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Council 35 News – April 2022

May 9, 2022 15:52

Topics

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”

May 29, 2021 12:00

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

May 29, 2020 18:00

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)

Temporary Waiver of Discipline Delivery Confirmation (04/14/2020) – Notifications of confirmation of oral warnings and written warnings will continue to be sent via Company email rather than by US Mail with delivery confirmation.

Letters of Agreement (LOAs)

Commuter Policy and Utilizing Other Airline (OAL) Carriers During COVID-19 Schedule Disruptions (04/07/2020) – Registered air commuters may continue to utilize other airline (OAL) carriers to satisfy the “two consecutive scheduled flights from the registered air commuter’s designated registered commuter city to the domicile/co-terminal” requirement in the Commuter Policy.
JCBA §10.Z Personal Drops During COVID-19 Schedule Disruptions (04/14/2020) – Personal Drop(s) will continue to be administered two days prior to the day requested to be dropped rather than one day prior.
COVID-19 Schedule Changes (04/17/2020) – Re-times, flight routing changes and other schedule changes that occur in advance of the day of departure of a sequence will continue to be treated just like pre-cancellations with the exception of §10.S.1.c. Continue to email Crew Scheduling up until the day prior if you wish to drop a pre-cancellation without pay protection, and wait to call Crew Scheduling regarding pre-cancellations until the day prior.

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.

AFA Update – March 6, 2020

March 6, 2020 12:00

In This Edition

COVID-19 Continuing Developments
Negotiating Committee Interviews – Additional Opportunity
Never Refuse a Drug or Alcohol Test
MEC Meets with FAA to Discuss Recurrent Training

COVID-19 Continuing Developments

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) and Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), in conjunction with our AFA counterparts at Horizon Air and AFA International, continue to closely monitor the situation in regard to the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). A meeting was conducted between AFA Alaska and Horizon leaders on Wednesday to have further discussion about AFA’s requests to improve Flight Attendant protections. This meeting will be followed up by an additional meeting between all Alaska and Horizon labor leaders and management from across Alaska Air Group (AAG) to further discussions about the impact of the virus and the steps that need to be taken to protect Flight Attendants, other employees, and passengers.

AFA Alaska released a communication earlier this week with more detailed information about the requests that we have made of management to improve protections for all of us on the job. In addition to this communication, you can find the most up-to-date, pertinent information about COVID-19 and its impact on Flight Attendants on the Coronavirus Outbreak page of the AFA International website. The page contains the latest news on the outbreak, resources for Flight Attendants to guard against the spread of infection, and links to additional governmental resources such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC.

Negotiating Committee Interviews – Additional Opportunity

Master Executive Council (MEC)

[Note: The MEC has become aware of chatter elsewhere on social media that we’re discriminating against junior and/or Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) FAs. This is due to the reposted opening for the Negotiating Committee that is soliciting for 25+ years occupational seniority and/or prior negotiations experience. This is definitely a misunderstanding about intent. The MEC has already received approximately 20 applications from both Legacy Alaska (L-AS) and L-VX FAs. We have full intention of interviewing all of them for the NC.

With a few exceptions, nearly all applicants have less than 15 years of occupational seniority and no formal negotiations experience. It is the MEC’s desire to have a representative NC, so we are looking to fill in the applicant pool with more senior FAs so that we have a representative sampling of the Membership. Additionally, Section VI.A.1 of the AFA Constitution & Bylaws specifically states “The Negotiating Committee selected should include a member, or members, who have had previous experience, insofar as is practicable.”

It is regrettable that some FAs have misconstrued the call for additional applicants with specific qualifications to mean the NC will be exclusively comprised of FAs with 25+ years of seniority and therefore all L-VX will be locked out of representation on the NC. This is absolutely not true.With only three members on the NC (plus the MEC president as chair), the MEC must consider each appointment very carefully. There are no guarantees who will ultimately be appointed because it will depend on each applicant’s qualifications and interview(s), but the MEC has a strong desire to choose a NC that is representative of all members and all constituencies as much as possible (e.g. seniorities, domiciles, legacy carriers, etc.). ^jtp 03/06/2020 @ 17:50 PT ]

The Master Executive Council (MEC) is currently in the process of scheduling interviews for prospective Negotiating Committee candidates who submitted expression of interest forms prior to the March 3 deadline. In order to provide an additional opportunity, the MEC has decided to re-open the expression of interest process for Negotiating Committee Members. Additional interviews will be conducted at the April Regular MEC Meeting. The MEC is specifically seeking candidates with 25 years or more of Flight Attendant seniority and/or those with previous negotiating experience. Other candidates will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Our current Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) becomes amendable on December 17, 2021 but also contains an early opener clause for the negotiating process to begin as early as December 2020. In anticipation of early openers, the Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting interviews for the Negotiating Committee during the April Regular MEC Meeting, to be held April 7 and 8, 2020. All three Negotiating Committee positions are up for interview and consideration. Per the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, the MEC President is the chairperson of the Negotiating Committee and rounds out the Committee as the fourth member.

The Negotiating Committee is charged to negotiate and institute the needs and desires of the Flight Attendants into an effective collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The Committee should have a good working knowledge of the current CBA and be willing to devote their full time to the Committee during negotiations. The members of this Committee shall serve as the CBA Interpretation Committee until a new agreement is completed.

Selection of Committee Members

Any person seeking a position on the Negotiating Committee must submit a resume to the MEC
Committee Members will function until a new Committee is selected
The Chairperson of the Negotiating Committee will be the MEC President or her/his designee
Committee Members are selected by majority vote of the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents)

Committee Member Duties & Responsibilities

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

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.
All members of the Committee, including alternates whenever possible, shall complete a negotiations training seminar prior to writing an “opener.”
Be familiar with Union policy and keep abreast of new developments in the industry.
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. (eg., Legal, Retirement and Insurance, Wage and Working Conditions, etc.).
Maintain a current record of the:
- Financial condition of the company.
- Management lines of authority and methods of communication.
- Operations statistics and experiences of the airline which may be used in bargaining, grievances, litigation, etc.
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.
Prepare the contract opener with the advice of the Staff Negotiator
Provide regular updates to the membership on the status of negotiations
Proof CBA language and agree with the Company on implementation and effective dates
Review tentative agreement with the MEC
Prepare membership summary package and Roadshow schedule
Present the tentative agreement to the members
Proof printed agreement and prepare CBA index
Prepare CBA interpretations for new concepts
Remain available as a resource for interpretations
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.
Maintain contact, through the MEC President, with IAM, ALPA, TWU, AMFA, and other applicable labor unions on property

Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

Flight pay loss (FPL) reimbursement will be provided to Negotiating Committee Members at the rate of 6 TFP at “A” pay for 8 hours of work. FPL is not reimbursed for days that solely contain travel to/from an activity.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews during the April Regular MEC meeting from April 7-8, 2020. Bid around the interview date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/YGCUtxVETB3z9aZW7. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Friday, March 27. After that time, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

Please note that in order to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

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

Never Refuse a Drug or Alcohol Test

Grievance Committee

As Flight Attendants, we are all aware that we are subject to random drug and alcohol testing. This requirement is contained in 49 CFR part 40 and falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation. At Alaska Airlines, the Drug Abatement department, which is part of the Safety Division, is responsible for administering the testing program and ensuring that the company remains compliant with all applicable rules and regulations pertaining to drug and alcohol testing.

At the end of a duty period, many of us eagerly await block in and the opening of the boarding door to see whether or not a drug/alcohol tester is waiting for us. The Drug Abatement department has told AFA that their expectation of the drug testers is that they will be present in the jet bridge when the door is opened. Unfortunately, this does not always happen for a variety of reasons.

In order to prevent any misunderstanding and protect yourself, it is critically important that you never refuse a request to be tested. Failing to cooperate with any part of the testing process is also considered a refusal to test. Alaska Airlines drug and alcohol policy states that refusing to take a test is considered to be the same as failing a test.

Reporting any Drug or Alcohol Testing Irregularities to AFA

If you are notified of a drug or alcohol test and experience any irregularities with the process, fully cooperate with the tester but make a mental note of anything unusual. Irregularities could include:

The tester is not present in the jet bridge prior to aircraft block in
The test is conducted in a public restroom that is not closed off to public access

* Please note that even though these items could be considered irregularities, they are not prohibited under DOT regulations. Do not refuse a test based on a suspected irregularity.

Once the test is complete, please report any suspected irregularities to AFA as soon as possible. These reports should be filed as a ticket through the AFA Alaska Online Support Center. Be sure to include the date and time of the test, the name of the tester (if known), the flight number you worked immediately prior to the test, and any details of the irregularity. An AFA representative will follow up with you based your report.

Questions?

If you have questions about drug and alcohol testing or possible test irregularities, please contact your Local Grievance Committee.

MEC Meets with FAA to Discuss Recurrent Training

Master Executive Council (MEC)

On Wednesday, February 26, members of the Master Executive Council (MEC), including many Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents, met with representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Cascadia Certificate Management Officer (CMO) as well as various members of Alaska Airlines inflight, flight operations, and labor relations management. During the meeting, the MEC was able to engage in direct dialog with both FAA and management representatives in an attempt to gain clarity surrounding the considerable changes made to the recurrent training (RT) program over the past several months. The MEC plans to have additional discussion about RT at next week’s Regular MEC Meeting and will provide another update within the next several weeks.

Council 35 News – January 2020

January 31, 2020 00:09

Final Notice for Outstanding Dues Payment

by James Ikehara, Council 35 Secretary

There are several Flight Attendants in jeopardy of being terminated by January 31 for failure to correct their outstanding dues obligation. Final notices were sent on January 16, informing the Flight Attendant if the amount owed is not received by January 31, the company will move forward with termination, without the ability to dispute the discipline via the grievance process. This process is outlined in the JCBA §26.D.

Flight Attendants have one last supplemental income opportunity to help meet their dues obligation by using today’s PBP payout. Please note that payment needs to be received by AFA International before January 31, 2020, 2pm Eastern Time, in order for the payment to be successfully credited to the account.

To make a payment:

https://secure.unasecure.net/afanet/dues_payment.cfm

Have you recently moved or need to update your email address? Use the Change of Address link on the AFA-CWA website to make any changes and keep up to date with information regarding all union activities.

Preparing for RT 2020

We get it…it’s a mess. If you have any concerns or want to share about your Recurrent Training 2020 experience, please contact your Council 35 Officers for assistance. We are here to support you while preparing for the changes to the program and want to help alleviate any stress or trepidation Flight Attendants may be experiencing with the prospect of attending RT 2020. There have been many communications sent by both AFA and management regarding this issue and more is to come. AFA continues to strongly advocate for management to “do the right thing” and create a program that sets F/As up for success, not failure. Please stay tuned for more info as changes to the program are happening frequently. To review AFA publications regarding RT 2020, please visit the latest news on our website.

Understanding 480 for 2020

Welcome to a new year of benefits! As a reminder, L-VX F/As are no longer exempt from the 480 TFP requirement to maintain benefits for the following year (2021). Please familiarize yourself with the provisions that require the 480 TFP minimum in the JCBA:

§13.D.6 Uniforms
§16.L.4 Vacation
§22.B.1-4 Eligibility for Insurance
§32.G.4 Attendance
§32 Addendum #26 Record Improvement

Calculators found on the Inflight Webpage can be useful for tracking yearly progress for attaining the 480 requirement. To navigate to the calculators: Alaskasworld>>Inflight Page>>Administration>>Calculators.

Trending SFO Disciplines

The Grievance Committee has seen the following trending issues in cases for discipline following a performance investigation:

10-hour rule violation on reserve
Layover/hotel incidents
Commuter policy
Insubordination
Holiday Sick Leave

If you have any questions about discipline and the performance investigation process, please contact your Council 35 Officers.

Reserve and the 10-Hour Rule

As a reminder, reserves that enter an on-call/availability period (RAP) are considered for potential duty at that time and the countdown for drinking abstinence would be 10 hours prior. For example: a reserve that goes on-call at midnight, would need to stop alcohol consumption before 1400 the day prior. This is also true if a reserve self-assigns a trip that has a scheduled show-time later than RAP start time. For example: a reserve that goes on-call at midnight, but has self-assigned a trip that has a show time of 0900, will still need to refrain from consuming alcohol before 1400 the day prior. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to the SFO Reserve Committee.

Commuter Policy FAQs

The Grievance Committee has represented many Flight Attendants flagged for investigation as a result of the commuter policy audit. Management has indicated that they will no longer be giving “grace” for unintentional misuse. Please familiarize yourself with the policy, which can be found on the Inflight Webpage: Alaskasworld>>Inflight Page>>Administration>>Commuter Form Instructions. The 3-month audit has identified common errors in commuter boarding priority usage. Please be aware that using D8Y listings is not permitted in the following situations:

Commuting from a non-registered city as a result of dropping a DHD either before or after a pairing
Commuting from a non-registered city as a result of picking up out of base
Different cities other than officially registered cities unless part of an approved connection within FLY and required due to route structure or flight loads
Commuting to/from base with registered cities but no trips on F/A’s schedule
Partial OAL routing to/from base (i.e. commute part of the way on another airline and pick up an AS flight in a connecting city)

Honor System for Trading Trips

The Scheduling and EAP/Professional Standards (PS) Committees are still hearing about Flight Attendants “stealing” trips or giving away trips to F/As that don’t want them. Please be aware of your trading habits and do the courtesy of ensuring the other F/A is in agreement with the transaction. Your Council 35 officers and Scheduling Committee recommend that explicit details be included in the trade request. To initiate a trade, be sure to read and comply with all the conditions requested by the trade post. It is frustrating and disappointing that the current trading system does not allow for a more fail-safe trading procedure, however until that issue is resolved, please “do the right thing” and respect your fellow Flight Attendants whenever transacting a trade. If you find yourself with an unwanted trade, please reach out to EAP/PS for assistance. The company has taken the position to not participate in resolving any disputes regarding trips trades and will refer F/As to EAP/PS for assistance.

Air, Safety, Health & Security (ASHSC)

By Brad Young, ASHSC Chairperson and Council Representative

Boeing MRTs

MRTs will be added to Boeing since we will be losing the pin-backed name tags with our new uniform. They will be under the jumpseat like Airbus and Inflight and Engineering know it needs to be accomplished before the new uniform launches on 3/18/20.

Airbus Assist Handle

The ASHSC Chair and Vice Chair will be meeting in the hanger with the company on January 23rd to assess a subway strap type assist handle the company is proposing. It attaches to the L1 & R1 aft assist handles which the Company made unusable with the forward screen placement on Aura interiors. The original strap type handle proposed was so long that we were concerned it would get caught in the door or allow the F/A to swing out of the A/C while pulling the manual inflation handle. We do not have time line for adding these yet, but once approved and procured installation should happen fairly quickly.

A Joint Message from the Council 35 Hotel and Scheduling Committee

By James Bozanich, Hotel Chair andVirginia Fritz, Scheduling Chair

Now that the new year is upon us, we wanted to bring a couple items to your attention and let you know what recourse you have when things don’t exactly go as planned in regards to your overnight. As scheduling and hotel issues often share some overlap, this is a joint PSA between the Hotel and Scheduling Committee.

When rooms are not available upon check-in:

Please let Crew Scheduling know when you arrive and rooms are not ready. Keeping in touch with Crew Scheduling allows them to correct the situation more quickly. Once you have gotten your rooms please call Crew Scheduling to let them know as well. These calls record the length of your delay. Please email sfo.scheduling@afaalaska.org to let them know the time stamps of the delay as well the pairing and date affected. We will then reach out to crew scheduling to attempt to ask for additional compensation for your delay.

When company provided transportation is late:

When transportation is not provided within thirty-five minutes (:35) from block-in or within ten minutes (:10) of the scheduled departure time from the hotel, Flight Attendants will be reimbursed for the actual expenses incurred for transportation to or from the airport. This is laid out under Section 34.B of our contract.

The procedures to document and seek transportation:

Call Crew Scheduling to notify of delayed transportation.
Scheduling will first attempt to coordinate with API to find alternate transportation (including API to order an Uber for the crew).
If that does not work, or in an extreme transportation delay, the Inflight MOD will skip the step above and use a business Uber or Lyft account to transport the crew. NOTE: the business Uber or Lyft is subject to availability and the priority for those accounts are FAs that are sick online or need transportation for testing
If crew opts for their own transportation when delayed longer than contractual agreement, they will be reimbursed for any expenses incurred

Although there is a scheduling process in place to arrange alternative transportation, organizing your own transportation may be the quicker option in certain situations. However, scheduling MUST be notified first so that it can be documented. Please note that if you choose to organize your own transport, you will need to pay upfront and then submit for an expense reimbursement through PeopleSoft: Alaska’s World >> Benefits/Pay >>PeopleSoft Login >> Expense Reimbursement >> Expense Reimbursement (Add: for new expense reports). No expense report is necessary if the company arranges alternative transportation for you.

Don’t Miss Out on Free Money!

by Aladrian Hillmon, VP and Interim Benefits/Retirement Chair

Vanguard Group offers a Bi-annual retirement meeting in SEA to update the various Employee Union Retirement committees on the progress of our retirement plan.

During the meeting in November it was brought to our attention that 1200 of our flight attendants either aren’t enrolled in our retirement plan. This means they are not eligible to receive the 7.5% company match.

It is important to understand that company will match your contributions dollar for dollar up to 7.5%. Essentially that can be seen as “free money” added to your retirement the Alaska. Those funds have the potential to add up to a significant amount over the course of your career at Alaska.

We urge each of you to go onto Alaska’s World and read up on the retirement options that are available to everyone of us. Your Council 35 Officers would hate to see any of our members not take advantage of this investment. Please remember, this is an opportunity to invest in yourselves and your futures.

How do I contact Council 35 Officers?

The best way to contact Council 35 Officers is via email using a personal email account. The preferred methods of contact are:

sfo@afaalaska.org (this is the group contact for all officers-if one officer is flying /unavailable the other officers can respond)
Individual officer emails (if information is for a specific officer)
Calls/text (if situation requires more urgent attention)

When contacting Council 35 Officers please avoid the following methods:

Sending to/from alaskaair.com email (subject to company audits and therefore not private)
Officer personal Facebook/social media accounts (not actively monitored for AFA concerns)
Excessively lengthy texts (please use email for important information as it’s easier to respond and forward to appropriate resource-texts should be reserved for alerts to an issue that requires a timely response)

Please allow at least one business day for a response to any method of contact (email, phone, text).

In solidarity,

Melissa, Aladrian, James and Brad

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

Some History

Details

Summary of §10.S Pre-Cancellations

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

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

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)

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

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

Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)

Letters of Agreement (LOAs)

Life Insurance Coverage While on a Staffing Adjustment Leave

In This Edition

COVID-19 Continuing Developments

Negotiating Committee Interviews – Additional Opportunity

Selection of Committee Members

Committee Member Duties & Responsibilities

Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

Questions?

Never Refuse a Drug or Alcohol Test

Reporting any Drug or Alcohol Testing Irregularities to AFA

Questions?

MEC Meets with FAA to Discuss Recurrent Training

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