AFA Alaska + Hawaiian

Representing the Flight Attendants of Alaska + Hawaiian

Click here to report an issue to AFA
You are here: Home / Archives for Negotiations

Negotiations News Archives

Mediation Session #3 Chicago Update #1

Mediation started off today in Chicago on a positive note. The parties, as mediated by National Mediation Board (NMB) Mediator Victoria Gray, signed tentative agreements (TAs) in the following sections:

  • 8 – Hours of Service,
  • 10 – Scheduling,
  • 11 – Reserve,
  • 12 – Exchange of Sequences,
  • 15 – Leaves of Absence,
  • 27 – General Association Information, and
  • 28 – Domiciles.

 

Some of the highlights include: $2.50 Reserve premium reinstated, no pre-plotted ER days (scheduled AM/PM only), eliminated Quartile System and clarified Open Time Trial and “Back to Book” provisions.

 

One of the previously announced provisions (but worth repeating) is a 15% year over year cap on insurance premium increases in Section 23 Insurance Benefits.

 

The parties anticipate working late into the night as we begin to exchange comprehensive proposals on the economics. Stay tuned for further developments!

 

In solidarity,

 

Your Negotiating Committee—MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

 

MEC 5BSS Logo (Web)

 

 

AA/US Duty Period Minimum Comparison in TFP

Some Flight Attendants have asked to compare the value of the AA/US TA minimum “day” (based on duty period not calendar day) to the Alaska current and TA1 values. The AA/US TA has a duty period minimum (DPM) of 5.0 block-hours, which equates to 5.7 TFP at the conversion of 1.13 TFP per block-hour. The Alaska current and TA1 DPM is 4 TFP.

AA-US TA DPM comparison in TFP

Negotiations Update – October 3, 2014

Contract negotiations resume this week in Chicago

 

Contract negotiations resume this coming Monday through Wednesday in Chicago. Victoria Gray, with the National Mediation Board (NMB), will mediate the session. AFA anticipates very significant developments this week.

 

Your Negotiating Committee and management have been working to finalize language in preparation for this session

 

Since the August session in La Jolla, your Negotiating Committee and management have been hard at work seeking to finalize language in various open sections. As a result, the parties are very close to reaching tentative agreements (TAs) in many non-economic sections of our Contract. Reaching TAs in those sections early this week will pave the way to passing comprehensive economic proposals including compensation.

 

Management has signaled positive expectations for this week

 

Over the past few weeks, management—including executive management—has made several very positive statements directly to AFA leadership as well as individual line Flight Attendants regarding expectations and goals for this session. Management had said they are coming prepared with a serious comprehensive proposal and are aiming to reach a TA on the entire contract this session.

 

This is great news to AFA and we are cautiously optimistic, but…

 

AFA considers this a positive development and we are cautiously optimistic. However, keep in mind that AFA’s objective is clear: the TA must meet the requirements determined by the Flight Attendants in the negotiations survey and in comments to the Negotiating Committee. Even if those criteria are met, AFA will not rush to publish a TA until we are reasonably satisfied that we have secured the absolute best deal possible and all the “i’s” are dotted and the “t’s” are crossed.

 

What does this all mean?

 

Think positive thoughts and stand by for potentially big developments this session!

 

Don’t forget the Solidarity Event November 12th…

 

Mark your calendar and plan to bid Wednesday, November 12th off for our next RED Hot informational picketing event!  If we don’t get a deal this session, come demonstrate our solidarity to management on the opening day of the scheduled November mediation session.  More information including a sign-up link and picketing times for each base will be coming. Your Negotiating Committee is counting on your support!

 

In solidarity,

 

Your Negotiating Committee—MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Kristy Stratton, Lisa Pinkston, Jake Jones, Christina Frees and AFA Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

MEC 5BSS Logo

Has Alaska Airlines management specified exactly how much more productivity they want from the flight attendants?

“Has [Alaska Airlines management] specified exactly how much more productivity they want from the flight attendants? I know many people are wondering this. If they have, maybe you could let us know! 🙂 And is it more TFP in general or…? Thanks! :-)”

 

From Alaska Airlines Vice President of Inflight Services Andy Schneider:

This is a good question. The goal is to get as much of a FAs pay into hard-time flying as possible.  We believe airlines that are able to do this for all workgroups will be more sustainable over time and less susceptible to the industry’s seemingly endless cycle of ups and downs.  Our goal (every work group has productivity goals) over the next three years is to achieve 77% of pay through hard time and 23% through other items (sick leave, training, deadhead, vacation, etc). I want to reiterate that the purpose of all of this is to build a strong company that will be here for an entire career and is more immune to the down-cycles that have plagued many of the industry’s employees’ careers.

A secondary belief is that those who work more should accrue the benefit and not subsidize those who chose to work less. For example, health care coverage costs the same for someone working a great deal or very little. The rates of accruals are the same for a flight attendant who works a full schedule (the contract defines the line average that the company is required to build as between 78 TFP and 85 TFP) as it is for those who work less.  In most jobs, employees who work less accrue less benefits.

Having said that, we are keenly aware that many Flight Attendants enjoy flexibility and we are not interested in scaling that back.  As you know, we are working hard to modify the Open Time system to allow for more flexibility than Flight Attendants have today.

As a last thought, we opened with several suggestions with the stated intention of putting any dollars that would be saved through productivity increases right back to wages for Flight Attendants, and we also ultimately heard AFA’s concerns about personal productivity within pairings, which lead to agreement on minimum pay rules which actually reduces the amount of pay through hard time, but was still the right thing to do, so we agreed to it.  We are fully aware that the negotiating committee has strong thoughts about what we have asked.

Important Update: Irregular Operations Due to Civil Unrest In Mexico

In response to the significant operational disruptions caused by the civil unrest affecting cities throughout Mexico, particularly Puerto Vallarta (PVR), Guadalajara (GDL), and Manzanillo (ZLO), management continues to operate under an Irregular Operations (IROPS) situation. Our MEC and Committees are actively monitoring the situation and working with management to support our Flight Attendants. Management has […]

Invitation to Training: What To Do if a Union Member is Detained

The California Federation of Labor Unions is offering a series of Union Rapid Response Trainings. The next session, “What To Do if a Union Member is Detained,” will offer practical information and guidance on how to respond if this happens. Details of the training are as follows: Date: Thursday, February 19Time: 11:30 AM to 1 PM PTLocation: Zoom Please register […]

Hotel Committee Meeting Recap – February 2026

On Monday, February 9, our AFA Local Hotel Committee Chairpersons met virtually to receive an update about current layover hotels and transportation providers and discuss concerns with management. Representing you at the meeting were Dori Marron (ANC), Jarod McNeill (SEA), Kelly Hepworth (PDX), Hilary Streem (SFO), Brian Sherill (LAX-pmAS), and Kanani Vallot (SAN), with MEC […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations Update – February 2026

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants SEA Domicile May Vacancy Posting The company has posted vacancies for the SEA domicile. There are 121 permanent vacancies available, effective May 1, 2026 for the May bid month. Bids will close at 11:59 PM HT on Monday, February 16. Awards will be posted by 12:00 PM […]

Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee Meeting Recap – January 2026

On Wednesday, January 28, our AFA Local Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Chairpersons met to discuss their ongoing work to represent our Flight Attendants and push for improvements in our workplace. Representing you at the meeting were Deb Wallstrom (ANC), David Lake (SEA), Kalin Lackey (PDX), Brad Young (SFO & MEC ASHSC Vice […]

Recent Posts

News By Month

News By Category

AFA News Now Air Quality Air Safety, Health, & Security Committee (ASHSC) Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) AS/HA Merger AS/VX Merger Benefits Committee Committees Communications Committee Contract Contract 2014 Negotiations Blog Council 15 SAN Council 18 LAX (pmAS) Council 19 SEA Council 30 ANC Council 35 SFO Council 39 PDX Council 47 LAX (pmHA) EAP/Professional Standards Committee Extension 2021 Blog Featured Government Affairs Committee Grievance Committee Hotel Committee Human Rights & Equity Committee Industry News Inflight Service Committee Inflight Training Committee JNC Blog Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) Latest News Local Councils Master Executive Council (MEC) Membership Committee Membership Engagement Committee Message from the MEC President Mobilization Committee Negotiations Pairing Construction Preferential Bidding System (PBS) Press Releases Reserve Committee Retirement Committee Scheduling Committee Uniform Committee

Want To Stay In The Loop?

Stay up-to-date on AFA Alaska news and information by signing up for our email and text message updates. Click a button below to get started or update your preferences if you're already a subscriber.
Sign Up for Emails
Sign Up for Text Updates