Several Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants and Virgin America Inflight Teammates (ITMs) have contacted the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA to inquire why AFA—specifically the Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC)—has not made any statements about the current Tentative Agreement (TA) between Virgin America and the ITMs over and above “TWU Virgin America Announced a Tentative Agreement” posted on afaalaska.org on August 17, 2016. Since Virgin America ITMs are represented by the Transport Workers of America (“TWU”), neither would it be appropriate for AFA to contact Virgin America ITMs directly to discuss the TA; nor would it be appropriate for AFA to engage in detailed discussions with our own members about the TWU VX TA. AFA cannot be seen as influencing the TA vote, even if such influence is in a roundabout way, e.g., providing information to our members who then post such information on social media, which is subsequently read and discussed by VX ITMs and ultimately affects decision-making.
AFA looks forward to representing Virgin America ITMs once the merger is complete, and AFA is recognized by the NMB as the exclusive bargaining representative for all the post-merger Flight Attendants. Until that occurs, however, the Virgin America ITMs should continue to direct questions about their TA and/or the merger to their TWU representatives. The MEC plans another merger update for our members shortly after the holiday weekend.
If VX ITMs wish to voluntarily sign up for AFA Alaska communications, or AFA Interactive (communications to all AFA members), please visit http://afanewsletters.org/subscribe/. (This is also the same link for Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants to subscribe.)
We understand this merger has raised many issues and concerns. Rest assured that AFA is committed to representing all Flight Attendants and ITMs once it is appropriate to do so. AFA’s primary goal is to ensure that the post-merger Alaska/Virgin America Flight Attendants will work together under one of the best Flight Attendant contracts in the industry.
In Solidarity,
Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green and Brice McGee