Greetings Fellow Flight Attendants,
As September comes to a close, it also concludes our 9/11 Remembrance month. Although this horrific page in our history was 16 years ago, it is a reminder that we must be vigilant. Whether it is walking through the airport, observing passengers on our flights or every day events around us outside of work, safety and security should be a normal consideration in our daily routines.
Our nation has been faced with global concerns from North Korea, ISIS and other security threats. In response, the company has put out a Crew Preparedness Security Advisory dated 9.15.17. It is important that you review this important information especially when you are away and perhaps unfamiliar with International protocols for intense situations.
In addition to these global threats, there are also natural disasters that can affect us all. From forest fires in the Pacific Northwest to hurricanes in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, being prepared in any situation is important. Therefore, please be diligent before heading to work. We suggest that you pay attention to weather and world reports so that you can be aware of what may happen when you are away. Hurricane/monsoon preparedness is good whether it be at home or abroad.
In terms of your personal safety, the company has paired with other carriers to co-host the TSA Crewmember Self Defense (CMSD) Training from October 18 - 21. CMSD is a 4-hour class that is sponsored by the TSA. There is no pay to attend this class so it is completely voluntary. This is an invaluable class that may help you in safety and security situations both on or off the job. For more information, please refer to the ifs website or contact the senior director of inflight planning Andrew Patterson.
October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month. Much like last year, the AFA will supply a limited amount of pink ribbons for you to wear with your AFA pins. You can wear the ribbons for the entire month. Please visit the official Breast Cancer Awareness Month website for more information.
We have been asking our crews to spend 5 or 10 minutes reading our newsletters. The LEC and MEC puts out a monthly newsletter alternating months. The MEC publishes quarterly (March, June, September and December) newsletters, while Council 43 sends out our newsletters in the remaining 8 months. The Negotiating Committee publishes their newsletters at the end of their negotiating week. Please take the time to read these newsletters while encouraging others to do the same. We attempt to highlight and share important items that affect us all; reading the newsletters will help to keep you abreast on items that may affect you. You can find all our newsletters both on the halafa.org website as well as the halafa app.
Switching gears, as our operations grow, so too, does the Flight Attendant group. We have many new faces on the line joining our Flight Attendant family. Thank you for helping to welcome these new Flight Attendants; your kindness and aloha is always appreciated whether it is amongst each other or those around us.
Thank You,
Jaci-Ann, Kahea and Kerri
In this edition:
- Air Safety, Health & Security - Flu Season / Fume Event Quick Reference Cards
- Employee Assistance Program - Professional Standards: We Can help
- Governmental Affairs - LEC Volunteers Needed
- Membership & Benefits - FMLA Claims / Calling In Sick Away From Domicile
- Reserves - Scheduling Clarifications
- Retirement - Survey Update
- Scheduling Clarification & Grievance - AFA Grievance Committee / SCR:Electronic vs. Paper Forms
AIR SAFETY, HEALTH AND SECURITY
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Left to Right: Our combined ASHS Committee meeting included: Ryan Sanico, Chasity Toledo, Geoffrey Alexander, LAX’s Linda Edwards, MEC Chairperson Kerri Chow and LAX’s Wes Hirata |
Flu Season
We are in the midst of flu season so we would like to share some information from the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. The flu virus can remain viable on passenger seat fabric for 8 – 12 hours. The virus can also remain viable on your hands for up to 5 minutes. Please help to reduce the spread of the flu.
The CDC recommends:
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you are sick, you should stay home for at least the 24 hours after your fever is gone other than to seek medical care and necessities.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze then throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Fume Event Quick Reference Cards
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The AFA has been working on a Fume Event quick reference card for you to carry in your badge holder. This is a 2-sided card with pertinent information should you experience a fume event. We hope to have the cards in your work file the first week of October.
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EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Our EAP team has been rapidly growing to help respond to the group’s needs. We are pleased that additional peers stepped forward to join us. Please continue to come to us with your issues and concerns.
Part of what we do is help with Professional Standards. Please consider working with the EAP as an option to writing one another up. If you are not comfortable resolving your issues on the plane, we can help to liaise and assist you in a confidential and private manner. Thank you for coming forward and trusting us with your concerns. We are here to help!
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS (GA)
LEC Volunteers
Our MEC Chairperson Rick Schwabauer has brought a new energy and zeal to our MEC Governmental Affairs committee! Following his leadership, we are looking for individuals who would like to volunteer to join Council 43 for this new yet important committee.
We would like to assemble volunteers to help promote voter registration, FlightPac, and other potential legislation that affects our industry including what we do as safety professionals. Legislation affects us daily, so it is vital to be informed and to use our voices both locally and on Capitol Hill. For those of you who are interested in learning more about what this entails, please contact any one of us no later than November 30, 2017. We are hoping to have an active GA Team for the start of 2018.
MEMBERSHIP & BENEFITS
FMLA, Reminder
For those FAs who have outstanding FMLA applications, you are required to complete the paperwork. FMLA is also renewed every 6 months. Note that one of the approval requirements is that you meet the credit hour minimum for a 12-month period. If you need help calculating your qualifying hours, please speak with the inflight absence management group. FMLA is one of the areas that falls under this new department to better assist and support you.
Calling in Sick, Away From Domicile
Illness while enroute to an outside station or even on a layover happens from time to time. When this happens, there is a procedure that is spelled out in the inflight manual (IFM). Please refer to Medical, page 3-3, item 3.1.2.2 Important Medlink Phone Numbers. The company also posted information on their website under “FA’s SICK and INJURED away from base.” Calling Medaire (Global Life) is necessary so please ensure that you know this policy!
RESERVES
Scheduling Clarifications
As we aim to provide better resources to our members, please know that Reserves Team Leader will be working closely with the AFA Clarification Committee. Please continue to reach out to Chasity if you have any questions or concerns regarding Reserve issues.
RETIREMENT
Survey, Update
This quick retirement survey will help us understand your needs in terms of retirement, resources and your questions. Please take this short 3 question survey to determine if we should plan a voluntary and free informational retirement meeting. The survey will be open from October 1 - 7, 2017 from noon to noon Hawaii Standard Time.
While we gather more information, please continue to let us know if you have questions via email! In terms of our Contract and your feedback and/or suggestions during negotiations, please email the Negotiation Committee.
SCHEDULING CLARIFICATION AND GRIEVANCE
AFA Grievance Committee
There seems to be some confusion between crew scheduling responses to Flight Attendants versus the AFA communication with Flight Attendants. Please know that there is a tremendous difference between the two.
Crew scheduling is a company department responsible for scheduling pilots and Flight Attendants. The AFA’s Grievance Committee is a group within your union's LEC Grievance Team umbrella. Due to the ongoing confusion that some FAs have been experiencing between the company’s department and the AFA committee, we have modified our communication sign-off to “AFA Grievance Committee.” This was necessary to help our FA group understand that the AFA committee is different and separate from the company’s crew scheduling department.
SCR Electronic Versus Paper Form
Reminder: Please continue to utilize the electronic scheduling clarifications form.
For those of you who use the paper form, any delays due to its timely delivery will affect the timeline that we have to work with you and the company to resolve possible issues. For example, one of our FAs filed a form in January. The response from the company was delayed and it actually “timed out.” The company took issue with the timeline, but we were not able to substantiate where the paper form got lost. Therefore, if you feel strongly about filling out the paper form, we highly suggest that you take a picture of the form and then email it to us so that we can follow-up on your issue. If you do not do this, again, your issue may time out and the company may not be willing to resolve it.