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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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AFA Alaska News in Review – December 6, 2024

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In This Edition

De-Stress Your Holidays

Originally posted December 4, 2024

The holidays can be fun, but they also can be a source of great stress. Below are some common holiday stressors and suggestions for managing them.  

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Next Week’s Events

Thursday, December 12Quarterly Reserve Committee Meeting
Thursday, December 12Scheduling Review Board (SRB)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

AFA Alaska News in Review – November 29, 2024

In This Edition

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2024

Originally posted November 25, 2024

Our AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met on Friday, November 15, to discuss their ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to uniforms. The Committee met with management to discuss uniform issues reported by Flight Attendants, including quality, wearability, and availability. If you encounter issues with uniform quality or construction, please report them to Unisync as soon as possible and include your Local Uniform Committee Chairperson to help track any trends.

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Reminder to Maintain the Status Quo

Originally posted November 26, 2024

Under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), participating in “self-help” actions such as strikes or work slowdowns is only allowed after the National Mediation Board (NMB), at its sole discretion, releases the parties and a 30-day cooling-off period has passed. Engaging in or supporting these actions before the cooling-off period ends is against the law and could result in serious consequences for individual Flight Attendants, including disciplinary action or termination. It could also harm our Union’s negotiations and bargaining position. Both parties must maintain the “status quo” during negotiations, which means no changes to current pay, rules, or working conditions are allowed.

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Upcoming Merger of Alaska and Hawaiian Master Executive Councils

Originally posted November 29, 2024

The Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines Master Executive Councils (MECs) will soon merge into a single MEC, consisting of the LEC Presidents from both pre-merger airlines and three MEC Officers. An election for new MEC Officers and some MEC Committee positions will take place in late January, with terms starting on March 1, 2025, and ending on December 31, 2025. Local Councils and LEC Officers will remain separate until a JCBA is ratified, and only LEC Presidents from their respective pre-merger airlines can make decisions about their pre-merger contract and separate operation. Once the JCBA is ratified, new LEC elections will be held in bases with overlapping representation (only LAX) within 90 days.

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Next Week’s Events

Monday, December 2 – Tuesday, December 3Regular MEC Meeting
Thursday, December 5SFO Base Safety Meeting
Thursday, December 5Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR)

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

AFA Alaska News in Review – November 22, 2024

In This Edition

Introducing Our AFA Alaska Joint Negotiating Committee and Seniority Merger Integration Committee Members

Originally posted November 15, 2024

This week, our Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews for two positions on the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and two positions on the Senior Merger Integration Committee (SMIC). We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the candidates who participated in the interviews and demonstrated their commitment to serving our Flight Attendants. After careful consideration, we are pleased to announce the election of Virginia Fritz and Heather Reier to the JNC positions, as well as Marie Maxwell and Camile Caldwell to the SMIC positions. All will serve as the pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant representatives on their respective committees in the upcoming merger.

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Human Rights Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2024

Originally posted November 21, 2024

Our AFA Human Rights Committee Chairpersons met on Monday, November 18, to discuss their ongoing program of work to advance human rights within our workplace and community. The Committee also met with management to receive updates on what progress has been made on concerns previously brought forward and address new concerns that have come to light. If you have ideas, thoughts, or feedback for the committee, your Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson would love to hear from you!

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Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – November 2024

Originally posted November 21, 2024

On November 19, our AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work representing Flight Attendants’ interests in lineholder scheduling. The Committee met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding. Your Local Scheduling Committee is available to assist with any lineholder scheduling-related issues. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

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TA2 Mediation Session 1

Originally posted November 22, 2024

This week was our first TA2 Mediation Session with management and the mediator assigned by the National Mediation Board. We presented our initial TA2 Proposal addressing targeted issues from TA1, based on the TA2 Survey and guidance from the MEC. The mediator directed the parties not to publish Opening Proposals or specific details. We discussed the proposal and made progress on several provisions. The next scheduled session is December 17-19.

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Shared on Social

TA2 Negotiations Begin

Our Negotiating Committee begins TA2 Negotiations today in Seattle, WA. The Committee will present the TA2 Opening Proposal, drafted in collaboration with the MEC and based on your responses in the TA2 Survey. This week we will begin pushing for improvements to TA1. This is the first of two scheduled mediation sessions with management and the mediator assigned by the National Mediation Board.

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Next Week’s Events

No Events Next Week 

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

AFA Alaska News in Review – November 15, 2024

In This Edition

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2024

Originally posted November 15, 2024

Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on November 12 to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to catering and onboard service/sales. The Committee met with management to discuss and receive updates on issues and problems faced by Flight Attendants onboard. The Committee continues to work with management to address catering concerns and improve processes in the future. Please report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

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Next Week’s Events

Monday, November 18Quarterly Human Rights Committee Meeting
Tuesday, November 19 – Thursday, November 21Contract Negotiations
Tuesday, November 19Monthly Scheduling Committee Meeting
Wednesday, November 20PDX Base Safety Meeting

See the MEC Event Calendar >

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up-to-date official information on our AFA Alaska social media accounts.  Click below and follow so you can stay connected!

Inflight Service Committee Meeting Recap – 4th Quarter 2024

Inflight Service Committee

  • Our AFA Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons met on November 12 to represent Flight Attendants’ interests related to catering and onboard service/sales.
  • The Committee met with management to discuss and receive updates on issues and problems faced by Flight Attendants onboard.
  • The Committee continues to work with management to address catering concerns and improve processes in the future. Please report catering issues through Block2Block and safety-related issues through ReportIt!

On Tuesday, November 12, our AFA Inflight Service Committee 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 Naomi Parcell (ANC), Ross DeJong (SEA), Todd Horn (PDX), Raymond Ramirez (SFO), Johanna Thomas (LAX), and Chase Vandergrift (SAN). MEC Inflight Service Committee Chairperson Stephanie Garnett was also present.

The committee met with Inflight Experience Program Manager Matthew Coder, Principal Cabin Product and Experience Manager Chris Dela Rosa, Director of Food and Beverage Mita Padhi, Manager of Food and Beverage Planning and Programs David Rodriguez, Senior Food and Beverage Product Manager Jessica Johnston, Food and Beverage Planning Manager Gayatri Watwe, Director of Catering Operations Andrew Moyer, Senior Product Manager of Guest Products Megan Low, and Vice President of Guest Products & Experience Todd Traynor-Corey.

The next committee meeting is scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2025, with the specific date yet to be determined.

Topics of Discussion

The Committee discussed several topics during internal AFA-only conversations and when meeting with management. Some of the items included:

  • Management shared new amenities with the Committee, including Salt & Stone, a natural body care products company based in Los Angeles, and First Class blankets by Filson, a Seattle-based company.
  • New beverages will soon be introduced, featuring an updated selection of wines and Hoppy Refresher, a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage made with hops and other flavorings from Lagunitas Brewery in California.
  • Management is continuing to search for the ideal coffee carafe for serving.
  • Management continues to actively seek out an improved coffee carafe for service.
  • Reports indicate that passengers appreciate the specially designed First Class menu items created by San Francisco Chef Jew for the SFO-JFK-SFO route.
  • The menu cycle has recently changed, and passengers are now being served new meal options.
  • With the holidays approaching, we can expect to see holiday-themed cups and napkins on our flights soon.

What The Committee Is Working On

  1. Onboard Service Handbook (OSH) Revisions. Necessary revisions to our Onboard Service Handbook in particular appendices A and B  for clarity of information.
  2. Morning Beverage Snack For First Class. The committee formulated a request for an improved First Class service opportunity of a morning beverage snack. 
  3. Testing New Coffee Maker Brew Basket. Inflight Service Committee Chairpersons will be testing a newly designed brew basket for our coffee makers on their regularly scheduled flights.
  4. Working On Galley Loading Improvements. The Inflight Service Committee and management will jointly work on galley loading to accommodate new service initiatives.
  5. Addressing Flight Attendant Comments and Concerns. The Inflight Service Committee Members continue to bring concerns from their peers to management. IT concerns are particularly important. 
  6. Discussing Service Needs On Long Stage Length Flights. As we continue to add longer flights, discussions are taking place to make sure we will meet passenger needs

We Want to Hear from You!

Please continue to report any catering issues or problems with onboard service using the catering feedback function in Block2Block. If you’ve experienced a safety-related issue, please submit a report through ReportIt! Your reports provide the Committee with the data needed to continue pushing management for meaningful improvements in our workplace.

Do you have other feedback for the Committee or items you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know! Your Local Inflight Service Committee is your voice to management. You can find our contact information on the Inflight Service Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

The Importance of Reporting Hotel and Transportation Issues

Hotel Committee Over the next couple of months, your AFA Hotel Committee will publish a series of communications to increase awareness of available resources. This month’s topic is how to best provide layover feedback. The Importance of Reporting Hotel and Transportation Issues One of the perks of flying is the opportunity to experience layovers in […]

Grievance Committee Update – 4th Quarter 2024

Grievance Committee Our Grievance Committee has been very hard at work ensuring disciplinary due process and contractual compliance on your behalf.  The contract requires a minimum of 13 arbitration dates yearly to dispute discipline/termination cases and contractual issues.  Termination cases are usually given first priority in order to return a Flight Attendant back to work […]

Introduction to the Minimum Pay Rules Flow Chart

Scheduling Committee We’re introducing a valuable new resource from our Scheduling Committee! We’ve developed a visually engaging flow chart that breaks down the Minimum Pay Rules (MPRs) outlined in Section 21.D of our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This chart is your go-to tool for understanding the essential elements of your pay provisions, ensuring that every […]

Notice of Election for Officers of Joint Alaska-Hawaiian MEC

AFA International Dear Alaska and Hawaiian AFA Members: As your merger moves forward, so does your representation. Our AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws calls for the merger of the Master Executive Councils in order to address our issues with the power of one voice. That starts with the election of MEC Officers. All of the Local […]

De-Stress Your Holidays

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee The holidays can be fun, but they also can be a source of great stress. Below are some common holiday stressors and suggestions for managing them.   How Can You Deal With Difficult Family Interactions During the Holidays? Being realistic is the first step. Family dynamics typically revert to historic […]

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