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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

In This Edition

Alaska Airlines Management’s Unlawful Continued Denial of Washington State Sick Leave Law

Originally posted October 3, 2022

Washington’s Paid Sick Leave Law went into effect on January 1, 2018, which in part allows Flight Attendants to use sick leave to care for themselves or a family member – including preventative care – and for which they cannot be disciplined or given attendance points.  The industry trade association Airlines for America and Alaska Airlines management refused to comply with the law and spent the last four years litigating whether they had to or not; they ultimately lost in litigation, and the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit decision in favor of the State of Washington and AFA stands.  Management still refuses to comply with the law, so AFA needs Seattle-based Flight Attendants to file complaints with the State of Washington Labor & Industries agency to ensure the law is rightfully applied.

Read More >

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Originally posted October 5, 2022

Domestic violence can affect anyone and abusers can come from any demographic or background.  Though there is no single defining personality of an abuser, abusers may display common traits or exhibit certain warning signs.  If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse, confidential help is available through your AFA EAP Committee at (949) 470-0493 or afaalaska.org/eap.

Read More >

Reassignment Flow Charts – Sections 10.R and 10.R.5

Originally posted October 6, 2022

As part of the ongoing efforts of the Scheduling Committee to assist Flight Attendants in understanding contractual language and compensation, it was recommended a flow chart related to reassignments under contract sections 10.R and 10.R.5 be produced and published.  The first flow chart is designed to help you understand your rights and obligations in the event that you are subject to a reassignment by Crew Scheduling.  The second flow chart will help you understand what pay you are due for a sequence containing a reassignment.

Read More >

FAA Finalizes 10 Hours Rest Rule

Originally posted October 7, 2022

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized a rule earlier this week requiring a minimum of 10 hours of irreducible rest for Flight Attendants between duty periods.  Though Alaska Flight Attendants have benefitted from contractual language ensuring scheduled rest of greater than 10 hours between duty periods for over a decade, this rule brings similar protections to all Flight Attendants throughout the industry.  This rule change is the culmination of tireless advocacy by members of our AFA Government Affairs Committee and other Flight Attendant activists from every airline.

Read More >

Next Week’s Events

Tuesday, October 11 – Wednesday, October 12Regular MEC Meeting
Tuesday, October 11 – Thursday, October 13Contract Negotiations
Thursday, October 13Quarterly Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) 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!

 

Government Affairs Committee

  • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized a rule earlier this week requiring a minimum of 10 hours of irreducible rest for Flight Attendants between duty periods.
  • Though Alaska Flight Attendants have benefitted from contractual language ensuring scheduled rest of greater than 10 hours between duty periods for over a decade, this rule brings similar protections to all Flight Attendants throughout the industry.
  • This rule change is the culmination of tireless advocacy by members of our AFA Government Affairs Committee and other Flight Attendant activists from every airline.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this week finalized a rule requiring 10 hours minimum, non-reducible rest for Flight Attendants between duty days – finally implementing a 2018 law that will make aviation safer for over 100,000 Flight Attendants and the passengers in our care. The rule will increase the rest period to 10 irreducible hours when scheduled for a duty period of 14 hours or less. Though Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants have had contractual language guaranteeing greater than 10 hours of scheduled rest between duty periods since 2006 and Alaska management and AFA implemented 10 hours of irreducible rest in June 2020, equivalent protections have not been in place for all other Flight Attendants across the industry up to this point.

“After years of fighting for the Fight For 10, the FAA on October 4, 2022 finalized 10 hours minimum rest. This is a pivotal moment for the aviation industry and we owe our thanks to the dedicated Flight Attendants from our Government Affairs Committee. For years our Committee Members fought hard and worked with our elected Representatives to make our careers safer by fighting to give us proper rest. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to achieving this milestone,” said Martin Monteblanco, AFA Alaska MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson.

AFA International President Sara Nelson also issued a statement about the rule, which can be read by clicking here.

Scheduling Committee

As part of the ongoing efforts of the Scheduling Committee to assist Flight Attendants in understanding contractual language and compensation, it was recommended a flow chart related to reassignments under contract sections 10.R and 10.R.5 be produced and published.  The first flow chart is designed to help you understand your rights and obligations in the event that you are subject to a reassignment by Crew Scheduling.  The second flow chart will help you understand what pay you are due for a sequence containing a reassignment.

Click here to view the reassignment flow chart >

Click here to view the reassignment pay flow chart >

The Committee enlisted the help of MEC Mobilization Committee Chairperson Justin Wetherell to produce the flow charts for distribution.  We wanted to take this opportunity to thank Justin for their time and commitment to this project.  

Questions or Feedback?

Please feel free to provide feedback on the flow charts and let us know if there are any other helpful documents you would like to see in the future.  If you have any questions about these flow charts or reassignments in general, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

Important Dates
September 30:  Q3 CBT Due Today!
October 03:  Vacation 2023 Bidding Round 2 Opens
October 10:  NGP Benefits Enrollment Opens
October 18:  Vacation 2023 Bidding Round 2 Closes
October 25:  Vacation 2023 Bidding Round 2 Awards
October 27:  Vacation 2023 Trading Opens

SFO ISC Update

by Raymond Ramirez, C35 ISC Chair
The Inflight Service Committee met with management at their quarterly meeting on September 21, 2022. The addition of the third cart on PLH flights is on management’s radar, but the ISC continues to advocate against this service. The lack of trash stowage, not enough supplies for three services, and long bathroom lines are the biggest concerns that have been brought forward. ISC’s goal is to work with the company to reach mutually agreeable solutions with the work group. Please continue to use Block2Block, FAIRs and ASAP to write up trash stowage concerns, flights loaded without empty carts in the AFT galley, and when supplies run out during cart service. Also, certain stations are implementing single door catering, potentially causing delays with boarding. Always notify CSAs that boarding cannot begin until the caterers finish blocking the aisle, and if it causes a delay it needs to be written as an FAIR and a safety hazard report. Other items that were brought to management’s attention include a time zone glitch on Block2Block when working Mexico flights, feedback regarding the main cabin menus needing a link to AlaskaReceipts.com for passengers, and reworking the menu layout to help avoid confusing pre order fresh food for picnic packs/retail snacks. 

Supplemental Insurance Open Enrollment

from the Benefits Committee

National Group Protection (NGP) announces the open enrollment period for supplemental benefit plans for AFA members at Alaska Airlines.  

NGP offers services to include:

  • Accident Insurance 
  •  Hospital Indemnity
  • Critical Illness Coverage
  • Whole Life Insurance

NGP offers the following options:

  • Supplemental – these plans supplement any existing coverage
  • Voluntary – members choose to participate
  • Limited Underwriting – no medical or physical exams required
  • Family Coverage – available with all of the plans
  • Portable – members can continue coverage if they leave the company
  • Payroll Deduction – premiums are paid through payroll deduction

The Virtual Enrollment for Alaska AFA members is open from October 10-31, 2022.  

New Bus Service from Hayward and Castro Valley to SFO

Go>SFO Shuttle is a new commuter bus for all workers at SFO, serving Hayward and Castro Valley. Please review the info bulletin for route schedules and details.

Participation Request from SFO Airport

by FlySFO
The SFO airport has convened an Employee Safety Task Force, and we want to hear your ideas and suggestions so we can continue to enhance safety measures at the Airport. We are seeking your input as we continue to better understand how you feel about safety and security, as well as the possibility of implementing a Chaperon Program. Therefore, your survey participation is valuable. Please complete the Safety and Security Survey, by 1700 Wednesday, October 5, 2022.  For questions, please contact Ralf Ruckelshausen at Ralf.Ruckelshausen@flysfo.com.

Negotiations Update

Stay updated on the progress of negotiations by visiting the Negotiations subsite, which can be found on the AFA Alaska website.  Want to get involved?  It’s not too late!  Council 35 is looking for Mobilization Committee members to support Section 6 Negotiations in SFO.  Please reach out to Trista Vanta, the C35 Mobilization Committee chair and/or fill out the online request form to participate in events.

Bernstein v. Virgin America Lawsuit Updates

A member of the Alaska legal team will be hosting CA base sits for September and October to answer Flight Attendant questions. Flight Attendants who take advantage of this opportunity are strongly encouraged to visit the Bernstein v. Virgin America subsite, on the plaintiff’s attorney webpage. This will provide for a well balanced viewpoint of the issue.

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, Virginia, James and Brad

Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
Virginia Fritz, LEC Vice President •  virginia.fritz@afaalaska.org • 408.489.8200
James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
Bradley Young, Council Representative • bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

  • Domestic violence can affect anyone and abusers can come from any demographic or background.
  • Though there is no single defining personality of an abuser, abusers may display common traits or exhibit certain warning signs.
  • If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse, confidential help is available through your AFA EAP Committee at (949) 470-0493 or afaalaska.org/eap.

Signs of Domestic Abuse

Anyone can be an abuser. They come from all groups, all cultures, all religions, all economic levels, and all backgrounds. They can be anyone—your neighbor, your friend, your coworker, etc.  It is important to note that the majority of abusers are only violent with their current or past intimate partners. One study found 90% of abusers do not have criminal records and abusers are generally law-abiding outside the home. 

Traits Abusers May Have in Common

There is no one typical, detectable personality of an abuser. However, they may display common characteristics. An abuser often denies the existence or minimizes the seriousness of the violence and its effect on the victim and other family members. An abuser objectifies the victim and often sees them as their property or sexual objects. An abuser externalizes the causes of their behavior. They blame their violence on circumstances such as stress, their partner’s behavior, a “bad day,” on alcohol, drugs, or other factors. An abuser may be pleasant and charming between periods of violence and is often seen as a “nice person” to others outside the relationship. 

Warning Signs of an Abuser

Red flags and warning signs of an abuser include but are not limited to:

  • Extreme jealousy and/or possessiveness, even accusations of the victim flirting with others or having an affair.
  • Verbal abuse including blaming the victim for anything bad that happens
  • Extremely controlling behavior
  • Antiquated beliefs about roles of women and men in relationships
  • Sabotage or obstruction of the victim’s ability to work or attend outside activities
  • Controls all the finances
  • Control of what the victim wears and how they act
  • Demeaning and/or humiliating the victim either privately or publicly
  • Harassment of the victim at work

Confidential Help is Available

Remember, confidential help is available through your AFA EAP Committee.  Contact us at (949) 470-0493 or afaalaska.org/eap.

This information is provided by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Grievance Committee

  • Washington’s Paid Sick Leave Law went into effect on January 1, 2018, which in part allows Flight Attendants to use sick leave to care for themselves or a family member – including preventative care – and for which they cannot be disciplined or given attendance points.
  • The industry trade association Airlines for America and Alaska Airlines management refused to comply with the law and spent the last four years litigating whether they had to or not; they ultimately lost in litigation, and the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit decision in favor of the State of Washington and AFA stands.
  • Management still refuses to comply with the law, so AFA needs Seattle-based Flight Attendants to file complaints with the State of Washington Labor & Industries agency to ensure the law is rightfully applied.

In 2018, a state law providing for paid sick leave went into effect in Washington State. Among other things, it required that employers provide:

  1. A minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, and 
  2. The right to use your sick leave after 90 days of employment, not after the 180 days of employment (following probation) provided in our contract. 

Under the law, you can use this time to care for yourself or a family member — including preventative care. Additionally, the use of paid sick leave time cannot be counted as an absence that leads to or results in any type of discipline – and you cannot be given attendance points.

Click here for more info about WA Paid Sick Leave (WA Department of Labor & Industries) >

When the law went into effect in 2018, the MEC Grievance Committee contacted management to determine how they planned to implement the state law. We then learned that management had no intention of complying and instead would challenge the law through the court system. 

Click here for “Washington Paid Sick Leave Law 2018” (afaalaska.org – February 7, 2018) >

After four years of litigation and a win for the State of Washington and AFA in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court recently denied management’s request to hear the case. 

Click here for “Supreme Court Ruling on A4A v. WA L&I (WA Paid Sick Leave)” (afaalaska.org – July 14, 2022) >

As a result, the 9th Circuit’s ruling against Airlines for America (A4A) – including Alaska Airlines – is final, and no more appeals are possible. Even though the 9th Circuit’s decision in favor of the State of Washington and AFA is now binding, management still refuses to apply this law to Flight Attendants. They argue that litigation in district courts other the 9th Circuit that challenge how other states’ sick leave laws apply to flight crew could impact the application of the state law in Washington. 

AFA strongly disagrees with management’s approach. We encourage Seattle-based Flight Attendants to file claims with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) if any of the following occur:

  1. You are given attendance points for calling in sick to care for yourself or a qualifying family member when you have accrued sick leave to cover the event,
  2. You are denied the use of sick leave for preventative care, or
  3. You are denied the use of paid sick leave after 90 days of employment (and prior to the end of your probationary period of 180 days). 

While filing a claim can be time consuming, doing so helps you and your fellow crew members by protecting your rights and contributing to achieving what is legally due to you.

Click here for SEAFAs to file a claim online with WA L&I >  

We are also evaluating the applicability of the Washington law to all Flight Attendants under a prior arbitration award and will keep you updated on any further developments.

In This Edition

ALPA Alaska Approves Tentative Agreement for Pilot Ratification

Originally posted September 23, 2022

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Alaska Airlines leadership recently announced they approved a tentative agreement (TA) with Alaska Airlines management for pilot ratification.

Read More >

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2022

Originally posted September 26, 2022

Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on Wednesday, September 21 to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.  The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.  Management continues to experience challenges in many locations that are affecting the correct loading on onboard catering supplies and retail products.  Please continue to report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!  

Read More >

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – September 2022

Originally posted September 28, 2022

Our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met on Tuesday, September 27 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 >

Modification of Section 10.S – Pre-Cancellations

Originally posted September 28, 2022

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 a number of 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.

Read More >

MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Originally posted September 29, 2022

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the term of appointment for the MEC Committee Chairpersons is concurrent with those of the MEC Officers.  As the current MEC Officer term will end on December 31, 2022, the MEC will be conducting a review of all MEC Committee Chairperson and other MEC-level appointed positions at a Special MEC Meeting to be held November 29 through December 1, 2022.

Read More >

Shared on Social

AFA Disaster Relief Fund

We know that disasters can change lives forever. While we can’t stop destructive events from happening, we can, as a Union, assist our members with their recovery. AFA established the Disaster Relief Fund after September 11th to assist our members whose lives were placed in harm’s way.  AFA members and retirees, whose primary residences are in the counties listed on the FEMA website are eligible for $200.00 from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund.  It is a gift made possible by the generosity of your fellow union siblings with AFA.  (See the AFA website for links to the FEMA site: www.afacwa.org/drf.)

If you would like to apply for AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Funds, visit www.afacwa.org/drf and download the Disaster Relief Fund Application.  If you wish to contribute either by check or electronic payment, please visit www.afacwa.org/drf for more information on donating.

Next Week’s Events

Friday, October 7Scheduling Review Board (SRB)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

Master Executive Council (MEC)

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the term of appointment for the MEC Committee Chairpersons is concurrent with those of the MEC Officers.  As the current MEC Officer term will end on December 31, 2022, the MEC will be conducting a review of all MEC Committee Chairperson and other MEC-level appointed positions at a Special MEC Meeting to be held November 29 through December 1, 2022.

During this review process, the MEC will be interviewing for the following MEC-level chairperson positions:

  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairperson
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson
  • Benefits Committee Chairperson
  • Communications Committee Chairperson
  • EAP Committee Chairperson
  • EAP Committee Vice Chairperson
  • Government Affairs Committee Chairperson
  • Grievance Committee Chairperson
  • Hotel Committee Chairperson
  • Hotel Committee Vice Chairperson
  • Human Rights Committee Chairperson
  • Inflight Service Committee Chairperson
  • Inflight Training Committee Chairperson
  • Reserve Committee Chairperson
  • Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson – New Hire & Probation
  • Retirement Committee Chairperson
  • Scheduling Committee Chairperson
  • Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – PBS 
  • Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson – Pairing Construction
  • Uniform Committee Chairperson

Additionally, interviews will also be held for the following MEC-level appointed positions:

  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) Primary Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) Alternate Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Primary Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Alternate Representative
  • Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Line Observation Safety Audit (LOSA) Representative
  • Grievance Committee Assistant
  • Grievance Committee – Payroll Representative
  • Inflight Training Committee Member (3 positions)
  • Scheduling Committee – PBS Subcommittee Member (3 positions)
  • Scheduling Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Primary Representative
  • Scheduling Committee – Fatigue Review Board (FRB) Alternate Representative

General Qualifications

The following qualifications apply to all MEC-level Chairperson positions:

  • Previous experience as a Committee Member or Chairperson preferred (required for EAP).
  • Previous committee-specific training preferred (required for EAP).
  • Ability to attend meetings as required (primarily by videoconference and occasionally in-person).
  • Strong computer skills. Good working knowledge of Inflight Mobile Device, Google Workspace (email, calendar, and other software), and Microsoft Office.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and plan meetings agendas and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

The following qualifications apply to all Inflight Training Committee positions:

  • Current Inflight Instructor who is regularly assigned to Inflight Training Department responsibilities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Information about the duties and responsibilities of each specific committee can be found in article VII of the MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, which can be accessed by clicking here.  Additional information about MEC Committee Chairperson duties and responsibilities can be found in this document. 

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss for each position will be discussed during each interview.  All positions operate in accordance with AFA’s spirit of volunteerism.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during a special MEC meeting from November 29 through December 1, 2022.  If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around these dates or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate.  All interviews will be conducted using Google Meet videoconferencing.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/xyvgfD9vzyJX5z8c6.  The deadline for submissions is 9 AM Pacific time on Saturday, November 19.  After the submission deadline, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

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

Questions?

Any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed position duties and responsibilities should be directed to MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at  mecvp@afaalaska.org.

Master Executive Council (MEC)

  • 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 a number of 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.

AFA and management started discussions in 2018 regarding reassignments and pre cancellations related to Hurricane Lane, during which Crew Scheduling was found to be reassigning trips out of seniority order.  The issue was referred to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process, agenda item 044-18A.  The parties discovered the language needed further clarification to assist Flight Attendants and Crew Schedulers on how to apply the provisions during these critical events as it relates to pre-cancellations, retimes, flight routing changes and aircraft downgrades that are confirmed in advance of the day of departure (i.e., first day) of a sequence.  Though conversations with management about the issue were ongoing, the ability to make significant progress in resolving the issue was hampered by COVID and network restructuring over the past several years.

The product of those discussions resulted in the following letter of agreement (LOA), AFA SLOA 2022.09.09 Modification of 10.S Pre-Cancellations.  Please take time to review this agreement so you are aware of your contractual rights and obligations.  As part of the agreement, the following situations will now be handled according to the pre-cancellation provisions our collective bargaining agreement:

  • All retimes of the departure time of the first flight in a sequence
  • All retimes involving the arrival and/or departure times of any flight in a sequence of greater than two hours (2:00)
  • All retimes involving the later arrival time of the last flight in a sequence of greater than fifteen minutes (0:15)
  • A Company flight that is cancelled from a Flight Attendant’s line of time in advance of the day of departure even if such flight is replaced by a Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) flight operated as or on behalf of Alaska Airlines (e.g., Horizon Air, SkyWest) with the same flight number and/or routing as the cancelled flight. 

The new language contained in the LOA goes into effect at midnight on Saturday, October 1, 2022.  Our MEC, Scheduling Committee, and Grievance Committee appreciates each of you filing reports and giving us the opportunity to carve out clarifying language that will support you going forward.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the letter of agreement or associated changes, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

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