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December 2021 MEC Meeting Recap

Master Executive Council (MEC) President Jeffrey Peterson

Just wrapped up chairing our monthly MEC meeting yesterday and today.

As usual, your AFA committee chairs and reps provided written reports to the MEC about the latest developments in their areas, and we received live briefings regarding dispute resolution & grievances, scheduling, FA pay, and fatigue. Lots going on out there!

Meeting w/ COO + Inflight + Labor Relations + FA Crew Pay

Notable topics discussed:

  • Recent leadership change and the path forward
  • Acting on FA feedback – Management to communicate administrative details to FAs as soon as possible in the next bulletin
    • 1.5x pay for all  DHD conversions (i.e., including unscheduled DHD conversions) November 1, 2021 – January 2, 2022 – There is no mechanism in Crew Access to track all conversions, so FAs must manually submit in Rainmaker. (November flight activity will process soon, so please submit ASAP if you want November conversions to be paid in December!)
    • Forgiving attendance points for all FA COVID+ absences (i.e., up to 10-day Single Continuous Occurrence substantiated by a positive COVID test that includes the FA’s name, testing facility and date) – Use the COVID+/Vaccine Reaction Points Forgiveness Form (AAG SSO required: Inflight –> Admin –> Performance –> COVID+/Vaccine Reaction Points Forgiveness Form)
    • Removing time restrictions for submissions of the COVID+/Vaccine Reaction Points Forgiveness Form (i.e., no longer a requirement to submit by the end of the next sequence and retroactive 18 months) – Management is researching whether records for previous timeliness denials can be used to retroactively approve.
  • Q4 Computer Based Training (CBT) aka Annual Compliance Training (ACT) – Due December 31st. More than 3000 FAs have not yet completed this.
  • Existing inflight service and pending additional offerings – FAs are exhausted, frustrated, and anxious. Due to pandemic-related concerns, they do not want to be out in the cabin more right now. There is no room for trash. In the MEC’s opinion, Alaska FAs will grow even more upset and mobilized unless management provides additional relief.

I hope you found this recap timely and informative.

In Solidarity,
Jeff

Important Dates

  • Dec 1-15:  Travel Open Enrollment
  • Dec 31:   Dependent Verification
  • Dec 31:  Current Uniform Allotment ends
  • Dec 31:  Annual Compliance Training (ACT) CBT due
  • Jan 1:  Contractual Uniform Allotment added

COVID-19 Points Forgiveness

Per the new agreement with management, Flight Attendants can once again submit for points forgiveness for COVID-19 related absences with corresponding documentation.  The time limits for submitting have been suspended.  If you’ve had a previous submission denied due to timeliness, please resubmit for points removal.  This process is manual, so allow some time for the adjustment to show on the attendance record. To request a points review, visit:

Alaskasworld>>Inflight >>Administration>>Performance>>COVID-19 Absence Reporting Form

Reporting Service Safety Hazards

by Brad Young, Council 35 ASHSC Chair/Council Rep

Please remember to report any safety hazards that you experience while performing the expanded onboard service.  This could include examples of increased exposure to passengers (e.g. passenger removing their mask to speak to you, etc.) or other hazards related to service.  Please also report any trash stowage concerns or issues (e.g. trash was stowed under the last row, in the LAV or in the O/H bin) due to the lack of dedicated ‘trash cart’ space or lack of galley trash bin space in the aircraft.    Please fill out both an FAIR and ASAP report in those events.  You can report these hazards through Block2Block and/or ReportIt! by submitting either a FAIR and/or ASAP for each flight on which they occur.  It is important to include the terms “COVID-19″ and “service” in your narrative to ensure they are correctly categorized by management.  This data will help our AFA representatives (Inflight Service and Safety Committees) to advocate for safe levels of service and/or further reduce onboard service again. 

Dependent Verification

If you were in the group of selected employees in the dependent audit, the deadline to provide documentation for dependents receiving health care coverage is 12/31/21.

New Reserve Committee Members

Council 35 is happy to announce and welcome not only one new committee member, but two!  Meg Casey and Camile Caldwell have stepped forward to co-chair the Council 35 Reserve Committee and the timing couldn’t be more perfect with all the hiring expected next year.  Get to know these wonderful volunteers by reading their bios in their own words:


Meg Casey

Meg grew up as an Army brat and served for several years in the Coast Guard which ultimately led to her love of travel and meeting new people.  It was with this in mind that she decided to pursue a career as a flight attendant with Virgin America in 2017 and now she’s not sure why she didn’t become a flight attendant sooner.  She has been SFO based since she started flying and has bounced back and forth between reserve and having a line for the last 4 years.  Meg knows how tough it can be to be on reserve, especially now, and she wants to serve as an advocate for our SFO reserves.  She’s excited to serve in her new role and would like to invite you to reach out with any questions or concerns about reserve life or the reserve portion of the contract.  Meg lives in the North Bay, and when she’s not flying, she enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, and trying all the food.

Camile Caldwell

Camile began her Flight Attendant career in October of 2017 with Virgin America, and quickly discovered her love of travel and the airline industry as a whole. She has been on and off reserve for her entire career, adapting to whatever crew scheduling throws her way, and holds a reserve line currently. With the drop off in flying due to COVID she took a voluntary furlough, which only made her realize how much she missed working and, upon returning to work, how much she wanted to get more involved within the FA workgroup. Camile is extremely eager to become a resource for all SFO reserves, work to help them better understand their contract, and be a voice for reserves within the union and to management. Before becoming a Flight Attendant Camile graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a BS in Geology. She currently lives in Sacramento and enjoys spending time with friends and family whenever she can.

Have a question for SFO Reserve?  Both Meg and Camile can be reached at sfo.reserve@afaalaska.org.

Year End Reminders

Uniform Allotment-Use it or Lose it

In January 2022 a new set of funds will be allotted to all Flight Attendant that meet the criteria (JCBA §13.D.6), however none of the funds from this year will roll-over (JCBA §13.D.1).  If you want to make any last minute orders (even for backordered items), now is the time to do it.

Record Improvement

JCBA § 32.G.4. Flight Attendants meeting the following conditions will have attendance points reduced to zero:

  • 4 or less attendance points at the end of the year
  • achieves 480 TFP for the year
  • does not accumulate any attendance points for the months of November and December

The manual adjustment occurs mid-January which will be reflected on FAs attendance point records.

480

Flight Attendants must achieve 480 TFP for the year to maintain the following benefits:

To see your TFP accruals for the year, please visit:


Alaskasworld>>Inflight Page>>Administration>>Calculators

We’re Here to Help:  Online Support Center

The best way to contact us for support is by submitting an online support ticket.  By selecting the type of concern you have, the best rep for your situation can assist you.  The online support ticket system is for AFA use (not management) and is confidential, so please use a personal email address to open a request.  Direct emails and contact info can also be found on the SFO Committee Page.

Want More News?  
The Alaska MEC (of which Council 35 is a part) is proud to announce a new communication strategy called “AFA Alaska News Now,” which can be found on popular social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  Additionally a recap of the news will be published in an “AFA Alaska News In Review” weekly digest.  Don’t like social media?  No problem!   “AFA Alaska News in Review” will be sent to personal email addresses on file, so those of you who do not have social media and do not check the AFA Alaska websites regularly will still receive the information.  Use this link if you need to make a change or update to your personal email address.

Happy Holidays and Fly Safe!

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

Master Executive Council (MEC) President Jeffrey Peterson

Now that is has been officially announced that Travis will be stepping away as leader of the Inflight division, I thought Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants might want to hear from their MEC president.

I may not always be at liberty to communicate the details of every conversation advocating on your behalf that I have with executive management, but I would like to assure you that those conversations occur regularly and will continue as such. On that note, I have been in communication with Ben, Constance, and Travis, and it is clear that the decision was not made lightly. It is gratifying to see management be so responsive to our concerns.

Although the leadership change introduces additional uncertainty within Inflight, at least in the near term, it also offers potential opportunity for improvement. It will be interesting to see how this all works out—especially with negotiations less than a year away!

/jeff

Outstanding Dues

If you have received an email or letter from AFA International’s Membership Services department about your dues, it is important that you contact AFA-CWA Membership services by calling them directly at 844.232.2228, extension 3 (Monday to Friday, 9:00AM – 5:00PM EST), or by submitting an online inquiry by CLICKING HERE to verify the amount owed on your account.

If you were on any type of leave, be sure to note the dates of your leave in the comments section and they will investigate and make the necessary changes. Debit and credit card payments can be made by CLICKING HERE. 

It is very important that this is handled as soon as possible. 

In This Edition

  • Messages From the MEC President
  • Introducing AFA Alaska News Now
  • Next Week: Committee Meetings with Management
  • REMINDER: Uniform Allotments Expire December 31

Messages From the MEC President

Introducing AFA Alaska News Now

Originally posted November 30, 2021

We’re looking to improve the way we communicate using more frequent updates that are more concise and to-the-point.  AFA Alaska News Now posts will be made throughout the week and posted to the AFA Alaska website and AFA Alaska social media channels.  Prefer to receive news by email?  AFA Alaska News in Review email updates will still be sent out regularly with a summary of AFA Alaska News Now articles that have been posted recently.

Read More >

Next Week: Committee Meetings with Management

Originally posted December 2, 2021

Several AFA committees will meet with management next week for regularly scheduled discussions of issues currently impacting Flight Attendants.  Each AFA Local Council/base sends a representative to committee meetings to ensure that the voices of all Flight Attendants are heard.  If you have concerns or items that you would like to see brought forward, please reach out to your respective Local Committee Chairperson prior to the meeting.

Read More >

REMINDER: Uniform Allotments Expire December 31

Originally posted December 2, 2021

Uniform allotments from the initial rollout of the Unisync uniform and the contractual allotment received in 2020 will expire on December 31, 2021.  If you order new items, be sure to try them on right away to make sure they fit properly.  Try to make any returns as soon as possible since you won’t receive a credit to your allotment until Unisync processes the return.  If you have Unisync uniform pieces that are worn out and need to be repaired or replaced, the Company will do so for free.  Get in touch with your supervisor for help.

Read More >

 

Uniform Committee

  • Uniform allotments from the initial rollout of the Unisync uniform and the contractual allotment received in 2020 will expire on December 31, 2021.
  • If you order new items, be sure to try them on right away to make sure they fit properly.  Try to make any returns as soon as possible since you won’t receive a credit to your allotment until Unisync processes the return. 
  • If you have Unisync uniform pieces that are worn out and need to be repaired or replaced, the Company will do so for free.  Get in touch with your supervisor for help.

Any uniform allotment that you have remaining from the initial purchase of the Unisync uniform or subsequent contractual allotment will expire on December 31, 2021.  Any amount remaining in your allotment after December 31 will be returned to the company and does not roll over.  All Flight Attendants will receive a new contractual uniform allotment of $700 on January 1, 2022 that can be used throughout 2022 and 2023 (CBA section 13.D.1).

When You Receive Your Items, Try Them on Right Away

If you order new pieces, we recommend that you try them on right away to ensure that the sizing is correct.  If you need to return items and order new ones, options might be limited if stock becomes depleted and pieces are backordered.  As a reminder, you have 90 days to return an item from the date you receive it (CBA addendum to section 13, #2) 

Worn Out Uniform Pieces? The Company Will Repair or Replace Them For Free

Under our CBA, the Company is required to repair or replace any basic uniform pieces that are worn out due to normal use or any manufacturer’s defect.  There is no charge to your allotment to exercise this contractual provision.  Contact your supervisor if you need to make arrangements to have any worn uniform pieces repaired or replaced (CBA section 13.C.2).

Questions?

Your Local Uniform Committee is available to answer questions that you have or provide assistance.  Find our contact information on the Uniform Committee page of afaalaska.org.

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • Several AFA committees will meet with management next week for regularly scheduled discussions of issues currently impacting Flight Attendants.
  • Each AFA Local Council/base sends a representative to committee meetings to ensure that the voices of all Flight Attendants are heard.
  • If you have concerns or items that you would like to see brought forward, please reach out to your respective Local Committee Chairperson prior to the meeting.

Most AFA committees hold meetings with management on a regular basis as a part of their advocacy work on behalf of our Flight Attendants.  These meetings are an opportunity for our Committee Members to bring concerns and issues forward and push for improvements to our workplace.  Representing you at these meetings is your Local Committee Chairperson (sometimes another Local Committee Member or LEC Officer may fill in), who is your voice to management on matters related to the committee.

Next week, several committee meetings are scheduled to take place with management.  They include:

  • Human Rights Committee on Monday, December 6
  • Retirement Committee on Tuesday, December 7
  • Reserve Committee on Thursday, December 9
  • Hotel Committee on Thursday, December 9
  • Inflight Service Committee on Friday, December 10

If there are items that you would like to see any of these committees bring forward to management at their upcoming meeting, please let your Local Committee Chairperson know.  Click below for contact information.

Human Rights Committee
Retirement Committee
Reserve Committee
Hotel Committee
Inflight Service Committee

For my first “Message from the MEC President,” I thought I would share an email I sent to executive management earlier today regarding Flight Attendant low morale:

I already received this in response:

Jeff and the MEC,

Thank you for sharing the specific concerns and opportunities below.  A number of us, including Constance and Todd (Food & Beverage), are meeting this afternoon to review each of your ideas below.

Carmen and I will get back to you once we have evaluated each of them.

Thanks,
Travis

Stay tuned!

/Jeff

Communications Committee

  • We’re looking to improve the way we communicate using more frequent updates that are more concise and to-the-point.
  • AFA Alaska News Now posts will be made throughout the week and posted to the AFA Alaska website and AFA Alaska social media channels.
  • Prefer to receive news by email?  AFA Alaska News in Review email updates will still be sent out regularly with a summary of AFA Alaska News Now articles that have been posted recently.

Based on feedback from you and other AFA Members, we’re reformatting the way we share news and updates.  Starting today, you’ll start seeing AFA Alaska News Now posts, our new primary way to share information with you.  Each post is a single subject update that covers the important information and key points first while still providing additional information that is good to know.

Unlike email newsletters, AFA Alaska News Now posts will be made throughout the week to bring you information closer to when it happens.  Each post will be available on the AFA Alaska website and AFA social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), so no matter how you prefer to receive news you’ll be able to keep up-to-date.  If you’d rather receive updates by email, we’ve got you covered.  We’ll still be sending out regular AFA Alaska News in Review email newsletters with a summary of recent AFA Alaska News Now articles so you won’t miss anything.

Thoughts or Ideas?

If you have thoughts about our new format or ideas about what you’d like to see covered, we’d love to hear from you!  Please send us an email at communications@afaalaska.org.  

Thankful On This Thanksgiving Day 2021

Master Executive Council (MEC) President Jeffrey Peterson

In This Message

  • It’s been a long time
  • Thankful for…
  • Let’s get real for a minute
  • Your emails to management
  • New communication strategy
  • Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s been a long time

It has been a long time since I’ve addressed Membership directly—too long! —and that is going to change. Before I get into that in more detail, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation on this Thanksgiving Day 2021.

Thankful for…

I am so thankful to be a member of such an amazing group of Flight Attendants and for the continued opportunity to represent you. I am thankful for working alongside all the AFA Alaska officers, representatives, and committee members as they tirelessly advocate on your behalf, defend our contract, and ensure Flight Attendants are fairly represented in disciplinary proceedings. I am also thankful to be a member of the AFA Executive Board of Directors and an active participant in AFA-CWA and the broader labor movement. I am also thankful for Alaska Airlines providing the financial means to maintain the roof over my head, the shirt on my back and the food on my table. On a more personal level, I am thankful for my health, my family, and my friends. I feel truly blessed despite one of the most challenging years ever.

Let’s get real for a minute

So now let’s get real for a minute. Working for Alaska Airlines as a Flight Attendant has sucked even more in 2021 than it did in 2020. Because this is a holiday message of thanks, I’m going to keep it light by moving on for now, but we’ll be coming back to this in future communications after the holiday weekend. I know this is “the” thing being talked about on the line. It is truly brutal out there!

Your emails to management

I sincerely appreciate the emails that many of you have sent to management lately regarding your frustrations because they amplify the same themes that I and the other AFA Alaska leaders have been repeating for months now. Please make sure those emails stay respectful because I don’t want anyone to be hauled in by Inflight Performance for a conversation and potentially disciplined for crossing the line. Let me be the “heavy” on your behalf under the shield of union representative ‘immunity’!

New communication strategy

I have heard from many of you loud and clear that you want to hear from AFA Alaska leadership about the relevant topic(s) of the day as they are unfolding. You want to know what your union leaders are doing to represent you “in the moment” as close to real time as possible. I can absolutely assure you without hesitation that we are advocating for you every day, but…if we don’t communicate the details to you, then you don’t know it’s happening.

Starting next week, AFA Alaska will be revamping our communication strategy with the goal of communicating more timely news to you. We will start pushing “AFA Alaska News Now” simultaneously to social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and to the AFA Alaska Contract 2022 and/or AFA Alaska websites. We will also recap that news in an “AFA Alaska News In Review” weekly digest; “AFA Alaska News in Review” will be sent to personal email addresses on file, so those of you who do not have social media and do not check the AFA Alaska websites regularly will still receive the information.

I thank you in advance for your patience as we ramp up this new communication strategy, and I sincerely hope you will feel more informed by and connected to your AFA Alaska leadership as a result.

Happy Thanksgiving!

On behalf of the entire AFA Alaska MEC, I sincerely hope that you can at least temporarily unplug from all the crazy and celebrate Thanksgiving no matter where in Alaska’s World you may be. You deserve it!

~Jeff

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