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Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2026

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This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

On Tuesday, May 5, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), Bob Moore (PDX), Slater Areno (SFO), Heather Holmes (LAX), and JP Perina (SAN). MEC Uniform Committee Chairperson David Jelinek was also present.

The committee also met with SFO Inflight Base Manager Cierra Lewis, SEA Fit Center Supervisor Ashley Sentner, Senior Director of Sourcing & Procurement Christine Wakayama, Alaska Principal Product Manager of Service Strategy Megan Low, and Brand Partnerships & Uniform Manager Janelle Bayne.

The next Quarterly Uniform Committee Meeting will be held on Thursday, August 13.

Topics of Discussion 

The committee reviewed several topics both during internal AFA-only conversation and when meeting with management. Some items discussed include:

  • Discounted Hosiery on Zappos: Unfortunately, management’s contact at Zappos is no longer working there. They are trying to find a new contact. More to come.
  • Compression Socks and Tights: Two companies that provide compression tights and socks (Discount Surgical and Compression Sale) have been added to the Perkspot website. For links to these companies and to see their product lines, check out Perkspot on Team AAG (Team AAG > HR/Pay/Total Rewards > Perks & Discounts > Employee Discounts – Perkspot).  
  • Patriotic Tie: is now permitted to be worn when working an Honor Flight. The uniform policy guide will be updated soon. 
  • Uniform Quality Concerns:
    • The Committee raised concerns about how the fabric quality appears to have changed between pieces purchased at the uniform launch and those purchased in the last year or two. The fabric content is the same, yet they feel different, and the sizes run differently.  
    • Management has collected samples and is comparing those to pieces in the fit center. At this point, there will be no changes in manufacturing; however, they are trying to pinpoint the cause of the discrepancy. 
  • Uniform Compliance Checks:
    • We are all aware of the ongoing uniform compliance checks. Management is focused on increasing compliance with the existing uniform policy among Flight Attendants in preparation for the upcoming new uniform launch. The Committee does not want any Flight Attendants to be issued Records of Discussion (RODs) or any other steps of discipline.
    • If you are flying with a Uniform Committee Member, feel free to ask questions.  If we see something that is not compliant and point it out, we are only trying to help you avoid a ROD. Feedback from a Uniform Committee Member is meant to help you avoid having a potentially negative interaction with a supervisor.
    • The Committee believes there are some vague policies that lead to Flight Attendants’ own interpretation and conflicting responses from management. Prime examples are nails and hair. The Committee asked for a visual reference for nails and hair. Management states that one was published in a monthly newsletter a while back, and that examples are included in the uniform policy guide.
    • Management states they have tried various approaches to get the workgroup on board with compliance standards, yet continue to see the same violations. Some of the most common violations they are seeing are:
      • Transition jacket worn with dresses or during boarding. The transition jacket is not allowed with any of the dresses or during boarding.
      • Noncompliant shoes and boots with Aura dress. Please refer to the shoe standards in the uniform policy guide and reach out to a supervisor or an AFA Uniform Committee Member with any questions before a compliance check.
      • Hoop nose rings. Only a single nose stud, no larger than 2 mm, is allowed.
      • Incorrect pin placement or too many pins. Please see the uniform policy guide for correct pin placement.
      • Quarter-zip, atlas, and aura cardigans, without a shirt or shell under. Aura and atlas cardigans are considered layering pieces and must be worn over the shell or a blue button-up shirt. A quarter zip cardigan can only be worn over a button-up shirt.
    • Management is starting crew check-ins with a focus on premium long-haul, Hawaii, and international flying. Check-ins will focus on multiple job aspects, including uniform compliance. Flight Attendants will be issued three RODs before moving to performance steps. If a uniform violation is not “fixable,” the Flight Attendant may be removed from their trip without pay. 
    • Management will be sending monthly reminders in base newsletters, with varying focuses.
  • Wings:
    • There is a trend of wings breaking and even arriving broken. Please inspect your wings upon receipt and let your supervisor know if any are broken.
    • Flight Attendants are allowed to order four sets of wings each year, each style. Example: you can order four sets of standard wings and four sets of “Committed to Kindness” wings for a total of eight. Wings take a while to be produced and shipped, so order wings as soon as you believe you need them.
    • Not having wings on your outer garment may result in a ROD during a uniform check. If you have wings on order and are waiting for them, let the supervisor know during the check. It will be verified, and a ROD will not be issued.
    • Ordering wings after a ROD is issued, following a uniform check, will not remove the ROD.
    • Wearing the children’s wings from the Flight Attendant Kit is not an allowable substitute, and management will issue a ROD.
    • Wearing the gold wings from previous uniforms will also result in a ROD.
  • Update on Inventory:
    • What items are currently backordered?
      • Pants: Tall modern pants in size 00 tall and 2 are low in stock. Pants ordered with a specific inseam are hemmed at the factory. There is low stock on some inseam lengths; however, unhemmed pants are available in all sizes. If an item says “no stock” on a specific inseam, order the size you need anyway, and Unisync will have an unhemmed pair of pants hemmed to your requested size. 
      • There are also some inventory challenges with short-sleeve Atlas blue shirts.

What The Committee Is Working On

1. Easier Reporting of Quality Concerns: Management is working to add the ability to report quality concerns directly from your IMD in Comply365. We were getting closer; however, with the ongoing merger-related changes, it was pushed down the queue. An update will be provided when the tool is available. 

To ensure issues are addressed until the new IMD feature is available, please submit quality concerns using the Quality Concern Form on Team AAG > Other Resources > Uniforms > Safety & Quality > Quality > Here [AAG SSO required]. This will enable Unisync and the AFA Uniform Committee to track recurring issues. Changes can only be made if the vendor is provided with sufficient data and evidence of quality concerns.

2. Policy and Standards Expectations of the New Uniform: The Committee and management are aware of the challenges ahead as we move forward with the new uniform and a global look. The Committee raised concerns about the expectation that a single workgroup will represent two brands. It was suggested that the design team for the new uniform meet with Crew Planning to discuss how our pairings are currently built and how Reserves are used for last-minute flights.

3. AFA Alaska Uniform Committee Page: The Committee is working to update the AFA Alaska Uniform Committee page with resources to help Flight Attendants, such as the maternity process, sensitivity uniform options, and links to other sites and policies. 

4. New Uniform Wear Testing: The new uniform is still on schedule to launch in Q4 of 2028. The vendor is expected to be selected this month, and the process of developing the first wear test pieces will take place over the summer. The first wear test is expected to start in Q4 2026. The first wear test will focus on multiple fabrics and general fit and design. The following wear tests will narrow down the fabrics and designs and address any issues that come up. 

Management has not yet provided information on how many wear testers will be needed. The Committee appreciates the enthusiasm of the Flight Attendants who have reached out asking to be wear testers. Until we have the details, we cannot anticipate the number of volunteers we will be able to use. Unfortunately, we cannot use everyone who has contacted us, but we will be reaching out in the coming months.

We Want to Hear From You!

Please fill out the Quality Concern Form on the Uniform subsite on TeamAAG with any quality issues. Additionally, you may email your Local Uniform Committee Chairperson.

Do you have other feedback for the committee or items that you’d like brought up with management? Please let us know!  Your Local Uniform Committee is your voice to management. You can find contact information on the Uniform Committee page of the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian website. 

Crew Meal Survey Now Open

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This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants

  • Crew Meal Survey now open, survey will close on Tuesday, May 26 at Noon PT

Your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) recognizes that nutrition plays a vital role in supporting the well-being and performance of Flight Attendants during the workday. Crew meals can be a component of proper nutrition.

The JNC is committed to ensuring that Flight Attendants receive appropriate meals, especially on longer international routes. The JNC is entrusted with advocating for your interests.  To do that effectively, your input is essential.

Please make your voice heard! We invite you to participate in our Crew Meal Survey. The survey is currently open and will close on Tuesday, May 26 at Noon PT. Take a moment to click the survey link and share your thoughts, so the JNC can accurately understand how you feel crew meals could factor into your nutrition plan and better represent your interests.

To Access the Survey

  • For pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants, enter your PeopleSoft Number
  • For pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants, enter your Employee Number (without leading zeros)

Some important notes:

  • Once the survey is submitted, your responses cannot be edited. Please ensure your selections are final before hitting ‘Submit’.

We encourage you to take the time to participate; an informed and engaged membership is our strongest asset during these negotiations. Thank you for your continued commitment to our collective success. If you have any questions about the survey, please reach out to the JNC at jnc@afaalaska.org.

Grievance Committee Update – 2nd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Our Grievance Committee is committed to supporting you by ensuring fair disciplinary procedures and upholding our contractual rights. Our contract guarantees at least 13 arbitration dates each year to address both disciplinary and contractual matters. Termination cases are typically prioritized to help Flight Attendants return to work as soon as possible, but we work diligently to balance these with contractual cases. AFA and management jointly decide which cases proceed to arbitration, considering a range of relevant factors.

The steps of discipline are: confirmation of an oral warning (COW), a written warning (WW), suspension (for a varying number of days), and termination. COWs, WWs, and suspensions remain in a Flight Attendant’s file for 18 months, and then are removed. If a Flight Attendant is in a disciplinary step and commits another violation, the new violation will build upon the previous violation. Management doesn’t always progress through the steps of discipline. If management investigates a Flight Attendant for theft or abuse of sick leave, for example, management will terminate the Flight Attendant if there is evidence to support its findings; if there is no evidence, then the Flight Attendant will most likely be issued a record of discussion (ROD). An ROD is not considered discipline. There is no middle ground for certain violations.  

Many Flight Attendants are under the impression that if they’ve been an overall good employee, have no to low attendance points, good kudos, decent seniority, etc., they will not be disciplined. This is not the case; regardless of any good work qualities one may have, if management believes the Flight Attendant committed an offense, they will be disciplined.

If a supervisor or manager contacts you about a flight, work issue, or disciplinary matter and there is no AFA representative present, clearly state that you would like an AFA Representative to join the call before you continue.

Subject of Most Recent Discipline

  • Sick Leave and FMLA Abuse: Terminations for sick leave and FMLA abuse are increasing, often due to travel audits. Management can see all comments or remarks on posted trip trades and personal drops, even if later deleted. If management finds evidence of abuse, termination will result. Never call in sick unless you are truly too ill or injured to fly. Calling in sick for reasons unrelated to your health, such as to care for a pet, is grounds for termination. If you cannot make it to work and are not sick, and cannot obtain a management drop, a no-show may be the best option.
  • Theft: Removing anything from the aircraft except an opened/used box of water, an unused pilot crew meal, or food you have purchased will lead to termination.
  • Timecard fraud: Examples include intentionally delaying boarding door closure to obtain sit pay. Management has terminated for this violation.
  • Reserve “Roulette”: Not being physically within two hours of base for your Reserve Availability Period (RAP) and calling in sick only once given an assignment. Management considers this a terminable violation. Management regularly reviews the trip trade postings and history related to sick calls, and whether comments and money incentives are added to trips that are subsequently called in sick. Even deleted trade history or postings can be seen by management.
  • Picking up trips when you know you are not legally able to work them.
  • Lying during an investigation
  • Drug/Alcohol violations
  • Offering or awarding passengers frequent flyer points in exchange for kudos or completed credit card applications
  • Harassment
  • Refusing scheduling revisions or ignoring requests to call Crew Scheduling.
  • Reserves Commuting During RAP: Commuting during your Reserve Availability Period (RAP), even if you have self-assigned a trip or are not in base for the full reserve period. Management has issued suspensions or terminated employment depending on the situation.
  • Social Media Violations: This includes sending friend or follow requests to passengers using information obtained from Block2Block.
  • Commuter Violations
    • Flight Attendant released from DHD and used D8Y to travel home
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y to travel to a trip picked up out of base
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y to or from incorrect cities
    • Flight Attendant used D8Y for pleasure travel.
    • Commuter audits are conducted monthly, and usually reveal reserve Flight Attendants who were not in base. 
  • Lost IMD or Other Required Items: If your IMD is stolen, obtain a police report as soon as possible.
  • Failing to complete CBT: even if Flight Attendant just forgets to close the training window (tap the “X” at the top of the screen) to move it from in process to complete.
  • Uniform Issues: Flight Attendants have been removed from duty without pay for uniform non-compliance.
  • Late to Gate or Causing a Flight Delay

Hot Topic: Social Media Discipline

Disciplinary actions related to social media, including terminations, are increasing. Remember, social media pages and accounts—including personal and group pages—are not private. The First Amendment right to free speech protects you from government action, but not from private employers like Alaska Airlines. The company has a social media policy, and arbitrators have upheld that comments made on private pages may be subject to discipline by your employer.

Reminder: Short Sick Calls

Section 32.C.5 of the CBA defines a “Short Sick Call” as calling in sick less than two hours before your scheduled check-in. If you want to avoid receiving 2.5 points for a short sick call, you must contact Crew Scheduling after the scheduled check-in time—not simply after you have checked in yourself, as clarified in Section 32.C.6.

Recent Arbitration/Mediation

April 2025Disciplinary Grievance
May 2025Disciplinary Grievance
May 2025Disciplinary Grievance
June 2025Disciplinary Grievance
July 2025Disciplinary Grievance
August 2025Disciplinary Grievance
September 2025Disciplinary Grievance
October 2025Disciplinary Grievance
November 2025Disciplinary Grievance
January 2026Disciplinary Grievance
February 2026Disciplinary Grievance
March 2026Disciplinary Grievance
April 2026Disciplinary Grievance

Recent Contractual Arbitrations

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-38-24-Violation of §8.M and Grievance Settlement 36-99-2-458-22 Violation of §8.D Check In and Debrief.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.M [Hours of Service: Domicile Rest] and Grievance Settlement 36-99-2-458-22 [Violation of §8.D Check In and Debrief], and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or around September 23, 2023, the Company refused to allow a Flight Attendant who had operationally-impacted reduced domicile rest (§8.M.2) to utilize the applicable contractual provisions of §8.M, which would have allowed the Flight Attendant to be removed from their subsequent sequence beginning September 24, 2023, without pay pursuant to §8.M.3, due to the domicile rest time between sequences projecting to fall below CFR-required rest. Instead, on the evening of September 23, 2024, Crew Scheduling altered the Flight Attendant’s check-in time for the subsequent sequence (on September 24, 2023) to a later check-in time in violation of §8.M.2, thereby denying them access to their contractual right to be released from the subsequent sequence without pay pursuant to §8.M.3. 

Decision:

Alaska Airlines, Inc., violated Section 8.M of the collective bargaining agreement when the Flight Attendant waived contractual domicile rest and, before their duty period on the first trip ended and the Company changed their report time for the first duty period of the second trip to meet CFR requirements. Alaska Airlines, Inc. shall cease and desist from unilaterally changing a Flight Attendant’s report time for the first duty period of the second trip to meet CFR requirements before the Flight Attendant’s duty period on the first trip has ended where a Flight Attendant has waived contractual domicile rest.

Recent Grievance Settlements

None

Grievances Recently Mediated 

None

Grievances Recently Granted by Management 

None

Grievances Recently Withdrawn

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-22-14-Violation of Required Maternity Leave.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Section 15.D. and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to require Flight Attendants to begin Maternity Leave after the 28th week of pregnancy.   

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-207-20-Violation of §10, §11.D & §24.L Bundled Scheduling Notifications.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10 [Scheduling], §11.D [Reserve:  Scheduling/Notice of Time to Report] and §24.L [General and Miscellaneous: Company-Provided Inflight Mobile Device (IMD)], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) scheduling system sent bundled scheduling notifications to Flight Attendants on their Inflight Mobile Devices (IMDs) or directly in Crew Access, requiring Flight Attendants to batch acknowledge or ignore such notifications and thereby resulting in Flight Attendants potentially waiving multiple contractual protections via an extra-contractual point of contact (i.e. Crew Access scheduling notifications).  

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-384-20-Violation of §10.S Scheduling Notifications.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10.S [Scheduling :  Pre-Cancellations], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it used non-contractual scheduling notifications sent to Flight Attendants via the Crew Scheduling system in order to communicate and assign alternate flying or an obligation to call Crew Scheduling within a specific window of time.  If a Flight Attendant accepts such non-contractual scheduling notification(s), which is neither contact by Crew Scheduling via Company email nor via primary phone contact as defined in §10.S.1.a, the scheduling notification(s) violates the contract by abrogating the Flight Attendant’s ability to: (1) decline the alternate assignment and waive pay protection (§10.S.2.b), (2) decline the “out of original footprint by more than two hours” alternate assignment and call Crew Scheduling between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM (local domicile time) the night prior to the start of the original sequence (§10.S.2.c), or (3) waive pay protection and be relieved of any further scheduling obligation (§10.S.3). 

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-386-20-Violation of §8.Q & §8.R Contactability and Notification of Delay or Cancellation.This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.Q [Hours of Service: Contactability] and §8.R [Hours of Service: Notification of Delay or Cancellation], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it used non-contractual scheduling notifications sent via the Crew Scheduling system in order to communicate and assign revised flying to Flight Attendants who were off-duty on a remain overnight (RON). Such scheduling notifications are in violation of the contractually defined means of contact and/or the Flight Attendant’s obligation to respond pursuant to these provisions.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-41-24- Violation of §25.B Safe and Healthy Workplace-B/E Aerospace Coffee Makers.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §25.B [Air Safety, Heath and Security:  Safe and Healthy Workplace] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about February 15, 2024, it refused AFA’s request to discontinue the use of older style B/E Aerospace coffee makers until adequate physical mitigations are put into place to prevent the coffee makers, when coupled with the Company’s new onboard coffee product, from spewing hot coffee and grounds during the brew process, which has previously resulted in the injury of at least ten Flight Attendants.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-36-20-Violation of §25.B ANC Training Facility.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §25.B [Air Safety, Health and Security: Safe and Healthy Workplace], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it conducted Recurrent Training (RT) drills in Anchorage, Alaska in the Ross Aviation Hanger, and on or about February 16-19, 2020, the external temperature ranged from 18 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit and when the hanger door opened, frequently without notice, the internal hanger temperature dropped to as low as 46 degrees.  After the external hanger door opened it took approximately two hours with a loud heater to get the internal temperature back up to the low to mid 60s.  

Grievances Recently Filed and Awaiting Management Response

None

Grievances Recently Filed and Denied

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-122-25-Violation of §21.T Sit Pay.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §21.T [Compensation: Sit Pay] and §5

[Definitions: Ground Time] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to pay sit pay for the cumulative time between two flights, which is ground time. Normally it is paid from L1 door opening of the prior flight until L1 door closing for the final time from the departing flight; it should be paid regardless of the interim activities before the closing of the L1 door for the final time.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-255-25- Violation of §8.F Over-Duty Pay and §11.F

Airport Standby.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.F [Hours of Service: Over-Duty Pay] and §11.F [Reserve: Airport Standby] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to pyramid the pay rate for a Flight Attendant who sits airport standby (APSB) and is subsequently assigned flying with a duty period that initially exceeds 10:30 (except for those APSB Flight Attendants who accept a 4K) but ultimately goes over-duty, greater than 12:30.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-256-25– Violation of §8.F Over-Duty Pay and §10.E

Line Construction and Operational Impact.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.F [Hours of Service: Over-Duty Pay] and §10.E [Scheduling: Line Construction and Operational Impact] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to pyramid the pay rate of flights, including surface deadheads, for a Flight Attendant whose duty period intrudes into a day off by 15 minutes or more and the trip also extends over-duty, flying over 12:30, in the same duty period.

Grievances Previously Filed, Denied by Management and Currently Awaiting Arbitration Dates

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-55-17-Violation of §21.V Winds Aloft Adjustment of Sit Pay in JCTE.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §21.V [Compensation: “Scheduled” or “Actual” For Minimum Pay Rules (MPRs) and/or Sit Pay], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when its Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) trading system displayed each posted trip as a static ‘snapshot’ taken at the time of posting rather than a ‘live’ view, thus denying the Flight Attendant the ability to determine whether a trip is eligible for 1.0 TFP of Sit Pay due to an automated scheduling adjustment (e.g. by the Winds Aloft program).

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-41-19-Violation of §25.D.2 Failing to Notify MEC President and ASHSC of Reconfiguration or Re-design Prior to Final Decision. This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §25.D.2 [Air Safety, Health and Security: Safety Information], past practice and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it failed to notify the MEC President of a decision to reconfigure or re-design the interior of the Airbus aircraft and when it failed to discuss with the ASHSC the parties’ interests and concerns for inflight safety prior to making a final decision on the reconfiguration/re-design. 

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-84-22-Violation of §21.J Ground Delay Pay.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §21.J [Compensation:  Block and Ground Delays], past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it did not pay ground delay pay accumulatively, requiring each delay to go over 11 minutes to be eligible for pay, when a flight (same flight number/same routing) returns to gate one or more times.  

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-176-22-California Family School Partnership Act Violation of Past Practice and Roberts Award.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of past practice, the Roberts Award 36-99-2-49-03, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it unilaterally disallowed the California Family School Partnership Act for those Flight Attendants based in Los Angeles (LAX); then reinstated, with no notice, the state law for LAX based Flight Attendants only, but not for the other California based Flight Attendants in San Diego (SAN) or San Francisco (SFO), and not for the rest of the Flight Attendants based in our system, Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX) or Anchorage (ANC), in violation of Roberts.

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-215-23-Violation of §10.J.4 Bidding Packet and Bidding Times and Violation of Grievance Settlement 36-99-2-116-18.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10.J.4 [Scheduling:  Bid Packets and Bidding Timelines], Grievance Settlement 36-99-2-116-18, past practice, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about July 10, 2023, it and/or the NAVBLUE Preferential Bidding System (PBS) vendor did not provide an administrative lock-out function or a mutually agreeable alternate solution to allow for the correction of a technical issue when processing bid awards without opening up the system to all users.   

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-248-23- Violation of §32 and Roberts Decision.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §32 [Attendance], past practice, the Roberts Award 36-99-2-49-03, and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it unilaterally rolled out state leave laws on a state-by-state basis rather than applying the most liberal of state leave laws to all Flight Attendants regardless of domicile, thereby disparately treating Flight Attendants within the Collective Bargaining unit, in violation of Roberts. 

Grievance No.:  36-99-2-170-24-Violation of §15.G Leaves Related to Serious Aircraft/Crewmember/Passenger Incidents (AQ).  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §15.G [Leaves of Absence: Leaves Related to Serious Aircraft/Crewmember/Passenger Incidents] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when on or about August 30, 2024, it refused to allow Flight Attendants the ability to use the above provisions when they had a documented air quality event, as they are requiring the Flight Attendants to file workers’ compensation claims, which are frequently denied.  

Grievance No:  36-99-2-2-25- Violation of §10.Z Personal Drops.  This grievance alleges the Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §10.Z [Scheduling: Personal Drop(s)] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement occurred when, on or about October 10, 2024, it was discovered that Crew Scheduling was processing personal drops incorrectly. Instead of processing the personal drops in seniority order the day prior, as required by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Crew Scheduling would process them in random time periods throughout the day of operation, skipping over the contractual requirement to process them in seniority order the day prior. This resulted in Crew Scheduling randomly executing first-come, first-served requests based on their staffing needs, thereby circumventing the seniority order provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Grievance No:  36-99-2-73-25-Violation of §8.I Night Rule & 10.DD Long Stage Length Duty Period (“4k”). This grievance alleges t The Company’s violation of Collective Bargaining Agreement §8.I [Hours of Service: Night Rule] and§10.DD [Scheduling: Long Stage Length Duty Period (“4k”)] and all related sections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when it refused to pay double time (2.0x) for the full duty period on a 4k sequence in which the Flight Attendant is on duty at 4:29 a.m.*, 8:30 a.m.†, and the duty day is ultimately over twelve hours and thirty minutes (12:30), although they currently pay double time (2.0x) on non-4k sequences when the Flight Attendant is on duty at 4:29 a.m.*, 8:30 a.m.†, and the duty day ultimately goes over ten hours and thirty minutes (10:30).

* Local time
† Initial departure station time of the duty period

System Board of Adjustment Interviews – June 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Our Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting interviews for one (1) Member to serve on the pre-merger Alaska AFA System Board of Adjustment.

Scope

Members are to serve on the System Board of Adjustment for the purpose of arbitrating any disputes or grievances that may arise under the terms of the Agreement between Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines and its Flight Attendants.

Policy/Responsibilities

  • There will be two members selected by the MEC from active members in good standing to represent the Association. Members will be selected at-large without regard to Local Council or domicile. 
  • Until such time as a joint collective bargaining agreement is ratified, separate System Boards of Adjustment will be maintained for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants and pre-merger Hawaiian Airlines Flight Attendants.
  • Any person seeking a position as a System Board of Adjustment Member must submit a resume. Candidates must interview with the MEC.
  • System Board Members will be selected for a two (2) year election period in accordance with the AFA Constitution and Bylaws. At least one election will be reviewed in June of each year. Selection will be made, insofar as possible, to ensure that both members will not be new at the same time.  
  • The System Board Members will act in the best interest of the membership and the Association and will be consistent with the Agreement between the Flight Attendants and Alaska Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines.
  • The MEC President will have the ability, in the event of an emergency, to appoint a qualified member in good standing to fill an ad hoc position on the Board.
  • The MEC on an ad hoc basis, by majority vote, may appoint an expert as a substitute for one member of the System Board of Adjustment.

Qualifications

  • Current Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant
  • Willingness to attend the requisite grievance training(s)
  • In depth knowledge of the contract
  • Understanding of the principles of just cause
  • Adherence to Grievance Committee policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information
  • Maintenance of member-in-good-standing status
  • Ability to remain in good standing with the company
  • Ability to analyze written data and information with high attention to detail
  • Strong written and communication skills
  • Strong computer skills.

Term of Office

The selected candidate will serve a term of office that begins on July 1, 2026, and concludes on June 30, 2028.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews of eligible candidates during the June Regular MEC Meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. If you’re interested in interviewing, plan to bid around this date or adjust your schedule accordingly to accommodate. All interviews will be conducted in person in Seattle, WA or using Google Meet videoconferencing at the candidate’s discretion.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume using the online expression of interest form. The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. After the submission deadline, an MEC representative will contact eligible candidates to arrange a specific interview time.

Please note that 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.

Questions?

Any questions regarding the position or application process should be directed to pre-merger Alaska MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams at stephanie.adams@afaalaska.org.

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 14 – April 2026

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants

  • Our JNC met with management this week on April 28 to April 30 in Seattle; our next negotiation session is scheduled for June 2 to June 4
  • Our JNC is working to combine vacation provisions for Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants, presenting a vision for Section 14 (Vacation) as a starting point for negotiations
  • The Crew Meal Survey will be sent to your inbox on May 12 to collect feedback as the JNC evaluates Section 22 (Expenses)

Negotiations Update

Our AFA Alaska + Hawaiian Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management. The JNC met with management on April 28 to April 30 in Seattle, WA. At the negotiating table for this session were:

Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants  Representing Management
Tim Green, Joint Negotiating Committee ChairpersonAllen Thieman, Vice President of Inflight, Alaska
Martin Gusman, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberJoe Wonderly, Vice President, Labor Relations, Alaska
Jeffrey Fuke, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberCarmen Williams, Managing Director, Labor Relations, Alaska
Virginia Fritz, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberKalani Sloat, Senior Director, Labor Relations, Hawaiian
Heather Reier, Joint Negotiating Committee MemberMike Link, Labor Relations Program Manager, Alaska
Paula Mastrangelo, AFA Senior Staff NegotiatorKaren Themelis, Senior Labor Relations Business Partner, Alaska

This session, the JNC continued to look closely at both the Alaska and Hawaiian vacation systems. At the start of the week, we had a helpful discussion about how Flight Attendant vacation is managed. Jake Jones, AFA’s MEC Scheduling Chairperson, joined us along with vacation administrators from both Alaska and Hawaiian: Manager of Crew Planning, Jefferey Hunt; Manager of Crew Staffing, Alex Mandus; Manager of Crew Planning, Colin Beard; Flight Crew Administration Manager, Laurie Shiira; Manager of Crew Pay, Debbie Bakke; Senior Crew Plan Analyst, Rich Nicklaw; and Senior Crew Plan Analyst, Choak O’Connell.


As the JNC began discussing combining the elements of the vacation sections, we identified several important issues that would need close work with company stakeholders. We proposed a collaborative approach to management to tackle the complicated provisions, so both sides can work together to find solutions that meet everyone’s needs. With this in mind the JNC presented our vision for Section 14 (Vacation), which will be used as a starting point for discussion.


The JNC also passed and received from management proposals on the new Section 37 (Temporary Duty Assignment) and shared our first proposal for Section 35 (Flight Attendant Jumpseat and Pass Privileges). The committee also continued to trade proposals on Section 36 (Commuter Policy).

Section by Section Progress

The Alaska CBA is being used as the basis of the joint contract for language purposes. Each section and provision from both contracts will be reviewed individually to incorporate and amend the strongest elements from each agreement.

Sections discussed in this session:

  • 🆕 Temporary Duty Assignments (AS CBA does not address these provisions and HA CBA Section 15)
  • Vacations (AS CBA Section 14 and HA CBA Section 18)
  • Commuter Policy (AS CBA Section 36 and HA CBA Section 34-28)
  • Flight Attendant Jumpseat and Pass Privileges (AS CBA Section 35 and HA CBA Section 30)

Sections in ongoing discussion:

  • Leaves of Absence (AS CBA Section 15 and HA CBA Section 17)
  • Sick Leave (AS CBA Section 16 and HA CBA Section 19)
  • General and Miscellaneous (AS CBA Section 24 and HA CBA Section 27)
  • Domiciles (AS CBA Section 28 and HA CBA Section 5, 14, and 27)
  • Training (AS CBA Section 30 and HA CBA Section 26)

Sections listed below are on hold until discussions regarding future sections, which affect specific provisions, take place.

  • Seniority (AS CBA Section 6 and HA CBA Section 9)
  • Grievance Procedures (AS CBA Section 19 and HA CBA Section 23)
  • Charters (AS CBA Section 33 and HA CBA Section 12)

Crew Meal Survey

Our JNC is in the process of reviewing Expenses (AS CBA Section 22 and HA CBA Section 4). We are looking for your feedback regarding Crew Meals. The survey is currently being finalized and will be sent to your inbox on May 12.

  • Survey opens Tuesday, May 12 at 9 AM PT
  • Survey closes on Tuesday, May 25 at Noon

What’s Upcoming

Our next session with management is scheduled for June 2 to June 4.

Boeing 787 Seattle International Service Observation Period Update – May 2026

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Over the past few weeks, Alaska-branded 787 International Service launched with flights on April 25 (SEA-ICN), April 28 (SEA-FCO), and, coming soon, May 21 (SEA-LHR). As many of you know, the Seattle international service has not yet been formally agreed upon. Per the Hawaiian Contract [Section 29.I.4.], […]

Council 19 (SEA pmAS) LEC Officer Election Results

Polls closed at 12 PM PT today for the election of Council 19 LEC Officers, representing Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants based in Seattle. The following AFA Flight Attendants have been elected to Local Council Officer positions: LEC President: Paula Isla-McGillLEC Vice President: Melinda JorgeLEC Secretary: Adam ClareyCouncil Representatives: Kiersten Larson and Andrew Stinson These newly elected officers will begin […]

Government Affairs Committee Update – 2nd Quarter 2026

Voting Primaries/ Important Dates Alaska Primary: July 19Registration Deadline: Aug 18 California Primary: June 2Registration Deadline:  May 18 Florida Primary: August 18Registration Deadline: July 20  Hawaii Primary: August 8Registration Deadline: July 29Deadline to request absentee ballot: August 1 Oregon Primary: May 19Registration Deadline: PASSEDBallots began being mailed to registered voters on April 29, check your mailboxes! […]

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 2nd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, May 5, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), Bob Moore (PDX), Slater Areno (SFO), Heather […]

Crew Meal Survey Now Open

Crew meals are an important aspect of supporting the health and effectiveness of Flight Attendants. As part of ongoing efforts to enhance these provisions, the JNC is collecting feedback from Flight Attendants. Your participation in the Crew Meal Survey will directly influence future meal standards and help ensure that your needs and preferences are represented.

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