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Local Committee Appointments – September 2026

During this week’s LEC meeting, our LEC held interviews for our final group of Local Committee Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson positions. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest and willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been appointed:

  • Local Benefits/Retirement Chairperson: Kathy O’Malley
  • Local Benefits/Retirement Vice-Chairperson: Terry Taylor
  • Local EAP/Professional Standards Chairperson: Andrea Korican
  • Local Hotel Chairperson: Jarod McNeill
  • Local Infight Service Chairperson: Ross De Jong

These newly appointed Local Committee Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons will carry out their respective roles for Council 19. Their official term begins on November 1, 2026. They will serve for the current LEC Officer election cycle which began on July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your LEC President at sea.lecp@afaalaska.org. 

Meet Our Local Chairpersons – August 2026

We’re excited to introduce our next group of SEA Local Committee Chairpersons for the current LEC Officer term. They officially start their terms on October 1, 2026. Below you’ll find brief biographies that highlight their backgrounds and experiences as they prepare to support our Members at Council 19.

David Lake | Local ASHSC Chairperson

David began his career as a Flight Attendant in 1979, initially based in Denver, CO with Continental Airlines. He joined Alaska Airlines in 1982.

He is honored to continue in his role as Local ASHSC Chairperson for SEA. Beyond his primary responsibilities of working to improve health, safety, and security of our Flight Attendants, he works with SEA Base leadership on a variety of areas impacting our workgroup, including ground and flight operations, training, aircraft catering, maintenance, and customer service.

In addition to his current position at the local level, David also serves as the MEC ASHSC LOSA Representative. Passionate about continuous improvement, he previously served as MEC ASHSC Chairperson, and he remains dedicated to strengthening programs to ensure the well-being and operation excellence of his colleagues across the airline.

Jack Espinosa | Local ASHSC Vice-Chairperson

Jack has been a Flight Attendant since 2022 and holds a university degree in Business Management. Bringing a strong foundation in risk management and operational oversight from his background in audio/visual production management, where he served as a production manager and safety coordinator, Jack naturally gravitated towards aviation safety. His active Union involvement began after serving as a guest Flight Attendant speaker at an AFA Safety Base meeting with management and base leadership. Inspired to advocate directly for his flying partners, he served two years as a local ASHSC committee member for SEA.

Stepping into his new role as Vice-Chairperson, Jack is focused on supporting and advising the ASHSC Chairperson and LEC, maintaining consistent communication by writing and producing bi-monthly safety newsletter, and actively identifying ways to enhance safety policies and operational procedures.

Outside of flying and safety work, Jack is an avid food enthusiast on layovers, always looking for the best local pizza, burger, or sandwich spots.

Conner Gallagher | Local Reserve Chairperson

Conner began his career as an Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant in 2017 after previously flying for Horizon Air from 2014 to 2017. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Seattle University and has served as SEA Local Reserve Committee Chairperson since 2019.

Conner became involved with AFA because he wanted to help Flight Attendants better understand and exercise their contractual rights, particularly while navigating the unique challenges of reserve life. He has seen firsthand how knowledgeable advocacy can make a meaningful difference for individual members and believes strongly in holding management accountable to the contract.

In his continued role with the Reserve Committee, Conner’s priorities are to advocate for greater flexibility and quality of life for reserves, ensure contractual provisions are applied correctly and consistently, and continue identifying opportunities to improve the reserve experience.

Outside of work and Union advocacy, Conner enjoys skiing, real estate, weightlifting, spending time with his three dogs and family, and going to concerts.

Ian Haywood | Local Reserve Vice-Chairperson

Ian started flying in 2017 and has been an AFA volunteer since passing probation. He served as Local Reserve Vice-Chairperson and Mobilization Chairperson from 2022-2024. In these roles, he worked with Flight Attendants understanding the importance of empowerment, and member engagement. He is passionate in ensuring that more reserves feel supported and able to understand their contract, while developing a relationship with AFA that encourages them to become engaged Members.

He is committed to building a connection between Flight Attendants and Union leadership through education, communication and advocacy. Outside of work and Union activities, he enjoys his travel benefits extensively with his boyfriend and is a cruise traveler, taking five or six cruises a year.

Rita Tillou | Local Scheduling Chairperson

Rita has proudly worn the wings of an Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant since 1988. With nearly four decades of dedication to her career and fellow Flight Attendants, she continues to be a passionate advocate for her peers. Rita served as the Local Scheduling Co-Chairperson before transitioning to the Local Scheduling Chairperson, where she remains honored to support our SEA-based Flight Attendants.

Throughout her career, Rita has devoted more than a decade to representing her fellow Flight Attendants through the Scheduling, Benefits, and Inflight Service committees. Her commitment to fairness and service has been a meaningful part of her Union advocacy and career.

Family is at the heart of Rita’s life. She has been married to her college sweetheart for 41 years, and together they have two children and two cats. Her passion for aviation is truly a family affair: her husband is also a Flight Attendant, her son is a Pilot, and her daughter-in-law is a Flight Attendant. Outside of flying and AFA, Rita enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling.

Dena Heath | Local Uniform Chairperson

Dena began her career with Alaska Airlines in 2012. Before becoming a Flight Attendant, she spent 16 years in retail management, specializing in visual display and merchandising. She holds a degree in Visual Communications from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.

With her passion about uniforms, Dena is excited to continue serving as Local Uniform Chairperson in SEA. She brings her experience, creativity, and attention to detail to the role and looks forward to continuing to support her fellow Flight Attendants.

Outside of work, Dena loves spending tie with her 5-year-old daughter, Charlie, and making the most of their time together.

Local Committee Appointments – August 2026

During this week’s LEC meeting, our LEC held interviews for our next group of Local Committee Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson positions. We want to thank everyone who expressed interest and willingness to serve. After careful consideration and deliberation, the following candidates have been appointed:

  • Local ASHSC Chairperson: David Lake
  • Local ASHSC Vice-Chairperson: Jack Espinosa
  • Local Reserve Chairperson: Conner Gallagher
  • Local Reserve Vice-Chairperson: Ian Haywood
  • Local Scheduling Chairperson: Rita Tillou
  • Local Uniform Chairperson: Dena Heath

These newly appointed Local Committee Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons will carry out their respective roles for Council 19. Their official term begins on October 1, 2026. They will serve for the current LEC Officer election cycle which began on July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your LEC President at sea.lecp@afaalaska.org. 

Council 35 News – July 2022

Important Dates

August 1:   Deadline for Mileage Bonus

August 2: Deadline for updating email address for AFA Negotiations Survey

August 3: AFA Negotiations Survey Launch

August 19: AFA Negotiations Survey Close

Alaska Airlines 90th Anniversary Bonus

As of today’s publication, approximately 25% of SFO Flight Attendants have not signed up to receive the 90th Anniversary Bonus.  The deadline to receive the anniversary bonuses is 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022.  Please enter your Mileage Plan number into PeopleSoft and make your selection for either $90 to the Company Store or a $90 Yiftee gift card to take advantage of this offer.  Miles can be used on other airlines and other travel perks!  For more information visit Alaskasworld.  

Your Personal Email Address for the Negotiations Survey

by James Ikehara, LEC Secretary
To ensure you receive an invitation to complete our Negotiations Survey, use this link to update your personal contact information directly with AFA Membership Services if you have recently changed your email address. Sign up with this link to receive AFA Alaska e-newsletters and stay in the loop with the latest negotiations news.  

California COVID-19 Law:  Action for Flight Attendants

The 2022 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Effective February 19, 2022 – retroactive to January 1, 2022 was put in place to protect employees from COVID-19 absences.  Management has taken a position that Flight Attendants are not eligible for these CA benefits, however AFA does not agree. Your Council 35 officers encourage all CA-based Flight Attendants that have COVID-19 related absences to file a wage claim with the state and/or report a labor law violation. AFA has received reports that some California-based F/As have had success filing a claim and potentially will be eligible for compensation if the claim is ultimately resolved in their favor. 

Bernstein v. Virgin America

Many California based Flight Attendants are waiting anxiously to hear updates on Alaska’s decision regarding the Bernstein v. Virgin America lawsuit.  It’s an understatement to say that Alaska caused a lot of stress to CA based F/As with their initial response to the Supreme Court’s decision to reject the case.  To stay updated on what’s new and to hear “both sides of the story,” please be sure to bookmark the Bernstein v. Virgin America subsite created by the attorneys representing the class.  For additional resources, Flight Attendants may also review the recent AFA Status Update from July 11.  

COVID-19 Tests Provided by SFO International Airport

by James Ikehara, LEC Secretary
On August 2nd, the airport will partner with Safeway to provide 8 COVID-19 Rapid AntigenTest Kits to each employee for free, if your health plan provides for direct coverage, or by reimbursement ($10.99) by your insurance company if you are charged for your test kits (Kaiser members will receive up to 4 test kits). Be sure to bring your employee badge and your insurance card. The morning distribution is scheduled from 0700-1000 at the SFO Maintenance Building #682, and the afternoon distribution is scheduled from 1200-1700 at the Video Art Exhibit Space, near aisle 6 of the International Terminal (pre-security departure level). You can pre-register using this link but walk-ins are also accepted.

Welcome Trista!

We are happy to announce that Trista Vanta has been selected as Mobilization Chair for Council 35!  Trista will be coordinating mobilization efforts in SFO as we begin our negotiations this fall.  Learn a little about Trista in her own words:

“Trista graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009 with a major in communication arts and a minor in biology. During college, she served as the webmaster Council officer of Filipino Americans Coming Together from 2006-2009, promoting and organizing events to uplift and engage action within the Filipino American community. She also played for VCU’s volleyball club team as the libero and defensive specialist. 

After graduating, she pursued a career in scientific and medical illustration, working for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. It was 2011 when she decided to enter the aviation industry, inspired by her mom who’s worked for the industry since the 90s. 

She briefly worked at Air Wisconsin for a little over a year before joining Virgin America in 2013, which became Alaska Airlines in 2016. She is passionate and dedicated to utilizing her past experiences and education to give our workgroup a fair, livable and safe workplace where we are provided with tools to thrive and advance our airline. She believes that unity within the workgroup will be the most valuable driving force in our upcoming negotiation. Her aim in this position is to promote enthusiasm, eagerness and Unity within our workforce to accomplish a common goal. She will strive to balance the interests of our overall workforce, line holders and reserves alike. After all, We are all in it together!”

Air Safety Health & Security Committee (ASHSC) Update

by Brad Young, Council Rep and ASHSC Chair

Meetings

Our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met on Thursday, July 14th to discuss our ongoing program of work to represent Flight Attendants interests related to safety, health, and security in our workplace.The Committee also met with management to receive updates and discuss issues and problems that Flight Attendants are facing onboard the aircraft.

Reports

Reporting safety concerns is more important than ever given the challenges we are currently facing as a work group.  Flight Attendant Irregularity Reports (FAIR), Aviation Safety Action Reports (ASAP), and fatigue reports can all be filed through Report It!

Trash Stowage

The Inflight Service Committee (ISC) and ASHSC have been working with Inflight and Catering to develop solutions for the ongoing lack of adequate trash stowage. Every departure now should have an empty cart in one of the galleys for trash. If you don’t have the required empty cart, submit both an ASAP and catering report. Catering reports are submitted via Block2Block.  Please submit an ASAP & FAIR if, after following procedures and making every reasonable attempt to do so, you are unable to stow all trash in legal stowage locations. AFA continues to advocate for dedicated trash cart(s) on all flights.

Time In Motion Study

The ASHSC is coordinating with the Inflight Service Committee and Inflight on a program to assess how long it takes to perform safety and service duties on each aircraft type and flight profile. The goal is to understand what service can safely be completed in each market, and ensure we have adequate time allotted for safety duties like equipment checks and briefings.

Cabin Lighting

During Compliance Checks  The ASHSC has been advocating for a brighter lighting setting prior to take off and landing compliance checks. We believe the company is willing to use our boarding light setting for compliance checks and expect the change to be implemented soon. The brighter lighting will help us see better as we complete our compliance checks and will provide a visual indicator to passengers that their attention is needed as we prepare the cabin for landing.

Committee Openings


Council 35 has committee member openings in the following committees:

Government Affairs (chair)

Human Rights (chair)

Air Safety Health & Security (member x2)

Members interested in these positions may submit a letter of interest to sfo@afaalaska.org.

Got a question?

Contact information for Council 35 committee members can be found on our website.  You can also open an online support ticket and the appropriate rep will respond.

In solidarity,

Council 35 Officers

Melissa Osborne, President

Virginia Fritz, Vice-President 

James Ikehara, Secretary

Brad Young, Council Representative

Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
Virginia Fritz, LEC Vice President •  virginia.fritz@afaalaska.org • 408.489.8200
James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
Bradley Young, Council Representative • bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

Council 35 – News November

Important Dates

  • Dec 1-15:  Travel Open Enrollment
  • Dec 31:   Dependent Verification
  • Dec 31:  Current Uniform Allotment ends
  • Dec 31:  Annual Compliance Training (ACT) CBT due
  • Jan 1:  Contractual Uniform Allotment added

COVID-19 Points Forgiveness

Per the new agreement with management, Flight Attendants can once again submit for points forgiveness for COVID-19 related absences with corresponding documentation.  The time limits for submitting have been suspended.  If you’ve had a previous submission denied due to timeliness, please resubmit for points removal.  This process is manual, so allow some time for the adjustment to show on the attendance record. To request a points review, visit:

Alaskasworld>>Inflight >>Administration>>Performance>>COVID-19 Absence Reporting Form

Reporting Service Safety Hazards

by Brad Young, Council 35 ASHSC Chair/Council Rep

Please remember to report any safety hazards that you experience while performing the expanded onboard service.  This could include examples of increased exposure to passengers (e.g. passenger removing their mask to speak to you, etc.) or other hazards related to service.  Please also report any trash stowage concerns or issues (e.g. trash was stowed under the last row, in the LAV or in the O/H bin) due to the lack of dedicated ‘trash cart’ space or lack of galley trash bin space in the aircraft.    Please fill out both an FAIR and ASAP report in those events.  You can report these hazards through Block2Block and/or ReportIt! by submitting either a FAIR and/or ASAP for each flight on which they occur.  It is important to include the terms “COVID-19″ and “service” in your narrative to ensure they are correctly categorized by management.  This data will help our AFA representatives (Inflight Service and Safety Committees) to advocate for safe levels of service and/or further reduce onboard service again. 

Dependent Verification

If you were in the group of selected employees in the dependent audit, the deadline to provide documentation for dependents receiving health care coverage is 12/31/21.

New Reserve Committee Members

Council 35 is happy to announce and welcome not only one new committee member, but two!  Meg Casey and Camile Caldwell have stepped forward to co-chair the Council 35 Reserve Committee and the timing couldn’t be more perfect with all the hiring expected next year.  Get to know these wonderful volunteers by reading their bios in their own words:


Meg Casey

Meg grew up as an Army brat and served for several years in the Coast Guard which ultimately led to her love of travel and meeting new people.  It was with this in mind that she decided to pursue a career as a flight attendant with Virgin America in 2017 and now she’s not sure why she didn’t become a flight attendant sooner.  She has been SFO based since she started flying and has bounced back and forth between reserve and having a line for the last 4 years.  Meg knows how tough it can be to be on reserve, especially now, and she wants to serve as an advocate for our SFO reserves.  She’s excited to serve in her new role and would like to invite you to reach out with any questions or concerns about reserve life or the reserve portion of the contract.  Meg lives in the North Bay, and when she’s not flying, she enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, and trying all the food.

Camile Caldwell

Camile began her Flight Attendant career in October of 2017 with Virgin America, and quickly discovered her love of travel and the airline industry as a whole. She has been on and off reserve for her entire career, adapting to whatever crew scheduling throws her way, and holds a reserve line currently. With the drop off in flying due to COVID she took a voluntary furlough, which only made her realize how much she missed working and, upon returning to work, how much she wanted to get more involved within the FA workgroup. Camile is extremely eager to become a resource for all SFO reserves, work to help them better understand their contract, and be a voice for reserves within the union and to management. Before becoming a Flight Attendant Camile graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a BS in Geology. She currently lives in Sacramento and enjoys spending time with friends and family whenever she can.

Have a question for SFO Reserve?  Both Meg and Camile can be reached at sfo.reserve@afaalaska.org.

Year End Reminders

Uniform Allotment-Use it or Lose it

In January 2022 a new set of funds will be allotted to all Flight Attendant that meet the criteria (JCBA §13.D.6), however none of the funds from this year will roll-over (JCBA §13.D.1).  If you want to make any last minute orders (even for backordered items), now is the time to do it.

Record Improvement

JCBA § 32.G.4. Flight Attendants meeting the following conditions will have attendance points reduced to zero:

  • 4 or less attendance points at the end of the year
  • achieves 480 TFP for the year
  • does not accumulate any attendance points for the months of November and December

The manual adjustment occurs mid-January which will be reflected on FAs attendance point records.

480

Flight Attendants must achieve 480 TFP for the year to maintain the following benefits:

To see your TFP accruals for the year, please visit:


Alaskasworld>>Inflight Page>>Administration>>Calculators

We’re Here to Help:  Online Support Center

The best way to contact us for support is by submitting an online support ticket.  By selecting the type of concern you have, the best rep for your situation can assist you.  The online support ticket system is for AFA use (not management) and is confidential, so please use a personal email address to open a request.  Direct emails and contact info can also be found on the SFO Committee Page.

Want More News?  
The Alaska MEC (of which Council 35 is a part) is proud to announce a new communication strategy called “AFA Alaska News Now,” which can be found on popular social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  Additionally a recap of the news will be published in an “AFA Alaska News In Review” weekly digest.  Don’t like social media?  No problem!   “AFA Alaska News in Review” will be sent to personal email addresses on file, so those of you who do not have social media and do not check the AFA Alaska websites regularly will still receive the information.  Use this link if you need to make a change or update to your personal email address.

Happy Holidays and Fly Safe!

In solidarity,

Melissa, James and Brad

Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  Melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
Bradley Young, Council Representative • Bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

That’s a Wrap on Government Affairs Focus Month!

As Government Affairs Committee Focus Month comes to a close, we want to sincerely thank everyone who tuned in, asked insightful questions, and shared resources throughout September. Whether you watched a quick video on the van or started a conversation about voting in the crew lounge, your engagement made a difference. We started this month […]

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2026

On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, our AFA Human Rights & Equity Committee Chairpersons met for their regular quarterly meeting to advance ongoing activism, promote workplace equity, and champion meaningful policy improvements across our workplace. Your representatives attending the meeting were Nyachan Chuar (ANC), Soon Kim (HNL), Bruni Agosto-Pinal (pmHA LAX/SEA), Aaron Miller (PDX), Erika Daniel […]

MEC Town Hall Video and Q&A Recap – September 23, 2026

Whether you joined us live or are ready to watch on your own schedule, the full recording of our September 23 MEC Town Hall is now available! Catch up on the discussions and hear directly from our MEC Officers and AFA panelists. Watch the video anytime on our AFA Alaska + Hawaiian YouTube channel using the link below. (Note: […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – September 2026

In September, our Hotel Committee participated in two meetings: the standing monthly meeting with Crew Hotels on September 14, and a Quarterly Business Review (QBR) with the company’s hotel procurement vendor, API, on September 23 (pmAS) and September 24 (pmHA) in Seattle.  Representing you at these meetings were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA pmAS), […]

Register Now: Reserve Webinar – Wednesday, October 21

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants When Crew Scheduling calls at 3 AM with a change to the trip you self-assigned, do you know your contractual rights? Understanding what management can—and cannot—do on reserve is your strongest line of defense. Join our Reserve Committee for “Is This Legal?”, the second installment in our three-part pre-merger […]

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