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AFA Update – March 6, 2020

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

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

AFA Update – January 30, 2020

In This Edition

  • Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
  • Black History Month AFA Pin
  • Negotiating Committee Interviews
  • Uniform Returns & Packing Materials
  • REMINDER: Contractual Supporting Documents
  • Managing Negativity

Novel Coronavirus Outbreak

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

The novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019, is creating growing concern for air travel. The first known case has now been confirmed in the United States. AFA is contacting our airlines in an effort to put in place information and precautions for crewmembers. We are sharing what we know about the virus now, although health officials are still determining the full implications of the virus and how it is spread.

NOTE: It is important that crew redouble efforts to take the best steps against spread of communicable disease. Review personal safety and universal precautions in section 4.200 of the Flight Attendant Manual (FAM).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Situation Summary for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus remains a good source of up-to-date information on the rapidly changing situation.

AFA is calling on all airlines to institute emergency measures immediately, including providing crew members the latest information regarding the 2019-nCoV outbreak, identification of signs/symptoms of illness (in oneself and others), and procedures to manage potentially ill persons – utilizing information from relevant U.S. authorities including the CDC, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and international authorities including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). We are also encouraging airlines to adopt AFA recommendations from our Communicable Disease Incident Response Checklists.We will provide additional updates as more information is available. We will continue to press airlines for action on this as we work to keep aviation’s first responders, our counterparts in the flight deck, and our passengers safe and healthy. 

Black History Month AFA Pin

Master Executive Council (MEC)

At the December 2019 meeting of the AFA Executive Board, a resolution was unanimously passed in recognition of February as Black History Month.   The resolution established a special commemorative pin for AFA Members to wear throughout the month of February.

Black history month AFA pin

Our Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers have been provided with a limited supply of these special edition pins and will soon be making them available to you.  Please be on the lookout for information directly from your LEC Officers with instructions on how you can obtain your own Black History Month AFA pin! 

Negotiating Committee Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

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 March Regular MEC Meeting, to be held March 10 and 11, 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 March Regular MEC meeting from March 10-11, 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/6vj5XPxDwv9x54eb9.  The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, March 3.  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.

Uniform Returns & Packing Materials

Uniform Committee

Our Uniform Committee has recently received reports that some Flight Attendants have been told that their uniform return shipments were improperly packed when dropping them off at FedEx shipping locations.  Some Flight Attendants have been told by FedEx personnel that they would be required to purchase additional packing supplies including “fill” material to prevent the contents in the package from shifting. 

According to paragraph B.7 of the Flight Attendant Custom Uniform 2020 Letter of Agreement, Inflight management will assist Flight Attendants with uniform returns and provide appropriate packing supplies at no cost to the Flight Attendant upon request.  If you experience a problem with FedEx personnel accepting your return shipment due to the way it is packaged, it is recommended that you bring the package to an inflight supervisor at any base and ask them to provide the necessary packing materials and assist you with sending the shipment back to Unisync. 

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Uniform Committee.

REMINDER: Contractual Supporting Documents

Contract Committee

When there is a disagreement or difference of opinion regarding the intent of contractual language or how a contractual provision should be applied, AFA and management work through an established process to attempt to resolve the dispute.  Depending on the issue at hand, the resolution might be documented in one of several forms: a letter of agreement, memorandum of understanding, labor memorandum, or contractual settlement agreement.  Regardless of the format, these documents are contractually enforceable and supplement the provisions of our collective bargaining agreement.

To allow for the easiest possible access, these contractual supporting documents can easily be accessed from the contract home page of the AFA Alaska website at https://afaalaska.org/contract.  You can also access them on your IMD through the Good Reader app by tapping ASFASupplemental > Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Questions?

If you have any questions about contractual supporting documents, please contact your LEC President.

Managing Negativity

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Many work environments have at least that one negative person whose only way of communicating is through a string of complaints.  Escaping that individual at 30,000 feet is difficult. Relentless negativity tears away at our resiliency and ability to ignore the behavior.  While we cannot change the way other people behave, we can change the way we react.  Below are suggestions which may help you manage our own responses to negative communication and limit its impact.

Don’t Take it Personally

Negative individuals tend to find something wrong in almost every situation. Being negative may also be one’s main way to engage or connect with others. Negativity is sometimes correlated with self-esteem and inter-generational communication patterns.  A person who chronically finds problems with other people may truly be unhappy with themselves and/or demonstrating the strong influences of familial communication.

“You” and “I”

Replace “you” statements with “I” statements.  People feel attacked when their behavior is directly pointed out.  Feeling attacked causes the person to become defensive and may create unnecessary conflict.  For example, instead of “You always complain about working with her, and it gets old.” try “I feel uncomfortable when people discuss their feelings about our co-workers with me.”  

Make it a Challenge

Try to say something like “We always seem to have something to talk about, but it is usually negative.  Let’s only talk about cheerful situations today.”  Beginning with a positive comment increases the probability your listener will be receptive.  Giving feedback in this manner may also allow you to point out the negative tone of conversation of which the complainer maybe unaware.  

Offer or Seek Assistance from Your AFA EAP

Allowing a person to bombard you with their negativity may actually reinforce that behavior.  Everyone manages some negativity in their lives.  It is important for your own mental health to limit the accumulation of others’ issues. If someone is clearly struggling, remind her/him that AFA EAP offers confidential assistance.  Say something like “You know it sounds like it might be helpful for you to give our EAP a call.  I think they might be a good listener and resource for you.”  Then, give them AFA EAP’s number: (949) 470-0493.  Remember, AFA EAP is also available to you to help you maintain your resiliency in dealing with negativity.  

Council 35 News – November 2019


Thank you everyone who came out to join our Council 35 Membership Meeting on Nov. 4th!! From Left: Brad Young, Council Representative, Aladrian Hillmon, Vice President, Melissa Osborne, President, James Ikehara, Secretary.

November Update:

Trending Discipline: Commuter Travel

Performance has initiated an investigation of commuter travel for Flight Attendants.  Recent travel audits have revealed that use of the D8Y travel designation has been used for flights other than commuting between registered cities for work.  The investigation has included all bases to include SFO and have resulted in discipline.  For more information please review the commuter policy in §28.G of the JCBA. The policy indicates that only travel between registered cities for work is allowable.  The D8Y listing is not  permitted when dropping a deadhead or picking up out of base if the cities pairings are not the registered cities. The performance team has indicated that the audits will occur monthly so this will be an ongoing investigation. If you have any questions regarding travel while commuting to/from work, please reach out to FCABPS@alaskaair.com or your Council 35 officers.  L-VX Transition Agreement.

480 Reminder 

The JCBA defines the 480 requirement for maintaining certain yearly benefits, and now is the time to make up any hours before the year ends. Flight Attendants with less than 480 total hours will not be eligible for benefits the following calendar year.   As a reminder, L-VX FAs are exempt from the 480 requirement in 2019 to retain benefits for the year 2020. However beginning January 1, 2020, all FAs (including L-VX) will be required to accrue 480 hours to retain benefits in 2021.  For more information please reference the

PPP Collective Block Payout Coming up!

JCBA §21.R outlines the Premium Productivity Program for FAs.  The collective block months will be complete at the end of November, and the payout will be December 20th.  Earlier this month the January information was missing from L-VX FA calculators however the issue has been resolved.  To see your actual accruals, please visit:

Alaskasworld>>Inflight Page>>Administration>>Calculators 

Delta Organizing

On November 1, 2019, AFA  achieved the organizing rights to support and represent Delta Flight Attendants. Council 35 officers are excited to support organization efforts and encourage all members to participate in the process.  For resources and the latest info on DL organization efforts, please visit https://www.deltaafa.org.  
-photo credits: Alaska Councils 15, 18 and 35 in MSP helping Delta FAs with leafletting campaign Nov. 7.

Call Professional Standards first!

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

Council 35 Advanced Secretary/Treasurer Training with AFA

-by James Ikehara Kevin Creighan, Secretary-Treasurer for AFA International, hosted a 2 day Advanced Secretary-Treasurer training session for local councils in San Francisco on November 14-15. Local council officers from United, Frontier, Air Wisconsin, Spirit, and Alaska were in attendance, in addition to Alaska’s MEC officers Brian Palmer, Vice President, and Linda Christou, Secretary-Treasurer. Both Brian and Linda were guest speakers and shared best practices for budget planning. Council 35 was represented by Melissa Osborne, President, and James Ikehara, Secretary. The training provided a deeper understanding of financial tools as well as matters pertaining to membership data, council elections, conducting meetings, constitutional provisions, parliamentary procedures, Department of Labor regulations, and building power through other AFL-CIO affiliations. 

Next CBT due December 31, 2019

-by James Ikehara
The Annual Compliance Training (ACT) from Legal is due December 31, 2019. Failure to complete the required quarterly trainings by the deadline can result in discipline. To access the training module, open the Cornerstone App on your IMD. After logging in, all uncompleted courses will show on the main page. Remember, it’s always a good idea to take screen shots of your completed courses as backup. If your main screen is blank, you can double check your completed courses by clicking on the 3 dots in the upper right hand corner and choosing the Completed tab which will show all of your completed courses. All non-completed courses will be under the Active tab. If you have any concerns regarding the current trainings contact your SFO supervisor.

Boeing 737 MAX Update:  10/25/2019

-information provided by Brad Young

FAA Statement on Lion Air Flight 610 Accident Report

The FAA’s first priority is always safety. The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee’s accident report on Lion Air Flight 610 is a sober reminder to us of the importance of that mission, and we again express our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were lost in that tragic accident. We welcome the recommendations from this report and will carefully consider these and all other recommendations as we continue our review of the proposed changes to the Boeing 737 MAX. The FAA is committed to ensuring that the lessons learned from the losses of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 will result in an even greater level of safety globally. The FAA continues to review Boeing’s proposed changes to the 737 MAX. As we have previously stated, the aircraft will return to service only after the FAA determines it is safe.

AFA’s response to the Boeing MAX can be found here.

Did You Know? 

No Badge? No Problem!

Recent trends have emerged with SFO-based Flight Attendants forgetting or misplacing their badges while on duty.  If an FA finds themselves without a badge, contact Crew Scheduling for a temporary replacement.  The temp ID will be validated for the duration of the trip and allow the FA to work and get through security without the need for a gate pass, which can be a time consuming process.  For Flight Attendants that discover the missing ID in one of the six Alaska domiciles, base inflight management is available to print the temp badge in the office.  If the discovery occurs in a non-domicile location, please coordinate with the CSA team lead to print the badge provided by Crew Scheduling.  If an FA discovers the missing ID after boarding an A/C or performing duties, please remember to file an ASAP regarding the incident.  Following procedures for this type of incident will protect FAs from potential discipline.  If you have any questions, please reach out to your supervisor or Council 35 officers.

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 (only if situation requires 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 24 business hours for a response to any method of contact (email, phone, text). 

In solidarity,

Melissa, Aladrian, James and Brad

Council 35 New-January 2019

AFA Support for JCTE Cutover—Base Sits

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

Good-Bye Doctor’s Notes

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

SHP and L-VX Commuter Policy Sunset

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

Good-Bye Work Rules and Hello JCBA

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

§ 8:  Hours of Service

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

§ 10: Scheduling

  • Bidding parameters
  • Reassignments
  • Pre-cancellationsDeadheading

§ 12: Exchange of Sequences 

  • Trading
  • Open-time

§ 21: Compensation

  • Pay scale
  • TFP calculation
  • IROPs pay provisions

§ 32: Attendance Policy

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

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

New Pay Days Starting in February

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

Old L-VX Discipline Audits

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

Inflight Service Committee Report It Campaign

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

VX AFA Email Address Officially Retires

As of July 31, 2018, Council 35 will be representing SFO-based Flight Attendants only. All L-VX F/As based in LAX are now represented by Council 18.  Therefore, the previous email address vx@afaalaska.org will be retired January 31, 2019.  To contact Council 35 officers in SFO, please email us at sfo@afaalaska.org.  To contact Council 18 officers in LAX, please email LAX@afaalaska.org.

FAQs 

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

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

How do I contact Council 35 officers?

The best way to contact Council 35 officers is via email.  Emails are easier to forward for follow up and to have a record of information.  Using your personal email account, please know that concerns received by Council 35 are held in confidence and will not be shared for follow up without the permission of the original sender.  Avoid using your alaskaair.com email to share concerns as those accounts are not private and subject to audits. To get the fastest and most thorough response, please email sfo@afalaska.org.  All officers can respond to emails sent to that address which facilitates a more efficient use of resources.  Please allow at least 24 business hours for a response to any method of contact.

In solidarity,

Your Council 35 Officers – 
Melissa, Aladrian and James

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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