Council Newsletter, Nov 2024

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

In case you missed it, check out the last newsletter.

Native American Heritage Month

November marks the beginning of Native American Heritage Month; a month-long celebration of the histories, cultures, contributions, and achievements of Native Americans to the United States.

In 2021, the AFA Executive Board passed a resolution establishing our heritage month program and pin, recognizing Native American Flight Attendants and their contributions and influence to the history, culture, and achievements of the U.S. Friday, November 24th, is Native American Heritage Day.

Read the Resolution: https://afa-bod.org/.../2021-EB-Agenda-Item-3-Native...

We have grounded our Diversity and Inclusion pins around color and symbols. This pin includes the Native American sun symbol in gold surrounded by the color blue to represent where Flight Attendants spend our time -- in the sky.

Honoring Veteran Flight Attendants

From military service to aviation’s first responders, we’re celebrating the military union veterans of AFA. Ahead of Veterans Day, we want to recognize and honor your service. Share your story about your military service with us by taking part in this short survey.

The AFA Human Rights and Equity Committee thanks you for your participation and as always we thank all of our veterans and active service members and family for their service.

Share your story and order an AFA Veteran Pin here >

Election 2024

The November 5, 2024 election will determine what we can achieve for working families and for our profession. We are counting on every AFA-CWA member to vote.

We've been getting reports from Flight Attendants who have voted in the past and thought they were registered, but discovered their name had been removed from the registered voter list. In some states the deadline has already passed to register, but we still encourage every member to make sure you double, triple check that you are registered to vote!

Don't assume you'll be able to cast your vote on Election Day. In our profession, we never know! Cast your vote through Early Voting or get an Absentee Ballot to submit your vote. Talk with your flying partners about doing the same.

Voting is key to our credibility with Congress. Turning out in large numbers to vote in November 2024, is a critically important to ensure that our voice is heard.

We need a government that supports our work. Your vote on November 5 may be the one that makes the difference in helping to put in place a pro-Flight Attendant environment in Washington.

Mobilization Committee
Welcome your Mobilization Chairs & Volunteers.  The Mobilization Committee works to provide support to the Negotiating Committee through coordinated solidarity activities and two-way communication between the membership and the committee.  Volunteers will work closely with the Local Mobilization Committee Chairperson to call other members to action through participation in organized solidarity activities and a program of information sharing with Flight Attendants.

What is Mobilization?  Mobilization is more than just a committee—it’s a program of action and information that allows every Flight Attendant to play a positive role in building a strong voice in support of our Negotiating Committee.  Mobilization establishes a structure to provide information about key issues and achieve a high level of participation in solidarity activities. The structure allows information to be shared quickly and effectively, primarily through one-on-one interactions driven by Mobilization Volunteers in each base.

Annual Benefits Enrollment - Open through Nov. 15
Annual Benefits Enrollment is now open and will run through Nov. 15. This is the one time per year you can make changes to your benefit elections, with changes effective Jan. 1, 2025. Even if you're not making changes from last year, we encourage you to review your coverage. You must re-enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts and the Health Savings Account each year to continue participating. Log in to myhorizonbenefits.com to review your elections and make changes before Nov. 15 at 10 p.m. Pacific time.

Your 2025 Flight Attendant Benefit Guide >

Comply and Sync 
There has been a significant increase in the lack of FAIF compliance, including disciplines being issued for failures to sync and comply with must read FAIFs. Please stay vigilant and continue to 'sync - comply - sync' after you check-in for each trip, and also consider good CRM by reminding your flying partners during the crew brief. 

Council Chat, Nov 19
Council Officers want to hear from YOU! This month’s chat will be held on November 19th at 16:00. In case you missed it: September 2024 month in review >

This council chat is held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, time is subject to change.

Please join us on Google Meet.
Join by phone – 1 (401) 375-9299‬ PIN: ‪380 261 809‬#.

Scheduling Report
Your Council 16 Scheduling Committee meets monthly with the MEC Scheduling Chair & Crew Planning Liaison to discuss the ongoing work representing your interests in line holder schedules and raise your concerns about how the pairings were built that month. The Committee also meets with management quarterly to receive updates and discuss issues and problems Flight Attendants face with scheduling, pairings, and bidding. Representing you at these meetings are Miria Davis (BOI), Heather Coleman (PAE), Vacant (SEA), Shannon Powell (GEG), and Joshua Haimes (Chair).

The committee has long heard from you that pairings are not being built to your satisfaction. In general, you want high credit pairings (5+ credits a day avg.), limited/no sits over 2 hours, overnights of 12 hours or greater, limited overnights in another base, and better distribution of pairing lengths (base specific). Continue to let your bases scheduling rep(s) know how satisfied you are with the pairings, and any issues faced with scheduling, pairings, and bidding.

December 2024 Pairing Build

Council Status Report

If you have an unresolved outstanding balance pay online.  Flight Attendants who have taken any unpaid leaves, including CLOA, union dues must be paid manually. 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!

Negotiation Session 12

AFA proposes regional industry leading wages to which management claimed Horizon will "cease to exist"!  

The Negotiating Committee led off the session last week by passing our proposal for Article 3 (Compensation). The items proposed included: 

• Pay rates equal to the Alaska TA (that did not pass)
• A daily, rather than a monthly, guarantee for Reserves, at five (5) hours per day
• Improved duty, trip, minimum day, and average daily minimum credit rigs
• Increased instructor and trainer pay
• Increased rate for premium pay
• Holiday pay at five (5) hours for all holidays observed for management
• Pay for sit time in excess of two (2) hours
• Boarding/deplaning pay at .75 hours per leg
• Minimum leg value of one (1) hour
• Productivity Premium for flying an average of 10 hours monthly over your bid award, for four-month blocks of time
• Hazardous duty pay for flying during pandemics, epidemics or other destabilizing events

Read more >

I was happy to hear the Negotiation Committee opened discussion on the last remaining article, Compensation." said Council Vice President Joshua Haimes.  "It is good to see that the Committee has heard YOU and proposed a pay scale that will eliminate tiers in aviation, same work same pay.  Your Local Leadership has been anticipating when AFA Horizon will file for mediation given the minimal gains and amount of deadlock after so many sessions.  Unfortunately, the lack of progress at the July, August, and September sessions delayed this process. We will continue to advocate for filing unless management proposes a pay scale that is reasonable and within negotiable range of the scale proposed by our Negotiations Committee and there are massive successes achieved during the November negotiation session.

Until the next check-in, fly safe!

"Stronger Together, Better Together"