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Joint Negotiating Committee

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Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) News

View all Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) news >

Our Joint Negotiating Committee Members

Email our Joint Negotiating Committee at jnc@afaalaska.org

Timothy Green

MEC President & Joint Negotiating Committee Chairperson

Tim Green has been an LAX-based Flight Attendant since hired in 2003. At different times throughout his career, he has flown regularly out of LAX, BUR, and SNA. This experience has helped him gain an understanding of the unique challenges we face.

Prior to running for MEC President, Tim represented Council 18 (LAX) as LEC President and previously as the Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson. During that time, he became a staunch advocate for our members. That experience inspired him to become more involved and run for elected office in 2016. As an elected officer Tim has never forgotten that he is a Flight Attendant first, union leader second, spending his weekends flying and sitting shoulder to shoulder with our local members. He believes our Union is strongest when everyone is informed and involved. To help facilitate that, he will ensure that AFA has a stronger, more visible presence. Tim believes in honest and open two-way communication and encourages members to reach out to AFA with their concerns.

Martin Gusman

Joint Negotiating Committee Member, Hawaiian

Martin began his career as a Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant in 1986. Shortly after moving his family back to Honolulu from Seattle in 1991, he started doing Union work by joining the Grievance Committee. Martin is driven by a sense of fairness and respect. Both were painfully lacking when Hawaiian was struggling financially in the 1990s. He took on a number of roles, including being a member of the Negotiating Committee and the Council 43 (HNL) LEC President. He served as the In-Flight PBS administrator for 12 years, which allowed him to ensure that our contractual provisions were being correctly applied to Flight Attendants’ PBS schedules. In 2016, he rejoined the Negotiating Committee and is the current Honolulu LEC Vice President.

Martin was born on O’ahu, grew up in ‘Aiea, and graduated from Damien High School. He has an Associate’s degree in Computer Science. Martin and his wife, Arlene, have been married for 36 years and have two children.

Jeff Fuke

Joint Negotiating Committee Member, Hawaiian

Jeff has been a Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant since 2008 and is based in Honolulu. He first volunteered with the Honolulu LEC because he wanted to learn about the Hawaiian contract. That led to committee work in contract enforcement and, eventually, negotiations. Jeff is focused on maintaining and growing the benefits and protections enshrined in our respective contracts, being a voice for the Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant history and way of life, and learning and helping others understand our new joint contract.

Prior to Hawaiian, Jeff worked in various customer service and administrative government jobs. He’s from Hilo and attended Waiākea High School, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and Syracuse University. His favorite color is orange, loves traveling to Japan with family and friends, and usually works in the Interisland operation.

Virginia Fritz

Joint Negotiating Committee Member, Alaska

Virginia has been a San Francisco-based Flight Attendant since 2015 when she started her career at Virgin America. She has always had a passion for aviation since traveling as an unaccompanied minor at 5 years old. Her desire for aviation led her to work on a Zeppelin, as a gate agent, and as an air transportation supervisor. When Alaska Airlines bought Virgin America, and she became a member of AFA, she jumped at the first opportunity to fight for Flight Attendants by serving as the Council 35 (SFO) Scheduling Committee Chairperson from 2018 until 2022. In 2022, Virginia was elected as Council 35 LEC Vice President and began serving San Francisco Flight Attendants in additional capacities, including with local Grievance, Mobilization, and Hotel Committees, as well as other needs her local Members requested of her. In 2020, she was privileged to be able to join the PBS Committee, and in 2023, she was honored to begin serving as MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS. 

Virginia is honored and humbled to be elected to the Joint Negotiating Committee so that she can use her commitment and passion in advocacy to find a contract that truly helps us all be stronger together.

When not advocating for fellow Flight Attendants, Virginia resides in Los Gatos, CA, with her supportive and loving husband, their adorable pup, Strudel, and her especially Union Proud Grandmother.

Heather Reier

Joint Negotiating Committee Member, Alaska

Heather attended her first Anchorage Local Council AFA meeting in early 2016 before even flying a trip. Being a helper by nature, she immediately joined the Reserve Committee as a Reserve Buddy. This allowed her to better learn the parts of the contract that were specific to her work and to support others in the same position.

When the Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson position became available in early 2019, Heather stepped into that role to better assist all her coworkers – while remaining a Reserve Buddy (and Interim Reserve Chairperson) until this past July. As Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson, she has been able to help countless Flight Attendants with questions about legalities, pay, hotel issues, etc. She has often been able to advocate successfully on others’ behalf.

Heather was elected Council 30 (ANC) Local Executive Council Vice President for 2023-2025. She is thrilled that this expanded role allows her to fully serve her coworkers and increase her knowledge and expertise in all contract areas. 

Heather and her husband, Travis, a firefighter in Anchorage, have been married for 28 years and have raised their family in Anchorage since early 1997. Heather is an animal lover. She has three dogs of her own and often has foster dogs running around. She also enjoys the outdoors (minus the mosquitos) and has recently discovered a love of gardening.

Paula Mastrangelo

AFA Senior Staff Negotiator

With over 25 years of experience as a Staff Negotiator at AFA, Paula Mastrangelo believes that Flight Attendants drive successful agreements through steady commitment to strong labor activism and engagement. She believes that engagement is inspired by clear, transparent communication with AFA membership throughout the negotiating process.

Paula has worked with both Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants through several contract campaigns. She was our staff negotiator for the 1994 CHAOS™ strike agreement and the Alaska/Virgin America JCBA and is well acquainted with our Contract and our culture. In addition to her work at Alaska, Paula has concluded contracts at United, AirTran, and Spirit, and many regional carriers.

Joint Negotiating Committee Support

Lea Franzoi

Negotiations Support Representative

Lea has been a Honolulu-based Flight Attendant with Hawaiian Airlines since 2006. Her involvement with the Union began when she filled a vacancy as the Hawaiian MEC Secretary-Treasurer from August 2022 to June 2023 and again from August 2023 to February 2025. Drawing on her strong organizational skills, Lea is eager to contribute to the team’s success by supporting the needs of the Joint Negotiating Committee and collaborating to ensure that Members stay well-informed throughout the joint contract negotiations process.

Born and raised on the island of O’ahu, Lea holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Hawai’i Pacific University. Since 2012, she has been commuting from Las Vegas. In her free time, Lea enjoys outdoor activities and traveling with her husband.

About Our Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC)

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) will negotiate with management to merge the collective bargaining agreements of the two pre-merger airlines into a single agreement for the newly combined airline. The full JNC will include two members from AFA Alaska, two from AFA Hawaiian, the MEC President, and the AFA Staff Negotiator.

Read more about the duties and responsibilities of the Negotiating Committee >

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Information about the duties and responsibilities of Joint Negotiating Committee Members is contained within Section X.D.4 of the AFA International Policy Manual.  Click the link above to review the online version of this section.

Who Selects the Joint Negotiating Committee?

Each pre-merger airlines’s members of the Joint Negotiating Committee are selected by a majority vote of each airline’s respective pre-merger voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents). This is outlined in Section X.D.2 of the AFA International Policy Manual.

Contract Interpretation

The Joint Negotiating Committee continues to serve as a contract interpretation resources once a joint collective bargaining agreement has been ratified.

Alaska & Hawaiian Master Executive Councils Become One Today

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Today marks the official merger of the Master Executive Councils (MECs) of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Our combined MEC consists of eight Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents—two from pre-merger Hawaiian and six from pre-merger Alaska—along with our newly elected joint MEC Officers, who begin their terms today. Together, our joint MEC will now be able to speak with one voice on behalf of all Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants, strengthening our voice with management, the public, and other stakeholders.

While we have now come together as one MEC, we continue to operate under two separate collective bargaining agreements. This will remain the case until we negotiate and ratify a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). This process will take time. Until then, decisions related to the Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendant contract will be made by the LEC Presidents from pre-merger Hawaiian, while decisions about the Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant contract will be made by the six LEC Presidents from pre-merger Alaska. When decisions impact both Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants, all eight LEC Presidents will collectively decide.

One thing that remains unchanged is the support and representation you receive from your Local Council. Each Local Council remains in place, and your directly elected LEC Officers continue to be your first point of contact for anything you may need help with. Eventually, and only once we reach and ratify a JCBA, the dual Local Councils at LAX will also merge.

Introducing Your Joint MEC Officers

As part of the MEC merger, our new MEC Officers, elected at a joint MEC meeting on January 29, begin their term today. They will serve for the remainder of the Alaska MEC election cycle, which concludes on December 31, 2025.

Timothy Green, MEC President

Tim Green has been an LAX-based Flight Attendant since hired in 2003. At different times throughout his career, he has flown regularly out of LAX, BUR, and SNA. This experience has helped him gain an understanding of the unique challenges we face.

Prior to running for MEC President, Tim represented Council 18 (LAX) as LEC President and previously as the Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson. During that time, he became a staunch advocate for our members. That experience inspired him to become more involved and run for elected office in 2016. As an elected officer Tim has never forgotten that he is a Flight Attendant first, union leader second, spending his weekends flying and sitting shoulder to shoulder with our local members. He believes our Union is strongest when everyone is informed and involved. To help facilitate that, he will ensure that AFA has a stronger, more visible presence. Tim believes in honest and open two-way communication and encourages members to reach out to AFA with their concerns.

Brice McGee, MEC Vice President

Brice began his career as a Flight Attendant first based in Los Angeles in 2006, transferring to Seattle and finally San Diego. He skillfully balances his professional responsibilities with family life,  calling places like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and Heredia, Costa Rica home. Renowned for his dedication, Brice has served as LEC Secretary for San Diego and is currently in his third term as the San Diego LEC President, prioritizing Union unity and the well-being of his colleagues.

He shares unforgettable travel experiences with his growing family. Brice’s life is a blend of professional commitment, family love, and a passion for adventure, all driving him to advocate for a stronger and more unified AFA.

Paul Ikioka, MEC Secretary-Treasurer

Paul Ikioka is Secretary-Treasurer for the joint Master Executive Council. Born and raised on the island of Maui, he attended Maui High School. He went on to attend college at California State University Long Beach and completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, as well as his MBA.  

Paul had a 30-year career as a Financial Analyst at the Boeing Company, when he decided to become a Flight Attendant at Hawaiian Airlines. Citing Quality of Life as the main driver behind his career change, he started on the line in May of 2018 and never looked back. 

Paul initially volunteered to join the Grievance Committee as a way to learn more about the Collective Bargaining Agreement. His experiences on the team made him realize that education of our Flight Attendants is the best way to help them to be able to advocate for themselves, and protect the rights that our contract provides.  

Paul is committed to be transparent, fair, and continue to promote further education of the contract. He is excited to start on this new journey and continue to serve and support all of our team members.

Council 35 News – April 2022

Topics

Important Dates | CA Membership Meeting | Officer Elections | Committee Openings | Spring Incentive | Section 6 | Solidarity | Pilot Strike | TSA Self Defense | Scholarships.

Important Dates

  • April 30: CWA Scholarship Application Due
  • May 10: CA Membership Meeting
  • May 26: C35 Officer Election Polls Close

CA Membership Meeting

Hosted by Councils 35, 18, and 15

The next membership meeting for Council 35 members will be Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 1100 via Zoom. The purpose will be to discuss the upcoming AFA-CWA Annual Board of Directors Meeting.  This meeting will be a combined council meeting and open to all Council 35 (SFO), 18 (LAX) and 15 (SAN) members in good standing (up-to-date on dues). Agenda can be found here.  Deadline to submit advanced agenda items is 5/6/22.  To attend, please register here.

Officer Election Coming Soon!

It’s election time for SFO and members will have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote for Council 35 officers.  All Council 35 voting instructions and guidelines can be found on the AFA Elections Page. The AFA-CWA Membership Services Department handles all voter questions and issues new activation codes if ballots are misplaced or never received.  The Ballot Help Line is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern time.  If you have a question or need a new 16-digit activation code, you may contact the Ballot Help Line at 800-424-2401, then press 1 and dial extension 706.

Council 35 Election Dates

Ballots Mailed:  4/27/22
Polls Open:  5/5/22
Polls Close/Results:  5/26/22, 1200 PST
Term Date Start: 7/1/22
Term Date End:  6/30/25

New Council 35 Committee Openings

Government Affairs Committee Chair

The Government Affairs (GA) committee promotes the AFA-CWA agenda by supporting legislative efforts that benefit our members or lobbying to discourage laws that will negatively impact members.  What can be achieved in legislation takes away the need for negotiation.  If you have an interest in government issues, please visit the GA webpage on the AFA Alaska website. Submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.

Government Affairs Committee Chair

Council 35 is looking to fill the chair position for upcoming Section 6 negotiations.  The chairs from each base will compose the committee with the goal to help motivate and provide assistance to members during the negotiations process.  If you are passionate about improvements to our contract and understand the power of solidarity, please apply!  Submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.  For more information, please see the recent MEC communication announcing the role.

Interested in another committee position?  Please review the duties and responsibilities on the AFA Alaska Committee website.  Please submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.

Spring Incentive: Love it or Hate it?

Section 6 negotiations are getting ready to launch, but did you know the MEC is regularly “negotiating” with management? A great example of this is the Spring Incentive.  Management couldn’t just compel us to participate, as we already have a defined incentive program (PPP) outlined in JCBA§21.R.  They approached us with the idea to help alleviate the staffing issue and the “negotiations” began.  This particular program, developed exclusively by management, was not received well by the MEC at first glance.  Right away we rejected some of the most contentious issues: threshold way too high, not enough people will benefit, won’t motivate regular flyers, not including enough pay codes (i.e. vacation).  Pretty much everything that members have expressed after launch as the unsavory aspects of the program.  In response we offered several suggestions to improve the program’s benefit and effectiveness to which the company declined and only agreed to a few of our suggestions.  We weren’t given much time to work out the details and within a couple of days the MEC had to make a decision to either support the program, or reject it altogether.  Some may disagree with the choice we made, but I can share with you why I was a reluctant yes.  

When considering SFO specifically (the members that elected me), I came to the conclusion that the Spring Incentive would potentially benefit the SFO F/As more than not.  The program rewards high-time flyers (always been an SFO trend) and brings a little extra pay to overworked reserves.  With this in mind, I decided that it was better to say yes to the program than say no.  I made my decision based on my understanding of the base and what my members want.  The best way for me to know what members want is to hear from you!  If this program is good for you, let me know!  If you hate it, let me know!  I can make better decisions in the future if my members share with me how they feel about issues that affect their work environment. If members are curious about how I voted on a particular issue, please reach out and ask!  I am happy to share my decisions and receive feedback to better support SFO FAs.

TSA Crew Member Self Defense Training Program – Reinstated

The TSA Crew Member Self Defense Training Program has been reinstated and is available for all US-based flight attendants free of charge. There are 2 classes scheduled for their South San Francisco location on May 19th and June 16th, from 0800-1200. If you cannot attend these dates, additional classes for 2022 may be offered at a later date. Use this link for more information and to sign up for one of their classes.

Scholarship Opportunities

Provided by AFA International

The Joe Beirne Scholarship offered by CWA is available to AFA Members and dependents. The deadline for applications is April 30.   For more information please visit the CWA website.

Member Questions: Negotiations

Why Do We Call Contract Negotiations “Section 6?”

The term “Section 6” refers to the part of the Railway Labor Act (RLA) that defines the negotiations process.  In many industries, collective bargaining agreements (CBA) have an expiration date, and until a new one is negotiated, the benefits of the old contract are no longer available.  The industries that fall under the RLA have contracts that become amendable, meaning they open up for changes but don’t officially expire (unless specifically defined), and it stays in effect until a new one is ratified (voted in by members).  This was to prevent a transportation shutdown in the early days of the RLA’s existence, as it would have had (and still does have) a devastating effect on the infrastructure of the nation.  What can F/As do now to help?  Get educated and follow the progress of the Negotiating Committee!  Many SFO members haven’t experienced full Section 6 negotiations and understanding the process is crucial to our success.  For more information about negotiations please visit the AFA Alaska Negotiations website. 

Solidarity and Why We Need It

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines solidarity as: unity (as of a group or class) that produces or is based on community of interests, objectives, and standards. Many members are frustrated with management’s decisions and policies that have rolled out recently.  It’s been rough and your Council 35 officers and committee members are united in the frustration! Going to social media to vent is a great way to chat with other members and share experiences and frustrations, however it can also hinder our progress at the negotiations table.  Please see the recent MEC communication on this topic.  Social media campaigns as well as individual emails to management expressing displeasure only show that we are a divided work group.  As your elected leaders, that is literally our job-to confront management on your behalf.  If we don’t hear from you, we can’t stand up to ask for change.  Tell us!  The best way to let them know we mean business is to stand together in solidarity.

Alaska Pilot Strike Vote

Council 35 has received several emails from members concerned about the pilot strike vote and how it will impact F/As lives. One of the issues that has raised the most concern is the strike vote planned for May.   Although the vote is scheduled soon, it does not mean the actual strike, if it happens, will follow immediately.  ALPA (pilot Union for AS pilots) and the company have just recently entered the mediation phase of negotiations, which could last an indefinite amount of time:  weeks, months, maybe even years.  If mediation is unsuccessful,  there will be an appeal to the National Mediation Board (NMB) to release the parties from mediation, which is followed by a cooling off period of 30 days.  The pilots follow the same process for negotiations under the RLA as we do at AFA-CWA.  To see a breakdown of steps, please visit our Negotiations website where you will find a helpful chart and breakdown of the different phases of the process. Flight Attendants can also follow ALPA’s progress by visiting the ALPA website.  

Got a question?

Contact information for Council 35 committee members can be found on our website.  You can also open an online support ticket and the appropriate rep will respond.

In solidarity,

Melissa, James and Brad

Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  Melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
Bradley Young, Council Representative • Bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

AFA Alaska Settlement Agreement 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Pre-Cancellations and Schedule Changes”

AFA Alaska Settlement Agreement 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Pre-Cancellations and Schedule Changes”

Grievance Committee

After several years of periodic settlement discussions, AFA and management have settled Grievance No. 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Precancellation and Schedule Changes.” This settlement agreement becomes effective Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at 12:01 AM Pacific Time.

Click here for AFA Settlement Agreement Grievance No. 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Pre-Cancellation and Schedule Changes” >

Some History

AFA filed Grievance No. 36-99-2-45-17 “Violation of §10.S Pre-Cancellation and Schedule Changes” back in June 2017 regarding retimes of between 15 and 21 minutes that were pushed to schedules in advance of the day of departure (prior to the first day) of a sequence. (Read the July 2017 Grievance Report for more details.)  Management sustained the grievance (meaning they agreed the contract was violated) shortly thereafter in July 2017. However, AFA disagreed with management’s remedy (i.e., the “fix”) for the violation, and the parties have been in negotiations over the remedy since then. 

We were somewhat close to achieving a mutually agreeable solution when the pandemic began, which delayed our progress.  However, the pandemic did provide an opportunity to test drive a proposed remedy to the dispute starting on April 18, 2020, via the temporary COVID-19 Schedule Changes Letter of Agreement (LOA), which was extended through June 30, 2020. Please note that most but not all aspects of that temporary LOA were incorporated into this grievance settlement agreement.

Details

This settlement agreement requires that all pre-cancellations, retimes, flight routing changes, and aircraft downgrades (i.e., from a four-position aircraft to a three-position aircraft) that occur in advance of the day of departure of a sequence will be handled under JCBA §10.S [Pre-Cancellations].  This will apply to Lineholders and to Reserves who pick up on days off.  The language in §10.S Pre-Cancellations remains the same but will be interpreted to encompass the agreed-to definitive parameters around retimes, flight routing changes and aircraft downgrades.

The settlement makes it very clean in defining when the provisions of §10.S Pre-cancellations are used.  Essentially any schedule change that occurs for Lineholders (and for Reserves who pick up on days off) prior to the first day of a sequence, except for a simple flight numbering change, will now always be handled as a pre-cancellation under §10.S.  A simple flight numbering change in the absence of a retime or a flight routing change may occur at any time and does not trigger the contractual provisions of §10.S.

Summary of §10.S Pre-Cancellations

Note: The following is a summary of pre-cancellation provisions under §10.S. Please refer to the contract for a comprehensive description.

Alternate Assignment Offered During Initial Contact (§10.S.2)

If there is a schedule adjustment involving a pre-cancellation, retime flight routing change or aircraft downgrade on the day(s) prior to the first day of a sequence, then Crew Scheduling will make initial contact and may offer an alternate assignment made up of one or more sequences with a check-in up to two hours prior to scheduled check-in and/or with a release up to two hours later than scheduled release. The two options are to (1) accept the alternate assignment (§10.S.2.a) or (2) to decline the alternate assignment and waive pay protection (§10.S.2.b).  If Crew Scheduling does not have an alternate assignment available that meets the required criteria of falling within the scheduled footprint plus two hours on either side (before or after) when they first make contact with the Flight Attendant, then the Flight Attendant can opt to call Crew Scheduling between 6 PM and 8 PM local domicile time the evening prior to the sequence (§10.S.2.c).

No Alternate Assignment Offered During Initial Contact (§10.S.3)

If Crew Scheduling does not offer an alternate assignment when they make initial contact with the Flight Attendant, then the Flight Attendant can either (1) waive pay protection and be relieved of further obligation (10.S.3.a), or (2) they can opt to call Crew Scheduling between 6 PM and 8 PM local domicile time the evening prior to the sequence (§10.S.3.b).

Calling Back Between 6 PM and 8 PM the Evening Prior (§10.S.2.c and §10.S.3.b) or no Later Than Release Time if on Duty (§10.S.7)

When the Flight Attendant calls back between 6 PM and 8 PM local domicile time the evening prior to the sequence, either (1) an alternate assignment that operates within the exact footprint of the original sequence must be available (§10.S.2.c.1 or §10.S.3.b.1) or (2) the Flight Attendant is pay protected (§10.S.2.c.2 or §10.S.3.b.2). A Flight Attendant must call back no later than release time if on duty during those hours (§10.S.7).

Reassignments (§10.R) – Same Day and/or Sequence in Progress Schedule Changes

Same day and/or sequence in progress schedule changes are covered under §10.R Reassignments.  Please note AFA and management have on multiple occasions confirmed their mutual understanding that Flight Attendants will neither be required nor offered to report earlier than scheduled for the first duty period of a sequence under §10.R Reassignments. The parties continue to work their way through several contractual disputes related to reassignments that are currently active, and AFA will keep you updated on any developments.

If you have any questions or need clarification, please contact your LEC president for assistance.

AFA Update – May 29, 2020

In This Edition

  • AFA President Sara Nelson Statement on Justice for George Floyd, Attacks on Protesters and Press
  • AFA Board of Directors Special Meeting – May 20, 2020
  • COVID-19 Agreements Extension – June 2020
  • Life Insurance Coverage While on a Staffing Adjustment Leave

AFA President Sara Nelson Statement on Justice for George Floyd, Attacks on Protesters and Press

AFA International

Washington, DC (May 29, 2020) – Responding to violent clashes between police and protestors demanding accountability for police violence, especially for the killing by police of George Floyd in Minneapolis, AFA International President Sara Nelson released the following statement…

Click here to read President Nelson’s statement >

AFA Board of Directors Special Meeting – May 20, 2020

AFA Board of Directors

A Special Meeting of the AFA Board of Directors (BOD) took place on May 20, 2020, at which an interim budget was approved for fiscal year 2020-2021 (July through June). This was AFA’s first ever virtual BOD Meeting. The AFA International Office is currently updating documentation and writing a Compilation of Actions that will be posted online for review by the Board and Members in the near future. We will send notice when this information is available.

COVID-19 Agreements Extension – June 2020

Master Executive Council

The Master Executive Council (MEC) and Alaska Airlines management have previously executed several agreements that temporarily modify the administration of specific contractual provisions in order to mitigate the burden to Flight Attendants and the Company during the COVID-19 pandemic. The parties agreed to extend the duration of some of those agreements that were scheduled to expire on May 31; the agreements are now extended through June 30.

Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)

Letters of Agreement (LOAs)

Reference: COVID-19 Agreements Extension June 2020 Letter of Agreement (05/29/2020 – 06/30/2020)

Life Insurance Coverage While on a Staffing Adjustment Leave

Master Executive Council

Some of you who took a COVID-19 Staffing Adjustment Leave (SAL) were extremely surprised and angered to learn that your life insurance coverage may have terminated while on leave. Apparently, your Company-sponsored life insurance is cancelled after the first partial or full bid month on a COVID-19 SAL.

This MEC was also surprised to learn that cancellation of coverage has evidently always occurred while on SALs. We confirmed that a reference to this has been in the Alaska Airlines Employee Benefits Handbook for Flight Attendants (AAG SSO required) for many years. Regardless, Inflight management agrees that the disclosure was not included in the original leave materials and related Q&A. Consequently, management is offering a one-time opportunity for Flight Attendants to change their minds and cancel their SAL for July and beyond.

  • Flight Attendants must email Inflight Crew Planning no later than 11:59 PM PT on Tuesday, June 2 in order to cancel their SAL for July and beyond and bid for the month of July. 
  • Flight Attendants who decide to stay out on a SAL may find useful information regarding life insurance portability and conversion options by clicking here (AAG SSO required).

As your direct representative on the MEC, your LEC president is available to answer questions or concerns that you may have about the information above. Contact information for your respective LEC president can be found by clicking here.

Reminder: Don’t Miss Next Week’s MEC Town Hall!

Mark your calendar: Wednesday, September 23, is almost here! There’s still time to register for our Alaska + Hawaiian Town Hall and hear directly from your MEC Officers: MEC President Tim Green, MEC Vice President Brice McGee, and MEC Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka. Join us for the latest updates and get answers to your questions. The […]

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, September 3, representatives from our pre-merger Alaska AFA Reserve Committee met to discuss ongoing work advocating for Reserve Flight Attendants. Attending on your behalf were Ella Embree (ANC), Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Meghan Casey (SFO), Kanako Yamada (LAX), and Rebecca Garcia (SAN). MEC […]

MEC Statement Regarding Management’s New California Timekeeping Policy

Management announced a major policy shift last night that, starting October 1, 2026, California-based pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants in SFO, LAX, and SAN will be required to take an additional and redundant step to record their time worked by punching in and out using a timekeeping system. According to management, this new procedure applies to […]

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

Each year, from September 15 to October 15, the United States observes Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month, a vibrant and meaningful tribute to the remarkable contributions, history, and cultures of Hispanic-Latinx Americans. This celebration began as Hispanic Heritage Week, established in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson to recognize the impact and influence of Hispanic-Latinx communities across the […]

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

On Thursday, August 27, our Seattle Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) representatives met with management to discuss ongoing safety concerns, operational challenges, policy updates, and workplace improvements impacting Flight Attendants across the operation. Representing you at the meeting were Deb Walstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA pmAS), Kahea Alvarez (LAX/SEA pmHA), Carin Merritt (LAX […]

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