Council 35

Council 35 News – August 2022

September 1, 2022 21:39

Important Dates
September 1: Vacation Bidding Round 1 Begins
September 19: Vacation Bidding Round 1 Closes
September 26: Vacation Bidding Round 1 Awards
September 30: Q3 CBT Due

Ticket System Back up and Running!

We are pleased to report that the AFA Alaska Online Support Center (support.afaalaska.org) is now back online and fully operational. AFA representatives have started the process of reviewing outstanding tickets that were filed prior to the outage occurring last Thursday, August 18. If you filed a ticket prior to August 18th or after the system came back online today, your patience is greatly appreciated as our AFA volunteers begin to work through the backlog.

Section 6 Negotiations

September is here and Section 6 Negotiations for Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants are scheduled to formally begin! Thank you everyone for sending the Negotiations Committee your ideas and for filling out the survey. Member input is invaluable and guides the committee to prioritize needs. Please bookmark the Negotiations subsite, which can be found on the AFA Alaska website, to stay updated on the progress of negotiations. Want to get involved? It’s not too late! Council 35 is looking for Mobilization Committee members to support Section 6 Negotiations in SFO. Please reach out to Trista Vanta, the C35 Mobilization Committee chair and/or fill out the online request form to participate in events.

Bernstein v. Virgin America Lawsuit

For months now Council 35 officers have been asking the company for updates on possible compliance solutions to the California meal and rest break law. Alaska maintains that the decision is forthcoming however will not commit to any possible scenarios. Your Council 35 officers have made it clear that the delay in communicating to Flight Attendants has created a high level of anxiety in all of us, but especially with CA-based Flight Attendants. The company has recently communicated that they will host California base sits. A member of the Alaska legal team will be available to answer Flight Attendant questions, however it is unclear whether or not any new and/or helpful information will be offered. Flight Attendants are encouraged to visit the Bernstein v. Virgin America subsite on the plaintiff’s attorney webpage to balance all information and get perspective on both sides of the issue.

Hotel Committee Update

by Cassie Dole, C35 Hotel Committee Chair
The Hotel Committee committee is working through issues with rooms not being available when crew members arrive at a hotel and having to wait, sometimes for an extended period of time. It is important that Flight Attendants call Crew Scheduling upon arrival if rooms are not ready and then again when provided with a room. Management has been providing additional compensation for documented wait times of one hour or longer. If you’ve had an unacceptable or substandard experience with a layover hotel or ground transportation provider, please report the issue! Our AFA Hotel Committee receives a copy of every CrewCare report filed and each one is read and reviewed. Please follow up by documenting with a CrewCare report using the web app on your IMD home screen or by clicking here.

Participation Request: Human Rights and Uniform Surveys

by AFA International
The Human Rights and Uniform Committees want to hear more from Flight Attendants! To better know what Flight Attendants need and what can be done to fight for FA rights, please take two important surveys:

Human Rights and Equity Committee Survey

Uniform and Gender Expression Survey

Interested in joining the Human Rights Committee? We have openings! Please email your Council 35 officers to set up a time to discuss this opportunity.

No Stock Buybacks in Aviation Until Problems are Fixed!

by AFA International
COVID relief legislation temporarily prohibited airlines from using stock buybacks that enrich executives and big investors on the backs of workers and consumers. But those prohibitions end on September 30. Now is not the time to start sending cash to Wall Street when the airlines can’t yet meet public demand or manage effectively through operational challenges. Airline workers have had contract negotiations on hold for years – delaying raises and improving working conditions needed to keep skilled workers on the job and attract new applicants.

We call on all airline CEOs to extend the COVID relief ban on stock buybacks until:

operational meltdowns are not the norm
staffing and flight schedules are aligned to support public demand
labor contract negotiations are concluded.

Stabilizing the industry must be CEOs #1 priority. Not $1 in stock buybacks until this is achieved. Join the fight and take action by signing the petition.

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,

Melissa, Virginia, James and Brad

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 – July 2022

July 31, 2022 19:46

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

Council 35 News – June 2022

July 1, 2022 23:11

Important Dates

June 30: Q2 CBT Due Today!

SFO KCM is Back!

Due to TSA staffing issues, the Terminal 2 Known Crewmember (KCM) entrance has returned to the D gates entrance, just past the restrooms. Important reminders for KCM card holders:

Only bring your own belongings through KCM checkpoint
No weapons allowed through KCM (should be an obvious one!)
No personal international travel

Violations of the KCM rules can result in suspension of privileges, not just for the offending FA but everyone! TSA has issued a warning to participating airlines that a recent increase in violations has prompted them to increase random checks and to have TSA inspectors present at checkpoints. Inspectors may ask cardholders questions about the program to ensure understanding and enforce compliance. Please be aware of the rules and give extra time to go through checkpoints. For more information visit the KCM website.

From the KCM website:

Crewmember’s can utilize the KCM® access points for both business and personal use except when on personal international travel. Crewmember’s on personal international travel must use a passenger-screening checkpoint. If international travel is included on any leg of an itinerary, the entire trip is considered international and KCM may not be used for access to the sterile area. Travel from the U.S. to a destination which does not require a passport (e.g., U.S. Virgin Islands) is not considered international travel.

Welcome to SFO!

Council 35 members, please give our newest Flight Attendants a warm welcome and be sure to show them all that we love about SFO! If you’re a new hire or transfer to SFO, please be sure to sign up to receive Council 35 newsletters, like this one, and be sure to save links to Council 35 committee resources for future reference.

Committee Openings

Committee member openings in the following committees:

Government Affairs (chair)

Human Rights (chair)

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

Scheduling Update

by Virginia Fritz, Council 35 Vice President-Elect and Scheduling Chair

August ORD Turns

Our AFA Pairing Analyst fights hard against management every month to advocate that we have ORD 4K turns built in our base. Unfortunately, Crew scheduling has requested they not be built as a turn in August because of historical issues causing delays over 14 hour duty days, thereby allowing FA’s to opt out and snowballing reserve usage. This means that we do not expect to have any 4K ORD turns in August. We will continue to advocate for their return.

SFO 3 day Redeyes

We’ve gotten a lot of feedback that the 3 day redeyes with 24 hour rest are not very popular and we frequently find them in our base. Many are awarded to Junior lineholders for coverage in PBS showing they are not very desirable. While we request that management attempt to build us 2 day “day sleep” Redeye Pairings the flight schedule does not always allow those to be legally built with the 10 hours necessary layover rest. We have found that the JFK schedule could allow some to be built and have asked for those flight numbers specifically to be built together when possible going forward. We have not been able to find a flight schedule on other city layovers that would allow that. Please reach out to the scheduling committee if you find specific flight examples that could create the desired 2 day Redeye pairings so that we can add those to our soft lock requests going forward!

Hotel Wait Times

Summer travel is upon us and we aren’t the only industry that is impacted. Hotels are selling out and management is sometimes finding itself scrambling to find us rooms. If your rooms are not ready when you are checking in please reach out to crew scheduling to let them know. Keep them updated with any changes and definitely let them know when you have finally been given a room. We have been successful in requesting compensation for Flight attendants who have had to wait more than an hour for their hotel rooms. Calling Crew Scheduling allows us to verify the time stamps in your delays and ensure we can fight to get you any compensation you may be due for the delay.

Council 35 Grievance Update: Six-Month Stats

The first half of 2022 has been the busiest 2 quarters since 2017! To date we have had 33 disciplines:

Oral Warnings: 13
Written Warning: 5
Suspension: 3
Terminations: 12

Compared to last year we have seen discipline rates more than double. Below is a summary of the issues that resulted in discipline YTD:

Issue Summary	#Cases
CBT	9
Job Abandonment*	5
Personal Conduct*	4
Commuter Violation	3
12+ Points*	2
Late to Plane/Delay	2
Delay	2
Uniform	1
Social Media	1
Sick Leave Abuse*	1
Reserve Out of Base*	1
Insubordination	1
Expired Leave of Absence*	1
Total	33

*termination

This also summarizes the number of grievances filed, as the Grievance Committee files grievances on all discipline issued.

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 Elect
James Ikehara, Secretary
Brad Young, Council Representative

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

Council 35 News – May 2022

May 31, 2022 18:31

Important Dates

June 02: Workplace Mental Health First Aid Virtual Training
June 30: Q2 CBT Due

Officer Elections – Thank you Council 35 Members!

Thank you everyone that voted in the recent Council 35 Officer elections. James, Brad and I (Melissa) are grateful for all your support and look forward to supporting our members for the next 3 years. Council 35 is also happy to announce and welcome a new addition to our team, Virginia Fritz as Vice President! As the SFO Scheduling Chair Virginia is no stranger to members’ needs at Council 35, and now she will be expanding her responsibility even further by supporting members in a variety of ways. Here’s what Virginia has to say about her new role:

I am so humbled and honored that our membership chose to elect me as their new Vice President! I have had a lot of passion in serving C35 as the Local Scheduling Chair and love that I now have more opportunities to do so. I look forward to working with the Re-Elected Team that has been serving as our base for the past 3 years and finding more ways to support C35. Thank you for your faith in me! I look forward to serving you all and ensuring that your trust has been placed in the right person!

Workplace Mental Health First Aid Virtual Training

Provided by AFA International EAP
The Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP) is offering a special in-depth virtual training opportunity to discuss workplace issues and learn best practices dealing with mental health and substance abuse concerns for Flight Attendants and their friends and family. Utilizing components of the Mental Health First Aid curriculum, a nationally used workplace training program, the program will explore the topics below. Time will be available for questions and answers. Topics to be covered include:

Signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety
Assessment, warning signs, and interventions for suicide
Understanding traumatic events
Facts and risk factors for substance abuse
Understanding stages of change and interventions for substance abuse

Date: June 2. 2022
Time: 1400-1800 Eastern
Where: Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 840 1525 7760
Passcode: 774802
One Tap Mobile:

+13017158592,,84015257760# US (Washington DC)

+13126266799,,84015257760# US (Chicago)

Dial By Location:

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

Welcome to SFO!

As of May 1, SFO has welcomed 19 new Flight Attendants and look forward to more for the month of June! Council 35 members, please give our newest Flight Attendants a warm welcome and be sure to show them what we love about our SFO base. If you’re a new hire or transfer to SFO-Welcome! Please be sure to sign up to receive Council 35 newsletters (like this one) and be sure to save the link to Council 35 committee resources for future reference.

AFA Help for Crew Conflict

We have all had those days…days we go to work and the crew just doesn’t click. As professionals, we have been trained to use our communication and CRM skills to get through the trip. But what do we do when that doesn’t work? If you and a fellow crew member can’t resolve a disagreement and/or conflict on your own, or you find yourself uncomfortable confronting a fellow crewmember, let’s consider the options to reach a resolution:

Contact Base/Performance Management or Human Resources/HR:

This option is easy to begin with, however take a moment to understand what happens next when you choose this option. Once management receives a report, they are obligated to follow through with an investigation. This may include a series of interviews with crew members and could result in disciplinary action. The challenge with this option is that once management is aware, there is no turning back. Take time to consider if enduring an investigation and/or facing discipline for another and possibly yourself is the desired outcome. Please consider whether there is a way to resolve the issue that doesn’t involve permanently impacting an FA’s personnel file.

File an ASAP Report (Compliance and/or Safety Concern)

This option is perfect for reporting possible safety and compliance issues that cause a disagreement. The Aviation Action Safety Program (ASAP) Event Review Committee (ERC) includes AFA, Alaska (AS) management and the FAA. The ERC evaluates reports that are scrubbed of all identifying features so the issue is considered, not the individual who caused it. This provides a fair and discipline-free option to resolve an issue without involving a performance investigation. Keep in mind that the ASAP program has exceptions for reports involving alcohol and intentional disregard for policy and procedure. Please review the ASAP webpage for more details.

EAP Professional Standards (Our Favorite!)

Professional Standards (PS) is a division of the AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) committee. Committee representatives are specially trained in mediation and have many options available to offer Flight Attendants that find themselves in a conflict with another FA. The beauty of this program is that it does not involve AS management at all. It is completely confidential and avoids the stressful investigation process that would be the result from contacting management alone. Keep in mind, once management is involved, EAP/PS cannot step in to help. Therefore your Council 35 officers strongly recommend that FAs consider Professional Standards first, before any other option. Any Flight Attendant who has endured an investigation due to being “turned in” by another FA would agree that avoiding management’s involvement is always a better option.

To contact SFO EAP Professional Standards, please reach out to sfo.eap@afaalaska.org for a consultation.

Scheduling Quick Links

by Virginia Fritz, VP Elect and Scheduling Chair

Pre-cancellations

Have a precancellation and don’t know what options you have? Please review the flow chart on our webpage to see which scenario fits your specific situation.\

IROPs

On a trip and experiencing an IROP situation? Save the link to the AFA Scheduling IROPs guide to understand pay and scheduling options for each scenario.

Fly Now, Grieve Later

Keep in mind that there will be times when there may not be time to evaluate the legalities of a situation you encounter. You may need to fly the trip and open a ticket for review after the fact. Your SFO Scheduling Committee can help you through the resolution process if an issue is not able to be resolved at the time it occurs.

More questions? Contact sfo.scheduling@afalaska.org.

New Council 35 Committee Openings:

Government Affairs Committee Chair

The Government Affairs (GA) committee promotes the AFA-CWA agenda by supporting legislative efforts that benefit our members or lobbying to discourage laws that will negatively impact members. What can be achieved in legislation takes away the need for negotiation in our contracts. If you have an interest in government issues, please visit the GA webpage on the AFA Alaska website. Submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.

Mobilization Committee Chair

Council 35 is looking to fill the chair position for upcoming Section 6 negotiations. The chairs from each base will compose the committee with the goal to help motivate and provide assistance to members during the negotiations process. If you are passionate about improvements to our contract and understand the power of solidarity, please apply! Submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration. For more information, please see the recent MEC communication announcing the role.

Interested in another committee position? Please review the duties and responsibilities on the AFA Alaska Committee website. Please submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.

Complimentary In These Times for AFA-CWA Members

Provided by AFA International
Each year, In These Times magazine makes a limited number of subscriptions available to valued readers – for free. This year, they’ve invited AFA-CWA members to take part. In These Times is an award-winning, monthly magazine that has covered movements for social and economic justice since 1976. With over 40 years of chronicling and informing the labor movement, they report from the perspective of workers, not the bosses. There’s no payment or credit card info required, and no strings attached. The only catch is that there is a limited number of free subscriptions available, so take advantage of this and sign up now! To claim your free subscription, visit the In These Times website.

SFO KCM New Location

Effective May 12, 2022 TSA relocated the KCM entrance for SFO Terminal 2. It has been relocated to the C-gate check point (near Green Beans Coffee) where you will find a dedicated KCM crew line. This check point is open from 0400-0030 daily.

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 Elect
James Ikehara, Secretary
Brad Young, Council Representative

Council 35 News – April 2022

May 9, 2022 15:52

Topics

Important Dates

April 30: CWA Scholarship Application Due
May 10: CA Membership Meeting
May 26: C35 Officer Election Polls Close

CA Membership Meeting

Hosted by Councils 35, 18, and 15

The next membership meeting for Council 35 members will be Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 1100 via Zoom. The purpose will be to discuss the upcoming AFA-CWA Annual Board of Directors Meeting. This meeting will be a combined council meeting and open to all Council 35 (SFO), 18 (LAX) and 15 (SAN) members in good standing (up-to-date on dues). Agenda can be found here. Deadline to submit advanced agenda items is 5/6/22. To attend, please register here.

Officer Election Coming Soon!

It’s election time for SFO and members will have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote for Council 35 officers. All Council 35 voting instructions and guidelines can be found on the AFA Elections Page. The AFA-CWA Membership Services Department handles all voter questions and issues new activation codes if ballots are misplaced or never received. The Ballot Help Line is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern time. If you have a question or need a new 16-digit activation code, you may contact the Ballot Help Line at 800-424-2401, then press 1 and dial extension 706.

Council 35 Election Dates

Ballots Mailed:  4/27/22
Polls Open:  5/5/22
Polls Close/Results:  5/26/22, 1200 PST
Term Date Start: 7/1/22
Term Date End:  6/30/25

New Council 35 Committee Openings

Government Affairs Committee Chair

The Government Affairs (GA) committee promotes the AFA-CWA agenda by supporting legislative efforts that benefit our members or lobbying to discourage laws that will negatively impact members. What can be achieved in legislation takes away the need for negotiation. If you have an interest in government issues, please visit the GA webpage on the AFA Alaska website. Submit your letter of interest to SFO@afaalaska.org for consideration.

Government Affairs Committee Chair

Spring Incentive: Love it or Hate it?

Section 6 negotiations are getting ready to launch, but did you know the MEC is regularly “negotiating” with management? A great example of this is the Spring Incentive. Management couldn’t just compel us to participate, as we already have a defined incentive program (PPP) outlined in JCBA§21.R. They approached us with the idea to help alleviate the staffing issue and the “negotiations” began. This particular program, developed exclusively by management, was not received well by the MEC at first glance. Right away we rejected some of the most contentious issues: threshold way too high, not enough people will benefit, won’t motivate regular flyers, not including enough pay codes (i.e. vacation). Pretty much everything that members have expressed after launch as the unsavory aspects of the program. In response we offered several suggestions to improve the program’s benefit and effectiveness to which the company declined and only agreed to a few of our suggestions. We weren’t given much time to work out the details and within a couple of days the MEC had to make a decision to either support the program, or reject it altogether. Some may disagree with the choice we made, but I can share with you why I was a reluctant yes.

When considering SFO specifically (the members that elected me), I came to the conclusion that the Spring Incentive would potentially benefit the SFO F/As more than not. The program rewards high-time flyers (always been an SFO trend) and brings a little extra pay to overworked reserves. With this in mind, I decided that it was better to say yes to the program than say no. I made my decision based on my understanding of the base and what my members want. The best way for me to know what members want is to hear from you! If this program is good for you, let me know! If you hate it, let me know! I can make better decisions in the future if my members share with me how they feel about issues that affect their work environment. If members are curious about how I voted on a particular issue, please reach out and ask! I am happy to share my decisions and receive feedback to better support SFO FAs.

TSA Crew Member Self Defense Training Program – Reinstated

The TSA Crew Member Self Defense Training Program has been reinstated and is available for all US-based flight attendants free of charge. There are 2 classes scheduled for their South San Francisco location on May 19th and June 16th, from 0800-1200. If you cannot attend these dates, additional classes for 2022 may be offered at a later date. Use this link for more information and to sign up for one of their classes.

Scholarship Opportunities

Provided by AFA International

The Joe Beirne Scholarship offered by CWA is available to AFA Members and dependents. The deadline for applications is April 30. For more information please visit the CWA website.

Member Questions: Negotiations

Why Do We Call Contract Negotiations “Section 6?”

The term “Section 6” refers to the part of the Railway Labor Act (RLA) that defines the negotiations process. In many industries, collective bargaining agreements (CBA) have an expiration date, and until a new one is negotiated, the benefits of the old contract are no longer available. The industries that fall under the RLA have contracts that become amendable, meaning they open up for changes but don’t officially expire (unless specifically defined), and it stays in effect until a new one is ratified (voted in by members). This was to prevent a transportation shutdown in the early days of the RLA’s existence, as it would have had (and still does have) a devastating effect on the infrastructure of the nation. What can F/As do now to help? Get educated and follow the progress of the Negotiating Committee! Many SFO members haven’t experienced full Section 6 negotiations and understanding the process is crucial to our success. For more information about negotiations please visit the AFA Alaska Negotiations website.

Solidarity and Why We Need It

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines solidarity as: unity (as of a group or class) that produces or is based on community of interests, objectives, and standards. Many members are frustrated with management’s decisions and policies that have rolled out recently. It’s been rough and your Council 35 officers and committee members are united in the frustration! Going to social media to vent is a great way to chat with other members and share experiences and frustrations, however it can also hinder our progress at the negotiations table. Please see the recent MEC communication on this topic. Social media campaigns as well as individual emails to management expressing displeasure only show that we are a divided work group. As your elected leaders, that is literally our job-to confront management on your behalf. If we don’t hear from you, we can’t stand up to ask for change. Tell us! The best way to let them know we mean business is to stand together in solidarity.

Alaska Pilot Strike Vote

Council 35 has received several emails from members concerned about the pilot strike vote and how it will impact F/As lives. One of the issues that has raised the most concern is the strike vote planned for May. Although the vote is scheduled soon, it does not mean the actual strike, if it happens, will follow immediately. ALPA (pilot Union for AS pilots) and the company have just recently entered the mediation phase of negotiations, which could last an indefinite amount of time: weeks, months, maybe even years. If mediation is unsuccessful, there will be an appeal to the National Mediation Board (NMB) to release the parties from mediation, which is followed by a cooling off period of 30 days. The pilots follow the same process for negotiations under the RLA as we do at AFA-CWA. To see a breakdown of steps, please visit our Negotiations website where you will find a helpful chart and breakdown of the different phases of the process. Flight Attendants can also follow ALPA’s progress by visiting the ALPA website.

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,

Melissa, James and Brad

Council 35 News – May 2022

ALPA Alaska Approves Tentative Agreement for Pilot Ratification

September 2022 MEC Meeting Recap

Celebrating Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month

We Will Never Forget – September 11, 2001

Reserve Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2022

ALPA Alaska Approves Tentative Agreement for Pilot Ratification

Masks Are No Longer Required in Airports or Onboard

December 2021 MEC Meeting Recap

Negotiations News

Recent Posts

Local Councils

Master Executive Council

Negotiations

Contract

Committees

News By Month

Want To Stay In The Loop?

Connect With AFA

Recent Posts

Local Councils

Master Executive Council

Negotiations

Contract

Committees

News By Month

News By Category

Want To Stay In The Loop?

Connect With AFA