sign the demand that CEOs put the industry’s stability, their passengers, and aviation workers first. Greed doesn’t fly. No stock buybacks until the industry flies right!

Hotel Committee

  • Our AFA Hotel Committee Chairpersons met on Thursday, August 12 to discuss their ongoing program of work to protect and improve the quality of Flight Attendant hotel accommodations and ground transportation providers.
  • The Committee met with representatives from management and the Company’s crew accommodations vendor to review current trends and concerns related to layover hotels and transportation.
  • More than ever, the Committee needs your help in reporting hotel and transportation concerns through CrewCare.  Issues that are reported through CrewCare provide the Committee with important data to drive change with management.

On Thursday, August 12, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management.  Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Cassie Dole (SFO), Majo Tanco (LAX), and Kanani Vallot (SAN).  Also present were MEC Hotel Committee Chairperson Laura Hinojosa and MEC Hotel Committee Vice Chairperson Jodi Snow.  The committee met with Crew Hotel Support Specialist Alyssa Umagat, Crew Hotels & Administration Manager Nichole Turner, and Managing Director of Operations Staffing & Resource Management Brittany Audette from management.  Representatives from the Company’s crew accommodations vendor Accommodations Plus International (API) and ALPA participated in the meeting as well.

Topics of Discussion

The committee reviewed a number of items both during the meeting with management and API.  Some items discussed include:

  • Review of the overall condition of the hotel industry and how the industry is recovering from the pandemic.  Similar to the airline business, the hotel industry has mostly rebounded at this point to business levels that are on par or exceed 2019.  This has driven hotel rates up and availability down (supply and demand).
  • Overview of new technology options being offered by API that may improve the flow of information about hotels and ground transportation to crewmembers.  Management will be working with API to evaluate how the options could be used at Alaska.
  • Review of the Company’s utilization of hotels by city
  • Review of CrewCare reports filed (both complaints and compliments). 
  • Ongoing issue with rooms not being available when crew members arrive at a hotel and having to wait.  It is important that Flight Attendants call Crew Scheduling upon arrival if rooms are not ready and then again when provided with a room.  Management has been providing additional compensation for documented wait times of one hour or longer.  Please follow up by documenting with a CrewCare report.
  • Concerns about upcoming major events in LAS, PHX, and ANC that may impact hotel availability and quality of crew layovers.  Working to ensure that crew members have rooms and minimal disruptions.
  • Ensuring room availability in cities that experience major seasonal fluctuations in hotel demand (primarily ANC during summer).  The Committee had previously asked that management take a more proactive approach to guarantee room availability for crews in these locations and is continuing to do so.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Conducting hotel site visits.  Visiting hotels under consideration by management and advocating for management to select the hotel that will provide the safest and most comfortable layover experience for Flight Attendants.
  2. Investigating CrewCare reports.  Reviewing CrewCare reports and working to hold hotel and transportation providers accountable through management and API.
  3. Working to ensure hotel availability in cities with seasonal demand.  Advocating for improved processes to ensure that enough contractually compliant hotel rooms will be available for crews in cities that experience strong seasonal fluctuations in demand for hotels.  

We Want to Hear From You!

If you’ve had an unacceptable or substandard experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider, please report the issue!  Our AFA Hotel Committee receives a copy of every CrewCare report filed and each one is read and reviewed.  You can file a CrewCare report using the web app on your IMD home screen or by clicking here. 

Do you have other feedback for the committee or items that you’d like brought up with management?  Please let us know!  Your Local Hotel Committee is your voice to management.  You can find our contact information on the Hotel Committee page of the AFA Alaska website. 

Our Negotiations Survey Is Now Open

The survey is open now and will close on Friday, August 19th at 12 PM (noon) Pacific Time.  

Click here for the Contract 2022 negotiations survey >

If any Flight Attendant requires technical support for the negotiations survey, then click here.

This survey provides each of you the chance to be heard.  Let’s encourage one another to participate.  Thank you for your input as we prepare for Contract 2022!

Mobilization Volunteers for Upcoming Negotiations 

September mobilization event planned for the 13th

As we get closer to the start of negotiations there will be various events planned. If you are interested in becoming a Mobilization Volunteer and assisting with these events, please take a few moments and review the mobilization volunteer page:  https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/mobilization/volunteer/ 

Always feel free to reach out to our PDX LEC Mobilization Chair, Ahnawake Kriese at ahnawake.kriese@afaalaska.org with any questions. 

PBS Bidding Reminders 

Although NAVBLUE ClassBid (the old PBS bidding interface) has officially been retired, resources are still available for Flight Attendants who need help with the newer interface, WebApp. Your login and password remain the same.  Bookmark https://asapbs.navblue.aero/webapp  

Available WebApp Training Resources 


Help Your Flying Partners Recover from Kentucky Floods

From AFA International

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for several Kentucky counties to aid local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides beginning July 26, 2022, and continuing. If you would like to apply for AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Funds, download the Disaster Relief Fund Application >

AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is always available to Flight Attendants regardless of status. EAP is completely confidential. If you would like to contact AFA EAP, please call: 1-800-424-2406

In Unity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

In This Edition

Getting Ready for Contract Negotiations

Originally posted August 11, 2022

Contract negotiations with management are set to begin just over a month from today.  As our Negotiating Committee gears up to go to the table with management, a number of activities are taking place to help support their work.  Our Negotiations Survey is underway, preparatory work has started on our AFA opening proposal to management, and our Mobilization Committee is looking for Mobilization Volunteers to back our Negotiating Committee.  Looking for even more information about negotiations and what to expect?  Our Contract 2022 website is your one-stop resource for everything you need to know! 

Read More >

August 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Originally posted August 12, 2022

Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Thursday, August 11 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.  The MEC also met with executive management and a group of union leaders from other company workgroups to receive updates and discuss concerns affecting employees company-wide.  The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 14.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

Read More >

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, August 16Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Tuesday, August 16 – Thursday, August 18Flight Attendant Drug & Alcohol Program (FADAP) Conference
Friday, August 19Negotiations Survey Closes (12 PM Pacific time)

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 Thursday, August 11 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
  • The MEC also met with executive management and a group of union leaders from other company workgroups to receive updates and discuss concerns affecting employees company-wide.
  • The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 13 and Wednesday, September 14.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

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

Meeting with our Negotiating Committee

Our MEC briefly met with the Negotiating Committee to receive an update on the committee’s preparations for upcoming contract negotiations with management.  Preparatory work is ongoing and the committee is anticipating the results of our negotiations survey once it closes on Friday, August 19.  The Negotiating Committee is scheduled to present their draft opening proposal to the MEC for review and approval at a Special MEC Meeting on Thursday, August 25.

Meeting with Management

As part of this meeting, the MEC met with company executive management and a group of union leaders from the other union-represented workgroups within the company.  The intent of these meetings, usually held once per quarter, is to receive updates from management and allow for a broader discussion of issues and concerns facing all company employees.  Some of the items that were brought forward by our MEC include:

  • Management’s lack of further updates or communication regarding their plan regarding California meal and rest break requirements following the Supreme Court ruling in the Bernstein v. Virgin America case.
  • The ongoing compressed timeline for Flight Attendant initial training and the implications to our work group.  The initial training program needs to be reevaluated in order to create the best possible learning environment, provide practical experience onboard operating aircraft as part of training (e.g. service flights), and set new hires up for success on the line.
  • Concerns about non-rev travelers being left behind when a flight has to be closed out to meet management’s door closure timeline and metrics.  Request that management review technology and procedures to keep flights from going out with open seats when there are non-revs on the standby list.
  • Issues with the company’s vendor that provides leave of absence management functions and a lack of responsiveness by the vendor.  Flight Attendants are not receiving timely responses to emails, phone calls, and other communications.

Questions?

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

Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants We’re excited to introduce the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives for the upcoming MEC Officer term. They’ll begin transitioning into their roles over the next few months and officially start their terms on January 1, 2026. Below, you’ll find brief biographies that […]

Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives

We’re excited to introduce our next group of newly elected merged MEC Committee Chairpersons, who will begin their roles on November 1. These leaders are dedicated to representing the interests of our Flight Attendants as they coordinate activities across the merged committees of both airlines. They’ll work closely with the Local Committee Chairpersons from all […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – October 2025

On Monday, October 13, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Chris Cardenas (LAX), and Kanani Vallot […]

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 next 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

During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of merged MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives. 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 been elected: MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee […]

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