Collective Bargaining Agreement sections modified:

• 8.D. [Hours of Service/Check-In and Debrief];
• 24.L. [General and Miscellaneous/Company Provided Inflight Mobile Device (IMD)];
• 28.I. [Domiciles/Company Provided Commuters, Printers and Scanners at Domicile(s)];
• 32.C. [Attendance Policy/Attendance Policy Definitions]; and
• 32.E. [Attendance Policy/Control Procedure]

Your AFA Master Executive Council (MEC) and Alaska Airlines management entered into a side letter of agreement that requires Flight Attendants to check-in exclusively via the company-designated app on their IMD beginning no later than January 31, 2017.

>>> Click here to view the Flight Attendant Check-in App and Elimination of Scanner Sideletter of Agreement <<<

Why did the MEC agree to this? First, we are keeping pace with advancing technology and the overwhelming trend in our group away from utilizing the hard-wired scanners. Less than 7% of Flight Attendants check in via the scanners as of this writing. Secondly, we secured several improvements to our contract, including but not limited to the following:

• If a Flight Attendant unsuccessfully attempts to scan in while s/he is in the approved geographical area, s/he may call Crew Scheduling to be checked in; Crew Scheduling will report this as an “Inability to Remotely Scan In.” Only in the case of three or more instances of an Inability to Remotely Scan In within a bid month will such an event be considered a performance issue and handled under the Company’s progressive discipline policy. However, any instances of an Inability to Remotely Scan In that are due to circumstances beyond the Flight Attendant’s control (e.g., such as but not limited to a malfunctioning application or IMD, or atmospheric conditions causing interference with the IMD or GPS location function) will not be considered for the purpose of progressive discipline.
• Management will provide sufficient training for the use of the IMD and related Company-required applications.
• We created an Information Technology (IT) Review Process that provides Alternative Dispute Resolution committee members to review all claims brought forward by a Flight Attendant and allows for the possibility of compensation at one (1.0) TFP if the parties agree that IT support was provided by the Flight Attendant over and above reasonable maintenance.

This side letter establishes a significant improvement over the previous policy that did not allow Crew Scheduling to check-in Flight Attendants; now Flight Attendants who attempt to check in via the app may be checked in by calling Crew Scheduling if they are having trouble with the app, and s/he will be checked in with no questions asked.

Contact your Local Executive Council (LEC) president if you have any questions or concerns.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Stephanie Adams