Alaska Airlines, Flight Attendant Union Reach Tentative Agreement

Alaska Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants, the union representing the airline’s flight attendants, announced that they reached a tentative joint collective bargaining agreement.

The agreement covers over 5,400 flight attendants working at the airline including former Virgin America employees who joined the company in December 2016 following the merger of the two airlines.

The contract, once ratified by the union’s membership, will provide flight attendants with pay raises, increased retirement contributions, as well as an increase in what the airline termed “quality of life” benefits.

The union’s ratification vote is expected to be completed by April. Presuming the contract is approved, next steps include combining seniority lists, cross-training crew on Boeing and Airbus aircraft, and integrating the crew scheduling system.

In addition, former Virgin America flight attendants will immediately a receive pay increase to bring parity to what formerly was two workgroups.

“We worked hard to achieve improvements for the Alaska Airlines flight attendants while simultaneously balancing the need to quickly address the disparity for the former Virgin America flight attendants working under their current pay and work rules,” said Jeffrey Peterson, AFA president of Alaska Airlines. “The JCBA accomplishes those goals and provides for a smooth path to combine the two flight attendant groups.”

(Photo: Accura Media Group)