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AFA Update – January 30, 2020

In This Edition

  • Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
  • Black History Month AFA Pin
  • Negotiating Committee Interviews
  • Uniform Returns & Packing Materials
  • REMINDER: Contractual Supporting Documents
  • Managing Negativity

Novel Coronavirus Outbreak

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC)

The novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in December 2019, is creating growing concern for air travel. The first known case has now been confirmed in the United States. AFA is contacting our airlines in an effort to put in place information and precautions for crewmembers. We are sharing what we know about the virus now, although health officials are still determining the full implications of the virus and how it is spread.

NOTE: It is important that crew redouble efforts to take the best steps against spread of communicable disease. Review personal safety and universal precautions in section 4.200 of the Flight Attendant Manual (FAM).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Situation Summary for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus remains a good source of up-to-date information on the rapidly changing situation.

AFA is calling on all airlines to institute emergency measures immediately, including providing crew members the latest information regarding the 2019-nCoV outbreak, identification of signs/symptoms of illness (in oneself and others), and procedures to manage potentially ill persons – utilizing information from relevant U.S. authorities including the CDC, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and international authorities including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). We are also encouraging airlines to adopt AFA recommendations from our Communicable Disease Incident Response Checklists.We will provide additional updates as more information is available. We will continue to press airlines for action on this as we work to keep aviation’s first responders, our counterparts in the flight deck, and our passengers safe and healthy. 

Black History Month AFA Pin

Master Executive Council (MEC)

At the December 2019 meeting of the AFA Executive Board, a resolution was unanimously passed in recognition of February as Black History Month.   The resolution established a special commemorative pin for AFA Members to wear throughout the month of February.

Black history month AFA pin

Our Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers have been provided with a limited supply of these special edition pins and will soon be making them available to you.  Please be on the lookout for information directly from your LEC Officers with instructions on how you can obtain your own Black History Month AFA pin! 

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 2020.  In anticipation of early openers, the Master Executive Council (MEC) will be conducting interviews for the Negotiating Committee during the March Regular MEC Meeting, to be held March 10 and 11, 2020.  All three Negotiating Committee positions are up for interview and consideration.  Per the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, the MEC President is the chairperson of the Negotiating Committee and rounds out the Committee as the fourth member.

The Negotiating Committee is charged to negotiate and institute the needs and desires of the Flight Attendants into an effective collective bargaining agreement (CBA).  The Committee should have a good working knowledge of the current CBA and be willing to devote their full time to the Committee during negotiations.  The members of this Committee shall serve as the CBA Interpretation Committee until a new agreement is completed.

Selection of Committee Members

  • Any person seeking a position on the Negotiating Committee must submit a resume to the MEC
  • Committee Members will function until a new Committee is selected
  • The Chairperson of the Negotiating Committee will be the MEC President or her/his designee
  • Committee Members are selected by majority vote of the voting members of the MEC (LEC Presidents)

Committee Member Duties & Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the Negotiating Committee shall include the following:

  • The Committee, with the advice of the Staff Negotiator shall have the authority to conclude an agreement, subject to the provisions of Article XII of the Constitution and Bylaws.
  • All members of the Committee, including alternates whenever possible, shall complete a negotiations training seminar prior to writing an “opener.”
  • Be familiar with Union policy and keep abreast of new developments in the industry.
  • Utilize the facilities and resources of the Union and the experience and knowledge of Union Officers, International Office staff and study committees of the Union. (eg., Legal, Retirement and Insurance, Wage and Working Conditions, etc.).
  • Maintain a current record of the:
    • Financial condition of the company.
    • Management lines of authority and methods of communication.
    • Operations statistics and experiences of the airline which may be used in bargaining, grievances, litigation, etc.
  • Be familiar with the wishes of the Flight Attendant group with respect to wages, working conditions, and work rules, through, for example, system-wide distribution of contract surveys, periodic road shows, etc.
  • Prepare the contract opener with the advice of the Staff Negotiator
  • Provide regular updates to the membership on the status of negotiations
  • Proof CBA language and agree with the Company on implementation and effective dates
  • Review tentative agreement with the MEC
  • Prepare membership summary package and Roadshow schedule
  • Present the tentative agreement to the members
  • Proof printed agreement and prepare CBA index
  • Prepare CBA interpretations for new concepts
  • Remain available as a resource for interpretations
  • Maintain a complete record of the negotiations, including proposals, notes and communications, and such record is the property of AFA-CWA.  A copy of this record will be forwarded to the International Office by the Negotiating Committee.
  • Maintain contact, through the MEC President, with IAM, ALPA, TWU, AMFA, and other applicable labor unions on property

Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

Flight pay loss (FPL) reimbursement will be provided to Negotiating Committee Members at the rate of 6 TFP at “A” pay for 8 hours of work.  FPL is not reimbursed for days that solely contain travel to/from an activity.

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews during the March Regular MEC meeting from March 10-11, 2020.  Bid around the interview date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.

Interested candidates should submit an expression of interest and resume online at https://forms.gle/6vj5XPxDwv9x54eb9.  The deadline for submissions is 5 PM Pacific time on Tuesday, March 3.  After that time, MEC Secretary-Treasurer Linda Christou will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

Please note that in order to submit an expression of interest, you must have a Google account.  If you do not have a Google account, you can create one for free at https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Questions?

Any questions regarding the Negotiating Committee positions or application process should be directed to MEC President Jeffrey Peterson at jeffrey.peterson@afaalaska.org.

Uniform Returns & Packing Materials

Uniform Committee

Our Uniform Committee has recently received reports that some Flight Attendants have been told that their uniform return shipments were improperly packed when dropping them off at FedEx shipping locations.  Some Flight Attendants have been told by FedEx personnel that they would be required to purchase additional packing supplies including “fill” material to prevent the contents in the package from shifting. 

According to paragraph B.7 of the Flight Attendant Custom Uniform 2020 Letter of Agreement, Inflight management will assist Flight Attendants with uniform returns and provide appropriate packing supplies at no cost to the Flight Attendant upon request.  If you experience a problem with FedEx personnel accepting your return shipment due to the way it is packaged, it is recommended that you bring the package to an inflight supervisor at any base and ask them to provide the necessary packing materials and assist you with sending the shipment back to Unisync. 

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact your Local Uniform Committee.

REMINDER: Contractual Supporting Documents

Contract Committee

When there is a disagreement or difference of opinion regarding the intent of contractual language or how a contractual provision should be applied, AFA and management work through an established process to attempt to resolve the dispute.  Depending on the issue at hand, the resolution might be documented in one of several forms: a letter of agreement, memorandum of understanding, labor memorandum, or contractual settlement agreement.  Regardless of the format, these documents are contractually enforceable and supplement the provisions of our collective bargaining agreement.

To allow for the easiest possible access, these contractual supporting documents can easily be accessed from the contract home page of the AFA Alaska website at https://afaalaska.org/contract.  You can also access them on your IMD through the Good Reader app by tapping ASFASupplemental > Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Questions?

If you have any questions about contractual supporting documents, please contact your LEC President.

Managing Negativity

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

Many work environments have at least that one negative person whose only way of communicating is through a string of complaints.  Escaping that individual at 30,000 feet is difficult. Relentless negativity tears away at our resiliency and ability to ignore the behavior.  While we cannot change the way other people behave, we can change the way we react.  Below are suggestions which may help you manage our own responses to negative communication and limit its impact.

Don’t Take it Personally

Negative individuals tend to find something wrong in almost every situation. Being negative may also be one’s main way to engage or connect with others. Negativity is sometimes correlated with self-esteem and inter-generational communication patterns.  A person who chronically finds problems with other people may truly be unhappy with themselves and/or demonstrating the strong influences of familial communication.

“You” and “I”

Replace “you” statements with “I” statements.  People feel attacked when their behavior is directly pointed out.  Feeling attacked causes the person to become defensive and may create unnecessary conflict.  For example, instead of “You always complain about working with her, and it gets old.” try “I feel uncomfortable when people discuss their feelings about our co-workers with me.”  

Make it a Challenge

Try to say something like “We always seem to have something to talk about, but it is usually negative.  Let’s only talk about cheerful situations today.”  Beginning with a positive comment increases the probability your listener will be receptive.  Giving feedback in this manner may also allow you to point out the negative tone of conversation of which the complainer maybe unaware.  

Offer or Seek Assistance from Your AFA EAP

Allowing a person to bombard you with their negativity may actually reinforce that behavior.  Everyone manages some negativity in their lives.  It is important for your own mental health to limit the accumulation of others’ issues. If someone is clearly struggling, remind her/him that AFA EAP offers confidential assistance.  Say something like “You know it sounds like it might be helpful for you to give our EAP a call.  I think they might be a good listener and resource for you.”  Then, give them AFA EAP’s number: (949) 470-0493.  Remember, AFA EAP is also available to you to help you maintain your resiliency in dealing with negativity.  

Harvard Publication Regarding Past Uniform Reactions at Alaska

The following article was recently published by AFA International regarding a Harvard School of Public Health study pertaining to uniform reactions among Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants from 2011 through 2014.  The full text of the article is contained below or can be viewed on the AFA website by clicking here.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Terry Taylor, Mario de’Medici, Melissa Osborne, Tim Green, Brice McGee, MEC Uniform Committee Chairperson Bob Moore and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple

 

 Harvard publishes study about uniform reactions at Alaska 2011-14

AFA continues to fight for safe uniforms at PSA, Envoy, and Piedmont

Published on Jan. 3, 2018, a study by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health documents “a relationship between health complaints and the introduction of new uniforms” among Flight Attendants at Alaska Airlines from 2011-14. The Harvard study is published and you can download a free copy here.

AFA professional staff, in collaboration with the Alaska MEC, took a thorough and structured approach to define the chemicals in the new uniforms and the reactions reported by our members. Our systematic collection of the science and the reports from Flight Attendants gained the interest of Harvard scientists and researchers to conduct an independent review, which was significant. This study provides a credible, scientific voice that illustrates the urgent need for airlines and uniform vendors to address this issue in a meaningful way. AFA will also continue to seek relief for Flight Attendants, as well as work with airlines to put procedures in place that will allow for safe delivery of new uniforms.

While AFA’s work paved the way for this study, Harvard worked independently to systematically assess Flight Attendant symptom reports before and after the uniform rollout at Alaska Airlines. Specifically, they collected and compared responses to the same set of standardized questions before, during, and after wearing and working around the TwinHill uniforms. These peer-reviewed findings validate the reports that so many Alaska Flight Attendants documented during that uniform rollout. During that time, 753 of approximately 2900 (26%) of Alaska Flight Attendants reported uniform reactions – dominated by irritant and allergic-type symptoms – to AFA.

Harvard’s research found that the prevalence of the following symptoms increased after the introduction of new uniforms: itchy/irritated skin (25 vs 13), rash/hives (23 vs 13), itchy eyes (24 vs 14), blurred vision (14 vs 6), sinus congestion (28 vs 24), , sore throat (9 vs 5), cough (17 vs 7), hoarseness/loss of voice (12 vs 3), shortness of breath (8 vs 3), and multiple chemical sensitivity (10 vs 5). During that uniform rollout, AFA also received a large number of reports of hair loss (117), unusual fatigue (83), and other non-irritant symptoms. However, because Harvard had not included questions about those symptoms in its “pre-rollout” survey, it was not possible to compare the prevalence of those symptoms over time.

Now history seems to be repeating itself. Since their uniform rollout at PSA, Envoy, and Piedmont in September 2016, more than 500 of our members, together with thousands of our sisters and brothers at American, have documented similar reactions to their TwinHill garments. The Harvard authors acknowledge the similarities between these outbreaks and note that, together, they “warrant further investigation of the specific chemical toxicants, clothing concentrations, body burdens and health effects.”

Additionally, on Jan 11, 2018, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (“NIOSH”) released a Health Hazard Evaluation of Flight Attendants’ symptoms during/after wearing the TwinHill uniforms at American, which are the same uniforms being worn by AFA members at PSA, Envoy, and Piedmont. AFA provided information to NIOSH on the reported symptoms, chemical testing, and other data to ensure that our members’ voices were heard. The bottom line is that NIOSH recognized that “”irritant and allergenic compounds were identified in some uniform garments, which could cause [reported] skin symptoms.” NIOSH also cited evidence that exposure to low levels of chemicals and chemical mixtures in textiles can cause symptoms. Finally, NIOSH recommended that AA “remove employees with physician-diagnosed health problems related to the uniform from exposure, and retain pay and benefits for these employees,” including potential “reassign[ment] (with retention of pay and employment status) with work conditions in which exposure is minimal or nonexistent.”

AFA encourages our membership to read the Harvard study. It should especially be:

  • In the hands of every Flight Attendant who seeks medical attention for a uniform reaction.
  • In the hands of every airline official who is responsible for procuring new uniforms, in order to prevent history from repeating itself.

We are still fighting for the right to safe clothes that don’t cause illness for the Flight Attendants at PSA, Piedmont, Envoy, and our sisters and brothers at American. We will continue to push for the type of positive and conscientious change that we see at some airlines like Alaska and United who have committed to strong uniform programs – and are working with AFA as an important part of that commitment.

Custom Uniform Safety Standards

Alaska Air Group management has been working with operational leaders, third-party safety consultants, labor leaders, workgroup and union representatives, and the uniform supplier (to be announced later) in order to develop a new safety standard for the upcoming custom uniform program. AFA is very pleased to report that management has made a commitment to certify the primary uniform pieces in the custom uniform to an industry-leading safety standard: the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX®. (OEKO-TEX® is pronounced “eco tex” like “eco” in “eco-friendly” and “tex” like the first syllable in “Texas”.)

There may be a need and/or desire to source non-custom pieces from a third-party vendor in some instances, in which case the Company will first seek suppliers that adhere to the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) Restricted Substance List (RSL) or another safety standard of equal caliber. Based on all the information we have been given so far, AFA anticipates that the Flight Attendant custom uniform will be composed almost exclusively of pieces certified to the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX®.

AFA and Alaska Airlines management had originally discussed the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX® during our investigations into textile sourcing and manufacturing safety resulting from Flight Attendant health concerns with the TwinHill uniform. AFA pushed for adopting the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX®, but management deemed the standard as too expensive to achieve at that time. By partnering with the custom uniform supplier, Alaska Airlines is now able to implement this robust safety standard more cost effectively than was previously possible.

Even with the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX® certification, it is impossible to guarantee that all Flight Attendants will remain free from reactions to the custom uniform pieces. In fact, research indicates it is likely that five to ten percent will experience some form of dermal reaction as a result of cutting over to new uniform pieces. However, AFA appreciates that management has taken proactive steps to improve the safety of our uniforms and reduce the possibility of more serious health effects by adopting the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX® and the AAFA RSL into our custom uniform program.

Based on behind the scenes progress so far, we are very hopeful the custom uniform program will be well received and the cutover in 2019 will go as smoothly as possible.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Linda Christou, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; AFA Uniform Committee Chairperson Bob Moore; and AFA ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple

End of Year Reminders 2016

As we approach the end of 2016, the Master Executive Council (MEC) wants to remind you of a few important items.

AFA EAP

Alaska Flight Attendants are the best in the industry and this is due, in part, to our amazing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Committee! EAP is always available to assist and support you. As we approach the holiday season our jobs become much more difficult and we are away from our families. EAP peers help FAs assess their expectations, troubles, health issues and commitments. Re-evaluating commitments and expectations will help to make the holiday season more manageable and enjoyable. AFA EAP’s greatest tool is the ability to listen, calming the presenting issue. Referring to professional resources appropriate when the FA is unable to find resolution.

You can find EAP contact information here: http://afaalaska.org/eap.

Review Your Personnel File

This is a great time of year to review your personnel file (“p-file”). According to our collective bargaining agreement, you’re entitled to a complete copy of your personnel file with at least seven (7) calendar days’ notice (§24.G).  We recommend that every Flight Attendant take advantage of this contractual right and review your personnel file on a regular basis. To make a request for your copy of your personnel file, contact your performance supervisor.  We recommend doing so in writing via Outlook email.

Employee Choice Travel Credits

Any remaining Employee Choice Travel Credits must be converted by December 31, 2016. Once you convert the credits you have three months to travel or make changes to those credits. These credits do not roll over! You will find your Employee Choice Travel Credits in your Paperless Employee Travel (PET) account.

Uniform Allotments

The current uniform allotment will expire December 31, 2016. You will receive a new $700 allotment on January 1, 2017. Taxes and shipping will be covered through the Land’s End portal. You can find the link to Land’s End on your World of Inflight FA homepage –> Catering & Brand –> Uniforms –> Lands’ End. Make sure you copy your People Soft (PS) number from your homepage, as you will need this number to access the allotment link on the Land’s End homepage and to place uniform orders. If you have questions you can contact your Local Executive Council (LEC) Uniform Committee.

December 2016 “No Junior Assignment” Pledge

AFA and Alaska Airlines management agreed to a “No Junior Assignment” Pledge. Flight Attendants who are working trips that originate between December 15, 2016, and December 25, 2016, will not be Junior Assigned (JA’d) off of those trips.

Year End Record Improvement

Any Flight Attendant who has 4.0 or fewer attendance points will have her/his record reduced to 0 points after the end of the year, provided s/he did not accumulate any attendance points since November 1st. In order to qualify for this provision, a Flight Attendant must achieve a minimum of 480 TFP in the calendar year (inclusive of vacation/Longevity PTO but excluding sick leave) in addition to all other requirements outlined in §32.G.4. It usually takes a few weeks into January for the year-end record improvement adjustment to occur.

“DOS +2” Step Rates of Pay

Effective December 17, 2016, all Flight Attendants received a contractual pay raise. “DOS +2” in the step rates of pay chart in §21.A now applies. You can find your individual step rate of pay at the intersection of your step (the steps are listed in the rows on the left) and the “DOS+2” column (the contractual increases are listed in the columns at the top).

Employee Records supposedly sent an email to all Flight Attendants on December 17th via Outlook advising of the contractual increase. However, AFA has received multiple reports from our members that the notification was never received—even after checking “Junk Email” and “Clutter” folders. If you did not receive the email, Inflight management has advised to contact Employee Records (employee.records@alaskaair.com) in order to verify your contractual increase. AFA requested that Inflight management also send out a bulletin regarding this issue.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC S/T-Elect Linda Christou

Uniform Quarterly Meeting Update

Tallee attended the Quarterly Uniform Meeting in SEA and has provided the following update to share with our members.

  • Survey results confirmed the obvious system wide displeasure.  More information available on Alaskasworld.
  • Luly’s new Breast Cancer Neckwear is available to purchase/order now.  If you would like to make a donation to the Pink Lemonade Project, that is available there as well.  The Neckwear is being sold to us at cost, BUT the company will match up to $10,000.00 of our donations.  Those must be ordered by July 5, 2016.  They may open second round of ordering, but this is the only guaranteed time frame.
  • The Company is hopeful that we may see sketches as early as the end of 2nd quarter 2017.  Hope to have the Uniform Ambassadors start wear testing by 4th Quarter.
  • The Uniform Committee Chairs are currently testing a new roller bag (1″ shorter) that is meant to accommodate all bins including the space bins when placed correctly on their sides.
  • Patriotic and Holiday neckwear designs still to come.  No confirmation on the designer.
  • Next round of Focus groups will occur AFTER design briefs are released.

Again, if you have any questions/information you would like to share relating to our uniforms, please reach out to Tallee and the Uniform Committee.

Scheduling Committee Meeting Recap – August 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Tuesday, August 25, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Scheduling Committee Chairpersons and Representatives met virtually to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Rebekah Olds (ANC), Rita Tillou (SEA), Melodie Anderes (PDX), […]

Joint Contract Negotiations Session 18 – August 2026

This week, the AFA Alaska + Hawaiian JNC engaged in four days of collective bargaining with management in Seattle. Despite presenting a comprehensive proposal to address Section 19 (Grievance) and Section 30 (Training), the committee and the company were unable to reach an agreement. The JNC remains dedicated to securing the best possible outcome for our members.

AFA Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Town Hall: Join Us Wednesday, September 23

Don’t miss your chance to connect, share your thoughts, and be heard! Our upcoming AFA Alaska + Hawaiian MEC Town Hall is happening Wednesday, September 23. Stay informed with the latest AFA updates and engage directly with our MEC Officers. Bring your questions—AFA Representatives will be ready to provide answers. The Details What: AFA Alaska + […]

Staying Safe On Layovers

A joint message from our AFA Hotel Committee; Air Safety, Health & Security Committee (ASHSC); and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee. Your safety matters to us—and we want you to come home from every trip safe and well. Most layovers go smoothly, and you can keep it that way by staying aware and trusting […]

Uniform Committee Meeting Recap – 3rd Quarter 2026

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants On Thursday, August 13, our pre-merger Alaska AFA Uniform Committee Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent Flight Attendants and push for improvements in the workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Kim Mazzolini (ANC), Dena Heath (SEA), Diana Berni (PDX),  Lisa Mueller (SFO), Heather […]

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