AFA Alaska + Hawaiian

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

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

Council 39 January 2026 Update (January 31, 2026)

In This Edition:

  • AFA Membership Hub
  • Employee Assistance Program/Professional Standards
  • AFA International Pre-Board of Directors Meeting
  • Committee Member Updates
  • Joint Contract Negotiations Update

AFA Membership Hub

If you are successfully receiving this email, it means that your contact information in the AFA Membership Hub is accurate and up to date. Thank you! However, many of our flying partners are not signed up to receive important communications from either Council 39, AFA Alaska + Hawaiian MEC, or both, and we need your help with getting the word out.

Please encourage everyone you fly with to log in to the Membership Hub and verify that their preferred personal email address is on file. Click here for a quick video showing how easy it is to do.

Employee Assistance Program/Professional Standards

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a support service provided by Flight Attendants for Flight Attendants. EAP Representatives are trained to provide three distinct but interrelated services that include assessment, support and referral services, professional standards and critical incident response. 

We encourage Flight Attendants to calmly and professionally address workplace conflicts with each other. Sometimes, it may be best to wait until you are on the ground on a layover or outside of work so that everyone involved has time to think things through.

While we encourage the resolution of any disagreement by trying to discuss the specific behavior or area of contention with the individual involved, we understand that there are situations where an objective ear can be beneficial. That is where EAP, specifically Professional Standards, can help. They can assist you in working out any difficulty and avoid “writing up” Flight Attendants or other employees, where both parties may then be subject to disciplinary action. When issues are taken to management to report a fellow Flight Attendant or other employee, the consequences can be severe for all parties involved and rarely turn out as we might anticipate. 

EAP Representatives, all of whom are Flight Attendants and committed to confidentiality, are trained to help you resolve issues with your coworkers when you need them. Our Council 39 EAP Chairperson, Contesa Diaz-Nicolaidis, is available here and you can find the full list of Council 39 EAP/Professional Standards Representatives here. 

AFA International Pre-Board of Directors Meeting

Council 39 will be hosting a joint meeting with Horizon AFA Council 17 on Wednesday, February 25 at 11 AM in the Port of Portland office building ahead of the 2026 AFA International Board of Directors Convention. Topics to be discussed include AFA International BOD agenda items, local committee recaps and reports. 

The 2026 AFA Board of Directors Convention is taking place in downtown Portland at The Benson Hotel on March 9-11. If you are interested in attending one or more of these days as a guest, registration is required. Please email our LEC officers by clicking here and bid accordingly. This is a great opportunity to observe how the Board of Directors works and what they do.

More information about the convention can be found here.

Committee Member Updates

We are pleased to announce Wendy Drake as a new addition to our Council 39 Benefits Committee. Wendy will serve as the Retirement Advisor.

Wendy began her career as a Flight Attendant in 1992 and has previously served on AFA Scheduling and Communications Committees. She holds a BA in Legal Studies from Chapman University in Orange, California. Wendy also spent time working in the financial sector with Bank of New York/Mellon, where she gained valuable insight into personal finance, her favorite subject matter.

Wendy is enthusiastic about helping fellow Flight Attendants prepare for retirement. In her personal life, she is engaged in caring for her elderly mother and learning to navigate Medicare.

Additionally, our Government Affairs Committee Chairperson, Colin Weaver, is stepping down from the position. We thank Colin for his service.

Our new Government Affairs Committee Chairperson is Manda Bednarczyk. Manda started flying for Alaska Airlines in 1999 and has been a proud member of the Portland base for 27 years. Living in southwest Portland, Manda is active in her community as a Girl Scout leader and volunteer at her children’s school. She views civic involvement as integral to a healthy society, and believes that active political engagement on a local and national level is imperative to sustain any democracy. 

As a previous member of the Government Affairs Committee, Manda was excited to return to the committee recently and is looking forward to a new position. She is eager to represent Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants, especially the Portland base, and our interests to our elected officials. 

If you are interested in helping Manda in her new position and joining the Government Affairs Committee, click here. You can find helpful information regarding the committee and their activities here.

Other new additions include Ty Kershaw (Grievance Committee), Lisa Lacaden (Benefits Committee/Workers Compensation Advisor) and Cesar Valencia (Benefits Committee/Kaiser Insurance Advisor). Keep an eye out for their bios in a future communication.  

Joint Contract Negotiations Update

Our JNC (Joint Negotiating Committee) met with management on January 27 to January 29 in Seattle; the next negotiation session is scheduled for February 24 to February 26. Our MEC Air Safety Health and Security Chairperson and Air Quality Representative, along with the AFA-CWA International Industrial Hygienist joined the JNC to speak to management about impacts of air quality on Flight Attendants.

Click here to read the full update from the JNC. 

In Solidarity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

Council 39 December 2025 (December 14, 2025) Update

In This Edition:

  • Happy Holidays!
  • Q4 CBT (Annual Compliance Training) Due 12/31
  • End Of Year Reminders
  • Increase In RODs
  • Communications Committee Update
  • Updating Your Email Address

Happy Holidays!

Whether you’re flying the line or spending time at home with friends and family, we would like to wish you a happy and safe holiday season!

Q4 CBT (Annual Compliance Training)

Annual Compliance Training CBTs are due by Wednesday, December 31st. Please make sure to complete the CBT on time to avoid progressive steps of discipline.

End Of Year Reminders

Current uniform allotment will expire on Wednesday, December 31st and will not roll over to next year. It is best to place orders sooner to ensure they are processed by the deadline. We will be issued a new allotment on January 1st. See Section 13.D of the CBA for details.

The deadline to decide whether to exchange your 2026 Employee Choice Travel Credits for Positive Space Travel (PST) is Tuesday, December 16th. 

Travel Open Enrollment is open now and will close on Tuesday, December 16th.

Remember to convert unused Employee Choice Travel Credits to guest passes. You can print or email the codes to yourself for future use.

Increase In RODs (Records of Discussion)

We have recently seen an increase in Records of Discussion. The leading reasons are reporting for duty without required items, such as Company ID (crew badge) and IMDs, and uniform compliance. Please refer to the FAM, Section 11.100 page 30, for a list of required items and the Uniforms Homepage on Team AAG for uniform compliance guidelines.

Communications Committee Update

We are pleased to announce Russel Rivinius as our new Communications Committee Chairperson.

Russel began his career as an Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant in early 2017. Initially based in Los Angeles, he has been in Portland for six years. He currently serves on the Council 39 Scheduling Committee and will begin a three-year term as MEC Scheduling Committee Fatigue Review Board Alternate Representative on January 1st.

Prior to joining Alaska Airlines, Russel worked in the service industry and managed several bars and restaurants. He lives in the beautiful city of Portland with his partner, Fabio, and their cats, Moira and Jonni.

Please join us in welcoming Russel to his new position.

Updating Your Email Address

Recently, AFA International made the switch to a new software platform for member engagement. As a result of the switch, some Flight Attendants’ profiles were duplicated. The MEC Communications Committee is actively working on merging duplicate profiles, but please log in to the AFA Membership Hub to verify that we have your preferred personal, not company, email address on file. This will ensure you’re receiving up-to-date communications from both Council 39 as well as our Master Executive Council.

As you’re flying, please encourage your fellow Flight Attendants to log in to the Membership Hub as well.

In Solidarity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

Council 39 November 2025 Update (November 17, 2025)

In This Edition:

  • Happy Thanksgiving!
  • Joint JNC/Council 39 Meeting Information
  • Uniform Committee Update/Allotment Reminder
  • Healthcare Open Enrollment – Due November 21st

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whether you’re flying the line or spending time at home with friends and family, we would like to wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

Joint JNC/Council 39 Meeting Information:

Please join us on Friday, November 21st at 11:30 am for our local council meeting. Members of the Joint Negotiating Committee will also be available to answer questions.

  1. After landing at PDX, exit the secure area and proceed to the landside (baggage claim area) of the terminal.
  2. Follow signs for “Short-Term Parking” or “Long-Term Parking” garage – the meeting venue signage directs to the Long-Term Parking garage. You can go outside and walk across the roadways into the parking garage or you can take the North Tunnel (near baggage claim carousel 8) and walk all the way to the end of the tunnel and follow signs to the Port offices.
  3. If driving to PDX, you can park in the Long-Term Parking garage (or if that’s full, the east side of the Short-Term garage and use the walkway to the Long-Term garage.) 
  4. Take the elevator from the garage lobby (east end) marked “Port Offices” to the 1st floor lobby, then follow signage/elevators up to the 8th floor of the Port of Portland Headquarters.
  5. On the 8th floor, check in with the receptionist and pick up your visitor’s badge, then go to the “Anchor Room” for the meeting.

Uniform Committee Update/Allotment Reminder:

Our current uniform allotment expires at the end of this year. New allotments will be issued in January. However, current funds in your allotment will not roll over. Please remember to place uniform orders by December 31st so you don’t lose out on any leftover funds. 

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to David Jelinek for his many years of dedication as the Portland Base Uniform Committee Chairperson. David has recently been appointed as the MEC Chairperson, and we congratulate him on this well-deserved transition.

With this change, we are excited to announce that Bob Moore will be stepping into the local chairperson role. Bob began his career with Horizon Air in 1987, where he played a key role in organizing AFA on the property and served on both the EAP and Inflight Service Committees. In 1996, he joined Alaska Inflight, where he continues to serve today. Over the years, Bob has contributed his leadership as co-chair of the PDX Reserve Committee, and as a member of the Voice Committee, Uniform Committee, LEC and MEC Uniform Committees.

Please join us in thanking David for his service and congratulating Bob as he takes on this new role!

In addition to Bob resuming the chairperson role we would like to introduce new Uniform Committee members:

Diana Berni

Diana was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She began her career as an LA based Flight Attendant in 2007. In 2010 she decided to venture out and transferred to the Portland base she now calls home.  

She has volunteered her time by doing various projects with the Alaska Airlines Special Projects Pool and has also participated in the Grand Floral Parade by marching with the Flight Attendant Drill Team.  

Diana is married, has two children and a golden doodle named Maximus. She spends her off days with her family hiking, going to the movies and driving to the coast. 

She looks forward to working closely with AFA as a Uniform Committee member and assisting fellow Flight Attendants with their uniform needs.  

Lexie Rhodes

Lexie Rhodes has been a proud member of the Alaska Airlines family since 2013. Before joining Alaska, she worked as an executive assistant, where she built a strong foundation in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. She studied European History at the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a minor in History of Art and Visual Culture and enriched her studies with several design courses that sparked her interest in how aesthetics and function can work hand in hand. Her time studying abroad in Siena, Italy, and Stirling, Scotland further deepened her appreciation for cultural exchange, inclusive perspectives, and thoughtful design.

Lexie is excited to bring her perspective to the AFA Uniform Committee and support her fellow Flight Attendants in advocating for thoughtful, inclusive uniform choices that honor both Alaska’s and Hawaiian Airlines’ cultures, accommodate diverse body types, and balance comfort with style. When she’s not in the air, you’ll find her reading, hiking, daydreaming about her next adventure, hanging with her nine nieces and nephews, pulling playful pranks, or spending time with her close-knit group of girlfriends.

Tutu Smith

Tutu has loved every chapter of her journey with Alaska Airlines since starting as a CSA in 2001 and moving to Inflight in 2007. She’s passionate about her work, takes great pride in wearing the uniform, and is excited to contribute her experience and perspective as a member of the Uniform Committee.

Tutu has previously served on the Inflight Service Committee and the Mobilization Committee during contract negotiations. When she’s not flying, she enjoys spending time with her husband, kids, and their dog or catching a good football game on TV.

Healthcare Open Enrollment:

Don’t forget to complete your elections for healthcare benefits by November 21st at 10 PM PST. You can review/update your coverage by clicking here and using your Team AAG single sign-on.

In Solidarity,

Steve, Krystle and Bethany

Council 15 Spring Updates

​Important Dates and Information

SAN LAX SFO Membership Meeting May 6

The next membership meeting for Council 15 members will be Thursday May 6, 2021 on Zoom. The purpose will be to discuss the AFA Board of Director’s Meeting scheduled for May 13, 2021. This meeting will be a combined council meeting and open to all Council 15, 18 and 35 members in good standing (up-to-date on dues). If you have any agenda items to discuss or specific questions please submit to SAN@afaalaska.org by May 5th, 2021.

Performance Investigations and Disciplines

CBT

Discipline for failing to complete quarterly CBTs are continuing to trend.  Flight Attendants returning from leave are given 60 days to complete CBTs.  The Council 15 Grievance Committee has been successful in assisting FAs dispute discipline when evidence of technical difficulties exist.  Being busy and forgetting to complete the CBT has not been accepted as extenuating circumstances to miss a CBT deadline and the discipline will remain.  If more than one CBT deadline is missed, discipline will progress to higher steps on the discipline scale (i.e. 2 missed CBTs in 18 month period will escalate to a Written Warning).

Commuter Violations

Monthly audits are occurring, and Council 15 has seen disciplines for misuse lessen however there are still Flight Attendants that are using it incorrectly.  Please be sure your registered cities are current and comply with guidelines set forth in the commuter program outlined on the FA webpage.

Grievance vs. Gripe

Not all concerns brought forward to AFA can be resolved by the union.  Knowing the difference between a Grievance and a Gripe is key to understanding how we can assist you.  

Grievance 
A grievance is a formal challenge to management that our contract has been violated or that unjust discipline has been issued.  

Example: “Charter flying was awarded out of seniority order.”  We have specific contract language citing how Charter Bids will be awarded, therefore, this could be a grievance.

Prior to filing a grievance, your local union reps will attempt to resolve the concern with management, if that proves to be unsuccessful, a formal grievance may be filed.  

Gripe
A Gripe is a complaint that is not a contractual violation.

Example: “It’s not fair that I was flown into a day off”.   It may not seem fair, but it is contractual, therefore this would be considered a gripe. Or   “I thought I had the day off because my flight canceled, why did I get a no show? This isn’t fair! Our contract states that you must report as scheduled if no contact is made with crew scheduling​for canceled flying, therefore this would be considered a gripe. 

Occasionally we hear from members that are upset because they were unaware of contractual language or a company policy that has been violated.  It’s everyone’s responsibility to know our work rules. Not knowing the rules doesn’t prevent management from issuing discipline. 

Your SAN union reps are always available to help determine when a complaint is a gripe or a grievance.  We are always willing to assist you with contract interpretation.

Please ensure that you have our contact information saved in your phone. You never know when you may need to reach out to us.

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Enrollment is open for the Alaska Air Group Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The plan allows you to purchase company stock at a 15% discount from the fair market value on the offering date or purchase date, whichever is less.

To take advantage of this opportunity, you must enroll by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (U.S.) on April 20, 2021.

  
•If you’re already enrolled, no action is needed. You will be automatically re-enrolled at the rate you specified, or if you like, you can change your contribution rate now.
 
•If you enroll or change your contribution rate, you must specify a contribution rate between 1%-10%.
 
•If you want to learn more, view the ESPP Prospectus under Benefits/Pay on Alaska’s World or On Your Horizon.
 

You must have a Schwab One® brokerage account in order to enroll. Use the “Open an Account” button to open your account or to link an existing Schwab One account to Equity Award Center®.

Please open your account as soon as possible because late enrollment requests cannot be processed. 

Please see your Alaska email for more information.

Scholarship Opportunities  

AFA Scholarship

The Association of Flight Attendant Scholarship Fund is intended to provide financial assistance to dependents of our active members who will be attending a college or university.  Applications must be postmarked by April 10, and sent to the following address:

AFA Scholarship Fund

P.O. Box 56

Hartwood, VA 22471-0056

For more detailed information, visit the AFA website.

CWA Joe Beirne Scholarship

​The Joe Beirne Scholarship offered by CWA is available to AFA Members as well as dependents. The deadline for applications is April 30.   For more detailed information, visit the CWA website.

How Do I contact Officers

Using your personal email address (not Alaska), the preferred methods of contact are:

  • Open an Online Support Request ticket
  • Officer group email SAN@afaalaska.org (if one officer is flying /unavailable other officers can respond)
  • Individual officer emails (if information is for a specific officer)
  • Calls/text (if situation requires more urgent attention)

When contacting Council 15 officers please avoid the following methods:

  • Sending to/from alaskaair email (subject to company audits and therefore not private)
  • Officer personal Facebook/social media accounts (not actively monitored for AFA concerns)
  • Excessively lengthy texts (please use email for important information as it’s easier to respond and forward to appropriate resource-texts should be reserved for alerts to an issue that requires a timely response)

In Solidarity,

Brice, Melanie, JR

Updated PBS Website

Your Joint PBS Committee is ready to roll out the newly updated NAVBLUE PBS website. The internal functionality of PBS remains the same as far as processing bids. However, there are several updates to logging in, entering bids, searching for pairings, and options for saving or submitting bids.

Training Materials

Training materials are available on the PBS QA/Help page. Access from the FA Webpage under Line Bidding> PBS QA/Help. Links for training materials are also available at the top of the PBS Info Page.

A great start would be to watch the PBS Quick Tour video, produced by ANC Scheduling Chairperson Justin Wetherell. More tutorial videos are available on the PBS QA/Help page, or by clicking here. *It may be difficult to navigate the updated website without using the training materials and videos.
Access the updated PBS website here: https://asa.classbid.com/webapp/#/

Base Sits

Base sits will be scheduled for March and April, supported by members of the Joint Alaska & AFA PBS Committee.

Why the Update?

Updates to the PBS website allow functionality on tablets and smartphones with 5.5”+ screens. Changes also allow creating/editing bids offline, which can be saved and submitted once an internet connection is established. Watch the Bidding Offline tutorial to learn how.

Your AFA PBS Committee was involved in the entire process of bringing the updated PBS website to you from the start of development. Many improvement suggestions were incorporated by NAVBLUE into the updated website. Other airlines have already been using the updated website, some for more than a year. This allowed testing, catching errors, and incorporating fixes prior to implementing at Alaska. AFA Scheduling and Reserve Committee members have been bidding with the updated system for several months, and reached a consensus that it is ready to roll out for all flight attendants.

NAVBLUE plans to end access to the current version of PBS later this year, so we recommend taking time now to learn the updated website. Links to the ‘old’ and ‘new’ websites are found on the FA Website under Schedule & Bidding> Line Bidding. Two months of parallel bidding start Monday, January 29th, during which access will be available to both versions of PBS. The most recently submitted bid, regardless of which website was utilized, will be used during bid awards.

Send questions and feedback to the PBS Committee at pbs.qa@alaskaair.com.

Fly Safe!
Council 15 Scheduling and Reserve Committees and LEC Officers

Your Joint Alaska & AFA PBS Committee
Rebecca Asbell – PDXFA
Sabrina Blevins – Crew Planning
John Bumanglag – Crew Planning
Adam Clarey – SEAFA
Steve Poynter – SEAFA
Kelly Yeager – Crew Planning

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 […]

Recent Posts

News By Month

News By Category

AFA News Now Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/HA Merger AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX (pmAS) Council 19 SEA (pmAS) Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX Council 43 HNL Council 47 LAX/SEA (pmHA) EAP/Professional Standards Committee Extension 2021 Blog Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights & Equity Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Membership Engagement Committee Message from the MEC President 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?

Stay up-to-date on AFA Alaska + Hawaiian news and information by signing up for our email and text message updates. Click a button below to get started or update your preferences if you're already a subscriber.
Sign Up for Emails
Sign Up for Text Updates