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AFA Special Update – Negotiations

In This Edition (October 25, 2019)

  • Open Time Negotiations – October 22 Recap
  • Back to Book
  • Fixing Crew Access

Open Time Negotiations – October 22 Recap

Your AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee resumed Open Time negotiations with management on October 22 in Seattle. The Negotiating Committee started out the day with high hopes based on the progress we made in the prior session. Although the parties made their best effort to maintain our momentum, we were unable to break through to an agreement on the final terms and found ourselves at an impasse.

The AFA Negotiating Committee had a mandate from membership to preserve direct dropping into Open Time, eliminate trading codes, allow day-for-day or greater trading in Open Time and to address “super closing” of days. The parties discussed several variations of new and prior proposals, but management firmly believed that all of them would potentially create an unacceptable operational and financial liability for the Company.

Back to Book

Consequently, AFA and management agreed we will be going “Back to Book” as soon as possible. The current Open Time trading rules will remain in place until the Back to Book trading rules can be programmed into Crew Access. The Back to Book trading rules are outlined in the second Section 12 [Exchange of Sequences] of the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA), labeled Back to Book (BTB) Section 12. (Yes, there are two Section 12s.) The Back to Book trading rules are found under (BTB) Section 12.F [Trades with Open Time]. Those rules are further modified by the “Withholding Open Time Award” (No. 36-99-02-18-11), which is found at the back of the JCBA under Grievance 1.

Most Flight Attendants today were not flying at Alaska when those Open Time trading rules were last in effect, so naturally there are many questions. Be on the lookout for a future communication dedicated to Back to Book Open Time trading rules.  

Fixing Crew Access

Open Time trading is essentially ineffective without the real-time, stable trading system that management is obligated to provide. Your AFA Master Executive Council (MEC) had a very encouraging meeting with management and Ken Sain, President of Digital Solutions and Analytics for Boeing Global Services, and members of his team. Management will be communicating the details of that meeting.

Although the MEC is tentatively optimistic that the Crew Access issues are finally getting long-overdue attention by the right people, we’re not relying on sincere apologies and handshakes to get us there. You can help by sending a letter to management to fix Crew Access. It’s super easy—just click the link below.

>> Click here to send management your letter <<

We must stand together and speak with one overwhelmingly loud voice to ensure that management hears our message—that they need to honor their obligations and fix Crew Access NOW!

Coming Soon

Stay tuned for the following AFA negotiations special updates (order of release subject to change):

  • Block hours vs. TFP
  • Block or Better vs. Block Delay
  • Incentive Pay vs. Productivity Premium Program (PPP)
  • Inflight Team Leader (ITL) Pay vs. “A” Pay
  • Section 6 Negotiations Overview
  • Negotiating for Our Future
  • Back to Book Open Time Trading Rules

AFA Special Update – Negotiations

In This Edition (October 22, 2019)

  • Open Time Negotiations October 9 & 10 Recap
  • Send Your Message to Management: Fix Crew Access NOW!
  • Block or Better vs. TFP—and Other Concerns

Open Time Negotiations – October 9 & 10 Recap

Your AFA Alaska Negotiating Committee resumed Open Time negotiations with management on October 9 & 10 in Seattle. The Master Executive Council (MEC) pulled the Open Time Tentative Agreement (TA) in May of this year over concerns that AFA and management had different interpretations of how a day would open and close for Open Time trading. The parties are re-negotiating Open Time trading rules to replace the Open Time Trial, which was officially actually canceled by AFA back in the summer of 2016. The Open Time Trial trading rules remain place today.

The parties made a lot of progress during the two-day session. In order to maintain the momentum of that session, the negotiating teams are meeting today (October 22) in Seattle.

Send Your Message to Management: Fix Crew Access NOW!

Regardless of the progress on Open Time negotiations, any possible changes to contractual trading language will mean nothing without a real-time, stable trading system that management is obligated to provide.  Your AFA Master Executive Council (MEC) is calling upon all Flight Attendants to stand together and let management know that we are tired of the excuses and ready for management to act!

Click here to send management your letter

As of today, only 25% of Alaska Flight Attendants have submitted letters to management demanding that immediate programming fixes be made to Crew Access.  That means that on a 4-person crew, only one Flight Attendant has taken action to stand up and fight back.  Spread the word and share the campaign and the link above with your flying partners and fellow Flight Attendants.  We must stand together and speak with one overwhelmingly loud voice to ensure that management hears our message—that they need to honor their obligations and fix Crew Access NOW!

Block or Better vs. TFP—and Other Concerns

Legacy Virgin America (L-VX) Flight Attendants have brought forward concerns that at least some contractual pay provisions may not be as generous as the related pay provisions in the now-defunct L-VX Work Rules. The chatter about “Block or Better” vs. TFP is just one example of several. All educational materials out there at the moment—including pay calculators—are grassroots efforts and have not been vetted for accuracy and are not endorsed by AFA leadership.

We are just one year away from serving notice to engage in Section 6 negotiations. Discussion and debate about potential negotiations topics is not only expected but also beneficial—as long as the conversation remains respectful and factual. Be aware that management often gains access to the “secret” social media venues, so we recommend that Flight Attendants refrain from discussing negotiations “wish list” items on social media due to the potentially negative strategic impact.

AFA Alaska will publish a series of educational articles covering some of the topics being talked about on the line, such as “Block hours vs. TFP” and “Block or better vs. block delay.” See the “Coming Soon” section for a more comprehensive list.

Coming Soon

Stay tuned for the following AFA negotiations special updates (order of release subject to change):

  • Open Time Negotiations – October 21 Recap
  • Block hours vs. TFP
  • Block or Better vs. Block Delay
  • Incentive Pay vs. Productivity Premium Program (PPP)
  • Inflight Team Leader (ITL) Pay vs. “A” Pay
  • Section 6 Negotiations Overview
  • Negotiating for Our Future

AFA Special Update – Negotiations (October 9, 2019)

In This Edition

  • Open Time Negotiations Resume October 9 & 10
  • A (Not So) Brief History of Open Time

Open Time Negotiations Resume October 9 & 10

Your AFA Negotiating Committee resume Open Time negotiations with management today and tomorrow in Seattle. As you may recall, the Master Executive Council (MEC) canceled the Open Time Tentative Agreement (TA) back in May of this year. Unfortunately, October is the first opportunity that management and AFA have had since then to reconvene their respective negotiating committees. If you are interested in reviewing the entire Open Time saga, check out “A (Not So) Brief History of Open Time” below. Otherwise, skip to the next section.

A (Not So) Brief History of Open Time

Coming Soon

Stay tuned for the following AFA special updates dedicated solely to negotiations:

  • October 9 & 10 Open Time Negotiations Recap
  • Block or Better versus TFP…and Other Concerns

Open Time Tentative Agreement Presentation

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Time: 9 AM ~ 11 AM PT (morning session) and 1 PM ~ 3 PM PT (afternoon session)

Location: Four Points by Sheraton Seattle Airport South, 22406 Pacific Highway South, Des Moines, WA 98198

Parking: Free parking is available at the Four Points hotel in the parking deck on the back side of the hotel and in the adjacent lot. 

Transportation: If you are attending from out-of-town, please call the hotel directly at (253) 642-0100 to arrange for free hotel shuttle service once you arrive at the airport.

Open Time TA broadcast

We will broadcast the presentation sessions live on the AFA Alaska YouTube Channel.

Link to morning session: https://youtu.be./AxHJ76cZidQ
Link to afternoon session: https://youtu.be/tYk34EZzvdk

TA information is found on the Open​ Time ​TA 2019 info page. You can ask questions using Slido during the presentation (Slido instructions). Please make sure to enter your first and last name followed by your base (e.g. Jane Doe SEA). Questions will only be answered if you follow this format. Any questions asked prior to the start of the event will be deleted. You have the ability to review other questions asked, and upvote anything you would like to see answered. We will endeavor to answer as many questions as possible during the presentation. We will recap and answer more questions on the blog.

Open Time TA video

AFA also plans to release a recorded compilation video of the two sessions so that all Flight Attendants will have access to the OpenTime TA presentation no matter where you are and whenever you have free time.​

Voting

Voting opens on Monday, May 6 at 9 AM PT and closes on Friday, May 31 at 9 AM PT. Once your ballot is cast, you may not change your vote. You must be an active member in good standing* at AFA Alaska on the day of the ballot count in order for your vote to be tallied. Please vote!

In Solidarity,

Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput

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

* Active member in good standing: AFA-CWA member, actively flying or continuing to pay dues each month while on a leave of absence, and dues no more than 30 days in arrears.) For additional information or assistance regarding dues or balloting, contact AFA-CWA Membership Services at 800-424-2401, Monday through Friday (closed major holidays) from 9 AM to 5 PM ET.

Open Time Negotiations Update – Tentative Agreement

A (not so) brief history of Open Time

Due to Flight Attendant dissatisfaction with Open Time that existed at the time, AFA and management negotiated a new Open Time trading system in the 2014-2019 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Because the parties were unsure how well the new system would work for everyone, we agreed to a trial period, in which we could try out the system before it became permanent. 

AFA heard loud and clear after several months of surveying that a majority of Flight Attendants were dissatisfied with the new system, so the Master Executive Council (MEC) cancelled the trial in July 2016. Under the terms of the contract, that meant AFA and management would start negotiating a new Open Time system, which began in November 2016. Meanwhile, management was supposed to have the trip trading system roll back to the prior Open Time trading rules (known as “Back to Book”) while the parties negotiated another system.

Flash forward to the present

If only it were that easy. The path to a new Open Time system has been challenged at nearly every turn: numerous programming delays, transition to a brand-new trip trading system, returning to a second round of negotiations with a mandate to achieve implementation guarantees, and an intervening merger. After nearly two and a half years, AFA and management have finally reached an Open Time tentative agreement (TA) that has been approved by the MEC for membership ratification.

Before starting negotiations in late 2016, AFA surveyed Flight Attendant to determine which features a new Open Time system must have and which would be unacceptable. The Negotiating Committee believes we have achieved an Open Time system that is worthy of your consideration. 

TA details

Click here for the Open Time TA 2019 info page >

This is a one-stop shop for all the resources you will need:

  • Important dates
  • Full text language of the Open Time TA 2019
  • Supplemental documents
  • Links to historical Open Time negotiations updates
  • Details about the Open Time TA presentation
  • The Negotiating Committee’s contact info
  • Voting info

Open Time TA live presentation

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Time: 9 AM ~ 11 AM PT (morning session) and 1 PM ~ 3 PM PT (afternoon session)

Location: Four Points by Sheraton Seattle Airport South, 22406 Pacific Highway South, Des Moines, WA 98198

Parking: Free parking is available at the Four Points hotel in the parking deck on the back side of the hotel and in the adjacent lot.

Transportation: If you are attending from out-of-town, please call the hotel directly at (253) 642-0100 to arrange for free hotel shuttle service once you arrive at the airport.

Open Time TA presentation broadcast and compilation video

Although there have been local “save the date” communications regarding a presentation on April 30th, AFA understands this is the first confirmed notice. No worries if you cannot make it because we will also broadcast the presentation sessions live on the AFA Alaska YouTube Channel, which may be accessed via the Open Time TA 2019 info page. AFA also plans to release a recorded compilation video of the two sessions so that all Flight Attendants will have access to the Open Time TA presentation no matter where you are and whenever you have free time.

Voting

Voting opens on Monday, May 6 at 9 AM PT and closes on Friday, May 31 at 9 AM PT. Once your ballot is cast, you may not change your vote. You must be an active member in good standing* at AFA Alaska on the day of the ballot count in order for your vote to be tallied. Please vote!

In Solidarity, 

Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Attorney Kimberley Chaput

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

* Active member in good standing: AFA-CWA member, actively flying or continuing to pay dues each month while on a leave of absence, and dues no more than 30 days in arrears.) For additional information or assistance regarding dues or balloting, contact AFA-CWA Membership Services at 800-424-2401, Monday through Friday (closed major holidays) from 9 AM to 5 PM ET.

Human Rights & Equity Committee Meeting Recap – 1st Quarter 2026

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Pre-Merger Hawaiian Inflight Service Committee Update – March 2026

Editor’s Note: Our MEC Inflight Service Committee now represents both pre-merger airlines, but management still makes service decisions that affect each group of Flight Attendants differently. This update covers changes for both Hawaiian- and Alaska-branded flying, but is specific to aircraft flown by pre-merger Hawaiian Airlines crews. As the work of the merger progresses, we […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 13 – March 2026

Our JNC met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management. The JNC focused on clarifying questions about moving expenses and presented a proposal for Sick Leave, using feedback from Flight Attendants to guide improvements. The Committee is working to incorporate the strongest elements from both contracts to ensure better support for all members.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – March 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, March 24, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Rebekah Olds (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), […]

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – March 2026

On Thursday, March 19, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Bradley Young (SFO), Carin Merritt (LAX pmAS), David Lake (SEA pmAS), Deb Wallstrom (ANC), Eva Gatus […]

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