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Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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Council 39 May 2026 Update

In This Edition:

  • Elections Update
  • MEC Town Hall
  • Portland Pride 2026
  • Toxic Air In The Cabin: A Union Issue

Elections Update

Polls closed at 11 AM Pacific on May 19 for the election of Council 39 LEC Officers, representing Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants based in Portland. The following AFA Flight Attendants have been elected to Local Council Officer positions:

  • LEC President: Krystle Berry
  • LEC Vice President: Melodie Anderes
  • LEC Secretary: Kevin Sharp

These newly elected officers will begin their terms on July 1, 2026 and will serve until June 30, 2029.

View The Certified Election Results Here

MEC Town Hall

Mark your calendars for AFA Alaska + Hawaiian’s next MEC Town Hall! This is your opportunity to connect, share and be heard. Get the latest AFA news and connect directly with our MEC Officers and bring your questions – this is your chance to get answers directly from AFA Representatives.

  • What: AFA Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Town Hall
  • When: June 8 2-3:30 PM Pacific
  • Where: Zoom

This Town Hall will take place on Zoom so you can join from home or while on a layover. Advance registration is required and ensures you get a Zoom link to join the meeting. As with all AFA meetings and activities, the AFA Mutual Respect Policy applies during the Town Hall.

MEC Town Hall Registration

When you register, use your personal email address. If you use a company email address, your registration will be canceled. Only Members in good standing may attend and membership status will be verified before the event. Log in to the AFA Membership Hub to check your standing.

Use the form below to submit any questions you have for the MEC Officers. This helps focus the Town Hall on your concerns: negotiations, contract issues or anything else you want to hear about.

Submit A Question

Portland Pride 2026

Greetings from your Council 39 Human Rights & Equity Committee! Summer is here, and that means Pride Season is upon us! Portland’s Pride Parade is Sunday, July 19, so remember to bid it off if you plan on attending. Also, don’t forget: June 19th is Juneteenth!

This year, we have the privilege of marching as part of the Oregon Labor Federation, AFL-CIO contingent in a clear stance from labor to get corporate greed out of Pride! Sign up to march using the button below. There will also be a sign making social on July 17, as well as a labor booth running all weekend at the festival. 

March With AFA: Portland Pride 2026

There are more Pride events going on across the country and the HRE Committee is helping lead the way to provide access for Alaska + Hawaiian Flight Attendants. If you are interested in going to another Pride event or happen to be on a layover in a major city over a weekend in June and July, there are events you can be a part of with other AFA-represented Flight Attendants. Reach out to us and we would be happy to put you in contact!

Pride is especially important this year in an increasingly hostile socio-political landscape, one that continues to oppress and disenfranchise minorities and vulnerable populations in a multitude of ways. Many LGBTQ+ people experience multiple intersections of oppression and very much deserve to have a place of celebration, happiness, and support. Please consider bidding the time off, marching with us and enjoying the festivities. We would love to see you!

Aaron Miller, (they/them) Council 39 Human Rights & Equity Committee Chairperson

Toxic Air In The Cabin: A Union Issue

Join experts, union leaders and Flight Attendants as they lead a discussion on fume events and their impacts, and learn how we can ensure cabin air is safer for crew and passengers. Register for the event by scanning the QR code on the graphic or clicking the link below.

  • What: “Toxic Air In The Cabin: A Union Issue” Webinar
  • When: June 1 (08:00-09:30 Pacific) & June 1 (18:00-20:30 Pacific)
  • Where: Zoom
Register Here

In Solidarity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

Council 39 Elections Update: Voting Open Now

Voting Notices Have Been Mailed, Voting Is Open

Voting notices have been mailed and voting is officially open for Council 39 Local Executive Officer Elections. A full set of instructions detailing how to cast your vote is included in the mailing. Click here to view the names of the candidates and the positions they are running for.

All active members of Council 39 will receive a voting notice in the mail. However, only members in good standing will be allowed to cast a vote. To check on any possible delinquencies in dues, payment plan arrangements, your current standing and other important dues information, log in to the AFA Membership Hub below.

AFA Membership Hub

Voter Participation

Council 39 last voted for our LEC Officers in 2023. At that time, we had 656 eligible voters in Portland and a total of 128 ballots were counted, resulting in a participation rate of 19.51%. We can do better than this. It is vital that we send a message of unity, strength and togetherness in every single one of our elections, regardless of the number of candidates listed on the ballot.

The democratic process of voting for our representatives is at the core of who we are as a Union, and engagement in this process is one of the most powerful tools we have to make sure our voices are heard. Please encourage everyone you fly with to exercise their right to cast a vote, and reach out to Bethany with questions about new activation codes or problems with receiving your voting notice.

Historical AFA Election Statistics

Council 39 April 2026 Update

In This Edition:

  • Council 39 Elections Update
  • Local Committee Updates
  • Uniform Compliance
  • Subscribe To Mobile
  • Protect Yourself From Potential Discipline: Social Media

Council 39 Elections Update

Nominations are closed for Council 39 LEC Officer elections and ballots will be mailed in the coming weeks. Please make sure to keep an eye on your mailbox for your ballot, and let Bethany know if you don’t receive it or need help getting a new activation code.

Local Committee Updates

We are pleased to announce that Marci Ashcraft will be transitioning from her current role as a member of the Council 39 Reserve Committee to become a member of our local Government Affairs Committee. We thank Marci for her work in support of Portland’s reserve Flight Attendants.

We are also pleased to announce Ahnawake Kriese as our Council 39 Membership Engagement Chairperson.

Ahnawake was the Council 39 Mobilization Committee Chairperson during our last round of negotiations and is excited to serve in this new role. The Membership Engagement Committee is dedicated to building strong connections with Flight Attendants, ensuring they feel welcomed and valued in our Union from their first day and throughout their careers. The committee’s mission is to empower every Member by keeping them informed, engaged and actively involved. They aim to inspire Flight Attendants to take an active role in shaping their experience as AFA Members and prepare them for additional responsibilities within our Union. Membership Engagement is the symbolic sister to Communications. Together, they strive to keep Flight Attendants informed on Union business and the resources available to support them as they move through their careers.

Ahnawake will celebrate her 30th anniversary as an Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant this summer, having spent the majority of that time in Portland. She is married to Portland-based Captain Steve Kriese. They live in Lake Oswego with a geriatric yellow lab named Cooper.

Click here to learn more about the role our Membership Engagement Committee plays in supporting Alaska-Hawaiian Flight Attendants. If you’re interested in joining our local Membership Engagement Committee, please reach out to Ahnawake directly.

Uniform Compliance

It has been brought to AFA’s attention that Inflight supervisors have been given daily quotas to meet regarding uniform compliance checks. In order to avoid records of discussion and possible progressive steps of discipline, please make sure you’re adhering to the Uniform Policy Guide (SSO required) every time you come to work. This includes wearing a oneworld pin in an approved location on your uniform or a company-provided oneworld lanyard.

Subscribe To Mobile

Mobile notifications via text message are a great way to stay up-to-date on important information and reminders from AFA. Currently, only about 20% of Council 39’s email list is signed up to also receive text notifications. Click here to sign up for text messages to your personal mobile device and stay informed on timely and relevant updates!

Protect Yourself From Potential Discipline: Social Media

As mentioned in last month’s update, it is important for all Flight Attendants to be vigilant and discerning about what they post, share or say on the Internet. Management has a record of disciplining for posts made in Flight Attendant-run social media groups such as Galley Tea, Patriots With Wings and others, as well as Flight Attendants’ personal pages. In fact, an arbitrator upheld discipline in one case even though there was very little evidence on the Flight Attendant’s page to identify them as an Alaska Airlines employee.

No matter how private, anonymous, secret or secure an online space feels, everything has the possibility of being traced back to you. Click here to read more about what you can do to avoid progressive steps of discipline and, as always, make sure to contact our local AFA EAP Professional Standards team whenever you feel it’s necessary.

In Solidarity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

Council 39 Elections Notice

The Local Officer Election process for the Portland base is coming up soon. If you are interested in running for local office or know someone who would be a good candidate, please consider reviewing Article III (Local Councils and Local Executive Councils) and Article VIII.C (Local Council Officers and CWA Delegates) of the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws.

VIDEO: How Our Leaders Are Elected

Elections Timeline

April 1: Self-nomination opens

April 16: Self-nomination closes

April 30: Voting notices mailed

May 5: Polls open

May 19: Polls close at 11 AM PT/2 PM ET

Positions To Be Elected

LEC President

LEC Vice President

LEC Secretary

Terms of Office: July 1, 2026-June 30, 2029

New Process for Self-Nomination

During the 2024 AFA-CWA Board of Directors Convention, the BOD voted to change the LEC nomination process allowing all members to self-nominate for any of the LEC Officer positions with at least one endorsement of an active member in good standing. The Self-Nomination Guide provides more information about the process on how to ensure that your name will appear on the election ballot. Self-nominations will be accepted from April 1, 2026 through April 16, 2026.

Getting Your Ballot

Ballots will be mailed with an activation code and voting instructions. To ensure that you receive your ballot, please confirm that your mailing address is up-to-date in PeopleSoft. While all active members will receive a ballot, you must be in good standing in order to vote. This means you must not have a delinquent dues balance or you must have a payment plan with AFA Membership Services to pay your delinquent balance. Log in to the AFA Membership Hub to check your status and standing and other important dues information.

For more information, visit the AFA-CWA Elections website.

ARTICLE: Are You Eligible To Vote?

Council 39 February 2026 Update (February 26, 2026)

In This Edition:

  • Master Executive Council Town Hall
  • Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month)
  • Black History Month
  • Updated CBA Reference Documents

Master Executive Council Town Hall

Join us at an AFA Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Town Hall on Tuesday, March 3. Get the latest AFA news and connect directly with our MEC Officers. Bring your questions! This is your chance to get answers directly from AFA Representatives.

  • Who: MEC President Tim Green, Vice President Brice McGee, and Secretary-Treasurer Paul Ikioka will share updates and answer questions live on Zoom
  • What: Updates and a live Q&A session
  • When: Tuesday, March 3, from 11 AM to 12:30 PM PT
  • Where: Zoom

The Town Hall will take place on Zoom, so you can join from home or while on a layover. Advance registration is required and ensures you get a Zoom link to join the meeting and event reminders. As with all AFA meeting and activities, the AFA mutual respect policy applies during the Town Hall.

When you register, use your personal email address. If you use an Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines email address, your registration will be canceled. Only Members in good standing can attend, and membership status will be verified before the event. If you’re unsure about your status, you can check anytime on the AFA Membership Hub.

After you register, you’ll get a unique Zoom joining link by email. This link is just for you and will only work on one device, so be sure to save it. Each person who wants to attend needs to register separately, since Zoom links can’t be shared.

More information about how to join a Zoom meeting, including system requirements, can be found on the Zoom support website.

You can use our online form to submit your questions before the event. This helps us focus the Town Hall on your concerns—whether it’s negotiations, contract issues, or anything else you want to hear more about.

Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month)

February is Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi or, in English, Hawaiian Language Month, a time to celebrate and uplift the Hawaiian language and the many ways it lives through our fellow Flight Attendants and our work. 

Black History Month From Your Council 39 Human Rights & Equity Committee

February is an important month not just for Black culture, but for everyone, as Black history touches everyone in the West. Historically, Black contributions have been taken for granted and even forgotten by many. With recent political pushes to erase measures that have been created to level the playing field for Black people to enter the workforce, gain an education, or hold positions of stature, it is more important than ever to highlight the relevance of Black History and the role Black people play in our society.

In aviation in particular, many know about the Tuskegee Airmen as an all Black fighter pilot wing serving in World War II. However, many are unaware of Ruth Carol Taylor, the first Black Flight Attendant in the United States. In her time, restrictions for Flight Attendants were extreme and discriminated against the majority of people based on many factors such as age, weight, and race. But Ruth still applied, knowing she could be of value having already studied as a nurse, as was also required in those days. TWA rejected her application based on her not meeting the airline’s “physical standards.” Later after more attention was drawn to this discrimination, as well as Ruth’s continued perseverance in applying to fly, Mohawk Airlines, a regional carrier in upstate New York hired Ruth, breaking down a racist barrier and making Black and American history. To learn more about this wonderful story, check out this article about Ruth and her life.

Expand your knowledge about the accomplishments of Black Americans, including those who have shaped the skies we fly, by exploring these additional resources:

Updated CBA Reference Documents

The 2025-2028 AFA Alaska Collective Bargaining Agreement Reference Documents PDF has been updated! This is a great quick-reference resource to answer various commonly asked questions regarding contactability, irregular operations, TFP requirements, and more.

The document includes a hyperlinked table of contents for ease of use. We recommend keeping it in an open tab on your phone’s browser or downloading the document for future reference. As always, any contract questions or issues can be answered by opening a ticket on AFA Alaska Support System or reaching out to the appropriate local committee member here.

2025-2028 CBA Reference Documents

In Solidarity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, June 4, representatives from our pre-merger Alaska AFA Reserve Committee met to discuss ongoing work advocating for Reserve Flight Attendants. Representing you at the meeting were Conner Gallager (SEA), Anthony Eskander (PDX), Kanako Yamada (LAX), Adrian Alcantara (SAN), and MEC Reserve Committee Vice Chairperson—New Hire […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 15 – June 2026

The JNC has been actively negotiating key sections of the contract, focusing on vacation, sick leave, and temporary duty assignments. A tentative agreement was reached on Section 37 (Temporary Duty Assignments), ensuring financial protections and fair treatment for Flight Attendants during temporary assignments. These ongoing discussions demonstrate a commitment to integrating the best benefits from both Alaska and Hawaiian CBAs for all members.

Celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month

Every June, we come together to honor LGBTQ Pride Month in the United States—a time to celebrate the remarkable resilience, diversity, and achievements of the LGBTQ community. Pride Month began as a tribute to the Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan in 1969, a pivotal moment that ignited the modern LGBTQ rights movement. The inaugural Pride March, […]

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

On Wednesday, May 20, our Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) representatives met virtually 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 Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Kalin Lackey (PDX), Bradley Young (SFO), Bryce Sarmiento (LAX pmAS), […]

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – May 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, May 26, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Rebekah Olds (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), […]

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