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Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

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AFA Update – August 16, 2019

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In This Edition

  • Hotel Crew Room Blocks Card Now Online
  • REMINDER: Human Rights Committee Forming
  • TAKE ACTION: Stop Toxic Fumes!
  • Cabin Air Quality Resources

Hotel Crew Hotel Room Blocks Card Now Online

Hotel Committee

Your AFA Hotel Committee has succeeded in their effort to have the Crew Hotel Room Blocks card uploaded to an easily accessible location on both the Inflight website and the IMD.  The Crew Hotel Room Blocks card (commonly known as the “purple card”) is a quick reference card that provides information about appropriate hotel room features and room locations.  This card can be shown to hotel staff when you are assigned a hotel room that does not meet the requirements of the company’s contract with the hotel in order to hopefully remedy the situation on-the-spot. 

Going forward, the Crew Hotel Room Blocks card will be published on the first page of the monthly Hotel Hotline document.  The Hotel Hotline can be found on the Flight Attendant website under Hotel, Travel & Station > Hotel Hotline.  On the IMD, you can find the Hotel Hotline under ASFASupplemental > Hotel Hotline.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Local Hotel Committee.

REMINDER: Human Rights Committee Forming

Human Rights Committee

In 2018, the AFA Board of Directors approved the creation of Human Rights Committees across AFA, with committees to be formed at each Local Council and MEC.  Members of the Human Rights Committee will work to promote activities that foster greater understanding of one another and the diversity of our membership in order to build the strength of our Union through our common struggles and goals rather than allowing others to divide us by our differences.  This work will involve close coordination with local community and CWA allies to engage in efforts that advance both human rights and worker’s rights.

As part of the formation of the Committee, volunteer involvement opportunities are available both at the local level (Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson) and the airline level (MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson).  If you are interested in filling the role of Local Human Rights Committee Chairperson, please refer to recent communications from your Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers or contact your LEC President.

MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson

Information about the MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson can be found in the August 2, 2019 AFA Update.

The MEC will hold interviews for the position of MEC Human Rights Committee Chairperson during the September MEC meeting on Tuesday, September 17.  Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/bns2FHqC11PLe3889.  The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, September 10.  After that time, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

Please note that in order to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

TAKE ACTION: Stop Toxic Fumes!

Government Affairs Committee

The Cabin Air Safety Act of 2019 aims to protect airline passengers and crew from the harmful effects of toxic cabin air.

“Our workspace is the public’s travel space and in that space today, crews and passengers are breathing toxins and it has to stop,” said AFA International President Sara Nelson.

Call your Representative and Senators today and tell them to cosponsor the Cabin Air Safety Act. The House bill is H.R. 2208 and the Senate bill is S. 1112. 

Call Your Representative: 866-937-4359

Call Your Senators: 877-750-7411 

“Hi, my name is_________. As a constituent and a Flight Attendant, I am calling to ask you to cosponsor the Cabin Air Safety Act of 2019. Flight Attendants and passengers can be exposed to toxic fumes in the cabin. We need the FAA to intervene and implement protections. Support clean air onboard for passengers and Flight Attendants!”

AFA’s efforts to improve the cabin environment span the last three decades, from advocating for smoke-free skies to stopping poisonous pesticide spraying to addressing the dangers of contaminated bleed air. We advocate that the airline industry either end the use of engine bleed air for cabin air supply like on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or mitigate the circulation of contaminated air. In 2015, AFA was an active member of the ICAO task group that published Circular 344, which advises airlines to enhance their operational procedures to minimize onboard exposure to smoke and fumes. This led to an FAA Safety Alert published in 2018. This is progress, but it doesn’t go far enough. 

“Most Americans go to work with the expectation of breathing clean air. Flight Attendants don’t have this guarantee, and it is past time for that to change,” AFA President Sara Nelson said.

Cabin Air Quality Resources

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee – Air Quality Subcommittee

Your AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) and Air Quality Subcommittee have worked with AFA International to put together a number of tools and resources to use in the event of a cabin air fume event.  Some of the resources available are listed below.

Air Quality Fume Event FAQs

The Committee has compiled a comprehensive question and answer document to help provide information about many of the questions and concerns that have been received about cabin air fume events.

You can access the Q&A document by clicking here.

Air Quality Exposure Quick Reference Card

The Air Quality Exposure Quick Reference Card is a wallet sized card that explains what to do in a contaminated cabin air exposure event.  The card can be kept in a badge holder behind your company ID or in your wallet.

The card was recently updated by the Committee and now includes information about the Airbus fleet.  If you currently have an older version of the card, please destroy your old card and replace it with a newly updated one. The updated cards are currently being distributed to each domicile.

Look for more information from your Local Council about where to pick one up at your base.  You can access and print the card on the AFA Alaska website by clicking here.

AFA Alaska Website

Additional air quality information, including a flow chart that describes what to do in a cabin air fume event, can be found at afaalaska.org under Committees > Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC) > Air Quality.

Questions?

If you have additional questions about cabin air quality or the AFA resources available, please email airquality@afaalaska.org or contact a member of your Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC).  

CALL NOW: Tell Your Representative to Support the AIRR Act!

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The House FAA Reauthorization Bill (H.R. 2997), also known as the 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform & Reauthorization (AIRR) Act, protects our jobs from outsourcing and sets 10 hours non-reducible minimum rest for Flight Attendants.  This is our opportunity to make these provisions law.  But it won’t happen without your action.

Politico reports: “House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s floor schedule for this week left out Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster’s FAA reauthorization bill. The million-dollar question, of course, is why. It’s likely some combination of not enough votes. The whip count was close to a few dozen votes short as of the time lawmakers left town Friday afternoon.”

AFA International President Sara Nelson is asking all of us to take action.

Click Here To Watch The Video

If Congress does not pass a FAA Reauthorization Bill, it is likely that we will not get a full FAA Reauthorization Bill adopted until after the 2018 elections.  Instead, Congress will likely pass an extension.  That is unacceptable.  We need rest now.  We need job security now.  We need a fully funded FAA now.

Call your Representative TODAY at (855) 980-2366 and tell them to support the 21st Century AIRR Act (H.R. 2997)!

Here’s what you can say when you are connected:

“I’m your constituent and a Flight Attendant. I’m calling to urge my Representative to vote YES on H.R. 2997 when it comes to the House floor. This FAA Reauthorization bill ensures I have 10 hours non-reducible rest and prevents the outsourcing of my job. Flight Attendants can’t wait any longer for these safety and job protections. Please vote YES on H.R. 2997. Thank you.”

Calling is easy: When you dial the number, you will automatically be connected to your Representative’s office after a brief message. Keep calling every day!

Why are Flight Attendants supporting H.R. 2997?  The bill advances priority safety and job protections for Flight Attendants, including:

  • Flags Don’t Fly Here — prevents the DOT from awarding foreign air carrier permits to airlines that use the flags-of-convenience model
  • 10 Hours Non-Reducible Rest and a Fatigue Risk Management Plan for Flight Attendants
  • Banning Voice Calls on Planes
  • Secondary Cockpit Barriers
  • Customer Service Agent Assault Penalties
  • Cabin Evacuation Certification Standards
  • Impact of Seat Pitch on Safety
  • Nursing Rooms in Airports
  • Improved Insecticide Notification
  • Expanded Airport Personnel Human Trafficking Awareness Training
  • Improved Lithium Ion Battery Regulations

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC Government Affairs Chairperson Krystle Berry

Equal Rest for Flight Attendants: Call Your Senators NOW

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The following is a message from your AFA Government Affairs Committee

The Senate is drafting their version of the FAA Reauthorization Bill and we need them to make combating Flight Attendant fatigue a top priority.

Tell Senators to include our 10 hours minimum rest provision along with a Fatigue Risk Management Plan (FRMP) in the base bill.

Call your Senator TODAY at (855) 534-1774 and tell them Flight Attendants need 10 hours minimum rest and not a minute less!

Congressional fatigue studies confirm we need more rest. This is about safety, health and equality – the flight deck has 10 hours minimum rest and so should we!

Call your Senator TODAY at (855) 534-1774! Calling is easy: When you dial the number, you will automatically be connected to one of your Senator’s offices after a brief message. It may take several attempts to reach both your Senators, so keep calling!

Here’s what you can say when you are connected:

“I’m your constituent and a Flight Attendant. Studies show I can become fatigued at work. I’m calling to urge the Commerce Committee to include 10-hour, non-reducible minimum rest for Flight Attendants and a Fatigue Risk Management Plan in the FAA Reauthorization Bill. Thank you.”

For more information on our #Fightfor10 Campaign visit afacwa.org.

 

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson Krystle Berry

White House Meeting with Airline and Airport Executives

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Last Thursday’s White House Airline and Airport Executive Meeting was concerning as it relates to job security and safety regulations.
Specifically, President Trump said the following:

“I know you’re under pressure from a lot of foreign elements and foreign carriers. I’ve been hearing that a little bit. At the same time, we want to make life good for them also. They come with big investments — in many cases, those investments are made by their governments. But they are still big investments.”

“So we want to help you realize these goals by rolling back burdensome regulations.” 

 Full text of public remarks >

A follow up article in The Street stated:

Given that the U.S. already has “the safest aviation system in the world,” Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, doesn’t want to see it diminished.

“The flying public enjoys aviation regulations we fought to achieve,” Nelson said in an interview. Among them: rest requirements, no smoking or knives on planes, and crew training. “Each regulation includes careful review and input from all stakeholders,” she said.

Also, Nelson said, Trump’s statements “show a complete disregard for enforcing trade agreements or protecting and promoting U.S. jobs” that are endangered by the Middle East three and Norwegian Air International.

“President Trump can’t afford to get this wrong,” Nelson said.

Read more >

Sign the petition to Save U.S. Aviation Jobs now >

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC Government Affairs Chairperson Krystle Berry

Introducing Your MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairperson

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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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