volunteer

Get Involved: AFA Committees Forming Soon

June 13, 2018 12:00

AFA Council 35, which has represented pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants based at SFO and LAX, will soon be realigned as part of the merger process. The election process is currently underway in both SFO and LAX for Local Executive Council (LEC) Officers who will represent the Flight Attendants of their respective domiciles. Once the election results are certified on July 31, pre-merger Virgin America Flight Attendants based at LAX will become part of Council 18 (which currently represents pre-merger Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants also based at LAX) and Council 35 will solely represent Flight Attendants based at SFO going forward.

About AFA Committees

AFA has established a series of committees in order to represent Flight Attendant interests in different areas that are important to our profession and the quality of our working conditions. The volunteer Flight Attendants who serve on these committees provide an important level of representation to their flying partners and help to support the LEC Officers within the Local Council.

Each Local Committee is led by a Local Committee Chairperson and may also have Local Committee Members based on the workload and need of the committee. All of these positions are appointed by the LEC Officers. The Local Committee Chairperson works with the Master Executive Council (MEC) Chairperson of the committee, who is responsible for coordinating the activities of the committee across the entire airline.

Local AFA committee positions include:

In addition, Local Committee Chairpersons have additional duties and responsibilities that can be viewed by clicking here.

Interested in Getting Involved?

Further AFA email communications about how to express interest and get involved as a Local Committee volunteer will be coming out over the next month. In the meantime, you can review the volunteers page of the AFA Alaska website for additional information.

If you are interested in serving as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee Member, this particular position involves an application process. You may review the informational page on the AFA International website for more information and complete the online EAP representative application if interested.

MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson Interviews

July 29, 2016 05:00

The MEC would like to thank Jennifer Wise MacColl for her work as MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson over the past several years. In her role, Jennifer has been a fierce advocate for Flight Attendants in numerous contractual and discipline cases. Jennifer will continue her AFA work as a member of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) pending the planned acquisition of Virgin America by Alaska Airlines.

Background

The MEC Grievance Committee Chairperson is responsible for leading the committee’s effort to advocate for Flight Attendants in contractual and disciplinary cases. The Chairperson also serves as a resource to Local Grievance Committees in all aspects relating to grievance and contractual enforcement matters.

Additional Information from The MEC Policy Manual

1. SCOPE

a. The Grievance Committee will have as its primary objective the protection of all Flight Attendants against arbitrary and unjust disciplinary action.

b. The Grievance Committee shall uphold the current agreement, MEC policy and the AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws.

c. The Grievance Committee shall act to secure the fastest possible procedures for all Flight Attendants in the arbitration of their grievances for disciplinary action.

d. The Grievance Committee shall follow the direction of the Grievance Screening Panel.

2. POLICY/RESPONSIBILITIES

a. The MEC Grievance Committee shall consist of the MEC Chairperson and the Local Grievance Committee Chairperson from each council. The MEC may also appoint MEC Vice Chairpersons and MEC Grievance Representatives to the MEC Grievance Committee on an as needed basis.

b. The committee will assist AFA-CWA attorneys in the preparation of all ALA Flight Attendant grievances.

c. Proposed settlements of disputes between the Union and the Company shall be presented to the MEC President.

d. Priority at the System Board shall be given to Flight Attendants who have been terminated by the Company. Issues of sufficient importance to the collective interest can be scheduled ahead of termination grievances with the MEC President’s concurrence.

e. If any dispute arises regarding the merits of a contract grievance, the MEC will have the authority to terminate or continue the grievance process.

f. Grievant will be advised, via Certified Mail, of any Grievance Screening Panel determination.

g. The MEC Chairperson shall:

(i) Serve as a member of the Grievance Screening Panel

(ii) Attend all discussions of contract items at all regularly scheduled MEC meetings.

(iii) Compose informational and educational articles of interest to the membership and provide them to the MEC Communications Chairperson to be included in MEC communications and posted to the MEC website. This will include the minutes of all Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) meeting minutes.

Qualifications

Previous Union grievance or equivalent labor relations experience required
Understanding of the principles of just cause
In-depth knowledge of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA)
Ability to attend meetings as required, including being present in Seattle at least four days per week
Ability to attend AFA International and other required training as needed
Adherence to Grievance Committee policies, procedures, and standards of ethical conduct
Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Google email and Microsoft Office. Knowledge of osTicket platform helpful.
Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and take meeting minutes. Ability to pay close attention to detail.
Ability to prioritize responsibilities and perform multiple tasks simultaneously
Ability to meet deadlines and follow up on assigned tasks
Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive and personal information

Duties

Enforce the contract
File grievances and maintain the master grievance log
Collect evidence, solicit documentation, and maintain complete records.
Ensure that time limits are met for filing
Represent AFA in alternate dispute resolution (ADR) meetings, grievance hearings, System Board hearings, and other meetings with management.
Assist Union attorneys in preparing grievances for System Board
Review material, handle correspondence, and keep the Local Grievance Committees well informed of current grievance developments
Communicate regularly with the membership about decisions on grievances; explain ramifications of results
Write grievance articles for membership communications upon request of the MEC Communications Committee
Prepare and send a monthly committee report to the MEC

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

This position is budgeted for 100 TFP of Flight Pay Loss (FPL) per month
Time commitment is approximately four days per week in the MEC Office in Seattle with additional work completed remotely or in the office as necessary

Working Relationships

With The Local Grievance Committees

Constant interaction with the Local Grievance Committee Chairpersons and Local Grievance Committee Members.

With The Master Executive Council (MEC)

This position reports to the Master Executive Council. The MEC executive sponsor for the committee is the MEC President.

With The MEC Grievance Committee

Frequent interaction with the MEC Grievance Committee. This position directs the work of the MEC Grievance Representative(s).

With Management

Constant interaction with inflight management, particularly the Director of Labor Relations, Manager of Inflight Work Performance, and Inflight Performance Supervisors

With AFA International

Frequent interaction with AFA staff attorneys and AFA legal department

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews during the September MEC meeting on Wednesday, September 28 or Thursday, September 29, 2016. Bid around the interview date or plan to arrange your schedule accordingly to accommodate.
Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Yvette Satterlee at yvette.satterlee@afaalaska.org no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on Friday, September 16, 2016. Yvette will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

In Solidarity,

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

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson Interviews – Deadline Extended

July 18, 2016 20:00

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) has extended the deadline for interviews for the ASHSC Vice Chairperson position. Interviews will now be conducted at the August MEC meeting on August 15 and 16.

With the continued growth of the company and corresponding increase in work for the ASHSC, the MEC has elected to establish a Vice Chairperson position for the ASHSC. The former responsibilities of the Air Quality Subcommittee will become part of the duties of the new ASHSC Vice Chairperson.

Background

The Vice Chairperson of the ASHSC will assist the MEC Chairperson as needed with the work of the committee. S/he will also have responsibility for overseeing all AFA and ASHSC efforts pertaining to aircraft air quality including responding to complaints or incidents involving possible contaminated air.

Additional Information from the MEC Policy Manual

1. SCOPE

a. The Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) shall work with the Company on matters pertaining to cabin and Flight Attendant safety and health.

2. POLICY/RESPONSIBILITIES

a. The MEC ASHSC shall consist of the MEC ASHSC Chairperson, MEC ASHSC Vice Chairperson, and the Local ASHSC Chairperson from each council.

…

d. The MEC Vice Chairperson shall:

(i) Perform the duties of the MEC Chairperson in her/his absence

(ii) Assist the MEC Chairperson as needed

(iii) Regularly communicate with and provide updates to the MEC ASHSC Chairperson on all activities, meetings, and work being performed

(iv) Work on all matters pertaining to the quality of air onboard the aircraft. Coordinate ASHSC response to any incidents or complaints involving air quality, specifically:

(A) Handle any air quality or contamination issues as they arise

(B) Work with the company to investigate and address the source of air quality or contamination when it occurs

(C) Assist Flight Attendants in obtaining proper care, treatment, and testing when involved in an air quality or contamination incident

(D) Follow up with the Flight Attendant(s) involved to ensure they have received proper care, treatment, and testing

(E) Keep members informed of air quality incidents and developments through the MEC Communications Committee

(F) Attend Cabin Air Review Team (CART) meetings and other air quality-related meetings

(G) Develop, distribute, maintain, and update membership education materials about air quality, contamination, symptoms, and follow up procedures

(H) In conjunction with the International Office, develop and provide initial and ongoing training to the ASHSC of each Local Council

Qualifications

Previous ASHSC experience required
Knowledge of contaminated cabin air exposure protocols
Ability to attend meetings as required, including being present in Seattle regularly
Ability to attend AFA International and other required training as needed
Strong computer skills. Excellent working knowledge of Inflight Mobile Device, Google email, and Microsoft Office.
Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write communications, respond professionally to internal and external e-mail, prepare reports, and take meeting minutes.
Ability to meet deadlines and follow up on assigned tasks

Duties

Fulfill the duties of the MEC Chairperson when s/he is absent or otherwise committed
Perform tasks as assigned by the MEC Chairperson. Regularly communicate with and provide updates to the MEC Chairperson on all activities. Assist the MEC Chairperson in preparing the monthly committee report to the MEC.
Actively respond to any incidents involving aircraft air quality. Provide assistance to the affected Flight Attendants. Work with management to determine the root cause.
Represent AFA and the ASHSC at bi-monthly Cabin Air Review Team (CART) meetings in Seattle
Assist the MEC Chairperson in planning and conducting bi-monthly meetings of the committee and other meetings and conference calls as needed. Attend and actively participate in all meetings and conference calls in coordination with the MEC Chairperson.

Time Commitment and Flight Pay Loss Reimbursement

This position is eligible for Flight Pay Loss (FPL) reimbursement by the Company under §27.P Company Business (CB) Flight Pay Loss with a 5% override and “A” pay. CB is compensated at 0.75 TFP per hour of work.
Estimated 4-6 hours per week (12 to 18 TFP per month). This amount is highly variable and may be higher or lower depending on the amount of work to be completed each week and month. Some work may be accomplished remotely. Regularly required to be in Seattle to work on projects and attend meetings.

Working Relationships

With The ASHSC

Frequent interaction with Local ASHSC Chairpersons and Committee Members

With The MEC ASHSC Chairperson

Constant interaction; this position reports to the MEC ASHSC Chairperson

With Alaska Airlines Management

Constant interaction with inflight management, particularly the Director of Inflight Safety & Compliance, Manager of Inflight Policy, and Inflight Safety & Policy Specialists

Expressing Interest and Interview Scheduling

The MEC will hold interviews during the August MEC meeting on Monday, August 15 or Tuesday, August 16, 2016.
Submit a declaration of interest and resume to MEC Secretary-Treasurer Yvette Satterlee at yvette.satterlee@afaalaska.org no later than 5 PM Pacific Time on Friday, August 5, 2016. Yvette will contact qualified candidates to schedule a specific interview time.

Questions About the Position

If you have questions about the position, please contact MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple at seth.heiple@afaalaska.org.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee; and MEC ASHSC Chairperson Seth Heiple

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Vice Chairperson Interviews

May 27, 2016 05:00

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) would like to thank Karyn Kobe her service as Chairperson of the AFA Air Quality Subcommittee and also as Council 18 LAX ASHSC Chairperson over the past several years. Karyn has helped numerous Flight Attendants through incidents of contaminated cabin air exposure and has relentlessly advocated for continued improvement to the way that the company handles air quality events.