AFA Alaska

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

Click here to report an issue to AFA
Menu
  • Local Councils
    • Anchorage (Council 30)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • Los Angeles (Council 18)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • Portland (Council 39)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • San Diego (Council 15)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • Seattle (Council 19)
      • Officers
      • Committees
    • San Francisco (Council 35)
      • Officers
      • Committees

    • More About Local Councils >>
    Close
  • Master Executive Council
    • Officers
    • Close
  • Committees
      • Air Safety, Health, & Security (ASHSC)
        • Air Quality
      • Benefits
      • Communications
      • Employee Assistance Program & Professional Standards
      • Government Affairs
      • Grievance
      • Hotel
      • Human Rights
      • Inflight Service
      • Inflight Training
      • Membership
      • Reserve
      • Retirement
      • Scheduling
        • Pairing Construction
        • Preferential Bidding System (PBS)
      • Uniform

    • More About Committees >>
    Close
  • Contract
      • Contract Home
        • Current Contract
        • Ask Contract Questions
      • Contract Resources
        • Read Contract Q&A
        • Explanatory Videos
      • Contract Negotiations
        • 2019 Open Time Tentative Agreement
        • The Negotiating Process
        • 2014 Negotiating Committee
    • Close
  • Resources
      • Issues & Campaigns
        • Flight Attendant Fatigue
      • Newsroom
        • Industry News
      • Event Calendar
      • Membership Services
      • New Members
      • About
      • Links
      Close
    • Contact Us
    You are here: Home / Archives for recurrent training

    Recurrent Training 2021

    January 13, 2021 17:00

    Recurrent Training 2021

    Master Executive Council (MEC) + Inflight Training Committee + Air, Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC)

    In This Edition

    • Early Success Rates Look Promising
    • COVID-19 Risk Mitigations
    • Written Exam Practice Questions and Answers
    • Adequate “Hands-On” Time Prior to Emergency Evacuation Evaluations
    • Acceptable Deviations to Emergency Evacuation Commands
    • Requalification Training (RQ)

    Early Success Rates Look Promising

    This is the second week of Recurrent Training 2021, and early success rates for passing the various drill evaluations are looking promising in comparison to success rates for Recurrent Training 2020. We hope the trend continues.


    COVID-19 Risk Mitigations

    AFA Alaska’s concerns

    • Mask usage and social distancing during evaluations
    • Sanitization of shared emergency equipment.

    Inflight Training management’s response

    Inflight Training management agreed to make several changes in response and posted the updated safety and sanitization guidelines.

    Click here for the ”Welcome to Recurrent Training 2021 Letter” > (AAG SSO required)


    Written Exam Practice Questions and Answers

    AFA Alaska’s concerns

    • There is no comprehensive list of all potential written exam questions and answers provided like in past years.
    • The random practice test must be taken too many times in order to successfully view all underlying questions. (If ever?)

    Inflight Training management’s response

    • “Learning and building confidence is our goal. With that in mind, we will be turning off the randomizer on practice exams to allow FAs to run through all available questions. We will add a note to remind FAs that questions do change regularly so they always need to refer to the practice exam on the website for most up to date questions.”
    • Management reports the randomizer function will be turned off by the end of the week.

    Adequate “Hands-On” Time Prior to Emergency Evacuation Evaluations

    AFA Alaska’s concerns

    • Adequate hands-on refamiliarization time should be provided during paid training hours prior to emergency evacuation evaluations.
    • Flight Attendants should not have to attend voluntary unpaid sessions in order to be successful during their evaluations.
    • There were not enough Open House sessions at each training center to accommodate the need in 2020 and several of those sessions were canceled, which only made the situation worse. More Open House sessions are needed in 2021.

    Inflight Training management’s response

    • Schedule reworked to maintain the same 90 minutes of refamiliarization time as in RT 2020. (Hands-on time was initially going to be reduced in RT 2021, but AFA advocated for more time.)
    • Hands-on sessions prior to the start of RT 2021 are not an effective use of limited Training resources and will be eliminated in order to potentially reallocate the resources to additional Open House sessions around the system.
    • Management will review the ratio of the number of Open House slots in each training location compared to base size and restructure the sessions to allow for more options (e.g., dates, AM/PM, different times of the month). Additional dates will be added in March.

    Acceptable Deviations to Emergency Evacuation Commands

    Click here (password required) >

    Password: See the emailed version of this newsletter sent to the personal email address that you have on file with AFA Alaska for the confidential password. Contact your LEC president if you need additional assistance.

    Please respect the security of the document and do not share the password on an open forum.


    Requalification Training (RQ)

    RT 2021 is scheduled for one and a half days, but RQ 2021 (Level 1) is scheduled for two full days. There were only a few differences between RT and RQ in years past, but there are significantly more evaluations in RQ compared to RT this year. Flight Attendants should budget ample preparation time if attending RQ.


    If you have any questions or concerns, contact your LEC president or the MEC Inflight Training Committee.

    Filed Under: Inflight Training Committee, Latest News Tagged With: 2021, recurrent training, requalification training, RQ, RT

    AFA Alaska Update – November 12, 2020

    November 12, 2020 07:00

    AFA Alaska Update – November 12, 2020

    In This Edition

    • Annual Benefits Open Enrollment
    • COVID-19 Pandemic Update
    • Recurrent Training Update
    • AFA Disaster Relief – Multiple Disasters
    • Union Plus Holiday Giveback

    Annual Benefits Open Enrollment

    Benefits Committee

    Annual Benefits Open Enrollment is underway, and you have until November 18, 2020 to make changes to your benefits for 2021.

    PPO Plan

    The PPO rates are frozen at the 2019 rates per JCBA §23.A.2.

    Consumer Choice (High Deductible) PPO Plan

    Rates significantly increased this year for the Consumer Choice (High Deductible) PPO Plan, and the various benefits have arguably been greatly diluted. AFA recommends that Flight Attendants currently on the Consumer Choice Plan should carefully consider whether this plan continues to work for your situation.

    Many Flight Attendants have asked about whether the increase in rates is allowed contractually, and the answer is yes. JCBA §23.A.3: “The Company will offer a high-deductible group-insurance plan. Flight Attendants will pay no more than any other work group to participate in the plan.” The regular PPO has an annual rate increase limit, but the Consumers Choice/High Deductible PPO Plan does not.

    Regional HMO Plans

    Rates did not increase this year for the Regional HMO Plans. Per JCBA §23.A.4: “For Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), where offered, the Flight Attendant will pay the difference between the entire cost of the HMO and the Company contribution for the PPO plan, subject to a minimum Flight Attendant contribution of the amount charged to PPO plan participants.”

    Travel Open Enrollment

    You will be able to make changes to your travel dependents during Travel Open Enrollment, which is December 2-16.


    COVID-19 Pandemic Update

    Air Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC) and Inflight Service Committee (ISC)

    Management Continues to Roll Out Additional Onboard Service Over AFA’s Objections

    First, coffee and tea back in July. Then, Fruit & Cheese Platters last week. Now, a second service in Premium Class is coming soon on Hawaii flights. (There have been other service additions along the way, but you get the point.) Master Executive Council (MEC) leadership has received questions from concerned members asking if we are in support of these service additions while the pandemic continues to rage.

    We are not, on the basis that they are premature in our opinion. However, management strongly believes the enhancements are necessary in order to maintain guest satisfaction and that sufficient safety measures have been implemented to mitigate risk to acceptable levels.

    Although the parties are agreeing to disagree on that last point, we are always attempting to find common ground. For now, management has agreed to not expand coffee and tea service to all day, to limit the second Premium Class service to Hawaii and to continue working with AFA to minimize aisle time and maximize mask compliance. Efforts continue on multiple fronts in various forums every week.

    AFA COVID-19 Operational Recommendations (October 2020)

    Click here for AFA Media Release “Aircraft Cabin COVID-19 Studies Affirm Safe Travel with Mask Compliance and Layered COVID-19 Safety Procedures” (October 27, 2020) >

    The AFA Executive Board of Directors unanimously approved the following recommendations developed by the AFA International Air Safety, Health, Security Department working in partnership with the safety committees at all the AFA carriers. These were recently sent to the CEOs of every AFA carrier requesting action to implement the recommendations. AFA Alaska leadership is currently working through the list with executive management. We will keep you posted on the progress.

    • Continue to require that masks are worn onboard until a vaccine is widely available, and implement these onboard service policies to facilitate consistent mask-wearing:
      • Minimize onboard food and beverage service to essential items;
      • Make regular announcements: (1) for passengers to not remove their mask until the Flight Attendant has passed their row; and (2) for passengers to only “dip” their mask down momentarily to take a bite or a sip (“dip and sip”);
      • Add onboard mask protocols to flight attendant safety demos, including the requirement for everyone to wear a mask throughout the flight, to wear it over the month and nose, and to only dip it down momentarily when eating/drinking; 
      • Only serve cold food and drinks on flights less than 1,800 miles/three hours; 
      • Serve individual cans/bottles for drinks, do not pour beverages from master bottles;
      • Stop onboard alcohol sales: alcohol consumption is non-essential and can reduce mask compliance.
    • Maintain social-distancing space for flight attendants, whenever possible on the plane and transportation to/from hotel. Provide regular briefing sheet reminders about best practices in crowded spaces to reduce risk – persistent proper mask use, avoid common touch locations, use of 60% alcohol or more hand sanitizer, and wash hands for 20 seconds or more as soon as practicable after once at destination (airport or hotel).
    • Maintain employee sick leave policies with economic coverage of testing and non-punitive sick calls if experiencing COVID-like symptoms.
    • Conduct timely notification to Flight Attendants on exposure to confirmed coronavirus cases, with a 72 hours lookback to a passenger or crewmember reporting either symptoms or a positive test result, including notification to crewmembers if one or more passengers test positive post-flight. Continue company-sponsored crew testing and quarantine protocols;
    • Continue to implement and maintain sanitation and disinfection protocols; and
    • Minimize or eliminate touch points, such as hanging coats for passengers and other non-essential services.

    Recurrent Training Update

    Inflight Training Committee

    Recurrent Training 2021: Boeing Window Exit – Ditching

    Remember the very wordy Q3 Computer Based Training (CBT) Boeing Window Exit Ditching video? It’s official: As required by the FAA, we will be evaluated on that evacuation drill during Recurrent Training 2021. We do not believe this regulatory requirement will change, so start studying now!

    No More Line Observation in the Special Track Training Program

    The requirement for a Line Observation (which was being commonly referenced as a “check ride” in casual conversation on the line) within twelve months of a successful third or fourth competency evaluation (i.e. RT or RQ drill) has been removed from the Special Track training program. Although the Special Track continues to exist, a Line Observation is no longer part of the program.


    AFA Disaster Relief – Multiple Disasters

    AFA Disaster Relief Fund

    We know that disasters can change lives forever.  While we can’t stop destructive events from happening, we can, as a Union, assist our members with their recovery.  AFA established the Disaster Relief Fund after September 11th to assist our members whose lives were placed in harm’s way.  AFA members and retirees, whose primary residence is in the counties listed below and who have suffered damage and/or dislocation, are eligible for $200.00 from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund.  It is a gift made possible by the generosity of your fellow union sisters and brothers with AFA.

    Hurricane Laura (Louisiana):

    PARISHES: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Caddo, Calcasieu, Cameron, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, La Salle, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, St. Landry, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Winn

    California Wildfires:

    COUNTIES: Butte, Fresno, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Medera, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Trinity, Tulare and Yolo

    Oregon Wildfires:

    COUNTIES: Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion

    Hurricane Sally (Alabama):

    COUNTIES: Baldwin, Escambia, Mobile

    Hurricane Delta (Louisiana):

    PARISHES: Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion  

    If you would like to apply for AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Funds, visit www.afacwa.org/drf and download the Disaster Relief Fund Application and mail it to AFA-CWA EAP Department, 6th Floor, 501 Third Street NW, Washington D.C.  20001-2797.   You can also e-mail this same information requested to lfoster@afanet.org or phone in the necessary information to 1-800-424-2406. 

    If you wish to make a contribution either by check or electronic payment, please visit www.afacwa.org/drf for more information on donating.


    Union Plus Holiday Giveback: Nominations Are Open

    Sponsor: Union Privilege

    It’s official. The Union Plus Holiday Giveback Campaign is officially live! Over the next month, Union Plus is accepting nominations for extraordinary union members across the country that deserve something a little extra this holiday season. The best part? 100 winners will each receive $1,000 in appreciation of all that they do for their communities. It’s simple to enter. How simple? Three steps for three minutes simple:

    1. Record a short video of yourself explaining what makes your nominee extraordinary. They can be any union member–someone from your community, a loved one, or yourself.

    2. Click here to submit the video on Union Plus’s website or post the video on your personal Instagram account using the hashtags #UnionPlusGiveAGrand and #Contest

    3. Click here to submit a written entry (300 words or less) on Union Plus’s website. Nominations will be accepted until December 4th, and winners will be announced throughout December. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to make a fellow union member’s holiday season extra special and wish you the best of luck!

    REQUIRED DISCLOSURE: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The Contest (the “Contest”) is open to legal U.S residents 18+. See Official Rules & Appendix for complete eligibility details and eligible unions in Official Rules. The Contest is not open to the general public. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Contest begins 11/9/20 and ends 12/4/20. Click here for Official Rules.

    Filed Under: Latest News Tagged With: 2020, AFA Disaster Relief Fund, ASHSC, ASHSD, COVID-19, Disaster Relief Fund, DRF, Inflight Service Committee, pandemic, recurrent training, training, Union Plus

    Council 35 News – June 2020

    June 30, 2020 12:24

    Reminder: Deadline to complete Q2 CBT today June 30!

    Trending Discipline

    Layovers and the Alcohol Policy

    Previously AFA provided a list of “What the company knows about me.”  For layovers and hotels, this includes key swipes, hotel video images, and bar receipts that show times orders were placed and when paid. When a violation of the alcohol policy is suspected, the company can collect all of this information to provide evidence in support of the suspicion.  Additionally, any “disruption” to a hotel property by an FA puts the company crew hotel contract at risk, and normally discharge to the offending FA is the result of these incidents.

    RAP Violations

    Management has been monitoring reserves and their location during the reserve availability period (RAP). FAs that are not within the base area during the entire RAP or reserves that leave base during airport standby have been discovered and this violation normally results in discharge. This includes commuting delays.  If your commute flight arrives after your RAP begins, this would be considered a violation.  Your Council 35 officers recommend that those FAs new to reserve, be sure to familiarize yourself with §11 of the JCBA to understand the rules regarding availability and contactability.

    SFO Air Safety, Health & Security Committee (ASHSC) Update

    By Brad Young, ASHSC Chair and Council Representative

    ASAP:  When can we use it?  When should we not use it?

    An ASAP is created specifically to provide a means for employees to report safety-related events or concerns. All individual ASAP reports are clearly labeled as such. Each ASAP report must contain sufficiently detailed information about a safety event so that it can be evaluated by the ASAP ERC (Event Review Committee).

    Two types of reports are that are to be submitted under the ASAP:

    • Safety-related reports that appear to involve one or more violations of the regulations (e.g., deviating from routine flight duties (Policy and Procedure)-skipped part of the regulatory demo in announcement).
    • Reports that identify a general safety concern, but do not appear to involve a violation of the regulations (e.g., flight attendant concerns that the design of a galley cart configuration could lead to an on the job injury).

    Flight Attendant reports that would be excluded for ASAP that involve:

    • Possible criminal activity
    • Substance abuse
    • Controlled substances
    • Intentional falsification or disregard for safety

    Accidental ingestion of a possible controlled substance is not eligible for ASAP.  If you find yourself accidentally ingesting something that could result in a positive drug test, please notify your Council 35 officers or EAP for guidance.

    September Leaves

    Crew planning recently offered Staffing Adjustment Leaves (SAL) of both 30 and 60 day durations. The MEC heard from many FAs disappointed with the offer and the inability to secure a leave for September if already on a SAL.  Although the leaves offered were contractually compliant, the company recognized the challenge with how this would affect FAs already on a leave.  As a result, an updated bulletin was posted indicating that SALs have been converted to 30-day only for August and bidding for September will be open in a few weeks to provide the fairest option to all FAs interested in remaining on a continuous leave.

    Recurrent Checklists

    A recent audit of recurrent training (RT) completion packets revealed that many didn’t have the appropriate check marks to indicate a completed drill.  This caused many FAs to be recalled to attend RT a second time to prevent dequal status. As a result of the audit, the instructors have been extra fastidious with paperwork review, however it is recommended that FAs monitor their own completion packets to ensure the proper checks have been made after completing a drill.

    Council 35 Committee Update: Welcome New Members!

    Human Rights:  Sejal Patel

    In 2016, Sejal fulfilled a childhood dream when she earned her wings with Virgin America. Fueled by her love of travel and desire to switch industries and careers, she fell in love with flying and more importantly, the people she has worked with and met. She quickly learned that a good crew can turn even the most hideous pairing into one of your favorite trips and believes in that to this day. Sejal sought out to join the Human Rights Committee because she wanted to make a change at our airline and do the hard work to make Alaska Airlines a better, more inclusive, place for our flight attendants. This is not going to be an easy task and will require heavy lifting, difficult conversations and uncomfortable situations, but it’s the only way to create meaningful, lasting change and she is committed to the goal.

    Interested in joining a committee?  Please review the committee page and send your expression of interest to sfo@afaalaska.org.

    Membership Dues

    by James Ikehara

    As a reminder, Article II.C.1.b of the AFA Constitution & Bylaws require that AFA dues continue to be paid during any leave of absence less than 90 days.  If you currently pay your dues through payroll deduction, dues payments will continue to be deducted as long as you continue to receive a paycheck with sufficient funds for all other payroll deductions plus your AFA dues.  If you are no longer receiving a paycheck or your paycheck does not cover all of your payroll deductions, AFA dues will not be deducted and you will instead receive an invoice from AFA International Membership Services. If you receive an invoice or statement indicating that you owe AFA dues, payment can be made in one of two ways:

    • By credit card-Online
    • By mailing a check directly to AFA International Membership Services

    How do I contact Council 35 Officers?

    Using a personal email address, the preferred methods of contact are:

    • Open an Online Support Request ticket
    • Officer group email sfo@afaalaska.org (if one officer is flying /unavailable other officers can respond)
    • Individual officer emails (if information is for a specific officer)
    • Calls/text (if situation requires more urgent attention)

    When contacting Council 35 officers please avoid the following methods:

    • Sending to/from alaskaair email (subject to company audits and therefore not private)
    • Officer personal Facebook/social media accounts (not actively monitored for AFA concerns)
    • Excessively lengthy texts (please use email for important information as it’s easier to respond and forward to appropriate resource-texts should be reserved for alerts to an issue that requires a timely response)

    Please allow at least one business day for a response to any method of contact (email, phone, text).  

    In solidarity,

    Melissa, Aladrian, James and Brad



    Melissa Osborne
    , LEC President •  Melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
    Aladrian Hillmon, LEC Vice President • Aladrian.hillmon@afaalaska.org •  415-991-3791
    James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
    Bradley Young, Council Representative • Bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

    Filed Under: Council 35 SFO Tagged With: ASAP, CBT, Council 35, leave of absence, Newsletter, recurrent training

    Council 35 News – May 2020

    June 1, 2020 10:54

    Upcoming Dates to Remember:

    • July 30/60-day SAL bidding closes:  June 1
    • Request to cancel SAL for Life Insurance deadline:  June 2 (more info below)
    • August PBS Bidding opens:  June 5 (back to normal schedule) 
    • Q1/Q2 CBT deadline:  June 30

    Trending Discipline

    Sick Leave Abuse

    Although many Flight Attendants are on some sort of leave, there still seems to be a trend with sick leave abuse investigations. When calling in sick, whether protected under FMLA or normal sick, the company’s expectation is that the Flight Attendant is taking the time to recover from an illness which is preventing them from being able to work.  If evidence is discovered that shows a Flight Attendant using sick leave that doesn’t appear to be recovering, the company will investigate. Recent investigations have included travel audits, scheduling requests and social media posts that the company believes may contradict a Flight Attendant’s alleged sick status.  From the company’s perspective, calling in sick for any other reason than sick, is considered time card fraud.  In all cases, the investigations concluded in termination when proof of illness is not substantiated by evidence (i.e. hospital/doctor/medical receipts) and when conflicting evidence of apparent wellness is presented.  

    Reserve Issues

    With new reserves on the roster, performance management is also focused on reserve compliance. Some of the trends include commuting into base after RAP begins, or leaving base early before RAP is completed. Reserve F/As not available in base for their reserve availability period (RAP) have received discipline, even on first offense.  Just one occurrence can lead to discharge. Any Reserve F/A interested in extra support or guidance, please be sure to reach out to the SFO Reserve Committee.  The committee has recently re-opened the Reserve Buddy program and is accepting requests to have an SFO Buddy assigned for help.

    CBTs Due Soon

    The Q1 and Q2 CBTs have been published to the Learn App (replaces Cornerstone) on the IMD. Both CBTs are due 6/30/20.

    • Q1 CBT:  Uniforms and 9Max
    • Q2 CBT:  Minimum Crew, CD-0 Cabin Management, CARES Restraint and Introduction to Threat and Error Management 

    Air Safety, Health & Security Committee Update

    by Brad Young, ASHSC Chair and Council Representative

    Masks

    SFO continues to be stocked with surgical, light blue and dark blue (adjustable) facial masks.   A third type of fabric mask will start testing next week and will be adjustable around the ears (the loop) for further comfort and better fit.  Your ASHSC and Inflight Service Committee (ISC) members will be conducting wear and fit tests. Distribution of masks occurs in the SFO Village by supervisors from 0500-1500 daily and after hours by CSA supervisors.  Flight Attendants will receive two (2) masks each and must sign for them.  F/As may also email SFO supervisors to coordinate pick-up through the V-file system.

    Onboard Sanitizing Supplies

    All aircraft should have 16oz bottles of alcohol-based sanitizer onboard for use when soap and water aren’t readily accessible. Onboard Antiseptic Wipes (Clean-4-Sure) are provisioned on the A/C to wipe down IMDs, A/C surfaces, interphone, and demo kit contents. When using the IMD and interphone, avoid openings such as the earpiece and mouthpiece, as sanitizing liquid may enter and cause damage. 

    IMPORTANT: Please fill out an Irregularity/ASAP Report if the sanitizing supplies are not available or insufficient for flight.  This will ensure the company provides the necessary tools to work in a safe and healthy workplace.

    Social Distancing Inflight

    AFA has worked closely with the company to help increase social distancing for F/As, which resulted in a temporary procedure change to allow F/As to sit in a guest seat during the cruise phase of flight. This policy is for F/As who are working a flight and on duty, however does not apply to F/As who are deadheading or on a crew rest break (HNL turn flight). While in a passenger seat, F/As must adhere to PED/IMD policy.  As a reminder, this allowance is only applicable during the cruise phase of flight therefore F/As are expected to be in assigned jumpseat locations for taxi, takeoff, and landing. 

    First Virtual Membership Meeting a Success!

    Thank you everyone for attending the first Council 35 Virtual Meeting on May 19!  The agenda for this meeting was to discuss the AFA Proposed 2020 Budget.  The following day on May 20, a Special Meeting of the AFA Board of Directors took place, at which an interim budget was approved for fiscal year 2020-2021. This was also a videoconference meeting and AFA’s first ever virtual BOD Meeting. The AFA International Office is currently updating the relevant documentation and will publish for review by members in the near future. The success of these meetings using new technology will provide councils with the opportunity to host more meetings in the future to reach members with valuable news and information happening in the Union. 

    Life Insurance While on SAL

    Flight Attendants on Staffing Adjustment Leave (SAL) lose their company-sponsored life insurance after the first partial or full bid month on SAL. This is consistent with past practice, however the current insurance company is processing the cancellations faster than in the past, which is causing a burden to some Flight Attendants. In response, the company made the decision to offer a one-time opportunity for F/As to cancel their SAL beginning the month of July. To cancel and take advantage of this offer, F/As need to email Inflight Crew Planning no later than 1159pm (PST) Tuesday, June 2. Reference Bulletin Bundle #2020-0051 for additional information.

    Recurrent 2020

    It’s unfortunate, but even this late in the year we are still encountering challenges with Recurrent (RT) 2020. A recent training audit exposed administrative errors that have resulted in Flight Attendants de-qualing and returning for additional training. Your Council 35 officers understand how frustrating the RT program has been this year and empathize with F/As that are on the receiving-end of the disagreeable consequences.  Be assured that AFA will continue to advocate for a fair resolution to these issues.   

    Membership Dues While on Leave

    by James Ikehara, Secretary

    As a reminder, Article II.C.1.b of the AFA Constitution & Bylaws require that AFA dues continue to be paid during any leave of absence less than 90 days.  If you currently pay your dues through payroll deduction, dues payments will continue to be deducted as long as you continue to receive a paycheck with sufficient funds for all other payroll deductions plus your AFA dues.  If you are no longer receiving a paycheck or your paycheck does not cover all of your payroll deductions, AFA dues will not be deducted and you will instead receive an invoice from AFA International Membership Services.

    Payment Options

    If you receive an invoice or statement indicating that you owe AFA dues, payment can be made in one of two ways:

    • Online by credit card here.
    • By mailing a check directly to AFA International Membership Services

    More information about payment options can be found on the payment options page of the membership services section of the AFA International website.  This page also contains information about payment plan options if you have a past due account and are unable to pay your entire balance at once.  Should you need further information about the status of your account, you can use this link and a representative from AFA International’s Membership Services department will be able to assist. 

    Updating Personal Information
    You can update your contact information (street address, phone number, email address, last name) with this AFA link.

    How do I contact Council 35 Officers?

    Using a personal email address, the preferred methods of contact are:

    • Open an Online Support Request ticket
    • Officer group email sfo@afaalaska.org (if one officer is flying /unavailable other officers can respond) 
    • Individual officer emails (if information is for a specific officer)
    • Calls/text (if situation requires more urgent attention)

    When contacting Council 35 officers please avoid the following methods:

    • Sending to/from alaskaair email (subject to company audits and therefore not private)
    • Officer personal Facebook/social media accounts (not actively monitored for AFA concerns)
    • Excessively lengthy texts (please use email for important information as it’s easier to respond and forward to appropriate resource-texts should be reserved for alerts to an issue that requires a timely response)

    Please allow at least one business day for a response to any method of contact (email, phone, text).  

    In solidarity,

    Melissa, Aladrian, James and Brad


    Melissa Osborne, LEC President •  Melissa.osborne@afaalaska.org • 415-275-1322
    Aladrian Hillmon, LEC Vice President • Aladrian.hillmon@afaalaska.org •  415-991-3791
    James Ikehara, LEC Secretary •  James.ikehara@afaalaska.org  • 415-289-9011
    Bradley Young, Council Representative • Bradley.young@afaalaska.org • 916-508-3503

    Filed Under: Council 35 SFO Tagged With: bidding, Council 35, leave of absence, Newsletter, recurrent training, SFO, sick leave

    AFA Update – April 6, 2020

    April 6, 2020 12:00

    In This Edition

    • Cancellation of April & May Recurrent Training
    • Reminders About Layover Transportation and Meals
    • Reporting Uniform Reactions
    • Voluntary Benefits Updates & Information
    • AFA EAP Support Services
    • CWA/NETT and LinkedIn Learning

    Cancellation of April & May Recurrent Training

    On Friday, management announced that they would be cancelling recurrent training (RT) for the months of April and May as a precautionary measure in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.    Along with the cancellation announcement, management also provided information about an FAA temporary exemption granting a two-month extension to Flight Attendants with April and May base months (as well as some Flight Attendants scheduled for RT at the end of March).  This exemption will give affected Flight Attendants an additional two grace months during which to complete RT in 2020 (e.g. a Flight Attendant whose base month is April and grace month is May will now have June and July as additional grace months this year).

    AFA representatives have requested that management remove the April cancelled classes from rosters in Crew Access as soon as possible in order to allow Flight Attendants to manage their schedules and trade and/or pick up flying if desired.  Crew Planning is also in the process of removing RT pre-planned absence from NavBlue to allow Flight Attendants who were scheduled for class in May to bid normally.  Management has indicated that they will contact Flight Attendants whose RT class has been cancelled to discuss rescheduling options but they have not yet provided AFA with specifics on what the process for rescheduling will be.

    If you have questions about the April/May recurrent training cancellations, please contact Inflight Training management directly at inflight.training@alaskaair.com.


    Reminders About Layover Transportation and Meals

    Hotel Committee

    Dedicated Crew-Only Layover Hotel Transportation

    The AFA Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update – March 19, 2020 provided information about the temporary implementation of dedicated crew-only layover hotel transportation.  Management also communicated this information in bulletin #2020-0016, issued on March 17.  As a reminder, this crew-only transportation may be either hotel-provided van that is dedicated for crewmembers only or separate contracted transportation.  Please reference your trip information in Crew Access to determine whether the hotel or a contracted vendor will be providing layover hotel transportation.  You can also find a complete list of dedicated transportation providers on the Inflight website > Hotel, Travel, & Station > Hotel News > Dedicated Transportation.

    As always, if you encounter any issues with a transportation provider, please notify your AFA Hotel Committee by filing a CrewCare report.

    Food Availability on Layovers

    At the request of AFA, management has compiled a list of food availability at each layover hotel throughout the system.  This list is updated regularly to ensure the most up-to-date information.  It can be found on the Inflight website > Hotel, Travel, & Station > Hotel News > Food Availability.

    Questions?

    Your AFA Hotel Committee is here to assist and support you in all matters related to layover hotels and transportation.  You can find contact information for your Local Hotel Committee by clicking here.


    Reporting Uniform Reactions

    Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

    With the launch of the new Unisync uniform, our AFA Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) and Uniform Committee would like to offer a reminder about how to report reactions or safety concerns related to the new uniform pieces.  Management has outlined the process for reporting these concerns in a document that is housed on the uniform subsite of Alaska’s World.  You can access the document directly by clicking here (AAG sign on required).

    Questions?

    If you have questions about how to report uniform reactions or need assistance in navigating the process, please contact AFA Uniform Safety Representative Deb Wallstrom at uniform.reactions@afaalaska.org.


    Voluntary Benefits Updates & Information

    Benefits Committee

    Our AFA Benefits Committee has received information that Alaska employees who have either 401(k) through Vanguard or Alaska Credit Union loans may be eligible for modified payment arrangements.  National Group Protection (NGP) has also provided information about continuation of coverage for anyone enrolled in the NGP/CAIC supplemental benefits program who takes a leave of absence.

    Vanguard – 401(k) Loans

    • You can suspend a loan for up to 12 months
    • It can take up to two pay periods to process the suspension
    • Once the request has been processed, the 12 month suspension begins
    • You can reinstate payments earlier without penalty
    • You can also make payments during the suspension of any amount without penalty.  If you choose to do so, it will not restart your loan.
    • You will accrue interest during that time – but this is interest you pay yourself.  This may adjust your loan payment amount once your loan is reinstated.

    For assistance with Vanguard 401(k) loan suspensions, contact Vanguard Participant Services at (800) 523-1188 (available Mon-Fri, 5:30 AM to 6 PM Pacific time).  You can also reach out to Jamie Smalley with specific questions at jaime.smalley@alaskaair.com.

    Alaska Air Group Credit Union Loans 

    The Alaska Air Group Credit Union (AAGCU) is offering an emergency skip-a-payment option that may allow customers to skip to three monthly payments on certain AAGCU loans.  For more information about this program, including a link to apply, please visit the AAGCU website by clicking here.

    AFA Supplemental Benefits – National Group Protection

    National Group Protection (NGP) has provided information for those who are enrolled in the NGP/CAIC supplemental benefits program and take a Leave of Absence (LOA).  These special provisions include:

    • Coverage will continue without interruption during the LOA
    • Premiums are not due during the LOA
    • CAIC will honor claims during the LOA
    • No action is required on your part to maintain your coverage

    Complete information can be found in this document.  If you have any questions, please contact National Group at (800) 344-9016 or service@ngp-ins.com.


    AFA EAP Support Services

    Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

    AFA EAP has put together several resources to help Flight Attendants manage their personal mental health and wellness during the COVID-19 outbreak.  All services are available in either a telephone or online format.  For a complete list of support services being offered, schedules, and access information, please click here.

    Questions?

    Please contact your Local EAP Committee for more information or assistance.


    CWA/NETT and LinkedIn Learning

    AFA International

    As a part of CWA, AFA members are entitled to take advantage of complimentary online learning through CWA/NETT.  CWA/NETT provides you and your family with access to hundreds of online training courses through LinkedIn Learning. This might be the perfect time to brush up on existing skills or learn new ones. 

    Examples of learning titles include:

    • Zoom Meetings
    • Microsoft Collaboration
    • Microsoft Excel
    • Sharepoint

    You can get started by completing this form.  The form requires your CWA local number, which you can find on the Contact Us page of the AFA Alaska website under FAQs > Membership and Dues Questions > What’s My CWA Local Number.

    Questions?

    If you have any questions, please contact your LEC Officers.

    Filed Under: Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC), Benefits Committee, EAP/Professional Standards Committee, Hotel Committee, Inflight Training Committee, Latest News, Master Executive Council (MEC), Uniform Committee Tagged With: 2020, Benefits, COVID-19, CWA, EAP, hotels, layovers, novel coronavirus, recurrent training, transportation, uniform, uniform reactions

    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • Next Page »

    Need Help?

    Have an issue or concern to report to AFA?  Click here to access the AFA Alaska online support center.

    Connect with Us on Facebook

    Connect with Us on Facebook

    Follow Us on Twitter

    Tweets by AFAAlaska

    Latest News

    • AFA Update – January 22, 2021
    • Safety of Our Crews, Our Flights and Our Country
    • Recurrent Training 2021
    • Council 35 News December 2020
    • End of Year Update
    • AFA Alaska Negotiations Update – December 17, 2020
    • AFA Update – December 11, 2020
    • Council 35 News – November 2020
    • AFA Update – November 20, 2020
    • AFA Alaska Update – November 12, 2020

    Latest News

    AFA Update – January 22, 2021

    January 22, 2021 12:00 Leave a Comment

    In This Edition Letters of Agreement and Memorandums of Understanding REMINDER: Reserve Availability & Commuting College Scholarship Opportunities Letters of Agreement and Memorandums of Understanding Grievance Committee Our Master Executive Council (MEC) occasionally enters into letters of agreement (LOAs) with management to address situations that were not anticipated or did not exist during contract negotiations.  The […]

    Safety of Our Crews, Our Flights and Our Country

    January 19, 2021 19:00 Leave a Comment

    Safety of Our Crews, Our Flights and Our Country Safety Of Our Crews Recent events are potentially negatively impacting effective Crew Resource Management The Master Executive Council (MEC) feels compelled to address the potentially negative impact to effective Crew Resource Management (CRM) resulting from the events most affecting the country over the past year: the […]

    Recurrent Training 2021

    January 13, 2021 17:00

    Recurrent Training 2021 Master Executive Council (MEC) + Inflight Training Committee + Air, Safety, Health and Security Committee (ASHSC) In This Edition Early Success Rates Look Promising COVID-19 Risk Mitigations Written Exam Practice Questions and Answers Adequate “Hands-On” Time Prior to Emergency Evacuation Evaluations Acceptable Deviations to Emergency Evacuation Commands Requalification Training (RQ) Early Success […]

    AFA Alaska Negotiations Update – December 17, 2020

    December 17, 2020 20:00

    AFA Alaska Negotiations Update – December 17, 2020 Master Executive Council In This Edition Updated Contract Negotiations Timeline Negotiations Delayed Until September 1, 2021 Overview of the Railway Labor Act Updated Contract Negotiations Timeline 1st round Negotiating Committee interviews – March & April 2020 Full pay scale increase of 2.5% – December 17, 2020 – […]

    AFA Update – December 11, 2020

    December 11, 2020 12:00

    In This Edition MEC Resolution on Gender Equality CALL CONGRESS: We’re Closer to #ReliefNow Than Ever Before Georgia Senate Runoff Election Community Resources for Those in Need MEC Resolution on Gender Equality Master Executive Council (MEC) AFA has long been a champion of equality both in and out of the workplace.  Over the course of many […]

    Top Posts & Pages

    • AFA Update – January 22, 2021
    • Contact Us
    • Contract
    • Seattle - Council 19
    • Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP)
    • Recurrent Training 2021
    • Letters of Agreement (LOAs)
    • Safety of Our Crews, Our Flights and Our Country
    • Retirement Committee
    • Master Executive Council (MEC)

    Local Councils

    • Anchorage
    • Los Angeles
    • Portland
    • San Diego
    • San Francisco
    • Seattle

    Master Executive Council

    • MEC

    Contract

    • Contract Home

    Committees

    • Air Safety, Health, & Security
    • Benefits
    • Communications
    • EAP/Professional Standards
    • Government Affairs
    • Grievance
    • Hotel
    • Inflight Service
    • Reserve
    • Retirement
    • Scheduling
    • Uniform

    News By Month

    News By Category

    Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Contract 2021 Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX EAP/Professional Standards Committee Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Want To Stay In The Loop?

    The best way to stay connected with up-to-date AFA Alaska news and information is through a subscription to AFA Alaska emails!  Click the button below to sign up.  Already a subscriber?  You can make changes to your email by clicking below!
    Sign Up

    Connect With AFA

    • Contact Us
    • Online Support Center
    • AFA International
    • CWA
    • AFA Alaska Social Media Guidelines
    • AFA-CWA Mutual Respect Policy

    Copyright © 2013-2020 Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO