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AFA Update – November 22, 2019

In This Edition

  • Changes to 2020 Recurrent Training
  • Violation of Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book Grievance Sustained
  • FINAL REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Changes to 2020 Recurrent Training

Master Executive Council (MEC)

On Wednesday, November 20, management announced changes to how Recurrent Training (RT) will be conducted in 2020.  For many years, RT has been conducted in a single day and was supplemented by home-based study in the form of a workbook and, more recently, a computer-based training (CBT).  Based on new FAA guidance, management has determined that they are unable to contain all of the required elements of RT in a single day and will begin conducting RT as two full, 8-hour days of training in 2020.

Though this change is a shift in practice, it is intended to allow more time to address the necessary regulatory and safety components required by the FAA.  Management has also stated that they will be including some additional service-related content in RT including a follow-up module to the company’s latest Flight Path training held in 2018.

PBS Bidding Credit

Since the inception of PBS in 2007, Recurrent Training has always carried a credit of zero (0) toward PBS line awards.  This means in a bid month containing RT, PBS views RT as having a value of 0 TFP and builds your line accordingly.  Under the language in the collective bargaining agreement, RT carries a value of zero without mention as to the number of days the class itself covers.

We are happy to announce that your Master Executive Council (MEC) was able to reach an agreement with management to provide partial credit for RT for the purposes of line construction.  For RT 2020, the first day of RT will continue to credit toward your line in PBS at 0 TFP, but the second day will credit at the full value of 6 TFP.  During a month that you have RT, PBS will read the 6 TFP value for RT and credit that toward your line award accordingly.

Hotels

The MEC is calling on inflight management to “own safety” and “do the right thing” by providing each Flight Attendant with a hotel room during RT in 2020.  

During Transition Training (TT) in 2018, many of us experienced having to attend two full days of training and then deal with the associated logistics of braving multiple rush hour commutes in some of the worst cities for traffic in the nation.  Those who commute were left to fend for themselves and find a place to stay for the evening as TT did not allow for any possibility of same-day commuting.  Your AFA leaders received reports of exhaustion, fatigue, and stress from numerous Flight Attendants in relation to these and other factors from TT.  

These issues fresh in mind, your MEC is extremely disappointed and outraged to hear that management has refused to provide hotels for Flight Attendants between the two days of RT.  Even when not contractually required to do so, the Company has previously provided Flight Attendants with hotels during multi-day training activities such as Beyond Service in 2015.  Just as we are constantly told to use the “service framework” to assess each situation when dealing with passengers and make a decision accordingly, management has the opportunity to live up to their own expectations and do the same in this case.

The MEC is calling on inflight management to “own safety” and “do the right thing” by providing each Flight Attendant with a hotel room during RT in 2020.  Just like when we are out flying, we need a training environment that sets us up for success by allowing us to get proper rest and focus on safety.  The responsibility for providing this environment falls on the shoulders of management and it’s time for them to step up and act on the same values they expect us to live by every day that we come to work.

Questions?

If you have questions about the changes to Recurrent Training in 2020, please contact your LEC Officers.

Violation of Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book Grievance Sustained

Grievance Committee

On October 31, 2019, your MEC Grievance Committee filed grievance number 36-99-2-163-19, for the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement Section 12.F.9.a [Exchange of Sequences: Open Time Trial], past practice, its sustained response to grievance 36-99-2-35-17 and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on July 7, 2017, it sustained grievance number 36-99-2-35-17 (Violation of §12.F.9.a Cancellation of Open Time Trial and Back to Book); however it has continually failed to provide sufficient Information Technology (IT) resources for reverting to the Open Time System in place in the 2006-2010 Flight Attendant Agreement as modified by the arbitration award (AFA No. 36-99-2-18-11) [“Withholding Open Time” award]).

In summary, the Company sustained (admitted to the violation) the original grievance (number 36-99-2-35-17) and should have prioritized with IT to program the back to book language, but it did not.  Management has admitted that the current system stayed in place rather than prioritizing resources within IT to make the necessary programming changes to revert to the language outlined in Section 12 as back to book.   Since it failed to prioritize the IT resources, AFA filed the present grievance, which the Company also sustained.  

As a result of your MEC Grievance Committee filing the grievance, the Company is now making immediate efforts to program the back to book trading rules with IT.  The project kicked off on November 4, 2019, and IT is currently developing the technical requirements for the system to provide to Jeppesen by early January 2020.  Jeppesen will then be providing a timeline for implementation by mid to late January 2020.

As of right now, your MEC is presuming that we will have more information regarding Open Time back to book programming to pass along to you by late January 2020.

Questions?

Please feel free to contact your LEC President with any questions that you might have about this grievance or Open Time back to book programming.

FINAL REMINDER: MEC Committee Chairperson & Appointed Position Interviews

Master Executive Council (MEC)

As a reminder, the term for those currently serving in MEC Committee Chairperson roles and other appointed positions will end on December 31, 2019.  Your MEC, of which the six directly elected Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents are voting members, will be conducting interviews for these positions during the December MEC meeting.  The October 4, 2019 AFA Update contained the initial announcement of these upcoming interviews including a list of positions, information about qualifications and duties, and a link to the online expression of interest form.  The deadline to submit an expression of interest is Monday, November 25, 2019 at 5 PM Pacific time.

If you have questions about MEC Committee Chairperson or MEC-level appointed positions or the interview process, please contact MEC Vice President Brian Palmer at brian.palmer@afaalaska.org.

MEC Committee Chair Appointments

The MEC conducted interviews for several MEC Committee Chairperson positions at the MEC Meeting that concluded this afternoon.  We would like to thank everyone who expressed interest in the available positions and a willingness to serve.  After careful consideration and much deliberation, the following candidates were appointed:

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards

Elizabeth Dillion
Jeanne McCleave

Scheduling

Zac Weeks

Preferential Bidding System (PBS)

Steve Poynter (Chairperson)
Rebecca Asbell (Committee Member)
Adam Clarey (Committee Member)

Uniform

Bob Moore

Reserve

Jarod McNeill

Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC)

Seth Heiple

Benefits

Terry Taylor

Retirement

Terry Taylor

Hotel

Laura Hinojosa (Chairperson)
Jodi Snow (Vice Chairperson)

 

Appointments are effective immediately.  Terms of appointment coincide with those of the MEC Officers, concluding on December 31, 2019.

If you have any questions about MEC Committee Chairperson appointments, please contact your LEC President.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

MEC Chair Position Reviews and Membership Input

In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual the MEC officers will be reviewing the MEC chair appointments and interviewing the current Chairs who would like to continue in their position as well as several new applicants.

Below you will find the Chair positions we will be reviewing. The 5 LEC presidents who make up the voting body of the MEC will be making the decision. Each President has 1 vote for each position.

I would appreciate your input as to who the SAN base would like to support. You can email me directly at Brice.McGee@afaalaska.org

 

Chair Positions and Applicants:

ASHSC Chairperson

Seth Heiple

Benefits Committee Chairperson

Terry Taylor

EAP Chairpersons (2)

Elizabeth Dillon

Jeanne McCleave

Hotel Committee Chairperson

Laura Hinojosa

Hotel Committee Vice Chairperson

Jodi Snow

Dori Marron

Reserve Committee Chairperson

Jarod McNeill

Scheduling Committee Chairperson

Jake Jones

Erik Velez

Zac Weeks

PBS Committee Chairperson

Stephen Poynter

Sheri Rochel

Shawn Grill

PBS Committee Member

Rebecca Asbell

Adam Clarey

Uniform Committee Chairperson

Bob Moore

 

In Solidarity,

Brice, Melanie, & Stephen

MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Interviews

The MEC would like to thank Jennifer Wise MacColl for her work as MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson over the past several years.  In her role, Jennifer has been a fierce advocate for Flight Attendants in numerous contractual and discipline cases. Jennifer will continue her AFA work as a member of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) pending the planned acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Airlines.

Background

The MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson is responsible for leading the committee’s effort to advocate for Flight Attendants in contractual and disciplinary cases.  The Chairperson also serves as a resource to Local Grievance Committees in all aspects relating to grievance and contractual enforcement matters.

Additional Information from The MEC Policy Manual

1. SCOPE

a. The Grievance Committee will have as its primary objective the protection of all Flight Attendants against arbitrary and unjust disciplinary action.

b. The Grievance Committee shall uphold the current agreement, MEC policy and the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws.

c. The Grievance Committee shall act to secure the fastest possible procedures for all Flight Attendants in the arbitration of their grievances for disciplinary action.

d. The Grievance Committee shall follow the direction of the Grievance Screening Panel.

2. POLICY/RESPONSIBILITIES

a. The MEC Grievance Committee shall consist of the MEC Chairperson and the Local Grievance Committee Chairperson from each council. The MEC may also appoint MEC Vice Chairpersons and MEC Grievance Representatives to the MEC Grievance Committee on an as needed basis.

b. The committee will assist AFA-CWA attorneys in the preparation of all ALA Flight Attendant grievances.

c. Proposed settlements of disputes between the Union and the Company shall be presented to the MEC President.

d. Priority at the System Board shall be given to Flight Attendants who have been terminated by the Company. Issues of sufficient importance to the collective interest can be scheduled ahead of termination grievances with the MEC President’s concurrence.

e. If any dispute arises regarding the merits of a contract grievance, the MEC will have the authority to terminate or continue the grievance process.

f. Grievant will be advised, via Certified Mail, of any Grievance Screening Panel determination.

g. The MEC Chairperson shall:

(i)  Serve as a member of the Grievance Screening Panel

(ii)  Attend all discussions of contract items at all regularly scheduled MEC meetings.

(iii) Compose informational and educational articles of interest to the membership and provide them to the MEC Communications Chairperson to be included in MEC communications and posted to the MEC website. This will include the minutes of all Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) meeting minutes.

Qualifications

  • Previous Union grievance or equivalent labor relations experience required
  • Understanding of the principles of just cause
  • In-depth knowledge of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA)
  • Ability to attend meetings as required, including being present in Seattle at least four days per week
  • Ability to attend AFA International and other required training as needed
  • Adherence to Grievance Committee policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct
  • Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Google email and Microsoft Office. Knowledge of osTicket platform helpful.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and take meeting minutes. Ability to pay close attention to detail.
  • Ability to prioritize responsibilities and perform multiple tasks simultaneously
  • Ability to meet deadlines and follow up on assigned tasks
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information

Duties

  • Enforce the contract
  • File grievances and maintain the master grievance log
  • Collect evidence, solicit documentation, and maintain complete records.
  • Ensure that time limits are met for filing
  • Represent AFA in alternate dispute resolution (ADR) meetings, grievance hearings, System Board hearings, and other meetings with management.
  • Assist Union attorneys in preparing grievances for System Board
  • Review material, handle correspondence, and keep the Local Grievance Committees well informed of current grievance developments
  • Communicate regularly with the membership about decisions on grievances; explain ramifications of results
  • Write grievance articles for membership communications upon request of the MEC Communications Committee
  • Prepare and send a monthly committee report to the MEC

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

  • This position is budgeted for 100 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month
  • Time commitment is approximately four days per week in the MEC Office in Seattle with additional work completed remotely or in the office as necessary

Working Relationships

With The Local Grievance Committees

Constant interaction with the Local Grievance Committee Chairpersons and Local Grievance Committee Members.

With The Master Executive Council (MEC)

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

With The MEC Grievance Committee

Frequent interaction with the MEC Grievance Committee.  This position directs the work of the MEC Grievance Representative(s).

With Management

Constant interaction with inflight management, particularly the Director of Labor Relations, Manager of Inflight Work Performance, and Inflight Performance Supervisors

With AFA International

Frequent interaction with AFA staff attorneys and AFA legal department

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

  • The MEC will hold interviews during the September MEC meeting on Wednesday, September 28 or Thursday, September 29, 2016.  Bid around the interview date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.
  • Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Yvette Satterlee at yvette.satterlee@afaalaska.org no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on Friday, September 16, 2016. Yvette will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

 

Introducing Your MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews last week for the position of MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson.  We would like to thank the candidates who expressed a willingness to serve and interviewed for the position.  After thorough consideration, the MEC has appointed Krystle Cook to the position.

Krystle’s career with Alaska began in February 2007 in Anchorage.  It was here she called home for seven years.  Three of those years she was extremely active volunteering her time on various committees.  In 2014, Krystle made the move and transferred, back home, to the greater Seattle area and was appointed the SEA Local Government Affairs Chairperson.

Together with AFA activists, she has worked tirelessly to prevent knives from being allowed in the cabin of our aircrafts, lobbied to stop voice calls by passengers in flight, and is pushing members of Congress to enact 10-hour minimum rest rules and a fatigue risk management plan for all Flight Attendants.

She is the first and only representative of the Association of Flight Attendants to sit on two different young worker committees.  Krystle is the AFA Lead Activist for the CWA Next Generation Program and a committee member of the AFL-CIO Young Worker Advisory Council.  Both of these committees focus on issues that are directly affecting workers under the age of 36.  These committees focus on issues such as student debt, economic struggles, racial injustices, and leadership development and trainings.

Krystle says, “”I am beyond honored to continue to fight for Alaska flight attendants, and all AFA members, as well as working people across the country.  My passion for social and economic justice will be a driving force in ensuring we have the safest and best work environment possible.”

In her role as MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson, Krystle will work closely with the Local Government Affairs Committee Chairpersons and the AFA International Government Affairs department to represent and advocate for Flight Attendants.  Her term of appointment is concurrent with the term of the MEC Officers and she reports directly to the MEC

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

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