Negotiations News Archives

Dear Flight Attendants,

Your Negotiating Committee heads to San Diego this coming week for our fifth mediation session. Bargaining will take place November 12th-14th under the direction of Victoria Gray with the National Mediation Board (NMB).

Each of you is aware that we are down to the core issues in negotiations: economics. If we do not reach an agreement with management on a new deal in this next session, it will be time to turn up the heat. If we want improvements, we must step up to the plate.

Have you been outspoken in your demands for pay and benefits? Then now is the time to focus on our future and pull together and demonstrate to management that we can be a powerful force and fight together to secure our future. Contact your local executive council (LEC) officers and add yourself to a list of volunteers to help organize activities and participate in upcoming events.

Council 30 ANC: http://alaskamec.org/council-30-officers/

Council 19 SEA: http://alaskamec.org/council-19-sea-officers/

Council 39 PDX: http://alaskamec.org/pdx/officers/

Council 18 LAX/SAN: http://alaskamec.org/council-18-lax-officers/

In a recent interview, Brad recognized Alaska’s “best quarter ever” and the contribution of all the employees in achieving that result. Well, we see our Company’s positive financial trend and we want our “best contract ever.” In the interview, he also acknowledged the uncertainties and challenges that our Company faces—especially from Delta! That is exactly why management needs to come to the table with the intention of putting serious money into our contract and making us feel valued as employees.

Labor relations strife as a result of Flight Attendant contract negotiations is not what the Company needs right now. A new contract that makes Flight Attendants feel valued for their contribution is what is needed. Then we can all move forward and do what we do best: continue to work hard together to solidify Alaska’s position as the most respected and successful airline in the industry. Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants are proud to have helped build that reputation. If management can agree to an appropriately rewarding contract, we look forward to participating in our collective bright future!

In solidarity,

Your AFA Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

negotiations@alaskamec.org

https://www.facebook.com/alaskaairlines.negotiations

http://www.youtube.com/user/AFAALANegotiations

“Five Bases, One Voice”

Dear Flight Attendants,

Your AFA Negotiating Committee just wrapped up our fourth mediation session October 29-30, 2013. This session was held at the National Mediation Board (NMB) in Washington, DC, and overseen by federal mediator Victoria Gray. We were again joined by transportation economist Dan Akins as our financial advisor. Although we did not reach a tentative agreement (TA) on any sections this session and there is some distance between our positions, we believe there is a willingness on both sides to get a deal in the near future.

On Monday we were joined at the table by Alaska Air Group (AAG) Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Brandon Pedersen. He came to answer any questions we had about Alaska’s stock buy-back program and the recent decision to pay a dividend on AAG stock (NYSE: ALK). AFA believes that if senior management and the AAG Board of Directors are willing to direct significant funds back to the shareholders, our leaders should also be willing to reward their Flight Attendants in kind. Following the discussion with Brandon, management passed us a comprehensive proposal at the end of the day which made some movement toward our position.

We spent Tuesday morning in further evaluation of management’s proposal and in formulating our response. Pat Sims, senior mediator with the NMB, dropped by mid-day to talk about our negotiations and she stayed through the remainder of the day. After we returned from lunch we smelled a weird electrical smell and further investigation revealed smoke coming from the ceiling!

Luckily, our caucus room was filled with first responders and we successfully evacuated in under 90 seconds! (Okay, maybe we’re dramatizing the event ever so slightly.) Seriously, though, we did have to move to a different part of the building after it was discovered that the air conditioning motor had seized up and was smoking. That evening after all the excitement had passed we gave management a comprehensive response to their proposal.

As a consequence of the electrical issue, on Wednesday we were required to relocate to the Hamilton Hotel just down the street from the NMB. AFA Director of Collective Bargaining Clare Burt joined us for the bulk of the day. Mediator Gray met separately with both sides and there was some consultation about how to move the discussion forward. We had a small group discussion with Mediator Gray and the principle members of management’s team which seemed to put the talks back on track. We will continue that dialogue on a conference call early next week and expect to resume mediation in San Diego, CA, November 12-14, 2013.

In the meantime, we appreciate your supportive messages and the faith you show in your representatives at the table. It is a difficult job we are undertaking to better the situation for all of us. Please stay strong, stay informed and together we will prevail!

In solidarity,

Your AFA Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

negotiations@alaskamec.org

https://www.facebook.com/alaskaairlines.negotiations

http://www.youtube.com/user/AFAALANegotiations

“Five Bases, One Voice”

Dear Flight Attendants,

In preparation for this week’s mediation session, the Negotiating Committee has updated the Flight Attendant Payscale Industry Comparison with the latest information.

ALA FA Payscale Industry Comps 2013-09-18

Keep in mind that all carriers except Southwest Airlines are paid in block-hours rather than in Trips for Pay (TFP). In order to fairly compare them the block-hour pay rates have all been converted to TFP equivalent by dividing by the conversion factor 1.13 TFP per block-hour (1.13 TFP/block-hour). The rates must be converted because on the average, a Flight Attendant flies approximately 1.13 TFP in every block-hour. Conversely, you can convert pay in TFP to pay in block-hours by multiplying by 1.13. If you are looking at another carrier’s published pay rates in block-hours and see a discrepancy with this chart, it is because the pay rates have been converted.

Why is TFP different than a block-hour? That is because TFP is based on point-to-point mileage whereas a block-hour is based on time from aircraft block-out to block-in. Did you also know that your TFP pay is “front loaded” for each segment? If you look in Section 21.C-D you will see that you are paid 1 TFP for the first 243 miles and then 1 TFP for every 400 miles after that, with no less than 1 TFP for every segment.

We often hear Flight Attendants say that we are not compensated for boarding, which is not strictly true. This is why the first TFP in a segment is “front loaded” at 243 miles vs. 400 miles. We thought you might find it interesting to know exactly how much you are paid for boarding at every step rate.

2013 Alaska FA Boarding Pay

Now, we’re not trying to say that the front loading of TFP on each segment is sufficient compensation for boarding. That is why your Negotiating Committee is pushing hard to achieve a duty rigs as well as other rigs. The duty rig in particular will ensure you are paid appropriately for your time on duty—such as for boarding, sits, delays, etc. A duty rig will also cause the pairing optimizer to do its best to minimize sit times. Other rigs such as a trip rig and an average daily guarantee will ensure that we are paid appropriately for long layovers and eliminate 3-day trips worth 8 TFP. Very, very important!

Your Negotiating Committee is committed to achieving rigs in order to ensure we are adequately compensated for our time on duty, to improve pairing value across the board and to minimize sit time. Obviously, we are also focused on attaining a significantly improved compensation and benefits package for all!

In solidarity,

Your Negotiating Committee – MEC President Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Tracy, Karina Cameron-Fetters, Jake Jones and AFA Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo

“Five Bases, One Voice”

negotiations@alaskamec.org