For the past couple of years, we’ve seen flight attendants at most major US airlines negotiating new contracts. Prior to this, flight attendants largely didn’t have pay increases since before the pandemic, and are understandably looking for significant raises, to reflect the inflation we’ve seen in recent years.
So far, we’ve seen flight attendants at Southwest and American ratify new contracts. Delta flight attendants aren’t unionized, so they get proactive pay raises. United flight attendants are the least far along in negotiations, and are super frustrated.
Anyway, the new flight attendant contract situation at Alaska is getting interesting. The union presented a tentative contract in June 2024, but the membership voted against it. Now a new tentative contract has been presented, and the union is essentially telling members to accept it, or expect no raise.
In this post:
The contract Alaska flight attendants voted against
For some background, in June 2024, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents Alaska’s flight attendants, had reached a tentative agreement with Alaska management for a “record contract,” as the union described it.
The union stated that this tentative agreement had been reached with the help of the National Mediation Board (NMB). Negotiations took place in Washington, with AFA International President Sara Nelson and AFA General Counsel in attendance, along with Alaska Chief Operating Officer Constance von Muehlen.
Per the details of the proposed contract, flight attendants would receive an average pay raise of 32% in the long run. This would include an immediate hourly pay bump of 18%, plus 3% pay increases in the two subsequent years. Flight attendants would also receive boarding pay, plus retroactive pay going back as far as late 2022.
Below you can find the proposed Alaska flight attendant pay scale, showing the current pay, plus the pay after the first raise, second raise, and third raise.
Having a tentative contract at all was already big progress. Back in February 2024, Alaska flight attendants voted to authorize a strike, with 99.5% of participants voting in favor of a strike (and 93.5% of flight attendants participating in the vote).
Unfortunately for all involved, the actual membership wasn’t as enthusiastic about the new contract as the union was. In August 2024, it was revealed that the new contract was rejected — 92.4% of flight attendants participated in the vote, and 68% of votes were against the new contract.
Alaska flight attendants get new tentative contract
Over five months after the previous contract was rejected, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA has returned to Alaska flight attendants with a new tentative contract. Here’s how it’s described, and as you can see, it comes with a pretty clear warning:
After a short but vigorous fight at the bargaining table, the Negotiating Committee (NC) is pleased to present a successor Tentative Agreement (TA2). You were very clear about specific disappointments of TA1 after it was voted down, and your NC listened closely and addressed many of those issues in TA2 bargaining.
Further, our federal mediator and the National Mediation Board have been direct in their communication to us that should TA2 not ratify, they would be unlikely to devote further resources to mediating a “TA3.” Management also indicated they will allocate their bargaining resources toward merger considerations and JCBA negotiations.
The choice before us is clear; your vote will either solidify the enhancements secured in TA2 or it will indicate your desire to retain our current contract without any improvements in pay and working conditions until the end of JCBA negotiations, which is likely to take years.
So yeah, the union is basically telling members to accept the new contract, or expect to not get a new contract at all. This latest contract is similar to the previous one, with some minor improvements. The biggest difference is around boarding pay, as those rates have been bumped. The new contract also provides increases in pay premiums.
It seems highly likely to me that Alaska flight attendants will approve this contract, given the warning from the union. Alaska has always been a tricky airline when it comes to employee pay rates.
Alaska flight attendants argue that their bases are in some of the highest cost cities in the United States, which is true. However, historically Alaska hasn’t exactly had the best pay in the industry. The airline has paid much better than ultra low cost carriers, but not consistently to the same level as carriers like Southwest.
Alaska flight attendants obviously want industry leading pay, which I can’t fault them for — who doesn’t? But that’s not what the airline was historically going for.
Bottom line
Alaska flight attendants have just been presented with a new tentative contract, after rejecting the previous contract in August 2024. This contract comes with some mild improvements over the last one, but perhaps most importantly, it comes with a major warning. The union is telling members that if they don’t approve this contract, odds are that they’ll be stuck with their current contract.
I have to imagine that this contract will be ratified. We’ll find out for sure at the end of February 2025…
What do you make of this new tentative contract for Alaska flight attendants?
Lucky-
I’ve always appreciated your labor perspective. For example in hotels and housekeeping tips, the lowest paid people doing hard physical work! People will tip a bellman in two seconds but not the housekeeper scrubbing their toilet?Also your coverage of labor issues, airlines hotels, etc. You are the ONLY PERSON with a major “travel nerd” site breaking down your take and on the relations of workers, hotel companies and hotel owners. It’s why I have...
Lucky-
I’ve always appreciated your labor perspective. For example in hotels and housekeeping tips, the lowest paid people doing hard physical work! People will tip a bellman in two seconds but not the housekeeper scrubbing their toilet?Also your coverage of labor issues, airlines hotels, etc. You are the ONLY PERSON with a major “travel nerd” site breaking down your take and on the relations of workers, hotel companies and hotel owners. It’s why I have followed you all of these years, thanks.
It's a generous offer. They should take it. If the union is recommending they ratify the new contract then it's clear the airline has been pushed as far as it will go. Don't cut off your nose, as we say, to spite your face. It's good to see the crews finally get paid for boarding. They should actually be paid for their time from the moment the pre-flight briefing commences. Work is work, and fair is fair.
Everybody is free to demand pay as they deem it appropriate, and to reject any job offer as they like. Therefore the AS FAs are free to demand more than the offer. Assuming that many AS FAs live close to the AS hubs, where generally the cost of living is very high, I understand the desire to maximize earnings.
Taking a step back and looking at the actual numbers, I am a bit stunned....
Everybody is free to demand pay as they deem it appropriate, and to reject any job offer as they like. Therefore the AS FAs are free to demand more than the offer. Assuming that many AS FAs live close to the AS hubs, where generally the cost of living is very high, I understand the desire to maximize earnings.
Taking a step back and looking at the actual numbers, I am a bit stunned. You do not need anything but a GED to work as a FA, US carriers do not demand any foreign language skills. For a significant portion of the flights, I see the FAs of US carriers sit in the galley and look at their phones. No proactive tours through the cabin.
I am an immigrant from a wealthy western country, the proposed hourly rate for senior FAs on this table exceeds what senior physicians make per hour in my home country. I am struggling with accepting this as reasonable.
Now throw your stones...
The way that some of you talk about the trump admin as if it's the panacea for things is bizarre. What will they do, jail the FAs if they decide to strike?
Workers only have their labour to sell. If they feel they are being exploited and they deserve more $$, then good for them. No one gets upset when CEOs are making millions and getting millions despite their incompetence. Workers only have one form...
The way that some of you talk about the trump admin as if it's the panacea for things is bizarre. What will they do, jail the FAs if they decide to strike?
Workers only have their labour to sell. If they feel they are being exploited and they deserve more $$, then good for them. No one gets upset when CEOs are making millions and getting millions despite their incompetence. Workers only have one form of power- collective bargaining and good on them for using it.
And for those of you who are so anti-unions, I would like to remind you of a few things that was secured by unions that we now take for granted:
1. Paid sick days
2. A 5 day work week
3. Paid vacation time
4. Safe working conditions
5. Minimum wage
6. Maternity leave pay
And no - I am not a member of a union and have never been.
People want to turn everything into a political discussion.
There are guidelines, and there is a mediated process that ultimately the railway labor act dictates what labor and management can do and no administration can take away laborers’ rights. Most importantly, they haven’t
The pay scale is obscene. Year 5 and 16 should be about the same pay, not exploitation.
The federal mediator is acting like some judges. Some judges have said they don't want to hold a trial and force the participants to accept a settlement that the judge dictates. Technically, that is unfair but we have a legal system, not a justice system.
All the AS FAs need to do is resolve that they won't accept a sub-par contract. No government can run over the RLA which governs labor contracts.
Airline employees are still a huge voting block.
unsurprisingly, you know little about how the RLA and NMB work under different administrations. But, a Delta guy probably wouldn't know much about the RLA. And a fired Delta guy definitely wouldn't know much.
AS FAs, in particular, aren't going to be getting a second look from the administration when their bases are in highly democratic states. Not saying it's right but it's true.
It's easy to roll over the RLA with the right NMB...
unsurprisingly, you know little about how the RLA and NMB work under different administrations. But, a Delta guy probably wouldn't know much about the RLA. And a fired Delta guy definitely wouldn't know much.
AS FAs, in particular, aren't going to be getting a second look from the administration when their bases are in highly democratic states. Not saying it's right but it's true.
It's easy to roll over the RLA with the right NMB board members. For either side. The relative ease for Unions in a democratic administration was the entire bargaining strategy for AFA with AA and UA but it just failed miserably for them.
And UA with AFA? Crew bases in... VA, CA, CO, IL, NJ (and TX)... yeah. AFA screwed themselves. Almost all blue states for AFA with AS and UA. They may be a voting block, but not in the right states like AA and DL flight crews are.
I understand perfectly.
You cave under Republican administrations because you know unions can't compete so you try to argue it is all political.
AS is not anywhere near on the same scope as the big 4. And AS employees are underpaid relative to the big 4.
You simply can't admit that unions can't fix AS' structural manipulation of its labor costs - and it is AS' unionized employees that will pay the price.
you're honestly just stupid and this reply is too idiotic to reply to. You clearly know nothing about this topic so just don't write when you're ignorant about something.
"You simply can't admit"? lol. Your calling card for when you know you have nothing relevant or new to say. Someone just can't admit something... I hope you read a book today. Or stimulate your brain somewhere else than a comment section. It's quite clear...
you're honestly just stupid and this reply is too idiotic to reply to. You clearly know nothing about this topic so just don't write when you're ignorant about something.
"You simply can't admit"? lol. Your calling card for when you know you have nothing relevant or new to say. Someone just can't admit something... I hope you read a book today. Or stimulate your brain somewhere else than a comment section. It's quite clear you have no experience in this area and it shows.
Yet the Tim guy is discussing the topic and all you are doing is throwing insults at him. I find that bizarre.
I discussed the topic. Tim knows nothing about it and replied with a “you just don’t want to admit” rather than anything with respect to how I responded.
Tim, take your fake profiles elsewhere like Justin
you not only don't like the truth but you don't like anyone that stands up to you.
AS FAs are not powerless and no administration can make them work for pay them don't like if they are willing to strike
Tim, you using fake profiles when no one likes your posts and 4 like mine only reinforces how insecure you are.
AS FAs are powerless when the NMB specifically tells their union that they will not be allowing a strike. They do not have the ability to strike. Again, you pretend to know what you're talking about but anyone can tell how little you know.
You and your fake users move along
Won't matter. They'll approve the offer.
just because federal mediators say that they won't devote energy to further negotiate if this proposal isn't adopted doesn't mean that labor is not able to push the issue by a strike or even a strike threat.
The economics of AS' labor costs both before and with the HA merger are dependent on paying its employees less than the big 3. The FAs are correct that AS operates in high cost parts of the country....
just because federal mediators say that they won't devote energy to further negotiate if this proposal isn't adopted doesn't mean that labor is not able to push the issue by a strike or even a strike threat.
The economics of AS' labor costs both before and with the HA merger are dependent on paying its employees less than the big 3. The FAs are correct that AS operates in high cost parts of the country.
If AS is able to continue to convince their employees post-merger that being a global carrier and still paying neighborhood wages is appropriate, the paradigm will not change.
and DL FAs didn't get proactive wages post covid; DL decided to settle with its pilots after the first UA pilot contract was rejected and AA floated a cheap me-too contract. DL doubled what UA offered, got a contract and DL completed the process with its non-contract employees including its FAs in order to set the BENCHMARK for post covid labor costs - which every other US airline has been forced to accept.
Lets be honest, a threat to strike is an empty threat now. Do you think this administration will allow them to strike under the RLA? Probably not.
If you think Trump admin will let Seattle airplane folx strike you dunn smoked yourself special.
“ just because federal mediators say that they won't devote energy to further negotiate if this proposal isn't adopted doesn't mean that labor is not able to push the issue by a strike or even a strike threat.”
Since you don’t seem to know much about the NMB or RLA, Tim.
Yes. That’s actually exactly what that means when the NMB says they won’t devote energy to it. Airline unions can’t strike unless authorized...
“ just because federal mediators say that they won't devote energy to further negotiate if this proposal isn't adopted doesn't mean that labor is not able to push the issue by a strike or even a strike threat.”
Since you don’t seem to know much about the NMB or RLA, Tim.
Yes. That’s actually exactly what that means when the NMB says they won’t devote energy to it. Airline unions can’t strike unless authorized by the NMB.
They can threaten whenever they want, but it would be stupid since the airline can simply point out that it’s just hot air that means nothing.