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Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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8->10 Day of Action

Tomorrow is August 10 (8-10), our Online Day of Action to keep our rest and jobs in front of Congress. Our representatives need to take action now to enact 10 hours irreducible rest for Flight Attendants and protect good U.S. aviation jobs.

Have you signed up for Twitter yet? Twitter is an effective platform to connect with our legislators and we’ve made it simple for you to sign up and participate.

Click here to get started.

Tomorrow, go to afacwa.org/8-10. This page will direct you to take action by tweeting at members of Congress and making calls for 10 hours rest and good U.S. aviation jobs.

8/10 Day of Action Checklist:

  1. Create a Twitter Account.
  2. Like AFA on Facebook and follow AFA on Twitter.
  3. Schedule 15 min on your calendar tomorrow to to make a difference.
  4. Spread the word with your flying partners.

To create a Twitter account:

  1. Go to http://twitter.com and find the sign up box, or go directly to https://twitter.com/signup.
  2. Enter your full name, phone number, and a password.
  3. Click Sign up for Twitter.
  4. In order to verify your phone number, Twitter will send you an SMS text message with a code. Enter the verification code in the box provided.
  5. Once you’ve clicked Sign up for Twitter, you can select a username (usernames are unique identifiers on Twitter) — type your own or choose one Twitter has suggested. Twitter will tell you if the username you want is available.
  6. Double-check your name, phone number, password, and username.
  7. Click Create my account. You may be asked to complete a Captcha to let Twitter know that you’re human.
  8. Follow @afa_cwa on Twitter.
  9. Add a profile picture to ensure people know you’re a real person and not a bot.

Thank you in advance for participating!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson Krystle Berry

[AS] Good to Know: Tips from Your Grievance Committee

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Maternity Grievance

AFA is pleased to announce that the Company recently sustained Grievance 36-99-2-24-17 (Violation of Section 15.M.1.a & 2.a Failure to Allow Minimum Coordination While on Maternity Leave).

What does this mean for Flight Attendants?  Flight Attendants may coordinate the minimum amount of sick leave or vacation with their Maternity Leave, beginning either 6 weeks (vaginal birth) or 8 weeks (Caesarian birth) post-delivery through 120 days post-delivery per sections 15.M.1.a and 2.a of the Flight Attendant CBA.  The application of this contractual provision has been inconsistent at best.  This sustained grievance provides that the Company agrees to comply with the contractual language.

If you initially requested minimum coordination from 6/8 weeks post-delivery to 120 post-delivery and were denied, it may be possible to retroactively switch from maximum coordination to minimum coordination if you repay the difference between your requested minimum sick leave or vacation and the amount you were required to use (including taxes).  If it occurred in a prior year, you may need to file an amended tax return.  If you coordinated with either minimum or maximum sick leave or vacation during this specific time period, you were eligible for insurance at the active employee rate.  If you paid for COBRA coverage, you may be eligible for a refund.

If you are affected by the outcome of this grievance and need assistance on how to proceed, please contact the MEC Grievance Committee at grievance@afaalaska.org.

Social Media

AFA has noticed an increase in discipline derived from social media postings.  Please be responsible with your postings to protect yourself.  Even if you think your settings are private, posts are still making their way to supervisors—sometimes from other Flight Attendants.  Familiarize yourself with the Company’s social media policy so as not to put yourself at risk of possible discipline.  You can find a summary of this policy at http://splash.alaskasworld.com/documents/social_media_policy.asp (Alaska sign-on required).

Co-Worker Concerns

If you experience a concern or conflict with a co-worker, please contact your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee rather than management.  EAP/Professional Standards Committee Members are fellow Flight Attendants who receive special training on resolving these issues.  If the concern goes directly to management, it will almost always lead to discipline/termination for your fellow Flight Attendant.

You can always find Professional Standards contact information on the EAP/Professional Standards Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

Union Representation

You are entitled to AFA representation when you have a discussion or meeting with management and the possibility of discipline exists for you, another Flight Attendant or another employee. If a supervisor contacts you, you have a right to ask, “Could this conversation result in discipline?”  If so, we recommend that you tell the supervisor that you would like an AFA representative before having any further discussion.  The supervisor should provide you with the name and phone number for your Local Executive Council (LEC) President.  Regardless of whether there is a possibility of discipline, you can always contact your Local Grievance Committee for AFA representation.  You can find contact information for your Local Grievance Committee on the AFA Alaska website.

Representation While on Probation

Probationary Flight Attendants may also ask for an AFA representative to be present in a supportive (non-representational) role.  Again, if you are asked to provide a written statement or account of events, you are always entitled to confer with an AFA representative prior to doing so; this is also true for probationary Flight Attendants.

Requests by Supervisors for Supporting Documentation

Recently, AFA has noticed an uptick in management requesting additional information to help support statements provided by Flight Attendants during investigatory meetings.  These requests by supervisors have included credit card or bank statements, phone or messaging records, and names/contact information of non-employees (babysitters, roommates, or others).

If at any time a supervisor or manager asks a Flight Attendant for additional documentation such as the items mentioned above, you should decline the request and contact a Grievance Committee Member or LEC Officer immediately.

DOT Drug Testing

Testing on Layovers

The Company has recently increased the amount of drug testing that is being conducted after completing a duty period mid-sequence/on layovers.  They are required to provide transportation to/from the hotel on a layover.  Drug abatement should be pre-arranging additional transportation for the Flight Attendant as they know they are going to be conducting the test in advance.

Proposed Changes to Drug Testing

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a notice that it is proposing to add four commonly prescribed medications to its testing program.  These 4 medications fall under a category of drugs known as opioids.   They include Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone , Oxycodone, and Oxymorphone.  The new DOT rule is projected to take effect sometime after October 1, 2017.  You can find more information about the proposed changes in a July 13 AFA communication entitled IMPORTANT: Changes To Airline Drug Testing.

Trip Trading

The Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) trading system continues to experience programming challenges.  One ongoing issue with the system is the inability for Flight Attendants to see their own trip trade/grab post in the trip pool.  Because Flight Attendants cannot see their posted grabs or trades, sometimes the trips are unintentionally posted in the wrong trade classification (trade v. grab) with no way to verify that the post is incorrect.

Please note if a trip is posted for trade with no comments, common sense would dictate that it was likely intended to be posted as a grab.  If there is a question, please be considerate of your fellow Flight Attendants and reach out via phone or email before making a trade.

Questions?

For further questions, contact one of your LEC Officers.  Contact information for your LEC Officers can be found on your Local Council page of the AFA Alaska website.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

[AS] MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson Interviews

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Background

The MEC Chairperson of the Scheduling Committee is responsible for coordinating the activities of the committee at the airline level. The Chairperson works closely with each Local Committee Chairperson to gather feedback and input and represents the positions of the Committee and MEC in interactions with management.

Additional Information from the MEC Policy Manual

Scheduling Committee

1.  SCOPE

a.  The Scheduling Committee is responsible for the following:

(i)  The committee will recommend and assist in constructing pairings and building sequences of trips and days off into monthly lines of time.

(ii)  The committee will work to monitor company compliance with all scheduling-related provisions of the collective bargaining agreement and take necessary steps to correct violations

2.  POLICY/RESPONSIBILITIES

a.  The MEC Scheduling Committee shall consist of the MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson, the MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS, the MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—Pairing Construction, and the Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson from each council.

b.  The MEC Chairperson shall:

(i)  Provide clear direction and coordination to Local Scheduling Committees and each MEC Subcommittee

(ii)  Communicate with the Local Scheduling Committee Chairpersons, LEC Presidents, and MEC Officers on a daily basis on his/her activities and matters requiring attention, follow up, or escalation

(iii)  Compose informational and educational articles of interest to the membership and provide them to the MEC Communications Chairperson to be included in MEC communications and posted to the MEC website

c.  Flight Attendant Schedules

(i)  Discuss scheduling problems with the company and will report such problems and resultant discussions to the MEC

(ii)  Maintain written records of agreed upon standards and procedures and shall report to the MEC any proposed or imposed modifications to such practices.

(iii)  Monitor the company throughout the scheduling process for any perceived or potential violations of the Agreement and shall identify these violations to the LEC President of the domicile affected.

(iv)  Comply at all times with the applicable provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement.

d.  Staffing

(i)  Monitor monthly staffing reports and make recommendations to the company for appropriate resolution.

(ii)  Monitor placement of flying and provide the MEC with evaluations of such placement and its justification.

(iii)  Compile feedback and relay it to the MEC

(iv)  Use domicile feedback to work with the company in resolving the Union’s problems and concerns.

(v)  Monitor staffing statistics and, where appropriate, establish trends of chronic understaffing for current and future use.  Use all information available to eliminate understaffing.

e.  Placement of Flying

(i)  The MEC Scheduling Committee in conjunction with the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson will review placement of flying with the intent of resolving the problems that generate such placement.

(ii)  Should specific causes be established, the MEC Scheduling Committee shall work with the company to resolve the Union’s concerns provided that such action does not otherwise negatively impact the Flight Attendants, i.e. surplus, or excessively low block time.

…

5.  SCHEDULING REVIEW BOARD

a.  The Scheduling Review Board (“Board”) shall consist of the MEC President (or designee), MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson (or designee with the concurrence of the MEC), and Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling (or designee). Additional guests may be invited and participate as needed.

b.  The Board shall meet at least every two weeks to address and resolve disagreements between the union and the company pertaining to any subject relating to Flight Attendant schedules or actions of the Inflight Crew Scheduling Department.

c.  The Board may meet either in person at a mutually agreed location, by telephone conference call, or by other electronic means of communication.

d.  Items for inclusion in the agenda shall be provided to all members of the Board at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the scheduled meeting to allow time for proper research and preparation. Items submitted within 24 hours of the scheduled meeting will be placed on the agenda of the following meeting, except by mutual agreement.

e.  Any item that cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the members of the Board will be forwarded to the MEC Grievance Committee for escalation

Qualifications

  • Robust working knowledge of scheduling provisions of the Flight Attendant collective bargaining agreement.
  • Knowledge of CFRs and other regulations pertaining to flight time, duty time, and crew rest guidelines.
  • Ability to maintain office hours in Seattle during the business week and attend meetings as required.
  • Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA, NavBlue PBS, Google email, and Microsoft Office.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write membership communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and plan meetings agendas and take minutes.
  • Ability to meet deadlines, delegate responsibilities, and follow up on assigned tasks.

Duties

  • Provide assistance and guidance to Local Scheduling Committee Chairpersons in handling scheduling-related concerns and issues. Assist in resolution of issues as needed.
  • Attend meetings with management and represent the AFA position on scheduling-related matters.
  • Participate in the Scheduling Review Board process.
  • Oversee the activities of the PBS and Pairing Construction subcommittees.
  • Schedule, plan, and conduct monthly meetings of the committee and other meetings and conference calls as needed.
  • Coordinate with the MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson to discuss issues that affect both reserve and lineholding Flight Attendants.
  • Correspond with the Local Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and MEC regularly to provide status updates. Prepare and send a monthly committee report to the MEC.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is budgeted for 100 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month in accordance with section 27.P.2.b of the CBA, paid with a 5% override at “A” pay.
  • Time commitment is approximately four days per week in Seattle with additional work completed remotely or in the office as necessary. No relocation or accommodation expense is provided for this position.
  • The MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson does not bid a line.

Working Relationships

With The Scheduling Committee

Constant interaction with the Local Scheduling Service Committee Chairpersons. Frequent interaction with Local Scheduling Committee Members.

With The Master Executive Council

This position reports to the Master Executive Council. The MEC executive sponsor for the committee is the MEC President.

With Alaska Airlines Management

Constant interaction with inflight management, particularly the Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling (Denia Pisia), Director of Crew Planning & Resource Allocation (Chad Koehnke), Inflight Crew Planners (Kelly Yeager and Sabrina Blevins)

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

  • The MEC will hold interviews during the August MEC meeting on Tuesday, August 29.
  • Interviews will be at the AFA Alaska MEC office in Seattle.
  • Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou at linda.christou@afaalaska.org no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on Friday, August 18, 2017. Linda will be able to provide additional information regarding transportation and booking of flights if necessary.

 

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

Join the Alaska and Virgin America Pilots for a Unity Event Tomorrow in Seattle

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) knows this is short notice, but if you are not flying tomorrow (Wednesday, August 2nd), please plan to join the Alaska and Virgin America pilots in SeaTac, WA at Angle Lake Park (next door to Alaska Airlines corporate headquarters) for a unity rally and informational picketing event. This is a family-friendly joint unity event for Alaska and Virgin America pilots, their families, friends and invited guests. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Joint Alaska-Virgin America Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) has extended the invitation to Flight Attendants from Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, so come show your support for the Alaska and Virgin America pilots as the ALPA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and MEC continues to prepare for arbitration.

If you are able to attend, please RSVP here as soon as possible. (Your RSVP will help ALPA plan for parking and catering.)

What: Unity Rally and Informational Picketing

Where: Angle Lake Park, 19408 International Blvd, SeaTac, WA 98188

When: 10 a.m. – 1:30 or 2 p.m. Shuttles from offsite parking to the park will run beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Click here for parking information >

Why: To send a message to management that we are unified behind the ALPA MEC and JNC, and that you disagree with management’s position that the pilots’ contract should lag far behind their peers in compensation, retirement benefits, and job protections.

For more information, see the “This Merger Won’t Fly” website >

Attire: Very strong preference for the Flight Attendant uniform but no jacket. (Pilots and your AFA leaders will be in uniform but no jacket due to the expected warm temperature.) Alternatively, you may wear orange to show unity.

Food, Family Events, and Other Fun Details: ALPA will have coffee available in the morning, and a catered lunch following the picketing event. Angle Lake Park has a playground, splash pad, and beach, as well as open grassy areas. We have reserved shelters for the day for our group.

Cost: The event is free to all Alaska and Virgin America pilots, their families, friends and invited guests (including Alaska and Virgin America Flight Attendants).

We hope to see you in uniform standing in solidarity with the pilots and your AFA leaders at the rally tomorrow!

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green and Brice McGee

CALL NOW: Tell Your Representative to Support the AIRR Act!

The House FAA Reauthorization Bill (H.R. 2997), also known as the 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform & Reauthorization (AIRR) Act, protects our jobs from outsourcing and sets 10 hours non-reducible minimum rest for Flight Attendants.  This is our opportunity to make these provisions law.  But it won’t happen without your action.

Politico reports: “House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s floor schedule for this week left out Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster’s FAA reauthorization bill. The million-dollar question, of course, is why. It’s likely some combination of not enough votes. The whip count was close to a few dozen votes short as of the time lawmakers left town Friday afternoon.”

AFA International President Sara Nelson is asking all of us to take action.

Click Here To Watch The Video

If Congress does not pass a FAA Reauthorization Bill, it is likely that we will not get a full FAA Reauthorization Bill adopted until after the 2018 elections.  Instead, Congress will likely pass an extension.  That is unacceptable.  We need rest now.  We need job security now.  We need a fully funded FAA now.

Call your Representative TODAY at (855) 980-2366 and tell them to support the 21st Century AIRR Act (H.R. 2997)!

Here’s what you can say when you are connected:

“I’m your constituent and a Flight Attendant. I’m calling to urge my Representative to vote YES on H.R. 2997 when it comes to the House floor. This FAA Reauthorization bill ensures I have 10 hours non-reducible rest and prevents the outsourcing of my job. Flight Attendants can’t wait any longer for these safety and job protections. Please vote YES on H.R. 2997. Thank you.”

Calling is easy: When you dial the number, you will automatically be connected to your Representative’s office after a brief message. Keep calling every day!

Why are Flight Attendants supporting H.R. 2997?  The bill advances priority safety and job protections for Flight Attendants, including:

  • Flags Don’t Fly Here — prevents the DOT from awarding foreign air carrier permits to airlines that use the flags-of-convenience model
  • 10 Hours Non-Reducible Rest and a Fatigue Risk Management Plan for Flight Attendants
  • Banning Voice Calls on Planes
  • Secondary Cockpit Barriers
  • Customer Service Agent Assault Penalties
  • Cabin Evacuation Certification Standards
  • Impact of Seat Pitch on Safety
  • Nursing Rooms in Airports
  • Improved Insecticide Notification
  • Expanded Airport Personnel Human Trafficking Awareness Training
  • Improved Lithium Ion Battery Regulations

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC Government Affairs Chairperson Krystle Berry

Meet Our Merged MEC Committee Chairpersons & Representatives

We’re excited to introduce our next group of newly elected merged MEC Committee Chairpersons, who will begin their roles on November 1. These leaders are dedicated to representing the interests of our Flight Attendants as they coordinate activities across the merged committees of both airlines. They’ll work closely with the Local Committee Chairpersons from all […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – October 2025

On Monday, October 13, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met in person in Seattle to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Chris Cardenas (LAX), and Kanani Vallot […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Election Results

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of pre-merger Alaska MEC Committee positions to be elected for the upcoming MEC Officer term. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Election Results

During this week’s MEC Meeting, our MEC held interviews for the next group of merged MEC Committee Chairpersons and Representatives. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and their willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been elected: MEC Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee […]

U.S. Customs & Border Protection Gender Code Requirement

Recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced changes to the rules surrounding how airlines report information about passengers and crew before flights. This system is called the Advance Passenger Information System, or APIS. These changes are in response to a Presidential Executive Order. What is APIS? APIS is a system that airlines are legally […]

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