Alaska Flight Attendants Score Big with Major Pay Raises

It seems airline flight attendants are finally getting some love in their paychecks. For the past few years, attendants at the big US airlines have been busy negotiating new contracts. I mean, let’s face it, they were quite overdue for a raise. A pandemic and some inflation magic tricks later, flight attendants were eager to see a little bump in their paychecks.

So where do we stand? Well, Southwest and American’s attendants have managed to clinch those shiny new contracts. Delta folks? They’re still playing the game without a union, so proactive raises are their norm. Meanwhile, at United, patience is wearing thin as the negotiations crawl at a snail’s pace.

The Drama Before the Happy Ending

Now, over at Alaska Airlines, there’s been some excitement. Flight attendants have just given a resounding yes to a new contract. But, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride to get there. They first tried voting for a contract about a month ago, only to slam the brakes on the first one they faced. Ready for a rewind?

The Contract They Turned Down

Picture this: June 2024. It’s a bustling scene, with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and Alaska management locking heads to churn out a “record contract,” as the union gleefully labelled it.

Using the National Mediation Board as their cheerleaders, these negotiations took center stage in Washington. In the ring, AFA’s President Sara Nelson and Alaska’s Chief Operating Officer Constance von Muehlen were there to ensure nobody threw in the towel.

And what a deal it seemed! An average pay raise of 32% over the long haul, complete with an immediate 18% hourly bump, followed by an extra 3% in the forward years. There were whispers of boarding pay and even some back pay reaching as far back as 2022. Sounds like a fairytale, right?

Yet, when it came time to vote, the crowd was less than impressed. Strike tickets were about to print out with 99.5% supporting it in February 2024. Turned out, this wasn’t quite the blockbuster the union thought it was, with 68% of voters giving it a thumbs down. Ouch.

Rewriting the Sequel

Cut to five months later, the Association comes back with the script of Val Seny ski resort — something fresh and likely to score a different result. And surprise, surprise, those who just over half a year ago were saying a resolute “no” have switched over to an overwhelming “Oh yes!”

With 90.8% turning out to vote and 95% raising their hands in favor, the sequel seems to have hit the sweet spot. What changed this time? Well, the union laid it out like it was the last Sundance submission. Going for a third round seemed futile as federal mediator and the mediation board were getting tired of the saga. Plus, management hinted at wanting to focus on other things.

After a short but mighty fight at the bargaining table, we’re thrilled to bring you the successor Tentative Agreement (TA2). You made it clear what fell flat with TA1, and your negotiating committee rose to the occasion to tune things just right in TA2.

But do remember, if you toss this one aside, there may not be a follow-up. The message was clear: grab this now or risk holding nothing into long-drawn JCBA negotiations.

Yeah, basically, they offered the choice of a take-it-or-leave-it saga. The latest contract offered only minor tweaks from the rejected one, yet it gained praise for enhancing boarding pay and increasing pay premiums.

And let’s admit it, seeing flight attendants get the paycheck boost they’l been hustling for is a win. It’s about boosting morale, right? Alaska has always been a bit tricky with pay. Sure, their bases sit smack dab in wallet-draining cities. But comparing pay with discounted airlines didn’t solve the dicey competition with high-paying giants like Southwest.

The Grand Finale

Now, with Alaska attendants securing the deal, they’re diving into new chapters in their pay journey. The vote was nothing short of extraordinary, marking a steep change from that gloomy August 2024 shutdown. Attractive as they are, the new contract modifications were small tweets. And it seems the fear of missing out nudged attendants to agree before the deal train left the station for good.

Now, what do you think? Did Alaska flight attendants play their cards right?