Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Seek Expedited Talks Amid Strike Vote

In a crucial development, Alaska Airlines flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), have escalated their contract negotiations to the National Mediation Board (NMB) in Washington, D.C. This move comes after a staggering 99.48% of union members voted in February to authorize a strike should negotiations falter.

The AFA's top officials, including International President Sara Nelson and Senior Staff Negotiator Paula Mastrangelo, engaged in a two-hour session with NMB mediators to express urgent concerns over the stalled negotiation process. Despite earlier signs of progress, with four tentative agreements reached during mediation sessions in February, the union is now pushing for accelerated talks. The AFA has even proposed holding additional negotiation meetings without their federal mediator, whose limited availability has been a bottleneck.

Currently, the union is not seeking a release to strike, emphasizing that negotiations have yet to hit a deadlock. However, should they reach that stage, a 30-day cooling-off period would be mandated before any strike action can commence. This regulatory framework aims to provide one last opportunity for resolution before disruptions.

This labor dispute highlights a broader issue within the industry, where flight attendants at other major airlines, like American and United, are also engaged in challenging contract negotiations. Despite the significant contract enhancements seen by pilots in the post-pandemic landscape, flight attendants argue they have been disproportionately affected by inflation and escalating living costs.

The AFA's recent proposal to Alaska Airlines management included substantial increases in base pay rates (40-56% based on experience), improved scheduling flexibility, and enhanced vacation and sick leave benefits, retroactive to December 2022. The airline's response to these demands was one of "shock and disappointment," signaling a tough road ahead in reaching a satisfactory agreement.