Ep 4: Interview with AFA Regional Flight Attendants

In this episode, we chat with two AFA-represented, regional-airline Flight Attendants, Katiauna Dates from Envoy, and Wendy Kaihara from Horizon. Katiauna and Wendy have gotten more involved with their unions at the LEC* level to support their coworkers.

Here are some of the topics we cover on this podcast:

• Reserve Policies - Definitive contractual provisions in place improve the quality of life of reserve Flight Attendants.

• Management Accountability - Contractual language that holds management accountable and compensates Flight Attendants when violations occur.

• Commuter Policies - The latest improvements to commuter policies and how they provide Flight Attendants with more flexibility in planning commutes and protection from discipline when commutes don’t work out as planned

• Contractual Attendance Policies - When attendance is addressed in the contract, it eclipses company policy. We discuss how attendance policies protect AFA-represented Flight Attendants, including those on probation.

• New Hire Retention - Mentorship programs have increased new hire retention. AFA-run programs such as EAP and Professional Standards help Flight Attendants resolve issues without involving or alerting the company and remain completely confidential.

* Definitions: 

Master Executive Council (MEC)

All Local Council Presidents from the same airline form a Master Executive Council (MEC). The MEC elects a President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer for three-year terms and handles negotiations and other business affecting Members at that airline.

Local Executive Council (LEC)

All flight attendants assigned to the same domicile form the Local AFA Council. Each base and satellite base throughout our system is represented by a Local Executive Council (LEC). Every LEC has three elected Local Council officers: President, Vice-President, and Secretary, as well as elected council Representatives. 

Any Member in good standing has the ability to run for an elected position, each of which has a three-year term.