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        You are here: Home / Latest News

        May 25, 2022 17:00

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        • Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, May 24 to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
        • As part of the meeting, our MEC joined the May 24th Negotiating Committee Listening Session to hear directly from our Flight Attendants about experiences, thoughts, and ideas for upcoming contract negotiations.
        • The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your LEC President if you have any questions.

        The May 2022 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, May 24.  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.  In addition, the proposed 2022-23 fiscal year MEC budget was approved at the meeting by the voting members of our MEC (LEC Presidents).

        Negotiating Committee Listening Session

        Our MEC joined the scheduled May 24th Negotiating Committee Listening Session to directly hear some of the thoughts, ideas, and challenges that are being shared with our Negotiating Committee as they gather feedback from our Flight Attendant group.  Thank you to everyone who has gotten involved in the process and participated in or is planning to attend a listening session.  If you’re interested in signing up for one of the remaining listening sessions, you can find more information on our Contract 2022 website.     

        No Meeting with Management This Month

        With the AFA Board of Directors Meeting having been held earlier in the month, this month’s MEC Meeting was scheduled as a one-day event.  Given the shortened meeting length and full schedule, it was not possible for our MEC to meet with management as part of this month’s MEC Meeting.  Our MEC will resume standing meetings with management during the June 2022 Regular MEC Meeting. 

        Questions?

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

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Master Executive Council (MEC) Tagged With: MEC Meeting

        May 25, 2022 13:00

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants based in San Diego:

        LEC President: Brice McGee
        LEC Vice President: Melanie Buker
        LEC Secretary: Stephen Couckuyt

        View the certified election results here >>

        These officers will serve a term of office starting July 1, 2022 and concluding on June 30, 2025.

        Our Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the newly elected officers and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Council 15 SAN Tagged With: election results, officer elections

        May 25, 2022 09:00

        Scheduling Committee

        • Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, May 24 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, May 24, 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), Virginia Fritz (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, MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS Adam Clarey, MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative Kiara O’Bryant, and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson Julie Thornton. The committee met with representatives from inflight base management and other management representatives from Crew Planning.

        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:

        • Reassignments for line holders and reserves – avoiding cancellations.
        • Long wait times for hotels/transportation and concerns with API (the company’s hotel sourcing vendor).  When these situations occur, continue to file CrewCare reports and remain in contact with Crew Scheduling. 
        • Pre-cancellations and the ability to email in order to waive pay.
        • Flight schedule changes and cancellations (reduction in planned schedule) for June, July, and August.  Management indicated that reserve percentages will remain high. 
        • Possibility of allowing Personal Drops and/or raising the threshold sequence number (TSN).
        • Line averages and Reserve coverage.  Management is planning to lower averages to 75 TFP and increase reserve coverage to above 20% in all bases.
        • Pay Protection is compared on a day-by-day basis and excluded from the Spring Incentive Premium.
        • Crew Access queues were explained in recent bulletin 2022-0046 Bulletin Bundle April 18, 2022 (AAG sign-on required).
        • Irregular operations quick reference information.  Our AFA Scheduling Committee has put together a quick reference guide that can be accessed here: https://afaalaska.org/scheduling/irops.
        • Flight Attendants who are experiencing fatigue should report or call in fatigued if unable to perform duties or safely operate.  Refer to the Fatigue Risk Management Plan (FRMP) Letter of Agreement for more information.
        • Expecting an update to Crew Access on June 6, 2022.
        • Crew Access/NAVBLUE/T-Mobile/Block2Block – data, statistics, pending updates and requests to improve. 
        • Commuting while on reserve and being in base at the start of reserve availability period.  Not being available in base at the start of the availability period is considered by management to be time card fraud, even if a Flight Attendant has self-assigned a trip or APSB with a later report time.

        What The Committee Is Working On

        1. PBS Base Sits.  Conducting virtual meetings, trainings, and in-person meetings in preparation for the sunsetting of NAVBLUE ClassBid PBS.  
        2. 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.
        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.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Scheduling Committee Tagged With: committee meeting

        May 24, 2022 13:00

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to Local Council Officer positions representing Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants based in Los Angeles:

        LEC President: Timothy Green
        LEC Vice President: Kelese Richardson
        LEC Secretary: Majo Tanco
        Council Representative: Bryan Wall

        View the certified election results here >>

        These officers will serve a term of office starting July 1, 2022 and concluding on June 30, 2025.

        Our Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the newly elected officers and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Council 18 LAX Tagged With: election results, officer elections

        May 20, 2022 17:00

        In This Edition

        • Tell Management: It’s Time To Make it Right!
        • Shared on Social
        • Next Week’s Events

        Tell Management: It’s Time To Make it Right!

        Originally posted May 18, 2022

        Our MEC will be approaching management this week to discuss a meaningful remedy to the recent bidding errors and delays.  We have heard loud and clear that Flight Attendants expect that any remedy will include an element of compensation in order to hold management accountable.  Stand in solidarity and support our MEC by sending management a letter telling them it’s time to make it right!

        Read More >


        Shared on Social

        Have You Written Your Letter to Management? 

        Have you and your flying partners written your letter to management yet?? 

        Let them know that we’re tired of:

        ❌ Meaningless apologies
        ❌ Empty promises to “do better”

        And let them know it’s time for:

        ✅ Management accountability
        ✅ A meaningful remedy with compensation for F/As

        Help get the word out and tell management that it’s time to make it right!!!

        https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-management-its-time-to-make-it-right?source=direct_link&Text

        Keep the Momentum Going!

        Thank you to everyone who has already written their letter to management telling them to Make it Right! We’ve made great progress but still have a ways to go to make sure management hears everyone’s voice! Help keep the momentum going by checking in with your friends and flying partners today to see if they’ve sent letters to management as well. Save this QR code, let your crew scan it, and they’ll be able to send their letter to management in less than two minutes.

        Let’s show management that we are one unified work group standing together in solidarity! It’s time for them to Make it Right!

        Negotiating Committee Listening Sessions Start Tomorrow

        Negotiating Committee Listening Sessions start tomorrow! Listening Sessions are your opportunity to meet with our Negotiating Committee in a small group setting and share your thoughts, ideas, experiences, or anything else on your mind about negotiations. There’s still space available to participate in many of next week’s sessions.  Register for a session today and get involved in the process—your voice matters! 

        https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/committee/listening/


        Next Week’s Events

        Saturday, May 21 – Thursday, May 26Negotiating Committee Listening Sessions
        Monday, May 23AFA Presentation to Initial Training Class 2022-08 (rescheduled)
        Tuesday, May 24Regular MEC Meeting
        Tuesday, May 24Monthly Scheduling Committee Meeting
        Wednesday, May 25Quarterly Inflight Service Committee Meeting

        See the MEC Event Calendar >

        Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: AFA News in Review

        May 18, 2022 17:00

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        • Our MEC will be approaching management this week to discuss a meaningful remedy to the recent bidding errors and delays.
        • We have heard loud and clear that Flight Attendants expect that any remedy will include an element of compensation in order to hold management accountable.
        • Stand in solidarity and support our MEC by sending management a letter telling them it’s time to make it right!

        Now that bids have finally been awarded for June 2022, it is time to focus our attention on addressing management’s continued disregard for our collective bargaining agreement by publishing bid packets that are full of errors and failing to award bids in a contractually compliant manner.  Our Master Executive Council (MEC) has heard loud and clear from our Flight Attendants that you expect management to provide a meaningful remedy to the situation that includes compensation for their continued violation of contractual obligations.  We could not agree with you more and will be approaching management this week to make this request on behalf of all Flight Attendants.

        TAKE ACTION: Stand in Solidarity and Let Management Hear Our Voices!

        Our MEC needs your support to let management know just how serious we are about holding them accountable.  Take action now and send management a letter telling them that it’s time to make it right!  We’ve made it easy, just click the link below.  A template letter has already been written for you, all you need to do is enter your contact information.

        Click here to send management your letter

        We must show management that we are tired of their excuses and demand that they hold themselves accountable in the same way they hold Flight Attendants accountable.  Let management know that we stand together in solidarity and tell them it’s time to make it right!

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Master Executive Council (MEC), Preferential Bidding System (PBS), Scheduling Committee Tagged With: bidding

        May 13, 2022 17:00

        In This Edition

        • Upcoming 2022 AFA Board of Directors Meeting
        • The Saga Continues: June 2022 Bid Awards Delayed
        • Shared on Social
        • Next Week’s Events

        Upcoming 2022 AFA Board of Directors Meeting

        Originally posted May 9, 2022

        Members of our Master Executive Council (MEC) and other AFA Representatives will be attending the AFA Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting later this week.  The BOD meeting is where business affecting all AFA airlines is conducted.  Your LEC President is your representative at the BOD meeting and will be voting on your behalf regarding approval of the AFA International budget, proposed amendments to the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, and the election of AFA International Officers.  If you have any questions about the BOD meeting, submitted agenda items, or international officer elections, please contact your LEC President.

        Read More >


        The Saga Continues: June 2022 Bid Awards Delayed

        Originally posted May 11, 2022

        Due to hundreds of errors identified in the June bid packet, our MEC has insisted that management conduct a systemwide rebid.  Management sent a communication by company email to all Flight Attendants earlier today with details on the new bidding timeline, which opened today at 9 AM PDT and will now close at 9 AM PDT on Monday, May 16.  It is well past time for management to take ownership of their repeated errors, actually fix the problems, and honor our contract!

        Read More >


        Shared on Social

        Negotiating Committee Listening Sessions Start Next Week

        Negotiating Committee Listening Sessions start next week and there’s still time to sign up!  Listening Sessions are your opportunity to meet with our Negotiating Committee in a small group setting and share your thoughts, ideas, experiences, or anything else on your mind about negotiations.  Register today and let’s fill every session—your voice matters!

        https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/committee/listening


        Next Week’s Events

        Friday, May 13 – Sunday, May 15AFA Board of Directors Meeting
        Monday, May 16AFA Presentation to Initial Training Class 2022-08
        Tuesday, May 17Retirement Board Meeting
        Thursday, May 19SFO Base Safety Meeting
        Thursday, May 19Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)

        See the MEC Event Calendar >

        Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: AFA News in Review

        May 11, 2022 11:00

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        • Due to hundreds of errors identified in the June bid packet, our MEC has insisted that management conduct a systemwide rebid.
        • Management sent a communication by company email to all Flight Attendants earlier today with details on the new bidding timeline, which opened today at 9 AM PDT and will now close at 9 AM PDT on Monday, May 16.
        • It is well past time for management to take ownership of their repeated errors, actually fix the problems, and honor our contract!

        June 2022 Bid awards will be delayed. 

        Errors affecting over 500 positions throughout the system have been identified in the June bid packet, resulting in our MEC demanding a system-wide rebid. The errors include: flights that no longer exist, miscoded DHD Flights, inaccurate TFP, and inaccurate report times. When our AFA PBS Subcommittee discovered these errors and brought them to our MEC’s attention, the MEC called an emergency meeting and met with management to discuss our options.

        After carefully considering the feedback following last month’s bidding errors, our MEC unanimously voted for a system-wide rebid to rectify these errors’ impact during bidding. Realizing the value we place on our schedules and the expectation of them being awarded accurately, we felt it necessary to correct these errors before proceeding with bid awards. A rebid will delay awards, trading, and planning for the month of June. While this may be frustrating to some, a rebid allows us all to evaluate the corrected pairings and honor seniority.   

        While management continues to tell us they will do better, it is apparent we have very different definitions of “doing better.”  Our MEC made that point abundantly clear to management and explained how angry and frustrated Flight Attendants are with the many failures and the level of incompetence experienced lately. Management has no problem holding Flight Attendants responsible for the most minute concerns, yet they are unwilling to hold themselves accountable for their repeated errors and violating their contractual obligations.  Management doesn’t appear phased by the high attrition rate or rock-bottom morale – it’s almost as if they don’t CARE how their decisions impact us.  But they are now on notice and fully aware that this latest “screw up” has further eroded confidence (if there is any left) in their ability to manage this workgroup. 

        Flight Attendants do not need another apology from management. Instead, management should look in the mirror and see the mess staring back at them and begin to make things right. They need to show that they’re willing to walk their talk…and “do the right thing.”

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Master Executive Council (MEC), Preferential Bidding System (PBS), Scheduling Committee Tagged With: bidding

        May 9, 2022 17:00

        Master Executive Council (MEC)

        • Members of our Master Executive Council (MEC) and other AFA Representatives will be attending the AFA Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting later this week.  The BOD meeting is where business affecting all AFA airlines is conducted.
        • Your LEC President is your representative at the BOD meeting and will be voting on your behalf regarding approval of the AFA International budget, proposed amendments to the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, and the election of AFA International Officers.
        • If you have any questions about the BOD meeting, submitted agenda items, or international officer elections, please contact your LEC President.

        Later this week, our Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers, Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents, and many other LEC Officers and Committee Chairs will be attending the 49th Annual AFA Board of Directors (BOD) meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada.  They will join representatives from the other airlines that make up AFA to conduct the business of our Union at the international level.  It’s worth noting that this is the first in-person meeting of the BOD since 2019.

        Schedule of Events

        Thursday, May 12Executive Board Meeting (MEC President from each airline)
        Friday, May 13Board of Directors Meeting
        Saturday, May 14Board of Directors Meeting continues
        AFA International Officer elections
        Sunday, May 15Board of Directors Meeting continues

        BOD Meeting Agenda Items

        Your LEC President represents you and the other members of your Local Council on the Board of Directors and will be casting votes on your behalf at the BOD meeting.  Your MEC Officers serve in an ex-officio capacity on the BOD but do not have voting privileges.

        A total of nine advance agenda items were submitted for consideration by the Board at this meeting.  Each Local Council has held or will hold a Local Council meeting prior to the BOD meeting to discuss these agenda items and gain your feedback.  You can find a list of these agenda items and complete language on the AFA BOD Meeting website.

        International Officer Elections

        In addition to the consideration of agenda items, AFA International Officers elections will also take place at this year’s BOD meeting.  As your directly elected representative, your LEC President will be voting on your behalf for the offices of International President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer.

        Questions?

        If you have any questions or thoughts about the BOD meeting or any of the submitted agenda items, please contact your LEC President.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, Master Executive Council (MEC) Tagged With: AFA International, Board of Directors

        May 9, 2022 15:52


        Topics

        Important Dates | CA Membership Meeting | Officer Elections | Committee Openings | Spring Incentive | Section 6 | Solidarity | Pilot Strike | TSA Self Defense | Scholarships.


        Important Dates

        • April 30: CWA Scholarship Application Due
        • May 10: CA Membership Meeting
        • May 26: C35 Officer Election Polls Close

        CA Membership Meeting

        Hosted by Councils 35, 18, and 15

        The next membership meeting for Council 35 members will be Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 1100 via Zoom. The purpose will be to discuss the upcoming AFA-CWA Annual Board of Directors Meeting.  This meeting will be a combined council meeting and open to all Council 35 (SFO), 18 (LAX) and 15 (SAN) members in good standing (up-to-date on dues). Agenda can be found here.  Deadline to submit advanced agenda items is 5/6/22.  To attend, please register here.

        Officer Election Coming Soon!

        It’s election time for SFO and members will have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote for Council 35 officers.  All Council 35 voting instructions and guidelines can be found on the AFA Elections Page. The AFA-CWA Membership Services Department handles all voter questions and issues new activation codes if ballots are misplaced or never received.  The Ballot Help Line is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern time.  If you have a question or need a new 16-digit activation code, you may contact the Ballot Help Line at 800-424-2401, then press 1 and dial extension 706.

        Council 35 Election Dates

        Ballots Mailed:  4/27/22
        Polls Open:  5/5/22
        Polls Close/Results:  5/26/22, 1200 PST
        Term Date Start: 7/1/22
        Term Date End:  6/30/25

        New Council 35 Committee Openings

        Government Affairs Committee Chair

        The Government Affairs (GA) committee promotes the AFA-CWA agenda by supporting legislative efforts that benefit our members or lobbying to discourage laws that will negatively impact members.  What can be achieved in legislation takes away the need for negotiation.  If you have an interest in government issues, please visit the GA webpage on the AFA Alaska website. Submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.

        Government Affairs Committee Chair

        Council 35 is looking to fill the chair position for upcoming Section 6 negotiations.  The chairs from each base will compose the committee with the goal to help motivate and provide assistance to members during the negotiations process.  If you are passionate about improvements to our contract and understand the power of solidarity, please apply!  Submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.  For more information, please see the recent MEC communication announcing the role.

        Interested in another committee position?  Please review the duties and responsibilities on the AFA Alaska Committee website.  Please submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.

        Spring Incentive: Love it or Hate it?

        Section 6 negotiations are getting ready to launch, but did you know the MEC is regularly “negotiating” with management? A great example of this is the Spring Incentive.  Management couldn’t just compel us to participate, as we already have a defined incentive program (PPP) outlined in JCBA§21.R.  They approached us with the idea to help alleviate the staffing issue and the “negotiations” began.  This particular program, developed exclusively by management, was not received well by the MEC at first glance.  Right away we rejected some of the most contentious issues: threshold way too high, not enough people will benefit, won’t motivate regular flyers, not including enough pay codes (i.e. vacation).  Pretty much everything that members have expressed after launch as the unsavory aspects of the program.  In response we offered several suggestions to improve the program’s benefit and effectiveness to which the company declined and only agreed to a few of our suggestions.  We weren’t given much time to work out the details and within a couple of days the MEC had to make a decision to either support the program, or reject it altogether.  Some may disagree with the choice we made, but I can share with you why I was a reluctant yes.  

        When considering SFO specifically (the members that elected me), I came to the conclusion that the Spring Incentive would potentially benefit the SFO F/As more than not.  The program rewards high-time flyers (always been an SFO trend) and brings a little extra pay to overworked reserves.  With this in mind, I decided that it was better to say yes to the program than say no.  I made my decision based on my understanding of the base and what my members want.  The best way for me to know what members want is to hear from you!  If this program is good for you, let me know!  If you hate it, let me know!  I can make better decisions in the future if my members share with me how they feel about issues that affect their work environment. If members are curious about how I voted on a particular issue, please reach out and ask!  I am happy to share my decisions and receive feedback to better support SFO FAs.

        TSA Crew Member Self Defense Training Program – Reinstated

        The TSA Crew Member Self Defense Training Program has been reinstated and is available for all US-based flight attendants free of charge. There are 2 classes scheduled for their South San Francisco location on May 19th and June 16th, from 0800-1200. If you cannot attend these dates, additional classes for 2022 may be offered at a later date. Use this link for more information and to sign up for one of their classes.

        Scholarship Opportunities

        Provided by AFA International

        The Joe Beirne Scholarship offered by CWA is available to AFA Members and dependents. The deadline for applications is April 30.   For more information please visit the CWA website.

        Member Questions: Negotiations

        Why Do We Call Contract Negotiations “Section 6?”

        The term “Section 6” refers to the part of the Railway Labor Act (RLA) that defines the negotiations process.  In many industries, collective bargaining agreements (CBA) have an expiration date, and until a new one is negotiated, the benefits of the old contract are no longer available.  The industries that fall under the RLA have contracts that become amendable, meaning they open up for changes but don’t officially expire (unless specifically defined), and it stays in effect until a new one is ratified (voted in by members).  This was to prevent a transportation shutdown in the early days of the RLA’s existence, as it would have had (and still does have) a devastating effect on the infrastructure of the nation.  What can F/As do now to help?  Get educated and follow the progress of the Negotiating Committee!  Many SFO members haven’t experienced full Section 6 negotiations and understanding the process is crucial to our success.  For more information about negotiations please visit the AFA Alaska Negotiations website. 

        Solidarity and Why We Need It

        The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines solidarity as: unity (as of a group or class) that produces or is based on community of interests, objectives, and standards. Many members are frustrated with management’s decisions and policies that have rolled out recently.  It’s been rough and your Council 35 officers and committee members are united in the frustration! Going to social media to vent is a great way to chat with other members and share experiences and frustrations, however it can also hinder our progress at the negotiations table.  Please see the recent MEC communication on this topic.  Social media campaigns as well as individual emails to management expressing displeasure only show that we are a divided work group.  As your elected leaders, that is literally our job-to confront management on your behalf.  If we don’t hear from you, we can’t stand up to ask for change.  Tell us!  The best way to let them know we mean business is to stand together in solidarity.

        Alaska Pilot Strike Vote

        Council 35 has received several emails from members concerned about the pilot strike vote and how it will impact F/As lives. One of the issues that has raised the most concern is the strike vote planned for May.   Although the vote is scheduled soon, it does not mean the actual strike, if it happens, will follow immediately.  ALPA (pilot Union for AS pilots) and the company have just recently entered the mediation phase of negotiations, which could last an indefinite amount of time:  weeks, months, maybe even years.  If mediation is unsuccessful,  there will be an appeal to the National Mediation Board (NMB) to release the parties from mediation, which is followed by a cooling off period of 30 days.  The pilots follow the same process for negotiations under the RLA as we do at AFA-CWA.  To see a breakdown of steps, please visit our Negotiations website where you will find a helpful chart and breakdown of the different phases of the process. Flight Attendants can also follow ALPA’s progress by visiting the ALPA website.  

        Got a question?

        Contact information for Council 35 committee members can be found on our website.  You can also open an online support ticket and the appropriate rep will respond.

        In solidarity,

        Melissa, James and Brad


        Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  Melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
        James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
        Bradley Young, Council Representative • Bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

        Filed Under: Council 35 SFO Tagged With: April, BOD Meeting, committees, Council 35, elections, Newsletter, scholarships

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        Need Help?

        Have an issue or concern to report to AFA?  Click here to access the AFA Alaska online support center.

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        • Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results
        • Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

        Sick Leave Survey Now Open

        October 28, 2025

        Your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) prioritizes your health and well-being and seeks to understand which aspects of our paid sick leave policy matter most to you. We encourage you to participate in the survey, which is open until Tuesday, November 11 at Noon PT, to ensure your voice is heard in shaping our support for your healthcare needs.

        SEA Domicile Negotiations – October 2025 Update #2

        October 27, 2025

        This session was marked by the Negotiating Committee’s strong advocacy for protections and enhancements that would support the Seattle base as a viable option for transferring Flight Attendants. With insights from Ryan St. John, the Vice President of Finance, Planning, and Investor Relations for Alaska Airlines, the Negotiating Committee highlighted the necessity of combining data-driven strategies with hands-on experience and sufficient resources for long-term success.

        Joint Contract Negotiations Session 8 – October 2025

        October 27, 2025

        During our recent negotiations, the Joint Negotiation Committee focused on key sections, particularly reaching a Tentative Agreement on Lodging and Transportation, which improves food availability and transportation safety. We also engaged with Council 19 to clarify negotiation processes and differences between contracts. Stay tuned for our upcoming session with management from November 18 to 20.

        Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives

        October 23, 2025

        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

        October 22, 2025

        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 […]

        Recent Posts

        • Sick Leave Survey Now Open
        • SEA Domicile Negotiations – October 2025 Update #2
        • Joint Contract Negotiations Session 8 – October 2025
        • AFA News in Review – October 24, 2025
        • Meet Our Pre-Merger Alaska Committee Chairperson & Representatives
        • Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives
        • Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – October 2025
        • AFA News in Review – October 17, 2025
        • Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results
        • Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results
        • U.S. Customs & Border Protection Gender Code Requirement
        • Hawaiian Brand Inflight Service Committee Update – 3rd Quarter 2025
        • AFA News in Review – October 10, 2025
        • SEA Domicile Negotiations – October 2025
        • Protecting Yourself From Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

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