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Council #19 – Seattle

January Base Update

Washington Paid Family Leave Law – UPDATED INFORMATION

Last fall prior to Annual Benefits Open Enrollment, we asked about this law during a meeting to discuss impending changes to Benefits. We specifically asked whether Alaska intended to sue the State to deny these benefits to Flight Crews, as well. We were told that this law would apply to all Washington employees. We were told that employees would receive specific information close to the end of the year. The law requires that premiums be deducted from employee paychecks, beginning 1/1/2019. 

Since no information had been provided, and since it was after the implementation date, we sent out information to Seattle Flight Attendants so that they would be aware of the new deductions. On January 3rd, we were informed that Alaska management had decided that the law will only apply to ‘ground employees.’ We asked for an explanation, and waited. Late in the afternoon on January 7th, we were advised that we would not be provided with a written explanation. 

Without direct answers to our questions, we can only guess that the same logic is being used in this instance that prompted Alaska management along with Airlines for America to sue Washington State last year, when the Paid Sick Leave Law went into effect. AFA-CWA has joined the State of Washington in defending our right to coverage under the Paid Sick Leave Law, and will do so again with the Paid Family Leave Act should that be necessary. 

We do not believe that this is fair or equitable. It seems to fly in the face of the ‘Do the Right Thing’, and ‘Committed to Kindness.’ California-based Flight Attendants have been eligible to apply for and receive Paid Family Leave benefits since 2004.  Oregon is working on a Paid Family Leave Act, as well. Will management file suit against each state that provides Paid Family Leave?

Traffic Alerts

With the Viaduct dismantling last weekend, traffic is predicted to be horrendous. We do now have a ground commuter policy with options. Read Section 28 G.2 of the contract to become familiar with this new provision. The company has put out several alerts, suggesting that we all plan to allow sufficient time to get to the airport. While that is a great idea, we don’t yet know how bad it will be or what sufficient time will actually be. Make certain that you do plan ahead, but if there is an unforeseen development (an accident, freeway closure, etc.) it’s good to know your options. 

Local Council Meeting

This meeting will be a Joint Council Meeting, with Horizon and Compass officers and members attending. 

Date:  February 11, 2019

Time: 1:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: SeaTac Office Complex (same building as 13 Coins across from the airport), Earhart Room, Lower Plaza Level-South Tower, 18000 International Blvd. Parking up to 3 hours is free in the front parking lot. You can also park for free in the rear, bring your ticket into the meeting for validation. 

In Solidarity, 

Terry, Jake, Adam, Melinda and Megan

AFA Support for JCTE Cutover—Base Sits

The JCTE cutover milestone is one of the last steps we’ve been anticipating to achieve Full Integration. AFA members from multiple committees to include CSI, EAP, Scheduling, PBS, Reserve and your Council 35 officers will be in base during the upcoming cutover period.  Base sits began January 25 and will continue through Feb 9.  AFA is available to support you during this transition so please don’t hesitate to stop by and ask questions or reach out for help. For a list of committee members and their contact information, please visit the SFO Committee Member Roster.  As a reminder, the Crew System Integration (CSI) team will be in SFO Feb 5-9 and 15-16 to offer bidding and trading support as scheduled.

Good-Bye Doctor’s Notes

As of midnight January 31, 2019, base leadership will not be permitted to ask for a doctor’s note for normal absences.  At that time L-VX Flight Attendants will transition to §32 of the JCBAwhich defines the Attendance Policy for all Alaska F/As. As a reminder, all points accrued under the L-VX Reliability Program will roll-off after 12 months, and any new points assessed on or after 1/31/19 will roll-off after 18 months. 

SHP and L-VX Commuter Policy Sunset

On 1/31/19 all unused Stuff Happens Passes will be fully retired as defined in the L-VX Commuter Policy.  The sunset for the SHPs and the Commuter policy occurs when L-VX F/As transition to a single contract.  For your reference, the Alaska F/A commuter policy can be found in the JCBA §28.G.

Good-Bye Work Rules and Hello JCBA

Now is the time to familiarize yourself with your new contract!  L-VX Flight Attendants will be covered under the full provisions of the JCBA beginning 1/31/2019.  There are a few remaining transition items addressed via the L-VX Transition Agreement such as Uniform Allotment and application of 480 TFP requirement.  You are responsible for knowing the entire JCBA, however there are several sections that would be especially helpful to review.  Listed below are the sections and some of the topics each section addresses: 

§ 8:  Hours of Service

  • Duty periods
  • Compensatory provisions for violations of rest and duty

§ 10: Scheduling

  • Bidding parameters
  • Reassignments
  • Pre-cancellationsDeadheading

§ 12: Exchange of Sequences 

  • Trading
  • Open-time

§ 21: Compensation

  • Pay scale
  • TFP calculation
  • IROPs pay provisions

§ 32: Attendance Policy

  • No-fault attendance policy
  • Tracking absences
  • Quarterly point adjustments
  • Point values per absence
  • Point roll-off 

For additional information on transition items or specific dates of implementation please review the Transition Agreement and the Implementation Timetable.  For any questions regarding the JCBA and understanding the provisions, please direct your inquiries to your Council 35 officers at SFO@afalaska.org or the Joint Negotiation Committee at JNC@afaalaska.org.

New Pay Days Starting in February

Last November, Alaska Payroll sent an email with details of the payroll transition for L-VX, which will begin in February.  Your first Alaska paycheck will be 2/5/19. Your last paycheck from Rainmaker will be 2/15/19. All L-VX Flight Attendants have been auto-enrolled into the Alaska bi-monthly pay schedule.  To opt-out of the bi-monthly pay period, you must submit a request to payroll.  For detailed information about pay changes, please visit Airbus Inflight Pay Changes on Alaskasworld.

Old L-VX Discipline Audits

AFA has discovered that old discipline notices (PIPS)  are still in many Flight Attendant personnel files.  Your Council 35 officers have requested an audit of all L-VX performance files to remove any old VX discipline, however the request was denied by the performance management team.  Therefore, your Council 35 officers encourage all L-VX F/As to request an audit of their own files.  If an old expired discipline is discovered, the F/A has the right to request the removal. Additionally, all reliability related disciplines issued are in effect only while the point level remains.  If you have a reduction in points that brings you below a disciplinary level, please ensure that the discipline associated with the elevated points is removed.  If you have any questions about auditing your performance records, please reach out to your Council 35 officers.  

Inflight Service Committee Report It Campaign

The inflight Service Committee (ISC) is requesting that everyone remember to report all catering discrepancies through the Report It app.  When reporting catering issues, please separate each issue in an individual report.   The ISC is committed to advocating on your behalf for catering and service concerns and would like to thank everyone for their participation!

VX AFA Email Address Officially Retires

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.org will be retired January 31, 2019.  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 

Who do I contact if dues haven’t come out of my paycheck yet?

Your Council 35 officers do not have individual account information, therefore please send all dues related inquiries to AFA International at AFA Membership Services.

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 and James

Background

The MEC Grievance Committee Assistant is responsible for providing administrative support to the MEC Grievance Committee and Local Grievance Committees.  The Assistant works closely with the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson, Local Grievance Committee Chairpersons, Scheduling Committee, and Reserve Committee to ensure Flight Attendant receive the best possible representation.

Qualifications

  • Robust working knowledge of the Flight Attendant collective bargaining agreement, specifically the scheduling, reserve, grievance procedures, board of adjustment, and compensation sections.
  • Ability to maintain office hours in Seattle during the business week and attend meetings as required.
  • Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA), Google email, osTicket, and Microsoft Office preferred.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, track issues, prepare reports, and plan meeting agendas and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines and follow up on assigned tasks.
  • Previous Grievance, Scheduling, or Reserve Committee experience strongly preferred.

Duties

  • Provide procedural assistance and administrative guidance to Local Grievance Committees in handling Flight Attendant concerns.
  • Maintain the grievance log.  Assign grievance numbers when requested and log appropriately.  File grievances as requested.  Ensure copies of all filed grievances are received and filed appropriately.  
  • Oversee the Scheduling Review Board (SRB) process.  Facilitate SRB meetings.  Maintain the SRB agenda, keep and distribute meeting minutes, update osTicket records with meeting outcomes, and post meeting notes for member review. 
  • Participate in the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process as a notetaker.  Maintain the ADR agenda, keep and distribute meeting minutes, update osTicket records with meeting outcomes, and post meeting notes for member review.
  • Serve as system administrator of the osTicket system.  Set up new users, maintain user accounts, and conduct all new user training. Conduct daily and weekly reviews of the system to ensure all tickets are receiving proper follow-up.  Coordinate with corresponding Committee Chairpersons or Officers to address and resolve open issues.
  • Maintain grievance files.  Ensure each file contains all necessary documentation.  Handle all requests for retrieval of files by authorized Committee Members, Officers, or AFA staff and provide requested files within established timeframes.  Oversee and maintain electronic file system.
  • Maintain records of all memorandums of understanding, letters of agreement, and labor memorandums.  Post newly executed documents to the AFA website and arrange for inclusion on the IMD. 
  • Maintain the Grievance Committee calendar.  Schedule and plan meetings and conference calls as needed.
  • Participate in meetings with management at the request of the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson or MEC Officers.
  • Develop, write, and edit correspondence and other communications.  Assist in preparation of monthly committee reports to the MEC and quarterly committee reports to the Members.
  • Other duties as assigned by the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson or MEC Officers.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is budgeted for 60 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month, paid with a 5% override.
  • Time commitment is approximately two days per week in Seattle with additional work completed remotely or in the office as necessary.  No relocation or accommodation expense is provided for this position.
  • The MEC Grievance Committee Assistant will have two pre-arranged, pre-planned absences (at 6.0 TFP credit per day) loaded into her/his schedule each work week for bidding purposes. Alternatively, s/he may be placed on “no bid” status with MEC approval.

Working Relationships

With The MEC Grievance Committee

This position works directly on a day-to-day basis with the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson and Payroll Representative. Frequent interaction with Local Grievance Committee Members.

With Other MEC Committees

Frequent interaction with the MEC Committee Chairperson and Local Committee Chairpersons of the Scheduling and Reserve Committees. Occasional interaction with Local Committee Members of each committee.

With The Master Executive Council

This position reports to the Master Executive Council through the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson. The MEC executive sponsor for the committee is the MEC President.

With Alaska Airlines Management

Constant interaction with management, particularly the Managing Director of Labor Relations—Inflight (Carmen Williams), Manager of Labor Relations (Mike Link), and Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling (Denia Pisia).  Occasional interaction with Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Managers and other members of management.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

  • Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou at linda.christou@afaalaska.org no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Linda will be able to provide additional information regarding transportation and booking of flights if necessary.
  • Initial interviews will be conducted by telephone or videoconference from January 28-30, 2019.  Linda will contact eligible candidates to arrange a timeslot for an interview.
  • Final candidates will be invited to interview with the MEC by telephone or videoconference on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Questions?

Please direct any questions about the position to MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams at stephanie.adams@afaalaska.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 Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams


Management has recently approached AFA regarding their desire to negotiate a co-terminal agreement for the SFO domicile.  Alaska Airlines currently operates a co-terminal agreement at LAX, which allows pairings to be built to begin and end at co-terminal airports through the Los Angeles metropolitan area.  If adopted, an SFO co-terminal agreement would allow a similar arrangement for pairings to begin and end at co-terminal airports throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Why Negotiations?  Can’t Management Just Open Co-Terminals?

Though management retains the right to open and close domiciles at their discretion within the guidelines spelled out in the collective bargaining agreement, co-terminals are not domiciles in themselves but rather additional airports that are part of a single domicile.  There is no contractual mechanism that allows management to add additional airports to a domicile, therefore an agreement must be negotiated. 

Special Negotiating Committee To Be Formed

The voting members of your Master Executive Council (MEC), consisting of the six directly-elected LEC Presidents, have approved the creation of a special negotiating committee to negotiate a co-terminal agreement with management.  The committee will consist of three Negotiating Committee Members who will be selected by the MEC.  The MEC President serves as Chairperson of the committee per the AFA Constitution & Bylaws.

Although a co-terminal agreement would certainly effect Flight Attendants based at SFO, it would also have a further reaching impact throughout the system.  With more trips being able to begin and end at co-terminal airports, there would likely be a reduction in layovers in these locations. The systemwide distribution of flying would also be impacted as co-terminal airports would begin accommodating pairings built out of those locations.  For this reason, the Special Negotiating Committee positions are open to Flight Attendants from all domiciles.

Special Negotiating Committee Positions

Scope of the Special Negotiating Committee

The Special Negotiating Committee will negotiate an agreement for co-terminal airports to be added to the SFO domicile.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Special Negotiating Committee

From Section VI.A.2 of the AFA-CWA Policy Manual

The duties and responsibilities of the Negotiating Committee shall include the following:

a.         The Committee, with the advice of the Staff Negotiator shall have the authority to conclude an agreement, subject to the provisions of Article XII. of the Constitution and Bylaws.

b.         All members of the Committee, including alternates whenever possible, shall complete a negotiations training seminar prior to writing an “opener.”

c.         Committee members shall be familiar with Union policy and keep abreast of new developments in the industry.

d.         Committee members shall utilize the facilities and resources of the Union and the experience and knowledge of Union Officers, International Office staff and study committees of the Union. (e.g., Legal, Retirement and Insurance, Wage and Working Conditions, etc.).

e.         Committee members shall maintain a current record of the:

(1)        Financial condition of the company.

(2)        Management lines of authority and methods of communication.

(3)        Operations statistics and experiences of the airline which may be used in bargaining, grievances, litigation, etc.

f.          Committee members shall be familiar with the wishes of the flight attendant group with respect to wages, working conditions, and work rules, through, for example, system-wide distribution of contract surveys, periodic road shows, etc.

g.         The Committee, with the advice of the Staff Negotiator, shall prepare the contract opener.

h.         The Committee shall provide regular updates to the membership on the status of negotiations through, for example, newsletters, hotlines, telephone trees, etc.

i.          The Committee shall maintain a complete record of the negotiations, including proposals, notes and communications, and such record is the property of AFA-CWA. A copy of this record will be forwarded to the International Office by the Negotiating Committee.

Expectations/Qualifications

  • Appointed by the AFA Alaska MEC and terms are served to completion at the approval of the MEC.  Takes direction from the chairperson of the Special Negotiating Committee (i.e. in this case the MEC President) with input from the AFA International Collective Bargaining Department (i.e. staff negotiator) and Legal Department (i.e. staff attorney).  After successful ratification of the SFO Co-Terminal Agreement will continue to serve as a contract interpretation resource for the agreement.
  • Maintain a complete record of negotiations including proposals, notes and communications. Such record is the property of AFA-CWA.
  • Public interactions (including social media) must reflect favorably on AFA Alaska.  If requested by AFA Alaska, Special Negotiating Committee Members must be willing to reasonably limit social media interactions for the duration of preparation, negotiations and implementation.
  • Ability to tolerate controversy amongst one’s peers.
  • Willing to travel for training, preparation, negotiations, roadshows and other meetings as needed.
  • Must be willing to adjust her/his schedule as needed, sometimes with very little notice.

Flight Pay Loss/Expenses

  • 6 TFP for each 8 hours of work 
  • Travel time is unpaid; exceptions will be treated on a case-by-case basis.
  • Meal & incidentals and other expenses to be reimbursed according to AFA Alaska Policy Manual and AFA-CWA C&B.

How to Express Interest In the Positions

  • Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest letter and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou at linda.christou@afaalaska.org.
  • The expression of interest letter should include responses to the following questions:
    • What interests you about this position?
    • Why do you believe you are a good candidate for the position?
    • What is your understanding of the LAX co-terminal agreement that is currently in place?
  • The deadline for applications is Friday, February 1, 2019 at 5 PM Pacific time.
  • Linda will contact applicants to coordinate an interview with the MEC and arrange travel (if necessary).  Interviews will be held at the AFA MEC Office in Seattle, WA on Wednesday, February 13, 2019.

Questions?

Any questions regarding Special Negotiating Committee positions should be directed to MEC President Jeffrey Peterson at jeffrey.peterson@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

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

NavBlue PBS Live Bidding Opens January 5

As we prepare for the historic first live bid on the NavBlue preferential bidding system (PBS), AFA and the CSI team will be available in the SFO Village to provide support to L-VX F/As during the bid period of January 5-10.  This is the first opportunity that all AS F/As, both L-AS and L-VX, will bid on the same system for the February bid period (1/31/19-3/1/19).  Please set aside time to stop by the Village during the bid period for support during this major transition.  This is the last milestone before full implementation, which will be January 31, 2019. For those of you that are tracking the progress of implementation, JCTE cutover milestone has been fulfilled once we bid and make schedule adjustments on the same systems, and will be followed by full implementation the month after the cutover.

SHP Denial for Probationary Flight Attendants

Recently, AFA and management came to an agreement regarding the SHP program.  Management agreed to provide L-VX Flight Attendants the opportunity to “sell” a Stuff Happens Pass (SHP) and also reconcile any SHP denials associated with Grievance No. 36-35-2-122-18: Violation of AFA VX LOA Virgin America Flight Attendant Commuter Policy.  Several new-hire classes from 2017 were denied use of the SHP when they passed probation which resulted in many F/As receiving 4 NSH points in their reliability report.  AFA filed this contractual grievance in March 2018, which was denied, however management recently opened discussions regarding a buyback program which allowed us to negotiate the reconciliation for previously denied SHPs.  If you were a probationary Flight Attendant:

  • That never received an SHP and never attempted to use one, the company is offering a buyback
  • That graduated in 2017 in classes 05-17 and later (graduated after August 1, 2017) and you attempted to use an SHP that was denied

Please contact your supervisor and your Council 35 officers for assistance with reconciling your reliability balance and/or facilitating your SHP buyback.  The deadline for probationary reconciliation is January 18, 2019.  As a reminder, the SHP program will fully sunset on January 30, 2019.  

Transitioning to Section 32 Attendance Policy

Similar to the current L-VX Reliability Program, the Flight Attendant Attendance Policy as defined in § 32 of the JCBA is a no-fault absence management program.  Absences are tracked by points and does not discriminate the how or why the points were assessed.   The points are added to track not only sick calls, but late, NSH and NCO, as those points are associated with not following proper call-in procedures as outlined in Attendance Policy.  Please review the Attendance policy to familiarize yourself with the difference as we transition in just a few weeks.  In many ways the program is much more liberal for points management, with less points associated with some types of absences and many more opportunities to “bank” points for future use.  Keep in mind as we transition, all points assessed under the L-VX Reliability Program will roll-off as defined in the L-VX WR in 12 months.  At full implementation, all points assessed under §32 will roll off after 18 months.  Additionally, when we transition to §32, all L-VX F/As will receive 2 bank points to improve their points balances.  If you currently have a zero balance, you will be able to bank the points for future use.  And lastly providing a doctor’s note is not supported in § 32 and the requirement will be a contract violation.  Therefore, at full implementation, L-VX F/As will no longer be asked to provide a doctor’s note for normal absences, unless there is probable cause of potential sick leave abuse.

Do you need Union representation?

As a represented employee at Alaska Airlines, you are entitled to Union representation when you have a discussion or meeting with management. If the possibility of discipline exists for you, another Flight Attendant or another employee, AFA recommends that you seek representation prior to discussing any details of an event with a member of management. If you are contacted by a supervisor, you have a right to ask, “Could this conversation result in discipline?”  If the answer is yes, your Council 35 officers recommend that you tell the supervisor that you would like an AFA representative before having any further discussion.  You can find contact information for the Council 35 on the Council 35 Committee Page.  Chances are, if you are asked by a supervisor “do you want Union representation?” the answer will always be yes!  Stop the conversation and arrange to have a Council 35 Grievance Committee member with you when you resume the conversation.  This may be inconvenient to your supervisor; however, be aware that it is your right and you should always feel empowered to use it.

Representation While on Probation

Probationary Flight Attendants may also request an AFA representative in a supportive (non-representational) role.  As a probationary Flight Attendant, you are not eligible to participate in the JCBA §19 which defines the grievance procedures to formally dispute discipline, however you are entitled to consult with an AFA representative whenever you are asked to provide a written statement or participate in a meeting with management.

The use of Cannabidiol (CBD) oil has been the subject of scrutiny under DOT regulated positions.  A recent communication from AFA International Employee Assistance Program cautioned the use of CBD oil as a liniment for aches and pains as it could affect a Flight Attendant’s drug test results.  For a more information, please read the October 29 communication.C

Dues

If you haven’t already done so, please submit a DCO form which enables the automatic payroll deduction of dues.  For answers to your specific dues questions and to inquire about your dues status, please contact AFA Membership Services.

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 January 31, 2019.  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 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 and James

This information is provided by your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee.

The holidays can be fun, but they also can be a source of great stress. Below are some common holiday stressors and suggestions for managing them.  

How Can You Deal With Difficult Family Interactions During the Holidays?

Being realistic is the first step. Family dynamics typically revert to historic patterns when families come back together.  You don’t have to pretend that all is well, but, you can sidestep difficulties by anticipating them and planning on ways to temporarily separate and defuse.  

Do Financial Pressures Stress You Out to the Point of Ruining the Holiday Spirit?

Knowing your spending limit is also a way to relieve holiday stress. People believe that they have to go out and buy gifts because it’s the holidays, even if they can’t afford to do so. Not only is it stressful to feel that you have to buy everyone a gift, but you’ll be stressed for the rest of the year trying to pay off your bills. Perhaps this is the year to make a pact not to exchange gifts but to share time together.  This could also help someone who isn’t in a financial position to exchange gifts with you. 

How Do Time Pressures Affect You Around the Holidays? 

Putting routines on pause or totally rearranging schedules because of the holidays are the ingredients for exhaustion and chaos.   Prioritize activities that are important and can fit around important replenishing activities like sleep, proper meals and exercise.

How Do You Deal With the Holidays When You Have Just Experienced A Recent Tragedy, Death or Break-up?

If you’re feeling really out of sorts because of a loss or stressor, try to tell those around you what you really need, since they may not know how to help you.  Ask for their understanding if you decline an activity or can’t summon up the holiday spirit.  Give yourself permission to grieve just as you would any other time of the year.

How Do You Cope With Kids Who Want Everything for the Holidays? 

Parents need to tell their children to be realistic. It is OK to say to your child that a certain toy is too expensive. Even Santa Claus has limited funds and has to choose what most to give because he has a very long list. You can also tell your children that Mom and Dad and Santa Claus will try to choose the suitable present for the child. Children have to learn that their wish is not someone’s command and to curb their desires for instant gratification. 

How Do You Manage the Holidays If They Start Feeling Painful? 

If you are unable to shake what you think are “holiday blues” your feelings may not be just about the holidays, but about other things in your life.  If you need help in sorting out or dealing with painful thoughts or feelings, call your AFA EAP for confidential assistance. Call 1-800-424-2406. 

Adapted in part from the American Psychological Association at www.apacenter.org

The Master Executive Council (MEC) has approved an extension to the dynamic contractual waiver due to the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks in Anchorage, AK yesterday and today. The contractual duty day and rest requirements are waived ‘down’ to Federal Air Regulations (FARs) for the narrow purposes of facilitating avoiding ANC layovers and to keep the ANC operation running through 8:30 am AST tomorrow: December 2, 2018. AFA’s understanding and expectation is that the dynamic contractual waiver will expire at such time, crews arriving thereafter will begin to remain overnight, and all contractual duty and rest limitations will resume.

This is an opportunity to remind Flight Attendants that our current domiciles and many if not most of our layovers are located within the “Ring of Fire,” which is where the vast majority of earthquakes in the world occur. Additionally, the State of Alaska is one of the most seismically active regions within the Ring of Fire. Be advised that the probability of aftershocks around the greater Anchorage area will be heightened for quite some time.

Consequently, it is best practice to always be prepared for an earthquake: https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes.

The MEC sincerely thanks everyone in advance for any long duty days or short layovers because of this natural disaster. Our thoughts continue to be with all Flight Attendants, their families and friends living in and around the greater Anchorage area as they begin the process of cleaning up and tending to frayed nerves.

In Solidarity,

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

The Master Executive Council (MEC) has approved a dynamic contractual waiver due to the earthquakes in Anchorage, AK today. The contractual duty day and rest requirements are waived ‘down’ to Federal Air Regulations (FARs) for the narrow purposes of facilitating avoiding ANC layovers and to keep the ANC operation running through 5pm AST tomorrow: December 1, 2018. This is in response to the fact that infrastructure has been damaged in the area. Unfortunately, the existing contractual provisions in Section 8.S [Natural Disasters…] do not sufficiently work because of the unique circumstances of the situation, which why we are choosing to go this route.

AFA and management agree to liberally work out appropriate pay for non-contractual duty days and rest periods experienced by Flight Attendants once the operation has returned to normal.

The MEC sincerely thanks everyone in advance for any long duty days or short layovers because of this natural disaster. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all Flight Attendants, their families and friends who live in and around the greater Anchorage area.

In Solidarity,

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

A large earthquake (preliminary estimates around 7.0 in magnitude) struck Anchorage, AK at approximately 9:29 PST (8:29 AST). There are initial reports of damage to infrastructure. So far AFA is receiving reports that crews overnighting at the layover hotel are okay, and we have been in contact with several Flight Attendants living in the area who are shaken up but physically fine. There have been at least four aftershocks since the initial earthquake, and we are hearing that they continue.

Here is a live feed from CNN:  https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/alaska-earthquake/index.html

Check the Inflight webpage for updated information and alerts from management.

AFA will not provide any additional updates unless new information becomes available. Our thoughts and prayers to all our crews, their family and friends in Anchorage today!

In Solidarity,

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

Boots!

Are here! Thank you to everyone for standing behind the “Boot Campaign!”  We are now able to wear our boots with not only the black dress, but all dresses and skirts!  This is a proud win for not just Council 35, but all Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants. Thanks to all of you that helped promote this great benefit and improvement to our uniform.  And thank you to inflight leadership for agreeing to the change.  Please note, that the boot policy is temporary.  It is a “test” period to see how manageable the program is for inflight. Please follow the style guidelines to provide the necessary incentive to management to renew the program next season.

ASAP it!

Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) is an FAA program that allows Flight Attendants to self-disclose unintentional violations of CFRs or company safety policy without fear of disciplinary action from management or enforcement action from the FAA.  Examples include improper door procedures, minimum crew violations and unintentional company policy/Work Rule violations. The intent of the program is to improve procedure, processes, and training through increased reporting of safety-related incidents that might otherwise go unreported.  ASAP can be reported online and through your company-issued IMD through the Report It app. For questions, please contact Bradley Young, the ASAP Event Review Committee (ERC) Observer, and the SFO Air, Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC) Chair at bradley.young@afaalaska.org.

Good-bye Red, Hello Cart Service

As many of you know, service flow and standards have changed on Airbus and Boeing flights in an effort to provide the most uniform and consistent product possible for passengers.  Some of these changes haven’t been very welcome to Flight Attendants, and in many cases are difficult to accomplish.   If at any time during this transition, you believe changes do not promote safety nor is manageable for efficient service, please remember to file a report regarding the incident.  Additionally you may provide feedback to our ASHSC (Safety) Chair Brad Young and/or ISC (Service) Chair Raymond Ramirez for follow up.

AFA Professional Standards vs. “Writing it up”

Professional Standards (PS) should always be the first contact whenever Flight Attendants find it difficult to work together.  In the event you find yourself contemplating “turning someone in” to management, please consider Professional Standards as the first step in this process. Part of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) committee, PS committee members are trained to help facilitate a conflict resolution process between the affected Flight Attendants.  All this is done in a safe and confidential environment, without involving management.  PS can also facilitate conflict resolution with other Alaska Airlines work groups, such as CSAs, pilots and Tech Ops.  For a confidential consultation, please contact EAP/Professional Standards Committee, AFA@alaskaeap.org.

PBS Training Available Now

AFA and the crew systems integration (CSI) team have been available in the SFO Village to provide support to the L-VX F/As for the change to the AS PBS bidding (NavBlue) and open-time (JCTE) platforms.  Posters in the Village provide dates and times of the base sits or you may visit the Council 35 Facebook page for schedule.

 

TFP vs. Hours

In preparation for Full Integration, Flight Attendants should familiarize themselves with the conversion process from block hours to Trips for Pay (TFP).  TFP is a unit of pay that is based on miles and hours. To convert TFP and block hours, you will need the following formulas:

TFP = Block Hours x 1.13

Block Hours = TFP/1.13

All Alaska Flight Attendants, whether Airbus or Boeing, will be paid in TFP at Full Integration.  For more information on TFP calculations, please refer to the JCBA § 21.E.

Stuff Happens Pass (SHP) Sunset 

AFA has seen an increase in SHP inquiries and denials.  With the implementation of the L-VX Commuter Policy, the SHP program began its sunset.  The last day to use your SHP, if you have one, will be January 30, 2019 or Full Implementation, whichever comes first.  When calling to use your SHP, CSS will automatically code your line with a NSH (worth 4 Reliability points), which will be removed once approval is received from your supervisor. Keep in mind that verification of your eligibility may not occur until days later.  Therefore, AFA strongly recommends that you verify with your supervisor, in writing, that you have a pass and that you are eligible to use it before calling CSS. Additionally, pay close attention to black-out dates and usage rules that are defined in the L-VX Work Rules Chapter 2-Reliability Program and Performance Expectations, when using your SHP.

Dues Check Off Forms Still Needed!

Thank you everyone for submitting your DCO forms!  We are close to our goal of 100% participation.  If you haven’t already done so, please submit a DCO form which enables the automatic payroll deduction of dues.  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).  The dues requirement for AFA members is currently $50 per month.  The dues obligation for L-VX Flight Attendants began July 2018.  To verify you have submitted a form, please check your 15thpay check for dues deductions.  For answers to your specific dues questions and to inquire about your dues status, please contact AFA Membership Services.

AFA Alaska 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.

New Council 35 Committees Members

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

Inflight Service:  Clevlon Charles

Clevlon was born and raised on the small island of Grenada, in the Southern Caribbean. After finishing secondary school, he immigrated to the United States and spent the past nine years of his life in New York. In that time, he gained employment at Sephora and climbed his way up to the role of Assistant Manager. Also, while working, he attended and eventually graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice CUNY, with a BS in Criminal Justice and the distinction of Magna Cum Laude.  Always passionate about the aviation industry, Clevlon was ecstatic when he became an Inflight Teammate with Virgin America in 2015. He has been an Inflight Team Leader, Uniforms Ambassador and more recently, he joined the Inflight Service Committee (ISC). The Service Committee intrigued him because the evolution of the onboard experience is fascinating. Although he enjoys being a Flight Attendant, his ultimate goal in life is to become a commercial airline pilot.

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

What will happen to PDays at Full Integration?

The L-VX Transition Agreement defines the process for PDays.   Upon expiration at Full Integration, remaining PDays will be “cashed out” at 3.5 hours per Pday.  To verify your Pday balance, please check your Peoplesoft account page for your available days.

When can I change bases?

The process for domicile trading is located in §28 of the JCBA. Twice a year the opportunity is provided for a permanent base change—which occurs in December for a February base change and June for an August base change.  Additionally, there is opportunity for a permanent base trade, when openings occur prior to the graduation of a new-hire class.  The first class is projected to be on the line in May, therefore this will be the first opportunity for L-VX F/As to bid for L-AS bases. The ability to temporarily base “swap” with another F/A will occur in March, the first month after integration.  AFA and management have ongoing discussions about this issue so stay tuned for any possible updates.

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 hoursfor a response to any method of contact.

In Solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers –

Melissa
 

Aladrian

 

 & James

SEA Domicile Negotiations Update – February 2026

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants SEA Domicile May Vacancy Posting The company has posted vacancies for the SEA domicile. There are 121 permanent vacancies available, effective May 1, 2026 for the May bid month. Bids will close at 11:59 PM HT on Monday, February 16. Awards will be posted by 12:00 PM […]

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – January 2026

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Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – January 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, January 27, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Heather Reier (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), […]

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February 1 marks the start of Black History Month in the United States—a vibrant celebration with roots dating back to 1925, when acclaimed historian Carter G. Woodson first introduced “Negro History Week” to highlight the remarkable achievements of Black individuals. In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford expanded it to Black History Month, calling on all […]

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