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Jeppesen Crew Access Failed. Again. (…and Again and Again…)

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Crew Access went down as SEA Open Time opened

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) is aware that Flight Attendants could not log into Jeppesen Crew Access (JCA) for approximately twenty minutes. Although access has now been restored, the outage started at 1:59 PM PT—just as Seattle Open Time trading was opening. This all went down despite a whole crew of IT personnel monitoring Open Time.

Likely not a server issue

Many of you have asked if this is related to the number of servers dedicated to Crew Access. It is too early to say whether this latest outage is a server issue, but Alaska Airlines IT and Jeppesen have sworn in the past that the number of servers is not a significant contributor to the various problems that we continue to experience.

“Real-time” trading grievance and related mediation

AFA filed a contractual grievance alleging a violation of JCBA §12.C.1 when the Company failed to provide a “real-time” trading system, and we mediated that issue in July 2017. (See “Grievance Report – July 2017” for more info.) The MEC continues to pressure management to have Jeppesen program a more “real-time” trading system as was agreed to in that mediation. Small incremental changes have been implemented in the interim, but there have been few significant fixes. Glaring system shortcomings continue to negate the various mostly cosmetic improvements so far.

Management needs to do the right thing

The MEC knows you are tired of apologies. You want accountability and action. We have asked management to provide a meaningful response to Flight Attendants. As usual, management is “looking into it.”

It is beyond time for Alaska Airlines management to provide Flight Attendants with a functional real-time trading system: Just do the right thing and fix it!

In Solidarity,

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

New Council 19 Seattle and Council 39 Portland Officers Begin Term of Office

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Newly elected Council 19 Seattle and Council 39 Portland Local Executive Council (LEC) officers began their term of office on July 1, 2017. Nominations and elections for these positions were held this spring. These officers will serve a three-year term from July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2020, consistent with AFA Election Category II.

Council 19 Seattle

Incoming Council 19 SEA LEC officers are President Terry Taylor, Vice President Jake Jones, Secretary Adam Clarey, Council Representative Megan Brown and Council Representative Melinda Jorge. Congratulations to Jake Jones for reelection to the office of LEC vice president and to former Council Representative Adam Clarey for election to the office of LEC secretary. Biographies for each can be found on the Council 19 officers page at afaalaska.org.

The MEC recognizes outgoing LEC President Laura Masserant, Secretary Linda Christou and Council Representative Stephanie Adams for their work and dedication in their previous roles. Linda Christou continues to serve as Master Executive Council (MEC) secretary-treasurer and Stephanie Adams continues to serve as MEC Grievance Committee chairperson.

Council 39 Portland

Incoming Council 39 PDX LEC officers are President Mario de’Medici, Vice President Krystle Berry and Secretary Alan Sousa. Biographies for each officer can be found on the Council 39 officers page at afaalaska.org.

The MEC recognizes outgoing LEC President Cathy Gwynn, Vice President Steven Maller and Secretary Bob Moore for their work and dedication in their previous roles. Bob Moore continues to serve as MEC Uniform Committee chairperson.

In Solidarity,

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

AFA Council 19 (SEA) and 39 (PDX) Election Results

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The following AFA Flight Attendants were elected to a Local Executive Council (LEC) term of office beginning July 1, 2017, and ending June 30, 2020. Certified election results are posted on the AFA-CWA Elections website.

Council 19 Seattle

LEC President: Terry Taylor

LEC Vice President: Jake Jones

LEC Secretary: Adam Clarey

Council Representatives: Megan Brown, Melinda Jorge

View the certified election results here

Council 39 Portland

LEC President: Mario De’Medici

LEC Vice President: Krystle Berry

LEC Secretary: Len Sousa

View the certified election results here

The Master Executive Council (MEC) congratulates the officers-elect and we sincerely thank all those who stepped forward to run in the election.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee

“Making the Connection” Training

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Inflight management recently announced a voluntary training called “Making the Connection” via Inflight Bulletin 2014-0173, which seems to be visible to Seattle-based Flight Attendants only. The training is intended to provide Flight Attendants some familiarization with the duties of a Customer Service Agent and vice versa. AFA was informed of the program but it was rolled out without negotiating the terms of the training with the union.

Available for pick-up in Seattle Open Time

“Making the Connection” is currently being offered in Seattle only and may be picked up out of Seattle’s Open Time. It is available on Mondays through October and is a trial. If the class is successful, the program may be rolled out system-wide.

Flight Attendants in other domiciles are being allowed to pick up the training; however, be advised that management is not offering hotel accommodations in Seattle in order to position for the class. Compensation is quoted as 6 TFP, which is contractually consistent.

“Making the Connection” is not cross training!!!

The training is designed to foster a better understanding between the Flight Attendant and Customer Service Agent workgroups—nothing more. This is not cross training and AFA leadership and IAM leadership will pursue our respective dispute resolution processes if employees of one workgroup are required to perform duties of the other. However, we have no reason to believe this will happen.

AFA disputes the program “follows the same rules as Recurrent Training”

From the bulletin: “This program follows the same rules as Recurrent Training for rest requirements, date change requests and attendance (sick leave and Failure to Report to training would apply).” Through the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process, AFA is disputing that the program as described actually follows the contractual Recurrent Training rules for attendance, sick leave and to a certain extent date change requests.

Once AFA and management achieve agreement on the concerns, one or both parties will communicate the outcome. In the meantime, be aware that several aspects of this voluntary training class are in dispute.

In solidarity,

Your MEC—Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

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AFA Update – February 21, 2020

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In This Edition REMINDER: Negotiating Committee Interviews AFA Dues FAQs Department of Transportation Warning About CBD Products REMINDER: Negotiating Committee Interviews Master Executive Council (MEC) Our current Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) becomes amendable on December 17, 2021 but also contains an early opener clause for the negotiating process to begin as early as December […]

Recurrent Training 2020 – Part 7

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The Master Executive Council (MEC) was planning to meet with one of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Cabin Safety Inspectors assigned to Alaska Airlines this week during the regular February MEC meeting.  The intent of the meeting was to allow the MEC to gain a better understanding as to how the FAA interprets and applies the […]

Update on Open Time Back to Book

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Contractual Modification Approved by Roll Call Vote By majority roll call vote, the Master Executive Council (MEC) has approved a contractual modification that will maintain the current open time trading rules inclusive of Section 12 Exchange of Sequences.  This modification will remove the requirement to program back to book trading rules and the application of Section […]

Recurrent Training 2020 – Part 6

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Breaking news! Limited self-correction during door evacuation drills The Master Executive Council (MEC) has been informed that limited self-correction is now allowed during door evacuation drills in one specific circumstance. Flight Attendants are expected to come to Recurrent Training (RT) prepared to demonstrate proficiency by using verbatim evacuation commands. However, if the (incorrect) command “STAND […]

Recurrent Training 2020 – Part 5

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During the two-week pause of Recurrent Training (RT), management has redesigned the program with the assistance of a vendor that was contracted to help facilitate the process changes. Many of those changes were solidified through an alpha test of the redesigned RT 2020 and subsequent beta test over the past week. AFA leadership participated in […]

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