AFA Alaska

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for 2020

Reduction in Force Part 3

This is the third in a series of “Reduction in Force” communications from the Master Executive Council (MEC). See “Reduction in Force Part 1” and “Reduction in Force Part 2” for the previous editions.

In This Edition

  • Avoiding Involuntary Furloughs: Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program
  • Staffing Projections From the All-Employee Webcast Explained

Avoiding Involuntary Furloughs: Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program

The single most impactful thing that you can do to completely avoid involuntary furloughs (IVFs) in October would be for you, your family members and your friends to contact Congress and demand our legislators extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program.

We need urgent action on this now and every day in July:

  1. Call your Representative and Senators. Flight Attendants, family and friends should make three calls every day: two to the Senate line and one to the House line.
  2. Sign this letter to your Representative and Senators >
  3. Tell five flying partners and your friends and family to do the same!

House: 888-907-9365 | Senate: 888-848-4824

Sample Script:
Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask [Representative] /[Senator] to help save my job as an essential worker. Take legislative action in July to extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program for aviation workers in order to avoid massive job loss in October. Keep us connected to our jobs, our paychecks, and our healthcare. Thank you for your urgent attention to this.

Staffing Projections From the All-Employee Webcast Explained

WARN Act Notices

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act helps ensure advance notice in cases of qualified mass layoffs. Management is required by law to provide “WARN notices” to employees who may be laid off (i.e. involuntarily furloughed). In all the states in which there are Flight Attendant domiciles (AK, WA, OR and CA), those notices must be sent no less than 60 days prior to the date of the involuntary furlough, or no later than August 1st for involuntary furloughs effective on October 1st.

WARN notices provided to the union on behalf of affected employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement satisfies the WARN Act requirements except for in California, which also requires notices to be sent directly to the employee. As of today, AFA has not been provided with WARN notices, but we will advise membership as soon as the notice has been served.

Management’s Projections and “Excess Employees” Explained

On today’s all-employee webcast, management shared there would be 2500 “excess employees” in Inflight in October and that there are 1200 “volunteers to date” in Inflight. The Master Executive Council (MEC) understands that 2500 is the number of Flight Attendants who will receive WARN notices. That number of 2500 is inclusive of a buffer above the actual number of potential involuntary furloughs (IVFs) in order to assure the Company is in compliance with the WARN Act; it is not the actual number.

AFA’s Interpretation of Management’s Projections

The MEC is currently estimating approximately 1900 to 2200 Flight Attendants are in the potential involuntary furlough range without any furlough mitigations. At the time of the webcast, 1200 Flight Attendants had bid for some form of furlough mitigation (e.g. Early Out, Extended Leave of Absence or Enhanced Voluntary Furlough); that number has climbed to approximately 1300 since then. It would seem logical to estimate that we are somewhere between 600 and 900 Flight Attendants short of avoiding IVFs as of this writing, but that is not entirely accurate.

Keep in mind that many relatively junior Flight Attendants have applied for various furlough mitigations. They would be converted to IVF if they are in the seniority range impacted by involuntary furlough. Therefore, one cannot assume that every application for furlough mitigation will actually reduce the number of involuntary furloughs in a one to one (1:1) ratio.

Coming Soon

  • Order of Recall for IVF, EVF and ELOA
  • Dues Obligation During a Reduction in Force

These are extremely difficult and stressful times. Please remember that your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee is always available as a support resource. As your direct representative on the MEC, your LEC president is available to answer questions or concerns that you may have about all the information presented here. Contact information for your respective LEC president can be found by clicking here.

Reduction in Force Part 2

This is the second in a series of “Reduction in Force” communications from the Master Executive Council (MEC). See “Reduction in Force Part 1” for the previous edition.

In This Edition

  • Avoiding Involuntary Furloughs: Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program
  • Status of Primary Travelers and Registered Domestic Partners
  • Order of Awards for EOs, ELOAs and EVFs
  • Seniority Accrual, Pay Rates and Retention of Longevity

Avoiding Involuntary Furloughs: Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program

The single most impactful thing that you can do to completely avoid involuntary furloughs (IVFs) in October would be for you, your family members and your friends to contact Congress and demand our legislators extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program.

We need urgent action on this now and every day in July:

  1. Call your Representative and Senators. Flight Attendants, family and friends should make three calls every day: two to the Senate line and one to the House line.

House: 888-907-9365
Senate: 888-848-4824

Sample Script:
Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask [Representative] /[Senator] to help save my job as an essential worker. Take legislative action in July to extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program for aviation workers in order to avoid massive job loss in October. Keep us connected to our jobs, our paychecks, and our healthcare. Thank you for your urgent attention to this.

Status of Primary Travelers and Registered Domestic Partners

On ELOA, EVF and IVF

AFA has confirmed with Employee Travel that Primary Travelers and Registered Domestic Partners retain online pass benefits (Alaska Airlines [AS], Horizon Air [QX] and SkyWest operated as Alaska Airlines [OO]) while on an Extended Leave of Absence, Enhanced Voluntary Furlough or during the contractual eligibility period (of varying durations pursuant to §18.M [Online Pass Privileges During Involuntary Furlough]) if involuntarily furloughed.

On Retiree Travel

For Flight Attendants considering the Early Out packages, Registered Domestic Partners but not Primary Travelers retain online pass benefits under the Early Out packages (and Retiree Travel if eligible).

Order of Awards for EOs, ELOAs and EVFs

Early Outs (EOs), Extended Leaves of Absence (ELOAs) and Enhanced Voluntary Furloughs (EVFs) will be awarded in the following order:

  • EOs (EOP-1 and EOP-2) in Occupational Seniority (system seniority) order
  • ELOAs (ELOA-12) and EVFs (EVF-6, EVF-9, EVF-12, EVF-15) in Occupational Seniority (system seniority) order

Seniority Accrual, Pay Rates and Retention of Longevity

Seniority accrual

Pursuant to the Reduction in Force 2020 Sideletter of Agreement (7/8/2020), Occupational Seniority (e.g. for schedule and vacation bidding, Longevity Paid Time Off eligibility) and Company Seniority (e.g. for vacation accrual and non-revenue travel boarding priority) will continue to accrue while on an Extended Leave of Absence, a Voluntary Furlough or if involuntarily furloughed.

Pay rates

Flight Attendants will continue to move through the step rates of pay if eligible while on ELOA, EVF or IVF.

Longevity

Longevity, which is “vesting service” for 401(k) vesting and retirement eligibility, is frozen (retained but not accrued) while on ELOA, EVF or IVF.

Coming Soon

  • Dues Obligation
  • Order of Recall for IVF, EVF and ELOA

These are extremely difficult and stressful times. Please remember that your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee is always available as a support resource. As your direct representative on the MEC, your LEC president is available to answer questions or concerns that you may have about all the information presented here. Contact information for your respective LEC president can be found by clicking here.

We hope to see you at the remaining “Early Out & Leave Options” informational session tomorrow (7/21)!

Reduction in Force Part 1

This is the first in a series of reduction in force communications.

In This Edition

  • How to Mitigate or Avoid Involuntary Furlough
    • Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program
    • Contact Congress Every Day in July
    • Updated Projections
    • Bidding to Avoid Involuntary Furlough

How to Mitigate or Avoid Involuntary Furlough

Master Executive Council

One of the most frequently asked questions by Flight Attendants right now is what we can do to mitigate or avoid involuntary furloughs (IVFs).

Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program

There is an active effort by AFA-CWA and other unions to champion an extension of the CARES Act, which would bring additional payroll support to aviation workers and a continued moratorium on involuntary furloughs through March 31, 2021. This is an active conversation within Congress right now with very tangible momentum, but the window in which to achieve an extension during this legislative session is relatively short.

Contact Congress every day in July

The single most impactful thing that you can do to completely avoid involuntary furloughs in October would be for you, your family members and your friends to contact Congress and demand our legislators extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program.

We need urgent action on this now and every day in July:

  1. Call your Representative and Senators. Flight Attendants, family and friends should make three calls every day: two to the Senate line and one to the House line.
  2. Sign this letter to your Representative and Senators >
  3. Tell five flying partners and your friends and family to do the same!

House: 888-907-9365 | Senate: 888-848-4824

Sample Script:
Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask [Representative] /[Senator] to help save my job as an essential worker. Take legislative action in July to extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program for aviation workers in order to avoid massive job loss in October. Keep us connected to our jobs, our paychecks, and our healthcare. Thank you for your urgent attention to this.

Updated Projections

During the first FA Early Out & Leave Options informational session on Tuesday, management estimated they are looking for between 1300 Flight Attendant (~22% of 5975) and up to 2200 Flight Attendants (~36% of 5975) to elect some form of furlough mitigation effective in October. Therefore, IVFs will be avoided altogether if somewhere between 1300 and 2200 Flight Attendants take Early Outs, Extended Leaves of Absence or Enhanced Voluntary Furloughs–or if Congress passes an extension to the CARES Act.

Read more about the Early Out and other furlough mitigation options >

Bidding to Avoid Involuntary Furlough

Some Flight Attendants seem to believe that bidding for an Extended Leave of Absence or Enhanced Voluntary Furlough or being on any type of leave of absence will make them ineligible for involuntary furlough. This is not true. If an insufficient number of Flight Attendants bid for EOs, ELOAs and EVFs, then the Flight Attendants with the least Occupational Seniority (i.e. most junior) will be furloughed in order to achieve the required reduction in force. There is no IVF “super seniority” gained by bidding for or being on any type of LOA because such leaves are ‘converted’ to IVF if applicable.

Example: The Company needs a reduction in force of 2200 FAs. 2190 FAs bid for EO, ELOA or EVF, so the Company needs to reduce staffing by at least 10 more FAs. The 10 most junior FAs on system seniority list will be involuntarily furloughed. If any of those 10 junior FAs also bid for an ELOA or EVF, then their awards are denied; the next most junior FA(s) will also be involuntarily furloughed until there is a reduction in force of 2200 FAs via ELOA, EVF and IVF.

Coming Soon

  • Order of Awards for EOs, ELOA, EVFs
  • Seniority Accrual and Retention of Longevity
  • Dues Obligation
  • Order of Recall for IVF, EVF and ELOA

These are extremely difficult and stressful times. Please remember that your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee is always available as a support resource. As your direct representative on the MEC, your LEC president is available to answer questions or concerns that you may have about all the information presented here. Contact information for your respective LEC president can be found by clicking here.

We hope to see you at the remaining “Early Out & Leave Options” informational session on 7/21!

AFA Update – July 13, 2020

In This Edition

  • ACTION ALERT: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program
  • Vanguard Retirement Webinars
  • Telephonic Support Groups for Flight Attendants
  • Ground Commuting During Significant Weather Events 
  • Temporary Requalification (RQ) Training Timeline Modification

ACTION ALERT: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program

Government Affairs Committee

We need to generate phone calls to Congress every day. Flight Attendants and family members should be making two calls to the Senate line and one call to the House line.

We are calling for a six month aviation Payroll Support Program extension through March 31, 2021, to protect our jobs. This is the most successful jobs program of the CARES Act and it needs to be extended since COVID-19 cases are again on the rise.

All of aviation labor is standing together to call on Congress to pass a clean extension of the Payroll Support Program before the summer Congressional recess. Waiting until September for this action is too late because October planning will be done and hundreds of thousands of workers will already be told they are out of work. Already, Delta Air Lines pilots and United Airlines workers have received WARN notices. 

We need urgent action on this now:

1.         Call your Representative and Senators: Flight Attendants and family should make three calls every day. Two to the Senate line and one to the House line.

House: (888) 907-9365
Senate: (888) 848-4824

Sample Script:

Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask [Representative]/[Senator] to help save my job as an essential worker. Take legislative action in July to extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program for aviation workers in order to avoid massive job loss in October. Keep us connected to our jobs, our paychecks, and our healthcare. Thank you for your urgent attention to this.

2.         Sign this letter to your Representative and Senators >

3.         Tell 5 flying partners and your friends and family to do the same!

A CARES Act extension must pass Congress before they recess later this summer. Take action now and plan to keep taking action every day throughout July.

https://youtu.be/OAjNYnWVxOQ
WATCH: AFA Government Affairs Activists Urge Flight Attendants to Make Calls

Vanguard Retirement Webinars

Retirement Committee

As the company will be offering early out packages, your AFA Retirement Committee, in conjunction with Vanguard, the company’s 401(k) plan administrator, will be conducting an online webinar to provide information and answer questions about the planning process for retirement.  More information from Vanguard is below.

Switching from earning a paycheck to living off your retirement savings and Social Security is a big change. If you’re within a few years of retiring, learn how you can turn your savings into a steady paycheck. This webinar will help you answer:

  • How much will my retirement cost?
  • Where will I find the money to pay for retirement?
  • How do I make my savings last as long as my retirement?
  • How do I invest my money during retirement?

Dates, Times, and Registration Information

Two sessions will be available:

  • Friday, July 17 – 10 AM PDT
  • Wednesday, July 29 – 1 PM PDT

Advanced registration is required and can be completed using the link below:

Click here to register for one of the sessions

Questions?

If you have any questions about the upcoming webinars, please contact MEC Retirement Committee Chairperson Terry Taylor at terry.taylor@afaalaska.org.

Telephonic Support Groups for Flight Attendants

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Build your resiliency by joining these telephonic support groups just for Flight Attendants.  Groups are sponsored by your AFA EAP/FADAP and facilitated by a confidential mental health professional.  All Flight Attendants are welcome.

Learn some techniques on stress management, decision making under pressure, emotional balance and connect with flying partners during this period of uncertainty in the Aviation Industry. Join any or all sessions.  No pre-registration required.

Calls start on Monday, July 13 and are scheduled Mondays (July 13, 20, 27, August 3) and Fridays (July 17, 23, 31, August 7).  Each call begins at 12 PM PDT and will last one hour.

Call-In Number

(855) 544-2320 or (401) 648-9218

If outside the U.S., follow the directions here.

Ground Commuting During Significant Weather Events 

Grievance Committee

The MEC recently mediated Grievance 36-99-2-30-19, Violation of Section 28.G.2 Ground Commuting Policy.  This grievance arose out of the February 2019 snow events.  The grievance alleged the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement   Section 28.G.2 [Domiciles:  Commuter Policy/Ground Commuting Policy], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when during the February 2019 Pacific Northwest snowstorms, it did not allow Flight Attendants to use the ground commuter policy because the Company did not consider a snowstorm-related ground commuting failure to be unanticipated. 

Originally, we sought to arbitrate this grievance, however it seemed better with this particular case to mediate the issue with an unbiased mediator.  Arbitration results in a decision made by the arbitrator usually with one side winning and the other side losing; whereas mediation allows both parties to have a say in the outcome.   An arbitration award cannot change or add contract language, it may only interpret what was already present, however in mediation the parties may come to agreements about adding or changing language.  

The issue was resolved very favorably with the addition of language for ground commuting during significant weather delays.  This adds protections for Flight Attendants attempting to get to work whether the weather event is anticipated or not.  The new language adds a detailed process for management to follow, thereby removing any subjectivity, which typically was only a detriment to our Flight Attendants. 

A complete copy of the sideletter of agreement that includes the newly agreed upon language related to ground commuting during significant weather events has been uploaded to the AFA Alaska website and can be accessed by clicking here.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the grievance or sideletter of agreement, please contact your Local Grievance Committee.

Temporary Requalification Training (RQ) Timeline Modification

Grievance Committee

For Flight Attendants returning from a leave of absence or who have been unable to complete Recurrent Training (RT) by the end of their eligibility period, completing Requalification Training (RQ) is a requirement before being able to return to work.  Section 30.B.3 of the joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA) requires management to offer a full RQ class within the first five working days of every month, but this requirement has recently caused significant stress for many of our Flight Attendants.  Due to a recent changes in how management interprets the eligibility period of Flight Attendants who are required to take Requalification Training (RQ), the home study CBT that must be completed prior to attending class is no longer made available until the first day of the month when scheduled to attend class.  With this change, Flight Attendants who might be scheduled to take RQ on the 2nd of the month would not even have access to the CBT until the 1st of the month.

Due to this very compressed timeline that Flight Attendants are now being given to complete the CBT prior to RQ, the MEC approached management to work to extend the period of time that would be available to complete the CBT prior to class.   We were able to reach a temporary agreement with management to extend the contractual requirement for the Company to offer a full RQ class from within the first five working days of the month to having the class offered no sooner than the seventh working day of the month.  The temporary agreement also provides pay protection for any affected Flight Attendants between the fifth working day of the month (the contractual requirement to offer class) and the day prior to when the Company actually offers the class.  Even with this temporary extension to the Company’s requirement to offer a full dedicated RQ class, Flight Attendants who are due to take RQ may continue to exercise their contractual right to trade into the RQ slot in any regularly scheduled RT class during the month if space is available.

This temporary agreement will take effect with the August 2020 bid month and will remain in effect through at least the December 2020 bid month.  A complete copy of the letter of agreement is available on the AFA Alaska website and can be viewed by clicking here. 

Questions?

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

AFA Update – July 2, 2020

In This Edition

  • Tell Congress: Extend the Payroll Support Program
  • Substance Use During COVID-19 Pandemic
  • Vanguard Retirement Webinar—Coming Soon
  • Union Plus Program Hardship Benefits
  • Updated Board of Directors Information
  • The Dues Pie Chart – Where Do My Dues Go?

Tell Congress: Extend the Payroll Support Program

AFA International

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556 are calling for a six-month aviation Payroll Support Program (PSP) extension through March 31, 2021, to protect our jobs, extend the restrictions on stock buybacks, dividends, and executive compensation, and maintain service to all of our communities. Tell Congress to keep our industry intact to ensure aviation can help fight the virus and contribute to economic recovery as opposed to adding to an economic depression.

Amplify Your Voice With a Call

In addition to sending a letter, you can amplify your voice by following up with a phone call to your Members of Congress.  Call your Representative and Senators and say:

Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask [Representative]/[Senator] to help save my job as an essential worker. Take legislative action in July to extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program for aviation workers in order to avoid massive job loss in October. Keep us connected to our jobs, our paychecks, and our healthcare. Thank you for your urgent attention to this.

AFA COVID Relief House – (888) 907-9365
AFA COVID Relief Senate – (888) 848-4824

Substance Use During COVID-19 Pandemic

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Historically, crisis events tend to trigger increased drug and alcohol abuse. Post 9/11, for example, the National Institutes of Health raised concerns about increased substance use by those impacted by the tragedy.  Meanwhile, after Hurricane Katrina, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that hospitalization for alcohol use disorders rose by 35 percent in New Orleans.   Experts fear that we will see similar trends this time, but on a national scale. People frequently self-medicate with drugs and alcohol to cope with feelings of stress and anxiety.  Uncertainty about the future, loneliness, lack of routine, economic dislocation, job loss and fear of death by disease, can all be triggers for those who are vulnerable to substance abuse, including those in recovery – even after long periods of abstinence.  Meanwhile, stay-at-home orders in effect for COVID-19, limit access to support systems such as friends, neighbors, therapists, church, family and recovery groups.  Early indications aren’t good.  Researchers are seeing spikes in alcohol sales, marijuana use, and anti-anxiety and pain medication prescriptions.

If you are concerned about substance abuse for yourself, a family member or flying partner, now is the perfect time to consider treatment, especially if you are on a voluntary leave.  Your AFA EAP Committee can discuss and coordinate all treatment options while maintaining your right to privacy.   If you are getting ready to return from a leave and would like to discuss preventing safety risk associated with drug and alcohol testing violations, contact your AFA EAP Committee for a confidential conversation.   Contact information for your Local EAP Committee can be found at afaalaska.org/eap.

Vanguard Retirement Webinar—Coming Soon

Retirement Committee

As the company will be offering early out packages, your AFA Retirement Committee, in conjunction with Vanguard, the company’s 401(k) plan administrator, will be conducting an online webinar to provide information and answer questions about the planning process for retirement.  Meeting date, time, registration information, and information about how to submit questions in advance will be posted to the Retirement Committee page of the AFA Alaska website and communicated in an AFA update email once finalized.

Retirement Plan Resources

In addition to the upcoming retirement webinar, a list of retirement plan resources and links to these online tools can be found on the retirement resources page of Alaska’s World (AAG sign-on required).

Union Plus Program Hardship Benefits

AFA International

Many of the Union Plus programs, which are an AFA Member benefit, provide hardship benefits.

Members who currently have a Union Plus Mortgage, Credit Card, Personal Loan, or Supplemental Insurance programs may be eligible for additional hardship assistance through the Mortgage Assistance Program and Union Plus Hardship Help. The Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program provides interest-free loans and a $1000 grant to help eligible members make mortgage payments when disabled, unemployed, furloughed, locked out or on strike.

Union Plus Credit Card holders are eligible for a $300 job loss grant if they have been laid-off or furloughed for 45 days or more due to COVID-19. The eligibility criteria and application process can be found at www.unionplus.org/hardship-help/union-plus-hardship-help-benefits.

The MetLife Legal program is making available additional resources including free consultation and document review and access to a self-help library so members can get questions answered and also review and complete Wills, Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Directives and similar documents for free through July 31, 2020. Additional info, including the instructions to reach the self-help document library, is available here: https://www.unionplus.org/blog/consumer-tips/free-legal-document-review-and-consultations-through-july-31-2020.

The Free College program is making available additional financial aid to students who may need additional assistance for education-related expenses due to COVID-19. Info on Free College is here: https://www.unionplusfreecollege.org.

Updated AFA Board of Directors Information

AFA International

The Board of Directors were scheduled to meet in-person during May 2020, but due to the pandemic conditions, that meeting was cancelled. The BOD met virtually via a Zoom Meeting on May 20, 2020. The purpose of this meeting was to address the 2020-2021 Proposed Annual Budget.

Visit the AFA International Board of Directors resource page for updated meeting documentation that includes the single Agenda Item (Annual AFA Budget), the four Resolutions that were considered and other useful material.

The Dues Pie Chart – Where Do My Dues Go?

AFA International

The Dues Pie Chart depicts where all funds at AFA are budgeted. About 80% of dues dollars are directly allocated to fund the work at each airline (i.e. Local Councils, Master Executive Councils, Negotiations, and System Board). The remaining budgets at the International Office support Government Affairs, Air Safety, EAP, and Communications Departments, each of which provides expert services that are Flight Attendant focused and provide resources for the local leaders and committees of Flight Attendants at each airline. 100% of our dues dollars are allocated to priorities that provide Flight Attendant representation.

Pie chart showing AFA dues allocations.

There are four distinct areas where dues money is spent:

Local and Airline-Specific

Each base has a Local Executive Council (LEC) with elected Officers who provide direct representation and deal with local grievances and other issues. These Local Officers will answer your phone calls and make sure member interests are represented in front of management. For example, in the event of discipline or a contract violation, Local Officers will address the issue where it happened and work to get swift resolution. Additionally, elected Master Executive Council (MEC) Officers provide representation at the corporate level. At both the LEC and MEC, there are committees that solve problems in areas such as safety, schedules, hotels, grievances, etc. These committees also enforce the contract specific to their area of expertise, produce newsletters, and participate in union meetings. The role of your LEC and MEC Officers and committee representatives at each airline is to ensure you are represented by Flight Attendants who know your job because they share it with you at your airline. AFA promotes this autonomy at each airline where your representatives, assisted by experts, negotiate with management and develop and maintain the relationship between airline management and the Union.

Negotiations

Bargaining for pay and working conditions is one of the core representation activities performed by the Union. We start with a membership survey, schedule meetings with management, conduct caucuses with the committee, develop contractual language, support membership engagement and information programs, and we work with AFA-CWA professional negotiators throughout the process including all direct negotiations/mediation with management. The end result is improved contractual language with higher pay, better working conditions, and improved benefits.

System Board (Grievances)

The first step in any grievance is to try to resolve the matter locally. Some airlines have negotiated an alternative dispute process for a faster, collaborative resolution. If that fails, then the final stage for resolution, whether disciplinary or contractual, is an appeal to a neutral arbitrator. An AFA-CWA attorney will work with our Grievance Committee to present our case to the neutral arbitrator. We defend the contracts we negotiate.

International Office Support

While your LEC is the face of the Union to local management and the MEC to corporate management, the International Office is the public persona and brand of the Union. Our presence and name recognition can legislate or improve federal regulations, remove obstacles from the bargaining table, better our position in negotiations and improve our experience on the job across the profession. The International Office maintains the professional staff of attorneys, negotiators, and other personnel that provide administration, accounting and membership services to members and elected leaders. We all work together to support the programs that encompasses our profession.

Questions?

If you have questions about AFA dues, please contact your LEC President. 

SEA Domicile Negotiations – October 2025

The recent meetings of the SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee in Seattle and Honolulu highlighted both progress and persistent challenges in negotiations with management. While there has been advancement on some issues, significant concerns remain. Key topics under discussion include the transfer processes, return options to HNL or LAX, staffing, moving expenses, and safeguarding existing bases. Our committee prepares for the next round of negotiations in Seattle during the week of October 20.

Protecting Yourself From Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

Understanding Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA) Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) involves the use of substances to incapacitate someone, making them vulnerable to sexual assault. These substances are often undetectable, having no color, taste, or smell, and can be easily added to drinks. Common Drugs Used in DFSA Important Note: Alcohol significantly enhances the effects of these drugs, […]

Government Affairs Committee Update – 4th Quarter 2025

An update on what our Government Affairs Committee has been working on this quarter. Thank you to all our Members who remain engaged and to all our volunteers and Committee Members for dedicating their time representing our Members, advocating for the safety and advancement of our careers while strengthening our labor movement every single day […]

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, October 2, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Deb Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Kalin Lackey […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 7 – September 2025

Our JNC made significant progress in shaping our JCBA, successfully reaching a Tentative Agreement on Section 13 – Uniforms. Key provisions include enhancements to uniform standards, ensuring protective measures such as no surnames on name tags from the Hawaiian CBA. While we continue discussions on various sections, including Air Safety Health and Security, Training, and Commuter Policy. We appreciate feedback from the 2207 Flight Attendants who participated in our recent Vacation Survey.

Recent Posts

News By Month

News By Category

AFA News Now Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/HA Merger AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX EAP/Professional Standards Committee Extension 2021 Blog Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights & Equity Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Membership Committee Membership Engagement Committee Message from the MEC President Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee

Want To Stay In The Loop?

Stay up-to-date on AFA Alaska news and information by signing up for our email and text message updates. Click a button below to get started or update your preferences if you're already a subscriber.
Sign Up for Emails
Sign Up for Text Updates