AFA Horizon

Council newsletter, Dec 2023

AFA Horizon – Council 16 Newsletter (BOI, PAE, SEA, GEG)

In case you missed it, check out the last newsletter

Parking Stipend Allowance
Each year, Flight Attendants are provided the opportunity to elect to receive or decline Company-provided parking. Alternatively to Company-provided parking Flight Attendants may instead receive a flat-rate allowance of $36.00 per month regardless of domicile and regardless of whether they are a registered commuter. The allowance will be included in your paycheck and will be paid as taxable income.

Refer to the most recent email from management, ‘IRF – Parking Stipend Allowance’, for more information and instructions.

Travel Enrollment
Travel Open Enrollment is open and runs through Dec. 20. This is the only time of year you can make changes to your eligible travel dependents and privileges. 

Additional enhancements go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. Now is the time to decide if you’re going to take advantage of adding secondary travelers in place of one or both parents, and/or if you’re going to exchange your 20 Employee Choice Credits (ECC) for two Positive Space Travel (PST) passes. 

If you have any questions, you can reach out to the People Resource Line at peopleresourceline@alaskaair.com or 1-844-899-3617 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time (closed holidays). 

AFA Alaska Solidarity Event
AFA Alaska will be holding informational picketing events on December 19th at all airports with an Alaska Airlines base; ANC, LAX, PDX, SAN, SEA, SFO, and in Washington DC. 

Alaska management continues to present unacceptable economic offers at the table and AFA Alaska has filed for mediation.  Please show your support by joining them on the picket line. Uniformed airline employees, please wear your uniform. Non-airline employees can wear union-branded apparel, or red to show support. More information and RSVP links can be found here.

Labor coalition support is of the utmost importance in today’s climate.  Workers banding together make change happen.  We are stronger together!

Negotiation Session 1
The AFA Negotiations Committee met with management for Negotiation Session 1 on Nov. 14-16. Representing you at the table was Committee Members- Heather Coleman & Lexie Massey, MEC President- Lisa Davis Warren, and AFA Staff Attorney & Negotiator- Kimberley Chaput. Also present were Council 16 President- Jennifer Levcun, Council 17 President- Kirk Hansen, and MEC VP- Jamie Moore.

The Committee met with Vice President Station Ops & Inflight- Shelly Parker, Managing Director People & Labor Relations- Chéri Ruger, Director Finance- Amber Hopkins, Manager Inflight Labor & Performance- William Casalins Altimar, Senior Corporate Counsel, Alaska Legal- Latrice Lee, and Seyfarth Shaw LLP Partner, Labor & Employment- Molly Gabel.

AFA presented your opening proposal. Management committed to providing their opener at the next session. The AFA proposal was based on your responses to the survey, your feedback, suggestions from AFA committee chairs, a review of industry trends, and input from the AFA International Office.

Articles Discussed:

  • Article 13: Seniority – AFA proposed reducing the probationary period to 180 days.
  • Article 17: Moving Expenses – AFA proposed receiving the same company-paid benefits for all moves, regardless of distance.
  • Article 20: Management Rights – AFA proposed eliminating the zipper clause.
  • Article 21: Association Activities – AFA proposed adding additional company-paid flight pay loss for AFA committee members and removal of the “override” the company charges on AFA-paid flight pay loss.
  • Article 23: Grievances and System Board of Adjustment – AFA proposed reducing the length of disciplinary actions. In addition, discussions continue on AFA’s proposal that if the company fails to answer a grievance within specific time limits the grievance is granted.

The Negotiations Committee also presented proposals on Articles 8 (Training) and 12 (Uniforms). Management will respond to those at the next session.

One huge obstacle the Committee is foreseeing during negotiations is management’s insistence that all “me-too’s” be removed from the contract and that no new ones be negotiated. A me-too clause is contract language that says that if another group obtains a certain item, AFA will receive the benefit too — even if this occurs in the middle of our contract. We have me-too’s in multiple places in the contract, such as hotel standards, commuter boarding priority, EAP and more. They exist to ensure that we are not treated worse than our co-workers. But management is adamant that each contract must stand on its own. To the Committee, this feels like an attempt to divide the work groups, which does not benefit labor or the company as a whole.

The next negotiation session will be December 6-8.

Council Status Report

If you have an unresolved outstanding balance pay online.  If you happen to find yourself in an arrears situation and do not know the amount owing or have any questions regarding what months you owe, please contact Council leadership.  We are here to help!

Did you know… Commuter Status (W-5)
Up to 15% of Flight Attendants may be awarded the W-5 commuter boarding priority.  The W-5 commuter boarding priority code may be used for commuting on Horizon flights between a Flight Attendant’s domicile and their designated commuter city to and from assignments and reserve periods. Please note: the W-5 commuter boarding priority is different than being a registered commuter.  If you are a commuter, even without the W-5 commuter boarding priority, Flight Attendants must be registered as a commuter with Inflight Management.  Registered commuters who do not have the W-5 commuter boarding priority code, will still receive CBA commuter protections. (Article 25.E)

(Reminder: When a commuter moves to their domicile or moves to another metropolitan area, they must notify Inflight leadership)

By January 1, 2024, management will review the number of Flight Attendants with the W-5 commuter boarding priority and will increase or decrease proportionate the number of Flight Attendants on the seniority list.  No approved registered commuter will lose their status if the seniority list shrinks.  

If interested in being added to the registered commuter program list, please fill out the form found in Comply365.  Awards will be posted by January 1, 2024.  Flight Attendants who do not receive the W-5 commuter boarding priority will be placed on the standby list.

Know Your Contract

  • Article 5.B.1 – “A Flight Attendant will not be rescheduled for a Duty Period in excess of fourteen (14) hours. The Flight Attendant will be released from duty at or before fourteen (14) hours except that a Duty Period may be rescheduled up to sixteen (16) hours only to accommodate a deadhead to a place of rest.”
  • Article 5.A.1. – “A Flight Attendant will be scheduled for, and will actually receive, a rest period of at least ten (10) hours away from domicile, with at least eight (8) hours at the layover hotel.”

Until the next check-in, fly safe!

“Stronger Together, Better Together”