AFA Council #19 August Newsletter

August 23, 2023 07:00

Council #19

Day of Solidarity Recap
CBT Reminder
Local Council Meeting Announcement
New Committee Members
Human Rights & Equity
Vacation Bidding

August Day of Solidarity

Our day of Solidarity was a day to be proud of. We would like to thank all our members who came out and braved the hot weather, to stand shoulder to shoulder with your union brothers, sisters and siblings as we fight for what we deserve. The event was a huge success systemwide. In Seattle, we had close to 1,000 members present. We would like to thank all the volunteers that came and helped make sure that the event was a success.

We would like to give a special thanks to our guest speakers and representatives that attended the event. Sara Nelson (AFA-CWA International President), Congressman Adam Smith (WA-09) and Seattle City Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda! A warm thank you to our Government Affairs Committee for helping organize those special guests!

Also, thank you to our fellow Flight Attendant families from Horizon, United, Hawaiian, Piedmont, Envoy, Omni, American, Southwest and Delta who showed their support by joining us. In addition, thank you to Pilots from Alaska, United, Delta, Horizon, American and Southwest. We are all in this together.

Please stay tuned for future events. We will get the word out via email and social media when something is planned.

Red Bag Tags

A new red AFA luggage tag was introduced at the Day of Solidarity event. This is another way to demonstrate our solidarity in the fight for our contract. Watch our Facebook group for posts on where/when you can pick up one of the tags!

Public Support

Did you know we have a customer facing landing page on our AFA Alaska website? This page is full of information on what your friends, family, and the flying public can do to support our Flight Attendants. There are several resources on the page, we ask that you share this with your contacts! One immediate thing the public can do is sign our petition.

CBT Reminder

Do not forget to complete your CBT by the September 30 deadline. It is important to remember if you do not complete the required training, the discipline is progressive. If you are already in steps of discipline, failure to complete your CBT will move you up the steps, up to and including discharge. If you encounter any technical issues, please contact the ITS Help desk. To verify your CBT is complete, check that your Cornerstone transcript lists under “Completed” and check your email for a confirmation.

Don’t forget, you get 1TFP for completing the CBT, and if you complete it in August, it will count towards your single month $350 PPP bonus for August!

Local Council Meeting Announcement

Please save the date for our Local Council Meeting that will take place in October. We hope to see a lot of Seattle members at the event, so mark your calendar and bid for the day off.

Date: October 3, 2023

Time: TBD

Location: TBD

We will send an update soon when the above has been finalized, but wanted to make sure everyone had the date so they can bid their schedules appropriately.

Committee Additions

We would like to thank all the members who are expressing their interest in getting involved with your union. The committee chairs are still going through the submissions, and you should be reached out to shortly.

We are excited to welcome the following new committee members:

Communications Committee:

Andrew Stinson

Daphne Clarkson

Laury Long

AFA International Human Rights and Equity Committee

The AFA Human Rights and Equity Committee is committed to providing the broadest possible representation of our members regardless of age, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, differently abled, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. We honor and celebrate the shared humanity of the members in our care. We shall at all times endeavor to promote the principles of tolerance, fairness, equity, justice, respect, and inclusion within our Union. It is only when we all band together and work together that we can rally against the walls of division to create a progressive culture that values social and economic justice for all working people.

Some Important Dates to Remember:

September 4: Labor Day

September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day

September 11: 9/11 Remembrance Day

September 15-October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month

September 21: International Day of Peace (UN)

September 23/September 16-23: Bisexual Visibility Day/Week

September 23: International Day of Sig Languages

Additional Pins available for the Month of September

In addition to your “Red” Solidarity Pin, you may wear your AFA 9/11 remembrance pin, AFA/APFA 9/11 pin or your Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month Pin! Please stop by the Seattle base to pick up either of these!

Vacation Bidding

Where does time go? It is that time of the year already, vacation bidding. If you have not already done so, it’s time to start planning your 2024 vacation. See the below timeline:

9/1/23 – 9/18/23: Round one vacation bidding.
9/26/23: Round one awards posted.
10/3/23 -10/17/23: Round two vacation bidding.
10/25/23: Round two awards posted.
10/27/23 (2:00pm): Seattle vacation trading opens.

Please refer to bulletin bundle dated 8/16/2023 for more information.

Find Us on Social Media

You can find the most up to date information on our Council #19 Facebook Group. Click below to join our group and stay connected!

Join The Picket Line: Support American & United Flight Attendants

August 22, 2023 13:00

Master Executive Council (MEC)

It’s time to stand in solidarity with our Flight Attendant families at American and United Airlines as they head to the picket lines.
American Flight Attendants are conducting a strike authorization vote and will hold a systemwide informational picket on Wednesday, August 30.
United Flight Attendants are holding a systemwide Day of Action on Thursday, August 31, to address ongoing contractual violations.

The spirit of solidarity is alive and well this summer as Flight Attendants and workers everywhere unite to push back against corporate greed and mismanagement. Hundreds of fellow union members joined our picket lines during our Day of Solidarity events, and their support helped to amplify our message to management and make our voices even louder. Now, it’s time for us to stand with our Flight Attendant families at American and United as they ramp up their fights. Keep reading to learn how you can help!

American Airlines Flight Attendants

Flight Attendants at American Airlines, part of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), have been negotiating a new contract since January 2019. However, American Airlines management is continuously trying to undermine the hard work and dedication of American Flight Attendants by offering concessionary proposals that seek to erode the decades of progress achieved through collective bargaining. To top it off, APFA submitted a comprehensive economic proposal to management on March 7, and management has yet to respond, let alone offer a counterproposal.

American Flight Attendants are in the process of taking a strike authorization vote set to end on August 29. On August 30, they’ll hold a systemwide informational picket to demonstrate their unwavering commitment to fight for the contract they have earned. Plan now to stand in solidarity with them! Let’s show management at American Airlines that Flight Attendants and workers everywhere are together in the fight and demanding our fair share of the pie.

APFA Systemwide Picketing Event Information

Date: Wednesday, August 30

BOS, CLT, DCA, LGA, MCO, MIA, PHL: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET
DFW, ORD: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM CT
LAS, LAX, PHX: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PT

Click here to RSVP >

United Airlines Flight Attendants

United Airlines Flight Attendants are facing a chaotic, ill-equipped, and entirely unsustainable working environment, with staffing shortages in critical areas causing significant problems on the front line. Management is either unwilling or incapable of resolving the issues and running their own operation. During recent operational meltdowns, hold times for Crew Scheduling have regularly exceeded several hours and peaked with some Flight Attendants left waiting on hold for more than an entire day. Instead of hiring additional Crew Schedulers and implementing automated processes as recommended by the United Airlines Master Executive Council (MEC), Flight Attendants have been left to fend for themselves as management completely disregards the contract.

Enough is enough! United Flight Attendants are taking their fight public and inviting everyone to join them in a systemwide Day of Action on Thursday, August 31. Let’s stand in solidarity and send a message to United Airlines management that their incompetence and refusal to act will not be tolerated. Plan to join the picket line and show your support!

United AFA Day Of Action Picketing Event Information

Date: Thursday, August 31

Locations: BOS, CLE, DEN, EWR, FLL, GUM, HNL, IAD, IAH, LAS, LAX, LHR, MCO, ORD, PHX, SAN, SFO, TPA

Click here for event details and to RSVP >

Our Red-Hot Summer is Heating Up!

July 3, 2023 07:55

Red AFA Pins!

We have heard you loud and clear! Council 15 – SAN members are eager to start wearing our red-hot AFA pins!Mobilization volunteers will begin distributing red AFA pins beginning next week. Please begin wearing them immediately! We appreciate your patience; it may be several days before all local volunteers receive the pins.

you can also reach out to our mobilization chair Samantha Wolff sam.wolff@afaalaska.org

Mobilization Events – Coming Soon!

Management’s insulting compensation offer has members hot and ready to stand up against corporate greed! It’s time for us to demand our fair share! Our Mobilization Committee is busy planning events designed to harness that energy!

Save The Dates:

July 17th SAN
July 18th LAX
August 15 ALL BASES Bid the date off! Additional information will be provided soon.

Reach out to SAN@AFAAlaska.org for more info on the events

Show Your Solidarity!

Wear your red AFA pin proudly while flying and at all company events, including training and special events.

Get Involved!

Become a Mobilization Volunteer!

Share reliable information and help promote solidarity and mobilization events!
Learn more here.

Stay informed!

Bookmark the official AFA Alaska Negotiations website https://contract2022.afaalaska.org/

Update your newsletter subscription at afanewsletters.org.

In Red-Hot Solidarity,

Brice, Melanie, Stephen, Sam

Join the Alaska and Virgin America Pilots for a Unity Event Tomorrow in Seattle

August 1, 2017 13:00

Your Master Executive Council (MEC) knows this is short notice, but if you are not flying tomorrow (Wednesday, August 2^nd), please plan to join the Alaska and Virgin America pilots in SeaTac, WA at Angle Lake Park (next door to Alaska Airlines corporate headquarters) for a unity rally and informational picketing event. This is a family-friendly joint unity event for Alaska and Virgin America pilots, their families, friends and invited guests. The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) Joint Alaska-Virgin America Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) has extended the invitation to Flight Attendants from Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, so come show your support for the Alaska and Virgin America pilots as the ALPA Alaska-Virgin America Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) and MEC continues to prepare for arbitration.

If you are able to attend, please RSVP here as soon as possible. (Your RSVP will help ALPA plan for parking and catering.)

What: Unity Rally and Informational Picketing

Where: Angle Lake Park, 19408 International Blvd, SeaTac, WA 98188

When: 10 a.m. – 1:30 or 2 p.m. Shuttles from offsite parking to the park will run beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Click here for parking information >

Why: To send a message to management that we are unified behind the ALPA MEC and JNC, and that you disagree with management’s position that the pilots’ contract should lag far behind their peers in compensation, retirement benefits, and job protections.

For more information, see the “This Merger Won’t Fly” website >

Attire: Very strong preference for the Flight Attendant uniform but no jacket. (Pilots and your AFA leaders will be in uniform but no jacket due to the expected warm temperature.) Alternatively, you may wear orange to show unity.

Food, Family Events, and Other Fun Details: ALPA will have coffee available in the morning, and a catered lunch following the picketing event. Angle Lake Park has a playground, splash pad, and beach, as well as open grassy areas. We have reserved shelters for the day for our group.

Cost: The event is free to all Alaska and Virgin America pilots, their families, friends and invited guests (including Alaska and Virgin America Flight Attendants).

We hope to see you in uniform standing in solidarity with the pilots and your AFA leaders at the rally tomorrow!

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 Alaska Support for Horizon Air Flight Attendants

October 8, 2015 09:00

Horizon Air can acquire ERJ-175—if its employees accept cuts

As you may know, Alaska Air Group (AAG) management has told Horizon Air that it can acquire ERJ-175 aircraft and start flying jet routes—but only if Horizon cuts operating expenses so that its cost per block hour is comparable to that of SkyWest. If Horizon employees can’t accept those cuts, management says the planes will go to SkyWest and Horizon will be a rapidly shrinking Q-400 operator.

As part of its plan, Horizon has asked its AFA-represented flight attendants to make significant, mid-term changes to their contract. They’re asking this even as Alaska Air Group reports record profits and growth, and even as J.D. Power has awarded “Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Traditional Network Carriers” to Alaska/Horizon for the eighth consecutive year.

Unanimously adopted resolution by the AFA-CWA Executive Board of Directors

For your information, the following resolution was unanimously adopted on September 10^th at the 40^th AFA-CWA Executive Board Meeting in Washington, DC September 9-10, 2015:

Whereas, Horizon Flight Attendants find themselves facing an either/or choice from Management to accept cuts in pay and work rules in exchange for promises of new aircraft and increased flying, or by maintaining their contract provisions the threat of downsizing and loss of jobs; and

Whereas, this is the latest example of Airline Management’s continual shell game of pitting Regional Carriers against each other to drive down wages, work rules and benefits;

Therefore Be It Resolved; that the 40th AFA-CWA Executive Board, representing 18 Airlines and 50,000 Flight Attendants around the globe pledges its commitment and support to the Horizon Flight Attendants, Leaders and Members as they consider the best course to follow to protect their contract and provide a strong future for their members and airline.

AFA Alaska MEC offers support and solidarity to our flight attendant brothers and sisters at Horizon Air

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council firmly believes that all Alaska Airlines flying should remain within the wholly owned (and unionized) AAG carriers. In our opinion, contracting out more flying to a non-union carrier may be financially beneficial in the short term but ultimately hurts all Air Group employees over the long term—including Alaska Airlines flight attendants. The struggle at Horizon is one that we have seen repeatedly throughout the regional industry and we do not wish it to continue within Air Group. Accordingly, the Alaska MEC offers our support and solidarity to our AFA brothers and sisters at Horizon Air in these difficult times.

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