Contract Mediation Update from Chicago

AFA and management met again for contract mediation from March 16th through the 18th, at the NMB office in Chicago. Our Negotiating Committee, MECP Lisa Davis Warren (PDX), Heather Coleman (PAE), and Lexie Massey (SEA), alongside Staff Attorney and Negotiator Kimberley Chaput, came prepared, focused, and determined to move our contract forward.

Management, represented by Cheri Ruger, Vice President, Inflight and Labor Relations; Robin DeMan, Managing Director, Inflight; and Mark Schuck from Finance, opened the session by passing a comprehensive proposal which they claimed would address all open issues of the contract. It did not. It addressed only a handful of the open issues. And what it did address fell far short of the respect and value we deserve. 

Let’s be clear, their proposal was not just inadequate, it was insulting. They said that they were “proud” of their offer. But their wage proposal would place us fourth in the regional industry, and that’s only if you include their substandard boarding pay provision. (which in turn was conditioned on us agreeing to cross seat belts). Their proposal failed to recognize the incredible work we do each and every day for this airline, and it definitely was nothing to be proud of.

Management’s proposed pay increases were heavily weighted towards first- and second-year FAs, with significantly less improvement for those over 2 years.  It ranged from a 33% increase for new hires, all the way down to 0.8% for 20-year Flight Attendants. Even the 33% increase is illusory since they want to remove the $2.50 reserve override pay. They offered boarding pay for 15 minutes per boarding at ¼ of your hourly rate. That means if you make $30 per hour, you would be paid for 15 minutes at $7.50 per hour, or just under $1.90 per boarding. This is significantly less than most other boarding pay agreements. And it certainly is not the “meaningful proposal” they were instructed to bring. 

Additionally, management continues to act as if wages are the only thing that matters to us. They mentioned that most of the Valentine cards they received talked about pay. Yes, we have been loud about pay, because we have had to be. But we have consistently stressed that our retirement security, healthcare costs, and working conditions matter just as much. And let’s not forget, we were promised by our past CEO/President, Dave Campbell, that we would not cross seatbelts on the jet. Management refuses to uphold the promise that was made to us. Promises made must be honored. Respect means following through.

And finally, they want all of this locked into a six-year contract, with no retro pay, and with 1.5% cost-of living increases in the out years. This is not a proposal that increases our income. It is a proposal that will guarantee we continue to fall further behind.

Your AFA Negotiating Committee stood firm. We rejected their offer and worked late into the night. We delivered a truly comprehensive proposal the next morning. This proposal included:

Industry-relevant wage increases based on the gains won by Alaska Flight Attendants

·       Real boarding pay

·       Additional holidays and sit pay

·       Meaningful improvements to scheduling and reserve

·       Stronger healthcare and retirement benefits

·       Additional improvements that reflect equality with our Union siblings

This is what we are fighting for. This is what we deserve.

Management seemed somewhat taken aback by the breadth of our proposal even though we have spent months jointly creating a list of these issues. Then, on Wednesday they gave us another proposal that they said contained “real movement.” We looked closely. They made only minor changes to their earlier proposal and left their proposals for wages and boarding pay exactly the same, keeping us at 4th in the industry.  They made no movement on healthcare or retirement, or almost anywhere else in the contract.  The only “meaningful” movement they did make was backing off their desire to schedule the initial reserve duty period at 14 hours (currently 12), pulling back on the number of days a reserve can be assigned APSB before they get premium pay (but still wanting to increase it), and countering our proposal for a three-day vacation slide with a proposal that we could slide one day.

After more than two years of negotiations, this is simply not acceptable. The Negotiating Committee was very upset with both of management’s proposals. We have been at this for more than two years. Nothing has changed, and management’s proposals are becoming increasing disrespectful. We are getting ready to turn up the heat. We are united, and we are not backing down. Now is the time to stand together.

Our next session is a little more a week away, March 31st through April 2nd. We are already in discussions about next steps, including a potential strike vote if management continues to fall short. We are not here to settle. We are here to secure a contract that reflects our value to Alaska Air Group and that allows us to pay our bills, stay healthy and save for the future.

Stay engaged. Stay informed. Support one another on every flight, in every base, and in every conversation. Unity is our greatest strength, and it is what will carry us forward.

Get ready to turn up the heat. 

Your AFA Negotiating Committee