Master Executive Council (MEC)
- Our AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) met this week on Tuesday, February 14, to conduct their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants.
- As part of the meeting, the MEC met with members of inflight, crew planning, and marketing management to discuss issues and concerns that are facing our work group and need to be addressed.
- The next Regular MEC Meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 6, and Tuesday, March 7. Please don’t hesitate to contact your LEC President if you have any questions.
The February 2023 Regular MEC Meeting was held this week on Tuesday, February 14. The meeting consisted of updates from our MEC Officers, LEC Presidents, Grievance Committee, and Scheduling Committee. Our MEC also reviewed written reports submitted by other AFA MEC Committee Chairpersons about their current programs of work.
Meeting with Management
As part of most Regular MEC Meetings, our MEC meets with management to review current issues and challenges that Flight Attendants are facing. Attendees from management this month included Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Constance von Muehlen, Managing Director of Inflight Operations Michaela Littman, Managing Director of Inflight Services Gloria Chow, Director of Crew Scheduling Sara Cook, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Guest Experience Sangita Woerner, Managing Director of Marketing and Advertising Eric Edge, Associate Vice President of Finance and Resource Planning Ryan St. John, Managing Director of Operation Staffing and Resource Management Brittany Audette, Director of Crew Planning Mike Ostler, and Vice President of Labor Relations Jenny Wetzel.
Some of the topics that were discussed include:
- Current company marketing and advertising. Management provided an update on current marketing efforts and media campaigns in key growth markets. Our MEC brought forward questions seeking more information about why management selected some of the talent and characters they did in recent advertising.
- Timing of upcoming uniform wear tests. Our MEC asked about the timing of the upcoming wear test of the new gender-neutral mock turtleneck and why it was scheduled to take place during the summer months. Management indicated they wanted to complete the wear testing process quickly to allow the new piece to be introduced as soon as possible.
- Staffing and growth. Management provided a review of staffing plans for the year. The projections are constantly shifting based on anticipated aircraft deliveries and market conditions.
- iPhone 13 Inflight Mobile Device (IMD) distribution. Management provided an update on the rollout of the new iPhone 13 IMDs. Our MEC brought forward Flight Attendant concerns about long wait times, even for those who have pre-scheduled appointments for pickup. There are also reports of supervisors not offering to make separate arrangements for pickup, including direct shipping, as provided in the iPhone 13 IMD Distribution Letter of Agreement.
- Longevity PTO assignments. Our MEC shared frustration from Flight Attendants about how longevity PTO has been awarded during the vacation bidding process for those with eligible seniority and then subsequently removed if the 960 TFP threshold wasn’t met. Management was asked to consider a different approach that better honors seniority and preferred awarded vacation dates.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this month’s Regular MEC Meeting, please contact your LEC President.
Susannah says
Does this mean if we don’t reach 960 and we have over 25 years seniority which I have 39 years we could still be given the extra week of vacation? Thank you!
Brian Palmer (MEC Vice President) says
Management has been awarding the PTO week to all Flight Attendants who are eligible (since vacation bidding takes place before the end of the calendar year) and then subsequently taking a week away after payroll is closed for December (which doesn’t occur until January). Our MEC is working to keep Flight Attendants who don’t bid for the PTO week (those who are aware that they will not likely hit the 960 TFP threshold) but are awarded it anyway from being given a week in January that they can’t subsequently have removed. These Flight Attendants are currently being forced to give back a week of vacation later in the year instead that they bid for with a higher priority during vacation bidding.
As far as an additional week of vacation, our Negotiating Committee’s Opening Proposal proposed eliminating the longevity PTO program and replacing it with a 6th week of vacation at 25 years in addition to eliminating the 480 TFP requirement for vacation accrual. If they are successful at negotiating both, it would resolve the issue as well.