AFA Alaska

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for seniority integration

Merged Seniority List FAQ

Thanks for your patience as the Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) collected and compiled responses to your most frequently asked questions (FAQ).  We have posted a document with these questions and answers.

You can find the link to the FAQ document in the email version of this article.  Please check your personal email for a message from the AFA Alaska Seniority Merger Integration Committee containing the link to the FAQ document.  If you did not receive the email, please contact your Local Council Officers.

The questions included in this FAQ are:

  1. Where can if find the merged seniority list?
  2. How was the seniority list integrated?
  3. How was the seniority list integrated with the classes that had the same seniority date for both L-AS and L-VX? (same-day tie-breakers)
  4. Did everyone keep their relative seniority?
  5. How did the SMIC determine the initial training credit for the L-AS FAs?
  6. Did Jet America Flight Attendants get training credit when they merged with Alaska?
  7. What if I believe my seniority information is incorrect on the new list?
  8. When will I be able to see seniority by base?
  9. Where is the seniority information for FAs working in a supervisor/non-flying role for Inflight?

If you have any additional questions, please send them to seniority@afacwa.org.

In Solidarity,

Your SMIC – Sandra Morrow, Rolando Teran, Lynne Voigtsberger and Marie Maxwell

Merged Seniority List

The separate, pre-merger seniority lists for AS and VX have been merged and we now have a single Integrated Seniority List.

The Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) completed this monumental task over the course of the previous 10 months.  The SMIC consists of representatives from each of our pre-merger airlines: AS members Sandra Morrow and Marie Maxwell; and, the VX members Lynne Voigtsberger and Rolando Teran.

The SMIC merged the lists in compliance with the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws.  Everyone on each seniority list remains in the same relative order.  Everyone on the VX list retains the same seniority date, and those on the AS list have an adjusted seniority date that provides credit for the initial training period.

This merged list establishes the seniority dates and relative order for all 5,000-plus Alaska Flight Attendants.  For easy distinction of the merged list, VX members are shaded in a light red.  You can either scroll through the list or search on your name to find your seniority number and seniority date.

You can view the merged seniority list in the email version of this article.  Please check your personal email for a message from the AFA Alaska Seniority Merger Integration Committee containing the link to the list.

This list is being provided to management.  Going forward, this copy of the list will be “static,” but the seniority list that is published monthly on the F/A website will be updated and “live” in approximately 60 days.  It will change as new members are added or current members leave, but the seniority dates and relative order will not change.

The SMIC will be sending out an additional communication later this week with answers to the most frequently asked question.  It will include background on the methods used to determine initial training adjustments, the methodology used when FAs from both airlines had the same seniority date, and many other general questions.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the SMIC, please do so by email at the following address: seniority@afacwa.org.

In Solidarity,

Your SMIC – Sandra Morrow, Rolando Teran, Lynne Voigtsberger and Marie Maxwell

Seniority Merger Deadline – November 24

This Friday, November 24, is the constitutional deadline for challenges to either the competitive bidding date or date of birth that were included on your Seniority Verification Letter (SVL). There are instructions on the SVL informing you of how to send information if you believe either date is incorrect.

If you did not receive your SVL, you may request that a duplicate be sent to you by email.  To do so, send your request to the following email address: seniority@afacwa.org.  Your request must include your Name, Employee Number, Council/Base, and your Email Address.

During January 2018, the Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) will meet in Washington DC at the AFA International Office.   At this week-long meeting, the plan is to complete the research, resolve any incorrect dates, certify each seniority list, determine the training adjustment to apply to AS seniority dates, determine the same-day tie-breaker, and finally, merge the two seniority lists into a single seniority list. Additionally, the SMIC will draft a document for the entire membership to explain the details of the process and answer questions that have been received from various members.

In Solidarity,

Your Seniority Merger Integration Committee – Sandra Morrow (AS), Rolando Teran (VX), Lynne Voigtsberger (VX) and Marie Maxwell (AS)

Seniority Merger Update – November 16, 2017

The Seniority Merger Integration Committee has been contacted by some members who were confused about the recent Pilot Arbitration, and whether our seniority integration would involve arbitration.

For both Flight Attendants and Pilots, the seniority integration process is determined by the Constitution and Bylaws (C&B) of each Union. Each C&B has a unique set of rules that governs the process for the benefit of the respective memberships.

At the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), their C&B does involve arbitration as part of their process. This addresses the needs of the members at ALPA.

At AFA-CWA, our C&B focuses on our “competitive (bidding) seniority.” We do not rely upon an outside arbitrator making decisions based upon the merged airlines. In essence, we keep our bidding seniority, and take that with us into the merger. The only permitted change is to address different training policies. In our case, since one group has competitive (bidding) seniority from the beginning of training and the other group has it from the end of training, a training adjustment may be determined.

In simplest terms, the VX Flight Attendants will see no change to their current competitive (bidding) seniority dates. The competitive (bidding) seniority dates of AS F/A’s can only be adjusted to accommodate the difference in training policies, but otherwise everyone on that list will remain in the same relative order. The work of determining a training adjustment and merging the lists will be accomplished by the Seniority Merger Integration Committee during January 2018.

Reminder: If you did not receive your Seniority Verification Letter (SVL), you may request that a duplicate be sent to you by email.  To do so, send your request to the following email address: seniority@afacwa.org.  Your request must include your Name, Employee Number, Council/Base, and your Email Address.

Note that November 24 is the deadline to notify us of any inaccuracies. Instructions are on your SVL.

In Solidarity,

Your Seniority Merger Integration Committee – Sandra Morrow (AS), Rolando Teran (VX), Lynne Voigtsberger (VX) and Marie Maxwell (AS)

Seniority Merger Update – October 27, 2017

The seniority merger process is well underway.  By now, you should have received your Seniority Verification Letter (SVL) at your home address.

If you did not receive it, you may request that a duplicate be sent to you by email.  To do so, send your request to the following email address: seniority@afacwa.org.  Your request must include your Name, Employee Number, Council/Base, and your Email Address.

To help explain where we are in the seniority merger process, we have included a timeline of events.  Note that the next date is November 24, the due date to notify us of any inaccuracies.  That is followed in January 2018, when we will work on the credit for training days and how to resolve same-day seniority dates.

Timeline of Events

Click to enlarge

May 22, 2017 AFA named as union for VX.  Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) Reps named for both AS & VX
July 19, 2017 SMIC kickoff training at AFA HQ in DC. Request sent to AS HQ for necessary employment data for AS & VX FAs
September 29, 2017 AS HQ provided AS & VX seniority lists that included seniority dates and dates of birth
October 10, 2017 Seniority Verification Letter (SVL) mailed to all FAs home address to confirm pre-merger seniority bidding date and birthdate
November 24, 2017 Deadline to respond to SVL, if inaccuracies exist.
January 2018 SMIC works to resolve any issues with pre-merger seniority bidding date and/or birthdate
January 2018 SMIC determines adjustments for initial training days and method for integrating same day seniority dates
January 2018 SMIC merges AS & VX seniority bidding list and publishes methodology used to merge of the joint list
Future Single Collective Bargaining Agreement ratified and final seniority bidding list published

As we move through the process, we will provide additional updates.

In Solidarity,

Your Seniority Merger Integration Committee – Sandra Morrow (AS), Rolando Teran (VX), Lynne Voigtsberger (VX) and Marie Maxwell (AS)

Latest News

Reduction in Force Part 6 – WARN Notices

2 Comments

This is the sixth in a series of “Reduction in Force” (RIF) communications from the Master Executive Council (MEC). See RIF Part 1, RIF Part 2, RIF Part 3, RIF Part 4 and RIF Part 5 for the previous editions. In This Edition WARN Notices WARN Notices WARN Act Requirements The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification […]

Reduction in Force Part 5

This is the fifth in a series of “Reduction in Force” (RIF) communications from the Master Executive Council (MEC). See RIF Part 1, RIF Part 2, RIF Part 3 and RIF Part 4 for the previous editions. In This Edition Voluntary Permanent Transfers and Temporary Base Trades Furlough Mitigation Clarifications Dues Obligation Voluntary Permanent Transfers […]

Reduction in Force Part 4

This is the fourth in a series of “Reduction in Force” communications from the Master Executive Council (MEC). See “Reduction in Force Part 1,” “Reduction in Force Part 2,” and “Reduction in Force Part 3” for the previous editions. In This Edition Avoiding Involuntary Furlough: Extend the CARES Act Payroll How Many Furlough Mitigation Applicants […]

AFA COVID-19 Onboard Service Survey

On July 16, management implemented an expansion of onboard service which included the addition of multiple beverage selections and the re-introduction of hot beverages as an option for passengers.  During the lead up to the service expansion, members of our Master Executive Council (MEC), Inflight Service Committee, and Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) engaged […]

AFA Update – July 24, 2020

In This Edition REMINDER: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program Onboard Service Expansion Free Online Learning Course—African American History: From Emancipation to the Present REMINDER: Flight Attendant COVID-19 Survey Grievance Committee Update REMINDER: Call Congress to Extend the CARES Act Payroll Support Program Government Affairs Committee Keep up the pressure on […]

Top Posts & Pages

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

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