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        You are here: Home / Archives for Industry News

        Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines Merger Moves Forward

        August 19, 2024 21:52

        Alaska and Hawaiian management have satisfied any questions raised during the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) review of the proposed merger. This means DOJ will not take further actions and has essentially approved the merger. 

        The Department of Transportation (DOT) has the authority to review international routes and general compliance with DOT requirements as it relates to the merged carrier. This has typically been a perfunctory approval. 

        Mergers take time — this first hurdle only relates to the financial closing of the merger which can now proceed. DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration will play a significant role in the operational merger.

        As a reminder, the transition period includes specific protections for Flight Attendants as negotiated between our union, and both Alaska and Hawaiian management. Review last week’s communication on the Merger Transition Agreement (MTA). Negotiations for a contract at Alaska will continue separately according to the Railway Labor Act. Improvements for Alaska Flight Attendants will set a higher starting point for JCBA negotiations.

        We will all do better through our solidarity. Stay close to union communications, fly safe, and as always look out for each other. We are stronger and better together.

        Impact on AFA Alaska Negotiations 

        AFA will continue to work on negotiating a second Tentative Agreement (TA2) for Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants. Alaska Airlines has a legal obligation to continue negotiations with AFA Alaska. 

        The Negotiating Committee (NC) is drafting a survey to determine the targeted goals for TA2. Following MEC approval, we tentatively plan to release the survey on Tuesday, August 27 and close the survey on Wednesday, September 4. The NC will analyze the results and continue through the steps listed here, including drafting a TA2 proposal.

        The status of our mediation has no impact on the merger transaction with Hawaiian.

        Filed Under: AFA News Now, AS/HA Merger, Industry News, Latest News, Negotiations

        Alaska Airlines and Virgin America!!!

        April 4, 2016 04:00

        It’s official! Alaska Air Group is slated to acquire Virgin America, pending the approval of their respective boards and the Department of Justice. Your AFA Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) officers are very, very pleased that executive management is intending to combine the two carriers and operate under a single certificate. In other words, we’re looking at a merger!

        Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are both known for providing an exceptional in-flight experience, thanks in large part to the dedication of our respective flight attendants,” said Jeffrey Peterson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA Master Executive Council at Alaska Airlines. “The combination of these two award-winning airlines provides an exciting opportunity for our members and for the Virgin America flight attendants, or Inflight Team Members. We look forward to joining together and building on our legacies of customer satisfaction to the benefit of both companies’ passengers.”

        The MEC knows everybody has a ton of questions. Please be assured that AFA is here to represent you through the many steps in this process. We are holding a special MEC meeting later today in Seattle in order to review recent events and discuss the go forward plan.

        For now, we invite you to start getting to know the new members of our Alaska family. If you see Virgin America (VX) Inflight Team Members (ITMs) or employees in the airport, greet them just like you would any Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant or employee. Strike up a friendly conversation if you have time.

        If you are interacting with VX ITMs on social media, take the opportunity to start understanding their rich and unique culture and share ours with them. Although our groups might appear to be very different initially, the MEC believes that you will discover both feel a passionate ownership of and pride in our respective cultures. We also share many of the same core values and an emphasis on customer service.

        These are very exciting times we are in. Keep your focus on doing what we do well: operating a safe and on-time airline and providing award-winning customer service. The MEC will be communicating more following our meeting later today.

        Congratulations to Alaska Airlines and a warm welcome to Virgin America!

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC officers-elect Tim Green and Brice McGee

        AFA Alaska Logo Transparent Background

        Filed Under: AS/VX Merger, Industry News, Latest News Tagged With: 2016, Alaska, merger, Virgin America

        Alaska Airlines and Virgin America?

        April 2, 2016 14:15

        Just like you, the Master Executive Council (MEC) has been following the various media reports about a possible bid to acquire Virgin America by jetBlue, Alaska Airlines and perhaps unnamed Chinese interests. It seems the rumors and speculation have reached a new level this afternoon with several stories being reported in reputable media outlets regarding an impending acquisition by Alaska Airlines of Virgin America (e.g. WSJ: Alaska Air Nearing a Deal to Acquire Virgin America, Yahoo: Alaska Air nears deal to buy Virgin America for over $2 billion: source).

         

        Please know that your leadership is on standby and available if the reports are confirmed. At this point we’re all waiting for more news. As soon as we have any information to share, your AFA leadership will promptly do so.

         

        In Solidarity,

         

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow, Stephen Couckuyt; and MEC officers-elect Tim Green and Brice McGee

        cropped-AFA-Alaska-Logo-Transparent-Background.png

        Filed Under: Industry News, Latest News Tagged With: 2016

        Recycle Your Red Pins and Join Flight Attendants at the New United for a Day of Action July 16th!

        July 10, 2015 05:00

        The Continental, Continental Micronesia and United Master Executive Councils in conjunction with the United Joint Negotiating Committee have authorized their Flight Attendants to switch from white to red AFA pins in response to the lack of progress in their contract negotiations. You can check out all the details about their negotiations at ourcontract.org.

        With around 20,000 Flight Attendants, it is very challenging to come up with that many red pins. The New United (CAL, CAL Micronesia, UAL) is asking for AFA Alaska to help out their efforts by recycling our red pins. If you have any extras, please leave them in one of your Local Executive Council (LEC) officers’ mail files the very next time you are coming through your base so we can re-gift the red pins as soon as possible.

        The New United is also planning a Day of Action on July 16th at airports throughout the combined Continental, Continental Micronesia and United system. Your colleagues at those carriers would be delighted to have any Flight Attendants from AFA Alaska attend an event at a convenient location (e.g. at a domicile or while on a layover) as a show of solidarity. You cannot wear your Flight Attendant uniform but if you still have a red t-shirt from the second round of our negotiations, you are welcome to wear the shirt to the event. You can find more information about the events here.

        In Solidarity,

        Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Gesch, Becky Strachan, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Sandra Morrow and Stephen Couckuyt

        AFA Alaska

         

        Filed Under: Industry News, Latest News Tagged With: CAL, continental, Continental Micronesia, day of action, july 16th, negotiations, red pins, UAL, united

        Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Union Pledges to Support Contract Employees’ Fight for Fifteen

        May 7, 2015 09:33

        AFA Press Release

         

         

         

         

         

        For Immediate Release                                              Contact:

        May 7, 2015                                                                      Jeffrey Peterson 206-999-8207

        Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Union Pledges to Support Contract Employees’ Fight for Fifteen

         

        Seattle, WA (May 7, 2015) – Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), issued a statement today in support of Alaska Airlines contract workforce in their fight for $15 an hour and a union.

         

        AFA has a long, proud history of supporting workers throughout the airline industry and we believe that all jobs in our airports and on our airplanes should be good jobs with union rights, safe working conditions, fair wages and quality affordable health insurance.  Alaska Airlines’ contractors, including Menzies Aviation, BAGS, DGS, Huntleigh and Aviation Safeguards should be no exception.

         

        Contract airport workers employed by Alaska vendors at many of its West Coast airports are being held back in their struggle to improve the quality of their jobs, win a voice on the job and ensure safer working conditions. These workers move our passengers’ luggage, clean our planes and provide wheelchair assistance to our passengers in need.

         

        All workers performing services for Alaska Airlines should receive their fair share of the wealth that we are all helping to create. As Alaska Air Group continues to make record profits, our airline management and its selected vendors should not stand in the way of these workers trying to form their own union.

         

        Ten years ago this month, Alaska Airlines executives made the decision to outsource almost all of our baggage handlers. This is after having outsourced much of our heavy maintenance and all of our cabin cleaners. While these decisions have helped the airline to return investment to shareholders, they also eliminated thousands of middle class jobs. Today, these contracted out jobs are with low pay and few benefits.  The cities of Seattle and SeaTac recently raised their minimum hourly wage, yet Alaska Airlines is standing in the way of SeaTac workers fully realizing the wage increase. We need sustainable jobs for thriving communities to ensure the continued success of Alaska Airlines.

         

        As aviation’s first responders and the last line of defense, Flight Attendants understand that all workers in aviation are part of the safety and security web that continues to keep our skies the safest in the world. Through our membership in AFA, we are able to partner with our management and the FAA on programs keeping safety at the forefront as we continually improve our practices. All frontline workers performing service on behalf of Alaska have the right to the same types of safety programs – and travelers deserve the assurances these safety programs provide.

         

        In the best interest of Flight Attendants, shareholders and the passengers in our care, Alaska’s contract workers need to be able to exercise their voice and work with the company to address their unique safety concerns through their membership in unions.

         

        # # #

         

        The Association of Flight Attendants is the world’s largest Flight Attendant union. Focused 100 percent on Flight Attendant issues, AFA has been the leader in advancing the Flight Attendant profession for 67 years. Serving as the voice for Flight Attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill, AFA has transformed the Flight Attendant profession by raising wages, benefits and working conditions. Nearly 50,000 Flight Attendants come together to form AFA, part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afacwa.org.

        ALA Press Release – Support Contract Employees

        Filed Under: Industry News, Latest News, Press Releases

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