‘If You Want to Play Like a Big Airline, You Need to Pay Like One’, Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Tell Management As They Prepare To Hold Strike Vote

The union which represents flight attendants at Alaska Airlines says it will get its members to vote on whether they back authorizing strike action against the Seattle-based carrier in an escalating dispute over pay and conditions.

The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) has been in contract talks with Alaska Airlines for more than a year, and the union now says it’s becoming increasingly frustrated with what they see as an inadequate pay proposal.

The decision to hold a strike authorization appears to have been spurred by Alaska’s recent deal to acquire Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion while telling the union that it couldn’t afford its pay demands.

“The truth is Alaska management can afford an industry-leading contract,” explained Jeffrey Peterson, president of the Alaska chapter of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. 

“Management’s unwillingness to present adequate proposals brought us to this strike vote announcement. Our quality of life is non-negotiable. We will not accept terms that leave us falling even further behind the industry for years to come,” Peterson continued.

“If you want to PLAY like a big airline, you need to PAY like one,” Peterson slammed.

Alaska Airlines, however, says it has already offered its crew members an immediate 15% pay rise, plus a mechanism to match pay with flight attendants at rival airlines such as United and American Airlines, who are also in active contract negotiations.

The airline also says it is “eager” to resume negotiations in the New Year and wants to reach an agreement on outstanding issues such as pay.

Federal mediators are helping the two sides negotiate, and meetings are already scheduled for January and February 2024. During that time, flight attendants will begin voting on January 8 on whether they authorize strike action, and the vote will close on February 13.

The result should be published shortly after the vote closes.