Search Results for: understanding the jcba

Whether you joined us live or are ready to watch on your own schedule, the full recording of our September 23 MEC Town Hall is now available! Catch up on the discussions and hear directly from our MEC Officers and AFA panelists. Watch the video anytime on our AFA Alaska + Hawaiian YouTube channel using the link below. (Note: This unlisted recording is accessible exclusively via this link).

We’ve put together a summary of the questions Flight Attendants asked during the Town Hall, along with answers from our MEC Officers and AFA panelists. You can read the Q&A below.

Mark Our Calendars: December 8 Town Hall

Our MEC is already planning for our next MEC Town Hall on Tuesday, December 8.

Be sure to save the date so you can participate live. You don’t have to wait until December to start asking questions—our Question Submission Form is open right now. Bookmark or favorite the link and feel free to send in your questions at any time!

MEC Town Hall Q&A

The following Q&A section from the September 2026 MEC Town Hall provides a summarized overview of the questions asked and officer responses. To hear the complete question and answer, check out the full video recording.

Q: As a new Flight Attendant seeking greater scheduling flexibility, is there any consideration being given to allowing reserves to split their reserve blocks more than once per month?

A: The one split per month limitation is established in the current Alaska contract. Any adjustments to this provision must be addressed through future contract negotiations.

Q: What is actively being done about Ineligible for Self-Assignment (ISA) trips becoming increasingly prevalent on the line?

A: ISA and premium trips occur when unexpected coverage gaps arise that available reserves cannot cover. Management appears to be using ISA as a routine practice rather than an exceptional tool, and our Grievance Committee is actively disputing how these provisions are being applied.

Q: Who determines reserve percentages, and why does San Francisco have so many reserves, leading to the highest reserve ratio in the system for October at 19%?

A: Reserve counts are set by management based on overall staffing and operational needs. San Francisco experiences frequent operational disruptions, such as weather delays, requiring higher reserve coverage to keep operations running.

Q: Do the new California clock-in and clock-out requirements also apply to me when I am completing Computer-Based Training (CBT)?

A: CBT completion is considered company work time, so it must be documented in the timekeeping application.

Q: If the new clock-in and clock-out procedures are being implemented specifically for California labor law compliance, why aren’t California-based pilots required to clock in and clock out as well?

A: We are seeking clarity from management on why the policy currently targets Flight Attendants and is reviewing the legal requirements. Our MEC maintains that if the law applies to Flight Attendants, it should apply to all work groups in California.

Q: How much influence does our Scheduling Committee have when it comes to advocating for Flight Attendant quality-of-life improvements during pairing construction?

A: Our Local Scheduling Committees gather Flight Attendant feedback and advocate for quality-of-life features like manageable duty days and cleaner layovers. However, adding these features can increase schedule run costs, leading to management pushback. Our Scheduling Committee works to maintain a balance between Flight Attendant preferences and solutions that management will agree to.

Q: What is the exact cutoff and protocol when management checks bulletin acknowledgments, specifically if I acknowledge all required bulletins after I report at D-50 but a new bulletin is issued shortly after at D-45?

A: The baseline requirement is for Flight Attendants to sync their devices and review bulletins prior to reporting. Our MEC is seeking explicit clarification from management on how Flight Attendants should handle late-issued bulletins.

Q: How should I handle and who should I contact if I experience operational or seniority inconsistencies and unfair treatment while traveling as a non-rev?

A: Flight Attendants should remain professional, avoid escalating conflicts at the gate, and report details directly to our Union through their Local AFA Representatives. You do not need to contact management directly; our Union tracks these issues to address systemic integration concerns with management.

Q: Can you explain the recent updates to the non-rev travel policy, and is it true that I can no longer travel on pass privileges following a no-show without obtaining prior management approval?

A: Our MEC is currently investigating the updated travel policy language and requesting formal management communications. The process appears similar to requiring approval to travel after calling out sick, and further details will be shared once confirmed.

Q: Given how exhausting recent reserve schedules have been, is AI currently being used to build reserve schedules, can scheduling be prevented from calling me during deplaning, and what happened to the ability to reposition single reserve days?

A:

• AI Usage: AI is not currently used to build reserve schedules.
• Deplaning Calls: Scheduling may call during deplaning, but Flight Attendants have up to 15 minutes after deplaning is complete to return the call so they can focus on their safety duties.
• Single Reserve Days: Repositioning single days was not intended under the current contract; management corrected a system programming flaw that previously allowed it. The ability to reposition now depends strictly on operational needs and staffing.
• Fatigue: Flight Attendants feeling unfit to fly due to long blocks or short rest adjustments should utilize the established fatigue process.

Q: How can management subject me to progressive discipline for incorrect timekeeping under a new policy when that policy is not part of our contract?

A: While progressive discipline is often contractual, management can also issue discipline for non-compliance with mandatory company policies.

Q: Do Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants based in California have to follow these same timekeeping mandates, and if not, why am I required to do it at Alaska?

A: Southwest operates under different management, though they have faced similar California wage and hour litigation. Our MEC remains focused on pushing management to reach alternate workable solutions to their current plan that do not unnecessarily burden Flight Attendants.

Q: Since our pay system uses Trips for Pay (TFP) based on mileage, why am I being required to track and log hourly timekeeping under California law?

A: TFP calculates pay on mileage, whereas California law requires tracking specified hours worked. Management is trying to force an hourly recordkeeping method onto a mileage-based pay system, creating unnecessary administrative tasks for Flight Attendants, which our Union continues to challenge.

Q: Doesn’t Rainmaker already track my duty time in hours, and why isn’t that existing system record sufficient for legal state compliance?

A: Management claims California state compliance requires the employee to manually initiate and conclude the recorded shift.

Q: If the administrative burden of timekeeping causes me to exceed the allotted time to complete my CBTs, will the allotted time or compensation be adjusted?

A: Joint AFA and management teams test and time CBTs prior to release. Per the contract, pay remains standard at 1 TFP, which covers the expected duration of the training in most cases.

Q: Under this new California timekeeping tracking, is there any realistic expectation that I could be compensated minimum wage for non-CBA covered duty hours?

A: No; compensation remains strictly governed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Q: Has our Union taken an official stance on whether in-flight service can return to using large soda cans rather than making us pour small cans across multiple cups?

A: Our Inflight Service Committee is actively pushing back against management’s decision to discontinue handing out smaller cans and force Flight Attendants to pour from larger cans as a cost-saving measure.

Q: If the AFA dues rebate is intended for all Flight Attendants, why am I required to manually apply for a rebate refund through the AFA Member Hub rather than receiving it automatically?

A: The rebate is managed by AFA International across all member airlines. Members must verify their credit balance on the AFA Member Hub because those with unpaid dues/arrears may not qualify for a refund pay out. Additionally, having access to the AFA Member Hub is necessary for future voting. The rebate next year will be roughly half of this year’s amount.

Q: Can our Union advocate to include a provision in the CBA that allows Flight Attendants to request base transfers every month of the year instead of only in February, August, and when new initial training classes occur?

A: Our MEC noted this as a valuable suggestion to evaluate for Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) negotiations.

Q: Are some Flight Attendants using third-party automated software programs on Open Time drop days to drop trips or trade faster than others?

A: Management investigations have produced no proof or evidence that automated third-party software programs are being successfully utilized. Success on drop day comes down to manual user speed.

Q: What does Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB) entail, and how will that training affect or expedite our joint contract negotiations?

A: IBB involves direct dialogue to establish common priorities (such as flexibility) collaboratively, rather than passing paper proposals back and forth. Our JNC hopes IBB training will help both sides navigate complex contract sections faster.

Q: What are the main types of pay issues that I am required to manually submit in Rainmaker as a reserve or lineholder?

A: Any scenario selectable in the Rainmaker drop-down menu should be filled out directly. For unlisted or irregular pay scenarios, Flight Attendants should submit the request in Rainmaker; if denied, open an AFA Alaska Online Support Center ticket before payroll finalizes on the 15th of the following month.

Q: Is our Scheduling Committee addressing the recent rise in multi-leg pairings with short layovers that are leading to high fatigue callouts?

A: Management uses schedule optimization software that builds tight schedules that look viable on paper but are physically taxing on crew members. Post-merger route shifts have also shortened layovers. Flight Attendants are encouraged to report unsustainable trips to our Scheduling Committee and utilize the fatigue policy when needed so data reflects operational unreliability.