Master Executive Council (MEC)
- The Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines Master Executive Councils (MECs) will soon merge into a single MEC, consisting of the LEC Presidents from both pre-merger airlines and three MEC Officers.
- An election for new MEC Officers and some MEC Committee positions will take place in late January, with terms starting on March 1, 2025, and ending on December 31, 2025.
- Local Councils and LEC Officers will remain separate until a JCBA is ratified, and only LEC Presidents from their respective pre-merger airlines can make decisions about their pre-merger contract and separate operation. Once the JCBA is ratified, new LEC elections will be held in bases with overlapping representation (only LAX) within 90 days.
As part of the merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, the Master Executive Councils (MECs) of both airlines will soon be combined into a single MEC. This new MEC will consist of the six Local Executive Council (LEC) Presidents from pre-merger Alaska Airlines, the two LEC Presidents from pre-merger Hawaiian Airlines, and three MEC Officers.
This unified MEC will represent Flight Attendants from both airlines, facilitate joint contract negotiations, and interface with senior management. Since the merged MEC will initially operate with two active collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), decision-making related to each individual CBA will remain with the LEC Presidents representing pre-merger Flight Attendants of Alaska or Hawaiian, respectively. For instance, any decisions that solely affect the Alaska CBA will be made by the six pre-merger Alaska LEC Presidents.
Election of MEC Officers and Committees
The merger of the Alaska and Hawaiian MECs will require an election for new MEC Officers and certain MEC Committee positions. In late January, the AFA International Officers will hold a joint meeting of the Alaska and Hawaiian MECs to elect MEC Officers for the combined MEC. Some MEC Committees will be merged immediately, while others will remain separate until a joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA) is ratified. During this meeting, MEC Committee Chairpersons and representatives for the committees that will be merged will also be elected. The structure of the MEC Committees from both the Alaska and Hawaiian MECs is currently under thorough evaluation, and the specific committees that will be merged immediately are still to be determined. (Note: According to the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, at minimum, the Grievance Committee and the System Board of Adjustment will remain separate for each pre-merger airline until a JCBA is reached.)
The MEC Officers, MEC Committee Chairpersons, and other MEC Committee positions elected at this meeting will take office and begin their terms on March 1, 2025. According to the AFA Constitution and Bylaws, they will serve for the remainder of the current Alaska MEC election cycle, which ends on December 31, 2025. Both Alaska and Hawaiian AFA Members in good standing will be eligible to express their interest in and can be elected to these positions. AFA International will provide more information about the upcoming election, including the available positions and how to express interest in candidacy, in early December.
Local Councils Will Not Be Merged Until JCBA
The upcoming merger of MECs will not affect your Local Council representation or LEC Officers. All LEC Officers will continue to serve their terms based on their respective election cycles. Local Councils at bases with duplication—only LAX has bases for both pre-merger airlines—will remain separate until a JCBA has been established. After a JCBA is ratified, elections for new LEC Officers for the combined Local Council will occur within 90 days.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the upcoming merger of the Alaska and Hawaiian MECs, please contact your LEC President.
