At last year’s AFA Board of Directors Convention in Orlando, I lobbied for and spoke in favor of this year’s convention coming to Portland. There were other choices, some more weather “friendly” for the time of the year, but I stood at the microphone and told the voting delegates (LEC Presidents from all AFA airlines) that Portland hadn’t fully recovered to pre-pandemic convention business (we still haven’t) and that Portland and Oregon were strong Union communities that deserved our support. Quite frankly, I said, Portland needed the love. I was proud when the delegates voted in favor of coming to Portland.

Fast forward to this month and what happened at this year’s convention felt very different. I’m not happy with what I experienced regarding the annual budget (Agenda Item #1.) I know a lot of information has already been circulated about what happened, so I won’t dwell on all of the specifics here, but I want to give you an overview of how the budget was ultimately finalized. Please reach out to me if you would like more information or have questions.

Some background

A dues increase was not optional. Our 2003 merger agreement with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) requires our dues to be in line with the CWA dues average. We’ve waited several years for CWA to tell us that average so we could budget accordingly. For reference, our dues at AFA haven’t gone up in over ten years.

Recognizing the needs of smaller airlines, especially regional airlines including Horizon Air, the International Budget and Finance committees proposed a three-year, stepped-in approach to a dues increase and recommended a budget for the fiscal year 2026-2027 (effective June 1^st) that included a $5.12/mo dues increase for the first year and a planned potential $7M withdrawal from the Union’s reserve fund to balance the budget.

Alaska Hawaiian LECPs asked several questions about the proposed budget in advance of the convention, including what the budget might look like if various scenarios of dues increases were voted in. We shared many delegates’ concerns regarding relying so heavily on the reserve fund. Ultimately, we agreed to support the proposed budget, approved and recommended by the committees, that included the stepped-in dues increase for all airlines.

So what happened?

An amendment from the floor would have created a two-tier dues structure, whereby United and Alaska Hawaiian Flight Attendants would begin paying the full CWA dues average of $65.36/mo immediately, beginning with the new fiscal year, rather than the stepped-in dues increases recommended by the committees. All other AFA airlines, including regionals, would remain with the stepped-in dues increases as recommended.

While there was a motion to amend the amendment to remove Alaska Hawaiian from the amendment, that motion failed on a roll-call vote and the original amendment passed, also on a roll-call vote, even though the majority of the Board’s delegates were not in agreement.

Prior to the vote on the original amendment, I read the following statement to the full Board:

“I speak in opposition to this amendment.

“Originally, I was in favor of an immediate dues increase to fulfill our requirement of meeting the CWA dues average. A stepped-in dues increase seemed messy and potentially noncompliant.

“However, after hearing concerns from our siblings at Horizon Air, where I started my career 22 years ago, and our Hawaiian LECPs on the Alaska Hawaiian MEC, I feel the stepped-in approach recommended by our Budget Committee is more fair and just, giving respect to and showing concern for our Hawaiian siblings going through a first-time merger, where two different cultures are trying to come together in a unified and dignified manner. Alaska and Hawaiian MECs have always considered the needs of all airlines, big and small.

“To my United siblings, I hear your concerns regarding your budgets. We went through this same process when we negotiated a pay increase without a corresponding dues increase. But we adjusted. We planned our budgets accordingly and we moved on.

“Article XI.A.4 of the Constitution and Bylaws gives you an option for raising dues at your airline. Effectively, you could realize a $10/mo per member dues increase, representing 2/3 of the stepped-in three-year plan, immediately without this amendment.

“To the entire Board, I ask you to consider the precedent it sets to allow one airline to put forth an amendment that raises dues for another airline selectively, especially when that airline’s members are not in agreement. Contrary to what you may have heard, Alaska Hawaiian was never in agreement. I ask the United delegation to remove Alaska Hawaiian from the amendment. In the absence of that, I strongly urge the Board to reject this proposed amendment. It does not make us stronger together or better together.”

In private meetings that followed, we attempted to resolve our concerns regarding the amendment. While it was clear there were some assumptions made and perhaps a misunderstanding regarding our intentions with our questions about the budget prior to the convention, we were unable to reach consensus.

What happened next…

We paused on taking a vote on the main Agenda Item (as amended) until the next day, allowing further discussion among the delegates at all airlines.

The next morning, an amendment was offered by United that raised dues for all airlines to the full $65.36/mo dues level effective with the 2026-2027 fiscal year, but included a “hardship” rebate at individual airline MEC discretion. Because the choice was either the original amended budget (with just United and Alaska Hawaiian at the full dues increase and no rebate provision) or the new amendment, Alaska Hawaiian’s delegation felt obligated to vote in favor.

This was a hard vote, especially for regional airlines. Horizon Air MEC President Lisa Davis-Warren made a heartfelt address to the Board that brought almost everyone to their feet in support, including all of us at Alaska Hawaiian. The amendment passed, as did the final vote on the Agenda Item as amended.

Reflecting and moving forward…

To say I’m disappointed in what happened at the Board is an understatement. We need changes in how our Union conducts business. When there is a single, dominant airline that can use a roll-call vote to force through amendments, there’s an imbalance. I’m not sure how we fix that, but many of us voting delegates (LECPs) recognize we have to change.

Throughout my terms as an elected Union leader, I have always subscribed to the “Stronger Together, Better Together” mantra of our Union and the overall labor movement. This was a setback, but I’ve taken some time to think about it, and I realize what happened at the Board is very similar to any governing body in a democracy. We are democratically elected leaders with a Constitution and Bylaws. But individual airlines and delegates have different needs and differences of opinion, and we use the convention to debate positions on the floor and work hard to achieve consensus. It’s very much like our system of government for our country. It isn’t perfect.

I have serious concerns about the fairness of the roll-call vote when there’s an imbalance of the sizes of the airlines in our Union. With there being one dominant airline, the power of the roll-call vote is significant. That is an issue we need to reconcile, and I plan to work with other leaders over the next year to work-up an advance agenda item for the next full convention in 2028; the next year constitutional amendments can be considered. Hopefully, we can make progress on a solution. 

As I look ahead, I will carry with me a spirit of unity that has always guided me through challenges like this. Through obstacles like civil unrest and pandemics, to mergers, contract negotiations, furloughs and economic downturns, my hope is that our leaders’ shared commitment to progress, equality, and justice continues to pave the way forward. Together, we can build a brighter future for all, ensuring our Union not only endures but thrives for generations to come.

Thank you for reading.

Steve