pmAS – Page 15

Time To Swap Out Your Red AFA Pin & Lanyard!

March 4, 2025 13:00

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

With our contract negotiations at Alaska wrapped up and our new collective bargaining agreement in place, we’ve officially completed our mobilization activities related to Contract 2022. A huge shoutout to everyone who stood with our Negotiating Committee during this journey. Your unwavering solidarity—wearing the red AFA pin, sporting the red lanyard, and participating in our days of action and other solidarity activities—really showcased our strength to management. We couldn’t have done this without your incredible support!

Now, it’s time to shift gears and put away those red AFA accessories. The MEC has officially passed a resolution to transition back to the classic white AFA pin, so the red pin is no longer our official pin. Please swap your red AFA pin for your white one, or pick a special edition AFA pin that you love! And don’t forget to trade in your lanyard for one that follows the company’s uniform policy (check the Uniform Policy Guide for all the details—AAG SSO required).

Need a new white AFA pin? Just reach out to your Local Council. If you’re looking for a compliant lanyard, your supervisor or manager at your base can help you out.

Thanks again for your amazing solidarity—it truly makes a difference!

Introducing Our AFA Alaska Joint Negotiating Committee and Seniority Merger Integration Committee Members

November 17, 2024 13:00

Master Executive Council (MEC)

Last week, our Master Executive Council (MEC) conducted interviews for two positions on the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and two positions on the Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC). We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the candidates who participated in the interviews and demonstrated their commitment to serving our Flight Attendants. After careful consideration, we are pleased to announce the election of Virginia Fritz and Heather Reier to the JNC positions, as well as Marie Maxwell and Camile Caldwell to the SMIC positions. All will serve as the pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant representatives on their respective committees in the upcoming merger.

Joint Negotiating Committee

Virginia Fritz

Virginia has been a San Francisco-based Flight Attendant since 2015 when she started her career at Virgin America. She has always had a passion for aviation since traveling as an unaccompanied minor at 5 years old. Her desire for aviation led her to work on a Zeppelin, as a gate agent, and as an air transportation supervisor. When Alaska Airlines bought Virgin America, and she became a member of AFA, she jumped at the first opportunity to fight for Flight Attendants by serving as the Council 35 (SFO) Scheduling Committee Chairperson from 2018 until 2022. In 2022, Virginia was elected as Council 35 LEC Vice President and began serving San Francisco Flight Attendants in additional capacities, including with local Grievance, Mobilization, and Hotel Committees, as well as other needs her local Members requested of her. In 2020, she was privileged to be able to join the PBS Committee, and in 2023, she was honored to begin serving as MEC Scheduling Committee Vice Chairperson—PBS.

Virginia is honored and humbled to be elected to the Joint Negotiating Committee so that she can use her commitment and passion in advocacy to find a contract that truly helps us all be stronger together.

When not advocating for fellow Flight Attendants, Virginia resides in Los Gatos, CA, with her supportive and loving husband, their adorable pup, Strudel, and her especially Union Proud Grandmother.

Heather Reier

Heather attended her first Anchorage Local Council AFA meeting in early 2016 before even flying a trip. Being a helper by nature, she immediately joined the Reserve Committee as a Reserve Buddy. This allowed her to better learn the parts of the contract that were specific to her work and to support others in the same position.

When the Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson position became available in early 2019, Heather stepped into that role to better assist all her coworkers – while remaining a Reserve Buddy (and Interim Reserve Chairperson) until this past July. As Local Scheduling Committee Chairperson, she has been able to help countless Flight Attendants with questions about legalities, pay, hotel issues, etc. She has often been able to advocate successfully on others’ behalf.

Heather was elected Anchorage Local Executive Council Vice President for 2023-2025. She is thrilled that this expanded role allows her to fully serve her coworkers and increase her knowledge and expertise in all contract areas.

Heather and her husband, Travis, a firefighter in Anchorage, have been married for 28 years and have raised their family in Anchorage since early 1997. Heather is an animal lover. She has three dogs of her own and often has foster dogs running around. She also enjoys the outdoors (minus the mosquitos) and has recently discovered a love of gardening.

About the Joint Negotiating Committee

The Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) will negotiate with management to merge the collective bargaining agreements of the two pre-merger airlines into a single agreement for the newly combined airline. The full JNC will include two members from AFA Alaska, two from AFA Hawaiian, the MEC President, and the AFA Staff Negotiator.

Seniority Merger Integration Committee

Marie Maxwell

Marie Maxwell, a San Diego-based Flight Attendant, is excited to join the AFA Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) for the upcoming merger with Hawaiian Airlines. Marie previously served as a SMIC member for the Alaska Airlines/Virgin America merger in 2017/18 and brings first-hand knowledge and experience of merging two Flight Attendant seniority lists. Marie will analyze the results of the past merger and look for opportunities to make improvements during this subsequent merger within the guidelines of the AFA Constitution and Bylaws. She is ultimately committed to ensuring this is a fair and equitable process for both Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants.

Marie joined Alaska Airlines as a Flight Attendant in 2012. Before Alaska, she spent three decades in various marketing and product management roles in the tech sector. She brings strong analytical, project management, and communication skills to this committee and will focus on accomplishing SMIC goals promptly, fairly, and systematically.

Marie moved to San Diego when the base opened in 2013. She is originally from western Pennsylvania but has spent most of her life on the West Coast. Marie graduated from Seattle University with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts. She is an avid traveler, most recently visiting the Serengeti in Tanzania on a photo Safari and hiking the mountains in Tanzania and Uganda to observe chimpanzees and gorillas in their natural habitat. When she is not working or traveling, she spends her spare time playing pickleball, hiking, and making pottery.

Camile Caldwell

Camile started her flying career with Virgin America in 2017 as a San Francisco-based Flight Attendant. Once the Virgin America/Alaska merger was complete, Camile began volunteering with AFA and has held positions on the Council 35 (SFO) Reserve and Grievance Committees. In addition to her Union roles, Camile works as an inflight instructor, where she helped develop the 2024 RT program.

Before becoming a Flight Attendant, Camile attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, which she continues to call home. When she isn’t flying, you can find Camile on the hiking trails with her boxer dog, Lily, or enjoying time with friends and family.

Camile is honored to serve our workgroup during the Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines merger as part of the Seniority Merger Integration Committee and will work to create a fair, equitable, and unified seniority list. If you see her out on the line, please stop and say hi!

About The Seniority Merger Integration Committee

The Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) is responsible for gathering the information needed to merge the Flight Attendant seniority lists, evaluating any protests from Flight Attendants, and producing a final certified seniority list for the upcoming merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. The full SMIC will be composed of two merger representatives from AFA Alaska and two from AFA Hawaiian.

[L-AS] JCTE Contractual 48/7 and Out of Base Waivers

May 8, 2018 12:00

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants

AFA was advised that JCTE will be receiving an update on the evening of May 8, 2018, that will include the contractual 48/7 waiver (Section 8.L) and out of base warnings that previously existed in eMaestro. It is important to remember when picking up or trading, you may be required to waive or accept provisions. If you waive a provision when processing a direct trade, you will also be waiving the contractual protections for the Flight Attendant receiving the trip. Prior to processing a trade, it is important that you discuss any contractual waivers with the Flight Attendant who will be receiving the trip and determine whether s/he agrees to any contractual waivers. If you choose to accept the waivers when processing a trade, this acceptance will be noted in the system and pay protection and/or rest requirements may not apply. Refer to Section 8.N of the CBA for waiver of contractual rest.

If you have any questions about JCTE contractual waivers, please contact your Local Scheduling Committee.

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 Scheduling Committee Chairperson Jake Jones

[pmAS] MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative Interviews

April 2, 2018 07:00

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Background

The MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative is responsible for working with management to resolve Flight Attendant payroll discrepancies. The Representative works closely with the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson, Scheduling Committee, and Reserve Committee to gather Flight Attendant payroll concerns and represents the position of the MEC in interactions with management.

Additional Information from the MEC Policy Manual

The following language is contained in Article VII.F.3 (Grievance Committee, Payroll Subcommittee) of the AFA Policy & Procedure Manual

A. Scope

(i) The Payroll Subcommittee will work with the company and the Inflight Payroll Department to resolve Flight Attendant pay concerns with management.

(ii) The Subcommittee will represent and advocate for the MEC position in matters pertaining to Flight Attendant pay

B. Policy/Responsibilities

(i) The Payroll Subcommittee shall consist of the MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative

(ii) The Subcommittee shall:

(A) Review activity claim forms and other Flight Attendant pay claims as needed.

(B) When pay is correct, provide Flight Attendants with an explanation and applicable contractual citations explaining how the pay is correct.

(D) Attend and participate in the Scheduling Review Board.

(E) Meet regularly, but no less than weekly, with the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson to discuss the needs, interests, and challenges of the subcommittee.

(F) Meet regularly, but no less than bi-weekly, with the MEC Scheduling Committee Chairperson and MEC Reserve Committee Chairperson to review and provide updates on work of interest to the committee(s) and subcommittee.

Qualifications

Robust working knowledge of scheduling, reserve, hours of service, and compensation provisions of the Flight Attendant collective bargaining agreement.
Ability to maintain office hours in Seattle during the business week and attend meetings as required.
Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA), Google email, osTicket, and Microsoft Office.
Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, track issues, prepare reports, and plan meeting agendas and take minutes.
Ability to meet deadlines and follow up on assigned tasks.

Duties

Provide assistance and guidance to Local Benefits, Grievance, Scheduling, and Reserve Committees in handling Flight Attendant pay concerns and issues. Assist in resolution of issues as needed.
Attend meetings with management and represent the AFA position on Flight Attendant pay-related matters.
Participate in the Scheduling Review Board process. Participate in Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) meetings when requested.
Schedule, plan, and conduct monthly meetings of the committee and other meetings and conference calls as needed.
Coordinate with the MEC Scheduling and Reserve Committee Chairpersons to address and resolve open issues.
Correspond with the Local Benefits, Grievance, Scheduling, and Reserve Committee Chairpersons and MEC regularly to provide status updates. Prepare and send a monthly activity report to the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson for inclusion in the monthly committee report to the MEC.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

This position will receive 75 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month in accordance with a letter of agreement with the company, paid with a 5% override at “A” pay.
Time commitment is approximately three days per week in Seattle with additional work completed remotely or in the office as necessary. No relocation or accommodation expense is provided for this position.
The MEC Grievance Committee Payroll Representative does not bid a line.

Working Relationships

With The MEC Grievance Committee

This position works directly on a day-to-day basis with the MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson and Representative. Frequent interaction with Local Grievance Committee Members.

With Other MEC Committee

Constant interaction with the MEC Committee Chairperson and Local Committee Chairpersons of the Benefits, Scheduling, and Reserve Committees. Frequent interaction with Local Committee Members of each committee.

With The Master Executive Council

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

With Alaska Airlines Management

Constant interaction with inflight management, particularly the Manager of Crew Pay (Debbie Bakke), Supervisor of Crew Pay (Michele Carcalean), Director of Inflight Crew Scheduling (Denia Pisia), Crew Pay Analysts, and Inflight Crew Scheduling Duty Managers.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews during the May MEC meeting on Wednesday, May 16. No trip drops or scheduling adjustments are available to attend the interviews.
Interviews will be at the AFA Alaska MEC office in Seattle.
Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou at linda.christou@afaalaska.org no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on Friday, May 4, 2018. Linda will be able to provide additional information regarding transportation and booking of flights if necessary.

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 Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams

[AS] Maternity Leave Grievances

September 12, 2017 17:00

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants

Last month, management granted our grievance #36-99-2-24-17 (Violation of Section 15.M.1.a & 2.a, Failure to Allow Minimum Coordination While on Maternity Leave). Information about the grievance was published on August 7. The grievance applies to the time period of 6/8 weeks post-birth to the 120th day post-birth. It mandates that management follow our contractual provision to allow a Flight Attendant to use minimum coordination with sick leave and/or vacation from 6/8 weeks’ post-birth to 120 days’ post-birth. Previously management required maximum coordination with at least 70 TFP of sick leave monthly. That was a huge win for all Alaska Flight Attendants.

Recently, management sustained another grievance #36-99-2-25-17 (Failure to Allow Minimum and/or Maximum Coordination While on Maternity Leave) which encompasses 121st day post-birth up to one to eight months leave post-120th day. Again, this mandates that management follow our contractual provision to allow a Flight Attendant to coordinate minimum or maximum sick leave and/or vacation from one month up to eight months following the 120th day post-birth. This was even a bigger win for all Alaska Flight Attendants.

These sustained grievances mean that a Flight Attendant on maternity leave, may use minimum or maximum sick leave/vacation per section 15.M of the contract. They will get paid when they are on a longer maternity leave and will be eligible for active employee rates for insurance for as long as 8 months following the 120th day post-birth (up to a year post-birth). This will allow Flight Attendants to stay off work much longer with their newborns while receiving pay from their sick leave and/or vacation banks and maintaining active rate insurance. This will also allow the look back calendar to be applied in calculating flight attendants TFP toward the yearly 480 requirements for vacation, insurance and uniform benefits.

If you have any questions about maternity leave, please contact your Local Benefits Committee Chairperson (or Local Benefits Committee Member who specializes in maternity-related issues). You can find contact information on your Local Council’s Committee page of the AFA Alaska website.

In Solidarity,

Time To Swap Out Your Red AFA Pin & Lanyard!

Introducing Our AFA Alaska Joint Negotiating Committee and Seniority Merger Integration Committee Members