Who will replace Jeff?

On Monday, March 26th, Rene’ Celestin and I met with Gregg Saretsky to talk about Jeff Butler’s vacancy in the Inflight department. We expressed that Jeff had credibility with the Flight Attendant group because he listened to our concerns, made us feel valued through his communication and acknowledgement of how hard we work and our important role in the Company’s operation and success. Gregg said that the job was posted and applicants had until Friday, March 30 to submit their resumes. He also shared with us that as of last Monday, March 26th they had received 6 applications, 2 in-house and 4 outside of Alaska. Rene’ and I shared concerns in someone from the “outside” coming in having no history or rapport with the people they will be overseeing. A prime example of how this failed in the past was when Alaska hired someone from United to be the ANC base manager but she did not last. Gregg believes they will have the position filled by mid-May.

Bi weekly minutes

AFA/INFLIGHT BI-WEEKLY MEETING MINUTES
December 28, 2006
10:00 AM – AFA CONFERENCE ROOM

Attending: Renee Elson, Gail Bigelow, Kieran Whitney, Mike Link.

1. Raft and combi updates.
Total number of FAs that have not completed the combi form – 65, 5 of whom are active. Total number not attended raft training 65. Number of active FAs not attended raft training 11. There is a raft class on the 28th (today) and of last night 7 were signed up. FAs who have not submitted the combi form are beginning to receive progressive discipline, beginning with a record of discussion, unless the FA was already at a higher step. Every two weeks the company will call the FAs, and if they still haven’t completed the required form nor taken the training, they will go up another step in progressive discipline. An unqualified FA may not fly the city pairs that contain EOO flying, except where there is a SIP, and will not be paid. FA’s who have been on leave of absence since March will be pay protected until they attend training if they take the first available class. Carry over.

2. Tainted water.
A pilot noticed that his water tasted like scotch and found a needle sized hole in the bottom of the bottle. The drug testing people tested the bottle with negative results. The bottle was sent on to Security. Remove from agenda.

3. Sick Leave and Short Term disability.
Pilot me too. Pilots have used as little as 5:30 minutes a month which is the most they can accrue each month. The language in 15 L conflicts with the language in 16 C. Company believes there was discussion about this in negotiations and will locate the notes and get back to us early next week with the dates of the discussions so we can review our notes as well. Carry over.

4. Payroll Advance Police
The company has started sending out advance notice when they suspect someone isn’t going to fly more than their advance. They are sending the letter out too early. Mike met with payroll and they are going to stop looking forward unless a FA is already in arrears. Remove from agenda.

5. $2.25 Nutritious snacks.
The company and Inflight Standards committee continue to work on the snack drawers. Please complete the survey as soon as possible. The next ISSC meeting is January 10. This is a slow process, to say the least. The company takes suggestions to the caterers who then go to the suppliers to see if the requests can be accommodated within the $2.25 goal. Kieran will attend a portion of the January 10 meeting to discuss the results of the survey. Carry over.

6. Ground delay
Company disagrees with FA position on how ground delay is paid if one arrives early. The MEC has taken the position that when a flight arrives early and the subsequent flight is delayed, ground time above 11 minutes is paid. Previously, the ground delay began accruing once a customer boarded. In this last contract, customers on board requirement was deleted however, there was not discussion with this change indicating when ground delay would begin to accrue. Company states that when the original Sideletter was written, the discussions surrounded flights departing late, not arriving early. AFA to file a grievance. Remove from agenda.

7. Charter progress
Company and Sherry Nelson are working on information for charters that will help with charter knowledge from parking lot to parking lot. It will be on the First Class, so that FAs who do not normally fly charters will be able to pull up the information. It should be up within the next two weeks. Remove from agenda.

8. New hires and coats.
The company has followed up on the 5 FAs that did not receive a winter coat. Everyone should receive their winter coats prior to leaving training. If you don’t have one, contact Kieran Whitney. Two coats have been shipped within the last two weeks and a rush order has been placed for the other three. All bases do have winter coats available for Flight Attendants to borrow. Company to check with Natalie on status of orders and where they are with outfitting the new classes. Remove from agenda.

9. Sideletter reflecting that when a FA’s training, excluding RT, is cancelled s/he will be paid. Kieran to write. Carry over.

10. Company scheduled an 8 minute connect time in order to keep a crew legal. They admit they were wrong, but are not clear how it happened as there were no tapes. FAs will receive compensation for the scheduling error. Thom to check back with Gail. Carry over.

11. Where is it written you get five minutes to check your equipment prior to boarding?
Agents are not allowing us the five minutes to check our equipment. This should be in the CSA manual, as well as the FA manual. Training states that it’s not written because it’s not a requirement that equipment preflight be completed prior to boarding. AFA states that is ridiculous, as we are required to be in our boarding positions for boarding and if our preflight isn’t completed, the B FA can’t be in her boarding position for boarding and do they want us to self disclose through ASAP? Kieran to go back to training for further discussion. Carry over.

12. Company wishes to increase the frequency of deductions on FA paychecks.
All deductions are currently taken out on the 20th, but they would like to split it out between the 5th and the 20th. As an example, if you pay $100 for insurance out of the 20th check, it would be $50 on each check. Everything except 401(k) and the stock purchase plan would be split between two checks. This is the way the pilots’ pay is handled. The company is moving to a People Soft program on April 1st. It will allow for more timely changes in status and will give better and easier access on information they have on employees. Internally it will help to support the FAs better. This will be taken up at the MEC on the 23rd. Carry over.

13. Spanish Qualified.
Contractually, SQ FAs are just in LAX, but the company is looking at SEA and SAN to points into and beyond Mexico, such as Latin American cities. Is AFA willing to extend that language into SEA and other domiciles? IF there is a start up in 2007, it would be in the fall of 2007. Other cities would not be beach cities, but would be business traffic. Company did not know what cities those would be at this point. This will be taken up at the MEC meeting on the 23rd. As to current SQ, company put out bulletin checking interest and they heard back from over 100, but the majority of those people were from ANC, PDX and SEA, and Mike doesn’t think they understood that the flying is going to be out of LAX and they would have to relocate, so he’s not counting on that number. As far as launching the program, it could be started prior to PBS being up and running by withholding SQ lines as they have withheld lines for new hires so that only SQ could bid on them. Inflight wants to give people as much advance notice as possible, but they currently haven’t been given a launch date. Carry over.

14. FA picked up a turn on Christmas day for the double time and it converted to a DH down and live leg home. She receives double time for the entire sequence. Remove from agenda.

15. FA drug test conducted by male.
FA was embarrassed. According to the Company, there is no requirement that males be tested by males and females be tested by females, as there is no hands on, as in security screening. Renee to check with the International Office on this issue. Remove from agenda.

16. Commuter FA was required to preboard two flights, even though she hadn’t scanned in and so wasn’t on duty. Company will check the calls and follow up with the crew scheduler. FA will be compensated.

17. Buddy bidding – when FAs buddy bid, they are bidding for two spots on the same line of time, not preferences of A, B, C, however if the buddy bidders bid A and C, for example, and a FA junior to the most junior of the buddy bidders is awarded C, the company will correct by giving the C position to one of the buddy bidders. If, however, the non buddy bidder is senior to the buddy bidders, s/he will be awarded the position s/he bid. The program places the two buddy bidders on the same schedule, no matter the position they have bid. Instructions have been on the website since we went to internet bidding and have had limited changes, none of which pertained to bidding. Section 10 P states we bid positions. Section 10 Q carves out buddy bidding by the seniority number of the most junior FA. Remove from agenda.

18. FA given a no show for not having a passport. Company will remove points and apply progressive discipline (IL code on line).

19. FA picked up a trip and then was told it was an Emaestro error, due to an FAR illegality. He is not entitled to pay protection if he waived his 48/7 or rest. Company to check into details of the situation and respond. Carry over.

20. Reserve requested a personal drop.
After the request she was assigned a trip that worked into the day of the pd request day. Even though she had worked until 0630, the company left the pd on her line. The Company agrees that when a reserve has worked into the pd requested day, the company will offer the choice of pulling her pd and remaining available (after appropriate rest) or keeping the pd. FA will have her 5 tfp restored. Remove from agenda.

Next meeting dates: January 25, 2007
February 7, 2007
February 21, 2007

Thank you Veda

December 11, 2006


Dear fellow flight attendant:

For the past four years it has been my honor to represent the Alaska Flight Attendants as our Master Executive Council (MEC) President. It is with mixed emotion that I offer my resignation from that position effective immediately.

I went on maternity leave this summer and had my second child two months ago. While I was on maternity leave I also ran for the position of AFA-CWA International Vice-President. I was elected to that position by the AFA Board of Directors which is comprised of all the local presidents from all of the AFA councils. This position becomes effective January 1, 2007 and is a four year term. As I assume this new role, I will always keep my feet grounded in my roots as an Alaska flight attendant.

Since I have been on maternity leave, our MEC Vice-President, Renee Elson, has been filling in as MEC President and has done a remarkable job. If Renee runs and is elected for the permanent position of MEC President (as there will be an election due to the vacancy), I know she will continue to do outstanding work representing us.

Though I will be relocating to Washington, DC, I will continue to be available to our MEC and to you!

Thank you for the opportunity to have served our union.

In solidarity,
Veda M. Shook