News

NMB Contract Mediation Update for Aug

Negotiations Update - August 2026

AFA and management again met for a mediated session on August 25 and 26, 2026, in Chicago. The AFA Committee consists of MECP Lisa Davis Warren (PDX), Heather Coleman (PAE), and Lexie Massey (SEA), who are all current Flight Attendants; and our Staff Attorney and Negotiators, Kimberley Chaput. AFA’s General Counsel, Joe Burns, joined to support our Committee. Management was represented by Robin DeMan, Managing Director, Inflight; Mark Schuck from Finance; and Cheri Ruger, Vice President Inflight and Labor Relations.

 

Your Committee came to this session prepared and ready to move the contract forward. Unfortunately, management’s proposal made this impossible. It was little more than a compilation of resolved and open issues, with no real movement toward closing the gap. After extensive discussion, the Committee concluded we were unable to make any further movement in our proposal. AFA and management’s proposed pay scales have remained the same since March. 

 

Since neither side was moving on the entire package, we shifted the conversation to the Attendance Policy, which is found at the end of Article 9, where we saw an opportunity to make some progress. Since Horizon finally began implementing state paid sick leaves laws (“PSL”) a couple of years ago, we have been protected by our Sideletter that ensures all sick leave sits in one bank, a protection the Committee is fighting to preserve. A single bank means that all your sick leave is covered by the PSL, so as long as you have and use sick leave for your sick calls, your absences do not count under the Attendance Policy. (Note: Alaska has divided its sick leave into two banks, and only the PSL bank has this protection.)

 

Because we accrue sick leave at five hours a month (2.5 for part-time Flight Attendants), and because our trips average five credits per day, this means we essentially receive 12 non-actionable days of sick leave annually. Currently a Flight Attendants is given an Attendance Review when they reach 10 actionable days of unprotected absence (or some combination with no shows, late shows, or UTCs). This means that Flight Attendant could miss 22 days of work before triggering an Attendance Review. This does not count absences covered by leaves of absence, including intermittent family medical leave, or other applicable laws.

 

Management would like to issue Attendance Reviews before 10 unprotected absences.  If we do not reach agreement, they want to implement a two-bank system, which would strip protection from most of your sick leave. We understand that reliability is important, but maintaining our single bank is essential.

 

We agreed to use interest-based bargaining (“IBB”) just on this issue specifically to identify both sides’ underlying interests and find real solutions. We did not have enough time to discuss the issue in depth and proposed holding an additional one-day session on September 11th to continue these discussions with our mediator and management. This has been calendared and all parties will be attending this one day session. We will continue advocating until we get this right.

 

We are coming closer to an overall impasse on the contract, and that’s on management, not us. We have brought serious, comprehensive proposals to every session. 

It’s time to step things up. We need Horizon, and Alaska Air Group, to know that this Committee and this membership, will do what it takes to get the contract we deserve.

Our next picketing event will be held on October 14th. We are working to be able to include all bases and all AAG labor groups into this event. More information on this event, including specific times/bases, will be coming from our Mobiliation Committee soon. And watch for additional events over the next couple of months. It going to be a busy Fall and Winter!

 

Don’t forget to join our membership calls to discuss negotiations. We’ll give an update and then you get to ask questions and share your ideas! Upcoming calls are:

Our next full session will be held on October 5th and 6th at the AFA offices in Chicago. We will update you afterward. Keep wearing your red pins and lanyards; show them that we are united in our demand for a fair contract!