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Our Annual Benefits Enrollment Starts today! This year the enrollment period is from October 29th – November 14th. This is your once-a-year opportunity to choose the right coverage for you and your family. Learn more and enroll at http://myalaskabenefits.com. If you want to talk with someone about your options, you can call your Benefits Center at 1-844-231-3476.

Our AFA Benefits Committee is planning base sits in the Inflight office to provide additional assistance. The dates and times are:

  • November 9th: 8am – 4pm
  • November 11th: 6am – 2pm
  • November 13th: 1pm – 8pm
  • November 14th: 7am – 3pm

You can always reach out to one of your Seattle AFA Benefits Committee Members if you have additional questions. http://afaalaska.org/sea/committees.

In Solidarity,

Your Council #19 Benefits Committee and Council #19 Officers: Terry, Jake, Adam, Melinda and Megan.

There has been a lot of interest recently in marijuana oils and products containing Cannabidiol (CBD).  CBD is a different chemical compound than tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component of the marijuana plant. You may have read about such products or seen them in the news.

It is important to know that CBD oils and other products containing CBD are considered to be Schedule I controlled substances and are therefore illegal under federal law.  Under federal guidelines, these substances do not have an acceptable medical application.  Regardless of labeling, products containing CBD, may contain traces of THC that would trigger a positive drug test and place your employment at risk.

You can read more about use of CBD oils and the federal government position on their use in a memorandum from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that you can access by clicking here.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact the AFA Alaska EAP Committee.  You can find contact information on the EAP Committee pageof the AFA Alaska website.  Any contact made to AFA EAP is completely confidential.

You may also contact the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP) Hotline at (855) 333-2327 or visit http://www.fadap.org.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC EAP Committee Co-Chairpersons Elizabeth Dillon and Jeanne McCleave

Creating Wow or Woe?

The recent email from inflight leadership offended many of us and AFA was quick to respond to leaders that the message was distasteful, disappointing and will have the opposite effect that they desire.  Thank you to everyone that shared your feelings with us and spoke up to management in response to this communication. Our solidarity gives us strength as we stand up and demand that management “do the right thing,” by acknowledging our value, honoring our work ethic and praising our efforts despite the obstacles we face on a daily basis as Legacy Virgin America Flight Attendants. Feeling supported and valued by our leadership team is essential to creating a positive work environment and “creating wow” with our Flight Attendants.

Grievance vs. Gripe

The Council 35 Grievance Committee has received a lot of requests to file a grievance for concerns that are not necessarily grievance “eligible.”  To understand fully what issues can be grieved and what cannot, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Does it violate the Work Rules, JCBA or Letters of Agreement?
  2. Does it involve formal discipline (warnings and/or termination)?

Issues that can’t be grieved:

  1. Reliability points/discipline (unless applied incorrectly—i.e., late points assessed but not actually late)
  2. Undesirable scheduling decisions that are legal according to the WR/FARs

Unfortunately, the L-VX Work Rules (WR) provide ample leeway for management and crew scheduling to make decisions that are not necessarily in the Flight Attendant’s best interest.  In these scenarios, it’s important to understand that only an actual violation can be disputed through the grievance process. There are occasions that AFA has advocated for a Flight Attendant against an unfair interpretation of the WR and brought resolution, however this may not always be applicable.  In any event, if you would like to question an incident that you have experienced, please be sure to submit an online support request to the appropriate committee for investigation.  The committee will review your case and decide on the best course of action for the situation.  For more information on grievances, please review the Grievance Procedures and System Board of Adjustment Letter of Agreement (LOA).

Reliability Steps of Discipline and FMLA

The disciplinary process for Flight Attendants on an approved Family Medical Leave (FMLA) is frustrating due to the processing times for both the discipline and the FMLA approvals.  FMLA absences can take days and sometimes weeks to process. Therefore, rather than wait until the processing is complete, management will issue discipline to preserve their right, and then retract it once the points have been converted to an FMLA approved absence.  Management is confined to disciplinary procedures outlined in the Grievance Procedures and System Board of Adjustment LOA, which not only defines the disciplinary procedure but also provides a time limit for issuing discipline.  When an absence or reliability event occurs causing a point level increase, the event may generate discipline depending on point levels.  From the day the points reached corrective action level, management is required to issue discipline within 12 business days from the event, through email and certified mail according to the Separation of Reliability and Performance Discipline LOA.  If the deadline is missed, the points that triggered the discipline are removed as the opportunity to issue the discipline has passed.  Please keep a careful eye on your reliability reports to ensure discipline is issued in a timely manner. If you are on FMLA, please be sure that the discipline has been removed once the points have been converted.

Intermittent FMLA and Special Absence Codes

Intermittent FMLA leave is designed to cover sick calls for a specific illness that is ongoing.   What many F/As don’t realize is that calls associated with the codes SNN (Sick<2 hours notice), NSH (No Show) and NCO (Non-contactable) will not be converted and will remain as USK (Unpaid Sick) although Matrix may approve the absence.  The points associated with these codes are “penalty” points for not following prescribed absence reporting procedures defined in the Reliability Policy. Matrix will approve an absence under the assumption that the call to the company to report the absence has been done according to the Reliability Policy defined in the WR. The expectation is that those on FMLA are required to report absences to the company in a timely manner.  Therefore, points received for anything other than actual sick may not be converted and approved for FMLA, unless specified by your doctor that timely reporting may not be possible with your FMLA condition. In any event, please make every effort to report your absences to CSS within the timelines outlined in the Reliability Policy to avoid this confusion. On occasion, points associated with NSH, NCO and SNN may be overturned, but only after a review by the medical leave and absence management department.  A medical review manager will interview the Flight Attendant  to determine the reason for the failure to follow call-in procedures.  Additional documentation from your FMLA doctor may be requested to verify that the inability to follow procedures was directly related to your FMLA illness. For more information about FMLA and other leaves, please visit the Absence Management page on Alaskasworld.

Boots!

Council 35 is strongly advocating for boots to be added as acceptable footwear for Flight Attendants wearing the Alaska Land’s End uniform dress or skirt. Alaska Flight Attendants have long desired the ability to wear boots during cold months and are joining the campaign to promote this change.  Currently, AS F/As can wear boots, but only on state-of-Alaska flights. Working in conjunction with the ASHSC (Air Safety, Health and Security) and Uniform committees, AFA is presenting to management the benefit and safety necessity of allowing boots to be worn by Flight Attendants during cold weather months.  If you wish to support the “Boot Campaign,” please be sure to reach out to the Council 35 Uniform Committee Chair Lisa Mueller at lisa.mueller@afaalaska.org.

Good-bye Red

As many of you know, service flow and standards are changing on Airbus and Boeing flights to provide the most uniform and consistent product possible for passengers.  The Inflight Service Committee (ISC) has been working with catering management to provide support and guidance during the transition period. ISC members will be available daily in SFO and LAX Villages in October and November to provide assistance to members with this change.  Please visit the Council 35 Facebook page for more information on dates, times and available committee members during service cut-over.  If at any time during this transition, you believe changes do not promote safety, please remember to file an ASAP report regarding the incident.

PBS Training Coming Soon!

AFA and the crew systems integration (CSI) team have been working diligently the last several months to prepare L-VX F/As for the change to the AS PBS bidding and open-time platforms.  A team of AFA volunteers working with CSI are undergoing training this month to provide support and service to L-VX F/As at bases over the next several weeks. For more information on upcoming base sits for the AFA PBS Training team, please visit the Council 35 Facebook page for dates and times of the events.

Dues Check Off Forms Still Needed!

Thank you everyone for submitting your DCO forms!  Our box has been bursting with forms and we continue to see more submissions daily. We’ve managed to bring down the outstanding dues to 20% of our base—which means about 200 Flight Attendants outstanding.  As a reminder, falling into arrears for failing to pay dues could result in separation from the company, as payment of dues is a condition of employment (which can be referenced in §26 of the JCBA). Those that have been identified as past due have received notices in their V-files and via email.  To pay late dues, please visit the AFA Online Payment Center. The dues requirement for AFA members is currently $50 per month.  The dues obligation for L-VX Flight Attendants began July 2018.  For answers to your specific dues questions and to inquire about your dues status, please contact AFA Membership Services.

Sign up for Automatic Payroll Deduction

The easiest and recommended method to pay dues is through payroll deduction.  You can sign up for automatic payroll deduction of dues by completing a Dues Check Off form.  This form can be downloaded from the AFA Alaska website or you can pick up a copy in the file room in the SFO Village.  Once you’ve completed the form, mail it to AFA International Membership Services (the address is on the bottom of the form) or place it in the AFA lock box (located in SFO file room) and we’ll mail it in on your behalf.  For more information about dues please see our April 30 communication AFA Dues for Legacy Virgin America.

AFA Online Support Center

To contact AFA and the most appropriate committee for your concerns, please submit an Online Support request.  Submitting a “ticket” and designating a department ensures the fastest response from the appropriate representative.  You may also upload files to your ticket to help provide the most detailed information to the reps assigned to your case.  For a list of committee members available to help your specific situation, please visit the Council 35 Committee Roster.

Where can I find more information about Council 35?

The best source of Council 35 information is right here, via email subscription.  Other sources of information include our website, Facebook page, and our newly created bulletin board in the SFO village computer room.  Here you will find a variety of news and helpful resources to reference for your specific area of interest.  We will be updating the board often so be sure to check it regularly for the latest news.

Are You an AFA Member?

As of today, only a small percentage of L-VX F/As have not signed up to become members.  As a reminder, the Membership Application cannot be completed online.  The hard copy paper form must be submitted directly to an AFA representative or mailed to the AFA International Office in Washington D.C. You can download and print an application, or pick one up from the bag/file rooms the next time you pass through the SFO Village.   Only AFA members may attend Membership Meetings, vote for officers, hold a position as an AFA officer or committee member or vote on Tentative Agreements (TAs).  It’s important to note that at Alaska Airlines, you are obligated to pay AFA dues regardless of your membership status and becoming a member is a condition of employment, referenced in §26 of the JCBA.

Email Address for Council 35

As of July 31, 2018, Council 35 will be representing SFO-based Flight Attendants only. All L-VX F/As based in LAX are now represented by Council 18.  Therefore the previous email address vx@afaalaska will be retired.  To contact Council 35 officers in SFO, please email us at sfo@afaalaska.org.  To contact Council 18 officers in LAX, please email lax@afaalaska.org.

FAQs

Does the Zika LOA apply to L-VX Flight Attendants?

In 2017 AFA and the company agreed to protect AS Flight Attendants from possible exposure to the Zika virus.  The Zika LOA provides guidelines for Flight Attendants and/or partners that are pregnant or attempting to become pregnant, and the ability to avoid trips to destinations that are known Zika zones.  Although the LOA was written for AS F/As, management has agreed to extend the offer to L-VX F/As.  Please refer to the Zika LOA for instructions on how to request protection.  The LOA is currently being reviewed and updated by AFA and management and the next version will codify L-VX F/As as eligible.

How do I contact Council 35 officers?

The best way to contact Council 35 officers is via email.  Emails are easier to forward for follow up and to have a record of information.  Using your personal email account, please know that concerns received by Council 35 are held in strict confidence, and will not be shared for follow up without the permission of the original sender.  Avoid using your alaskaair email to share concerns as those accounts are not private and subject to audits. To get the fastest and most thorough response, please email sfo@afalaska.org.  All officers can respond to emails sent to that address which facilitates a more efficient use of resources. Please allow at least 24 business hours for a response to any method of contact.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers:

Melissa Osborne, President

Aladrian Hillmon, Vice President

James Ikehara, Secretary

October Base Update

Council #19 – Seattle

 

Local Council Meeting:

WHEN: November 12th, 1-5PM

WHERE: Sea Tac Office Complex – South Tower (the same building as 13 Coins), Lower Level, Earhart Room. Parking is behind the building. Bring your ticket with you and we will validate.

AGENDA: Officer and Committee Reports – bring your questions

 

Informational TidBits:

  • When will base transfers into/out of SFO be available? The latest (but not set in stone) information that we have is May 1st. Openings will be posted as they become available. 
  • Transition Training classes will be available after November for those who have been unable to attend. We do not yet have firm details.
  • There will be Flight Attendant hiring next year, tentatively 360. This number is of course subject to change.
  • The Seattle base Inflight Office will be moving into two new spaces, one with seating available next to the Spot On office, and another space in the former Virgin Village space behind Fireworks which will be largely administrative. The precise move dates have not yet been announced.
  • Need assistance after the base closes? A new procedure is in place. You will no longer be able to reach a supervisor after the Inflight Offices close. Instead, management has created a system of duty managers in Crew Scheduling. This is a new procedure, we are not sure what to expect.
  • There is a significant shortage of IMD replacements. Some flight attendants who’s devices are no longer working have been told by IT support and by Spot On that there are no replacements available. They have been told that they must check out loaners before each trip, and return them after each trip. This is unacceptable. The latest information from Inflight management is that all IMD’s will be replaced by the first of the year.

Annual Benefits Enrollment:

Annual Enrollment will open for additions and changes on October 19, 2018, for changes to take effect on January 1, 2019. There are new benefits available. The AFA Benefits Committee will be conducting Base Sits in Inflight if you have questions, or need assistance. All changes and additions to your current benefits will be completed online through the Benefits Portal. As a reminder, since Short Term Disability coverage is offset by Social Security, if you are receiving your own Social Security benefits, it makes sense to discontinue supplemental Short Term Disability coverage. We will send out base sit schedules, later this week.

November Scheduling Issue:

Most of you are aware, or will undoubtedly hear about, the problem with some pairings not being entered by the company into the NavTech program for bidding. We did not find out about this until Friday, October 12th. Bids had already been awarded.

There were more than 1,200 single segments, which were to have been single positions (D positions). In addition to the segments not having been awarded, nor bid for, no hotels had been assigned for the pairings that were created after the fact. Since it was too late on Friday to reach out hotel vendor (API) we were made aware that it was likely that hotels would not be assigned until ‘some time’ on Monday, October 15th.

If a re-bid were to have occurred, it could not have begun prior to October 16th. This would mean that it would have been closed on October 21st, with awards final no earlier than October 23rd. It would have been October 25th before trading or open time pick-ups could begin.

In Seattle, there are 148 of these pairings (not bid lines, but individual pairings). All but a few only operate on one date. The pairings will be placed into open time for trading or pick up. If the stay in open time, they will be assigned to reserves or offered as premium trips.

Our current base size is 2,317 active Flight Attendants. After weighing all available information, Council 19 decided that due to the late notice and the fact that we’re bidding for a holiday month, this was a terrible time for delayed open time and trading to occur. Further, we considered the likelihood that there would be those who were unavailable and did not hear about the rebid. Since this is unprecedented, those on vacation would have had no idea that this was going on.

We were torn between the clear contractual violation, and the effect a delay of this magnitude would have on our base. After much discussion, the MEC voted NOT to have a re-bid. This was not an easy nor a unanimous decision. This was truly a ‘rock and a hard place’ situation for your officers. I am sure that this will be unpopular with some, just as a rebid with all associated delays would have been.

Are you “Connected”?

AFA Council 19 Website:  http://afaalaska.org/sea

AFA Council 19 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFA-Council-19-Seattle-538630496190284/

AFA Text Alerts: https://www.remind.com/join/sea19

AFA Reserve only Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/afacouncil19reserve/

 

 

In Solidarity,

Terry, Jake, Adam, Melinda and Megan

This message is for Legacy Alaska Airlines (L-AS) Flight Attendants

Trouble with the November 2018 PBS bid award

The Master Executive Council (MEC) was informed on Friday, October 12, 2018, that the wrong one-position (“D”) pairing file was loaded into NAVBLUE PBS.  That file did not contain all the one-position flights—in excess of 1000—requiring staffing coverage. Management and AFA were initially going to pursue a re-award under the usual contractual procedure.

However, management advised AFA that a longer than normal lead time would be required to re-open bidding because the correct D position pairing file had to be sent to API for hotel assignments prior to loading into NAVBLUE. Neither party was confident that API would be able to turn the file around over the weekend, so the conservative estimate was for API to finish processing the file on Monday 10/15, bidding to open Tuesday 10/16, bidding to close Sunday 10/21, bid awards to post Tuesday 10/23 and trading to finally open on Thursday 10/25.

Such an extensive delay to first round awards in order to accommodate the re-award would have been unprecedented. The MEC was even more apprehensive because November is a holiday month. However, the MEC was also extremely concerned that Flight Attendants would not be able to exercise their seniority to bid on all known flying if a re-award were to not occur; this would be in violation of Section (§) 10.E.5, which reads, “All known flying, including scheduled and confirmed 14 CFR part 121 charters, will be placed in the PBS program for bid.”

The MEC voted against a re-award via roll call

After vigorous discussion about all the implications, the MEC voted three to two for a re-award (For: C15 SAN/McGee, C18 LAX/Green and C30 ANC/Pinkston; Against: C19 SEA/Taylor and C39 PDX/de’Medici; Abstaining: C35 SFO/Osborne). As is her right under the AFA Constitution & Bylaws (C&B), Council 19 Seattle President Terry Taylor requested a roll call vote, in which an issue may be voted on using the number of members in good standing in each council. The MEC ultimately voted 2934 to 1899 against a re-award (For: C15 SAN/McGee @ 377 + C18 LAX/Green @ 1141 + C30 ANC/Pinkston @ 381 = 1899; Against: C19 SEA/Taylor @ 2317 + C39 PDX/de’Medici @ 617 = 2934; Abstaining: C35 SFO/Osborne @ 821). Council 35 SFO President Melissa Osborne abstained from both votes because the issue did not impact her members; all C35 member are currently Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) Flight Attendants and bidding under the L-VX work rules and related systems.

Implications

Consequently, November 2018 bid awards are now final and trading will commence on schedule. The tradeoff is that the MEC has waived the provisions of §10.E.5 specific to the ‘missing’ D position pairings for the month of November 2018; therefore any potential grievances pursued under that provision would have no standing in these narrow circumstances. Here is the breakdown by domicile of the missing one-position (D) pairings that will go into Open Time prior to the commencement of Open Time trading: 56 in ANC, 148 in SEA, 21 in PDX, 35 in LAX and 5 in SAN.

The MEC knows many Flight Attendants will be glad that November 2018 trading was not delayed until late October, but it is also possible that just as many will be upset by the award and the waiver to §10.E.5. This was truly a no-win situation for AFA and for all L-AS Flight Attendants. However, be assured that your elected leaders will continue to advocate for you under the democratic processes of the AFA C&B to the best of our ability.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

 

afa-media-release-blue-new.png
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2018
Contact: Taylor Garland, 202-550-5520

Flight Attendants Cheer 10 Hours Rest, No Calls or Knives on Planes, Air Quality Initiative, and Numerous Other Safety Priorities in FAA Reauthorization Bill

Washington, DC — The 50,000 Flight Attendants at 20 airlines represented by the Association of Flight Attendants–CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA), today cheered the passage of a five-year FAA Reauthorization Bill including a 10 hour minimum rest provision to combat Flight Attendant fatigue. The bill includes more Flight Attendant safety priorities including forever banning knives on planes, no voice calls on planes, and extending the smoking ban to e-cigarettes. AFA International President Sara Nelson issued the following statement:

“Flight Attendants cheer the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 with a provision to combat Flight Attendant fatigue by increasing minimum rest from 8 hours to 10 hours. This bill closes a safety loophole while improving Flight Attendant health and achieving equal minimum rest with our flight deck counterparts.”

“We applaud Chairman Shuster (R-PA), Ranking Member DeFazio (D-OR), Chairman LoBiondo (R-NJ), Ranking Member Larsen (D-WA), Chairman John Thune (R-SD), Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-FL), Chairman Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), for their leadership in writing this legislation so important for a safe and dependable U.S. aviation system.”

The final bill received overwhelming bipartisan support. AFA especially notes Congressional champions for Flight Attendant 10 hours minimum rest:

House – Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Rep. Mike Capuano (D-MA), Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Rep. Michael Bost (R-IL), Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Paul Mitchell (R-MI), Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Rep. David McKinley (R-WV), and Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL).

Senate – Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) originally introduced the language when she was in the House and continued advocacy in the Senate. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) have all since worked hard to ensure the rest language would be included in a final FAA bill. We thank Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) for weighing in when it especially counted to help us get our rest.

“Over 100,000 Flight Attendants from around the country made calls, signed postcards, rallied, repeatedly visited congressional offices and took other actions to achieve this outcome today. This bill lifts standards for Flight Attendants across the industry and addresses serious safety, health and security issues in our workplace – the passenger cabin,” Nelson concluded.

Summary of AFA safety priorities included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018:

  • 10-hours Minimum Rest and a FRMP for Flight Attendants
  • No Knives on Planes Ever Again
  • Ban of Voice Calls on Planes
  • Emotional Support and Service Animal Standards
  • Air Quality: Technologies to Combat Contaminated Bleed Air
  • Protect Customer Service agents from Assaults
  • Cabin Cyber Security Vulnerabilities
  • Secondary Cockpit Barriers
  • Safe Transport of Lithium Batteries
  • Study on Cabin Evacuation Certification (including cabin configuration)
  • Increase Civil Penalties for Crew Interference from $25,000 to $35,000
  • Banning Electronic Cigarette Smoking on Planes
  • Congressional Focus on Addressing Sexual Misconduct on Planes
  • Establish National Inflight Sexual Misconduct Task Force
  • Require DOJ to Establish Reporting Process for Sexual Misconduct
  • Prioritize Support for Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP)
  • Requiring Privacy for Nursing in the Airport
  • Evaluation and Update of Emergency Medical Kit Contents
  • Oxygen Mask Design Study
  • Develop Guidance for Non-Toxic Prevention of Transporting Insects
  • Exit Row Evaluation and Verification
  • Required Notification of Insecticide Use
  • Promoting Women in Aviation
  • TSA Authorization
  • Continue Crewmember Self-Defense Training
  • NTSB Reauthorization
  • Expanded Human Trafficking Training for Airline Personnel
  • Authorization of Essential Air Service

Dues Check Off Forms Still Needed!
Approximately 60% of SFO-based flight attendants have submitted their forms, which leaves approximately 400 forms outstanding.  Falling into arrears for failing to pay dues could result in separation from the company, as payment of dues is a condition of employment (which can be referenced in §26 of the JCBA). Those that have been identified as past due have received notices in their V-files and via email.  To pay late dues, please visit the AFA Online Payment Center. The dues requirement for AFA members is currently $50 per month.  The dues obligation for L-VX Flight Attendants began July 2018.

Sign up for Automatic Payroll Deduction
The easiest and recommended method to pay dues is through payroll deduction.  You can sign up for automatic payroll deduction of dues by completing a Dues Check Off form.  This form can be downloaded from the AFA Alaska website or you can pick up a copy in the file room in the SFO Village.  Once you’ve completed the form, mail it to AFA International Membership Services (the address is on the bottom of the form) or place it in the AFA lock box (located in SFO file room) and we’ll mail it in on your behalf.  For more information about dues please see our April 30 communication AFA Dues for Legacy Virgin America.

AFA Alaska Online Support Center
To contact AFA and the most appropriate committee for your concerns, please submit an Online Support request.  By submitting a “ticket” and designating a department, this ensures the fastest response from the appropriate committee member.  You may also upload files to your ticket to help provide the most detailed information to the reps assigned to your case.

Alaska Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and AFA EAP—What’s the Difference?
The Alaska Airlines Employee Assistance Program (Active) is a company-wide benefit and a valuable resource for employees who encounter a personal situation that requires  specific support.  In addition to Active, Flight Attendants also have the added benefit of an AFA sponsored EAP. AFA EAP is a peer support program and committee members are Flight Attendants that volunteer to participate in an extensive training program to be qualified in the role.  If you experience an event at work or have personal challenges that are effecting your work life, you may reach out to AFA EAP for support and assistance.

Professional Standards—What is it??
A sub-program of AFA EAP is Professional Standards.  This is a peer support resource that facilitates mediated de-escalation discussions between Flight Attendants that have encountered a challenge in their work relationship.  Rather than “turn in” a fellow Flight Attendant, you may contact AFA EAP/Professional Standards and request a mediated conversation to resolve the issue.  This program is also available at ALPA, the pilot Union, therefore mediation for pilot/Flight Attendant disputes can also be arranged. AFA EAP/Professional Standards provides an opportunity for Flight Attendants to resolve disputes without company Human Resources (HR) and/or management involvement, which could potentially lead to discipline. All information brought to AFA EAP/Professional Standards is held confidentially.

Scheduling vs. Reserve Committees
AFA has two committees to assist Flight Attendants with scheduling challenges.  If you are a line-holder, the scheduling resource would be the Scheduling committee.  However for Flight Attendants on reserve, The Reserve committee would be the most appropriate resource for assistance with scheduling difficulties.  The Reserve committee is also a source for probationary and new-hire Flight Attendants with questions and concerns about their new careers as a Flight Attendant. To contact the appropriate scheduling committee, please submit on Online Support request or contact to the committee members directly:

New Council 35 Committees Members
Please welcome the following committee members and chairs into the following Council 35 SFO committees:

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards:  Denice Perez-Lopez
Denice started working as a Flight Attendant in 2006 with Air Wisconsin Airlines. In 2015 she started with Virgin America. When the opportunity to serve her fellow Flight Attendants as an EAP rep emerged she didn’t think twice. Her purpose is to help her peers achieve a suitable work-life balance.  Denice likes to spend her time off hiking and camping with her husband Scott and their rescue dog, an Australian Shepherd named Murphy.

Grievance:  Shannon Dessert
Influenced by her family’s passion for travel Shannon began her career in the airline industry as a Customer Service Agent with Alaska Airlines in 1995.  After a few years she moved to the training department where she realized her love of helping others to achieve their goals.  Ten years later, opportunities came knocking and Shannon moved on to JetBlue Airways and eventually Virgin America as a Flight Attendant in San Francisco in 2010.  Again, looking to help others she became a member of the Rule Book Review, Peer Review, Fatigue Review and Inflight Service Representative Committees.  Shannon did a Special Assignment helping FAA compliance in the Drug and Alcohol Department in 2014.  She was an Infight Team Lead and an Air Transportation Supervisor working with the new hire training classes as well as conducting Service Training Flights and IOE’s. Shannon has a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and is currently exploring Master’s programs to continue her own personal growth.  In her spare time, she enjoys volunteer work, visiting family and friends and scrapbooking her many travels.  With her experience at both Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, Shannon looks forward to working hard to support her fellow teammates on the Grievance Committee.

Grievance:  Ashley Toles
Ashley became a flight attendant with Virgin America in 2015. She has been at the SFO base since then and has enjoyed meeting and working with some of the best people she has ever met.  Ashley completed her undergraduate education at University of California, Santa Barbara and earned a Bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Early Modern British Literature. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor degree from University of California, Hastings College of the Law where she developed her passion for fighting for justice.  Before becoming a flight attendant, Ashley was Co-President of the General Assistance Advocacy Project, a local San Francisco drop-in legal clinic for the homeless. She advocated on behalf of indigent San Franciscans at both state and county hearings, defending her clients’ rights to retain their public benefits, including SSI, county welfare, food stamps, and Medi-Cal. Ashley also interned at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office where she represented indigent people who were accused of crimes. Ashley enjoys helping people and has always been a fierce advocate for her clients. Ashley feels very excited and fortunate to be able to represent her fellow flight attendants with the grievance process. Her goal is to protect flight attendants against arbitrary and unjust disciplinary action and make sure that management is upholding and abiding by the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. Advocating for people is one of Ashley’s favorite things to do and she is elated to be able to serve her fellow flight attendants in this capacity.

Scheduling:  Jaqui Bellenie
Jaqui’s fascination with planes began at a very early age in England with annual family outings to air displays.  She began her Flight Attendant career with Virgin America in June 2008, upgrading to the Inflight Team Leader position in late 2009. In 2013 Jaqui trained to be part of the Rulebook Dispute Resolution team, hearing scheduling issues and helping to resolve them in a group setting.ETOPS and A321 cadre followed in 2015 and 2017. Amazing experiences for her, working alongside the FAA, understanding their policies and procedures and breaking an aviation record along the way.  The first A320 ETOPS to fly from SFO to HNL.With 10 years as a Flight Attendant under her belt Jaqui feels she has sufficient bidding and scheduling experience to be an asset to the scheduling committee.In her spare time Jaqui can be found in the East Bay working on her fixer upper house, and growing vegetables in her back garden. She enjoys running and cycling whenever she can.

Retirement:  Ed Alcantara (chair)
After what he described as “one of the hardest, yet rewarding endeavors he has done in his entire life”, Ed Alcantara earned his wings in 2011, with then, Virgin America.  While with Virgin, Ed was proud to serve his fellow teammates under the Care to Share Program from 2015, until its dissolution.  He also quietly worked with other work groups within the company under the 401k focus group wherein they worked to transfer the guardianship of the account to Fidelity Investments. As the AFA Retirement Committee Chair, he hopes to help make sure that his fellow employees are aware and knowledgeable of everything that would help them work towards retirement.  Also a small business owner, he often times spends his free time travelling, trying to outsmart Flica, hosting karaoke parties or gushing (or ranting) about the Golden State Warriors.

Uniforms:  Lisa Mueller (chair)
Lisa got her start in the airline industry with Virgin America in Chicago where she wore many different hats including operations, guest services, Green Team Lead and creating the Vsis/Vbro mentoring program. She then joined the inflight team based in JFK, and then transferred to SFO and became an Inflight Team Leader. Lisa also has a passion for design. Outside of the airlines, she is an architect with a focus on sustainability, and a makeup artist working many high fashion shows.

More Opportunities to Serve
If you are interested in participating in a committee or getting involved, please visit the volunteer page of the AFA website for more information about each committee and their responsibilities or reach out to the chairperson of the committee you are interested in to answer your questions. To see a list of committees and chair contact information, please visit the SFO Committee List.

Are You an AFA Member?
As of today, only a small percentage of L-VX F/As have not signed up to become members.  As a reminder, the Membership Application cannot be completed online.  The hard copy paper form must be submitted directly to an AFA representative or mailed to the AFA International Office in Washington D.C. You can download and print an application, or pick one up from the bag/file rooms the next time you pass through the SFO Village.   Only AFA members may attend Membership Meetings, vote for officers, hold a position as an AFA officer or committee member or vote on Tentative Agreements (TAs).  It’s important to note that at Alaska Airlines, you are obligated to pay AFA dues regardless of your membership status and becoming a member is a condition of employment, referenced in §26 of the JCBA.

New Email Address for Council 35
As of July 31, 2018, Council 35 will be representing SFO-based Flight Attendants only. All L-VX F/As based in LAX are now represented by Council 18. Therefore the previous email address vx@afaalaska will be retired.  To contact Council 35 officers in SFO, please email us at sfo@afaalaska.org.  To contact Council 18 officers in LAX, please email lax@afaalaska.org.

FAQs 

How do I report hotel issues?
API is the hotel vendor responsible for hotel selection and assignment at Alaska Airlines.  API offers Crewcare as the platform to report any challenges you have experienced with any of our hotel properties on a layover.  On your first visit to the site you will need to register your Alaska email address.  Once registered, please document any incidents that you have with a hotel in Crewcare. This feedback provides hard data of issues and trends we can address with the vendor to remedy.  Positive feedback is also welcome, so please send any compliments via Crewcare as well.  For more information, please visit the Hotel & Stationsection of the inflight page on Alaskasworld. You will find the depository for all relevant layover information regarding hotel transport, phone numbers, food and beverage discounts and hotel amenities that are offered onsite.  Please reach out to the Council 35 Hotel Committee Chairperson, James Bozanich for more information and assistance with hotel concerns.

When can I submit for transportation reimbursements?
According to the JCBA §22.B which went into effect at date of ratification (DOR), Flight Attendants may submit for travel reimbursement 35 minutes after block-in or within 10 minutes from the scheduled departure from the hotel.  Additionally, the company has agreed to pay for reimbursements for transportation to/from hospital/medical facility when an Flight Attendant encounters a medical issue on a layover or is selected for a drug test and the scheduled crew transportation has departed.

How do I contact Council 35 officers?
The best way to contact Council 35 officers is via email.  Emails are easier to forward for follow up and to have a record of information.  Using your personal email account, please know that  concerns received by Council 35 are held in confidence, and will not be shared for follow up without the permission of the original sender.  Avoid using your alaskaair.com email to share concerns as those accounts are not private and subject to audits. To get the fastest and most thorough response, please email sfo@afalaska.org.  All officers can respond to emails sent to that address which facilitates a more efficient use of resources.  Please allow at least 24 business hours for a response to any method of contact.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – Melissa, Aladrian & James

Q3 CBT: Inflight Service Updates Due September 30, 2018

Approximately 250 SFO-based Flight Attendants have not completed the 3rd Quarter Computer Based Training (CBT)  Q3 CBT:  Inflight Service Updates.

Failure to complete the required CBT by the deadline may result in steps of progressive discipline and a meeting with management. If you have completed the Q3 CBT, please disregard this message.

Instructions to complete the CBT

 To Access the  ‘Q3 CBT: Inflight Service Updates’ on IMD:

  • Open/Log-in – Cornerstone App
    All Uncompleted/Assigned courses will show on the main page.
  • To Verify Completion
    Click on the 3 dots in the upper right-hand corner.
    Select ‘Completed’ to display a list of completed courses.
    Select ‘Active’ to display a list of all uncompleted courses.
  • To Access the  ‘Q3 CBT: Inflight Service Updates’ on Computer/Tablet:
    Log-in – Flight Attendant Page> Training> General Training (Boeing/Airbus specific)> Cornerstone
    ‘Active’/uncompleted courses should show on the main page.
  • To Verify Completion:
    Click on Transcript and Locate the Drop-down Menu:
    Select ‘Completed’ to display a list of completed courses.
    Select ‘Active’ to display a list of all uncompleted courses.

Suggestion:  Take screen shots of your completed courses.

If you have any concerns or issues regarding the CBT, please contact your assigned SFO supervisor.

GDOs and 2019-2020 Year-End Overlap Vacation Days

Vacation bidding for Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) Flight Attendants opens on Friday, September 28, 2018. There are a few changes to how Guaranteed Days Off (GDOs) and year-end overlap 2019-2020 vacation days will be handled in preparation for transition to Alaska Airlines systems and contractual coverage under the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). You may reference Informational Bulletin 2018-0098 “Airbus 2019 Vacation Bidding” on the Inflight Webpage or the updated “Airbus FA Vacation Bidding 2019” email from Willie Bell (dated 9/20/2018) for more information.

Click here for the Transitioning L-VX GDOs and Year-End Overlap Vacation Days MOU >

Virgin America Inflight Teammate Work Rules v5 Amendments

L-VX Flight Attendants are currently working under “Virgin America InFlight Teammate Work Rules v5” (“Work Rules v5”) as modified by other letters of agreement. AFA and management acknowledged that some disparities existed between the work rules reflected in Work Rules v5 and the work rules in actual practice as of the date of ratification of the AFA Alaska Airlines-Virgin America Merger Agreement on April 3, 2018.

In order to memorialize all known work rules that were previously communicated by various historical Work Rule Amendments, InFlight Reviews or standalone email communications to all L-VX Flight Attendants, the parties agreed to targeted amendments of Work Rules v5.

Click here for the Virgin America Inflight Teammate Work Rules v5 Amendments >

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

We have 66 SAN Flight Attendants that have not completed the 3rd Quarter CBT (Computer Base Training). The title of the required training is Q3 inflight service updates.

The current training is due September 30, 2018.

Failure to complete the required quarterly trainings by the deadline can result in discipline of an Oral Warning and meetings with Management.

Open your Cornerstone App on your IMD. After logging in all uncompleted courses will show on the main page. Remember its always a good idea to take screen shots of your completed courses as backup.

If your main screen is blank you can double check your completed courses by clicking on the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner and choosing the completed tab. All completed trainings will be visible there. All non completed courses will be under the Active tab.

If you have any concerns regarding the current trainings contact any of the SAN Supervisors.

Fly Safe.

AFA News in Review – September 19, 2025

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

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

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

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

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

Election Notice: Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Officer Elections

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

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025 Update #2

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

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