The Alaska Airlines flight attendants union, whose members have already overwhelmingly authorized a strike, says that they’re giving negotiations “the next two weeks” and that they “won’t wait” to take the next steps towards a strike after that.
Airline unions cannot strike until they’ve been released to ‘self help’ following a 30 day ‘cool off period’ by the National Mediation Board.
However we aren’t going to see a strike by Alaska Airlines flight attendants this year.
- Airline strikes are rare. Northwest Airlines mechanics went on strike in 2005. Spirit Airlines pilots went on strike in 2010. President Clinton intervened to stop two strikes at American Airlines.
- American Airlines flight attendants asked the National Mediation Board to release them from negotiations over six months ago. Their contract became amendable four and a half years ago. And they have not yet been released into a 30 day ‘cooling off’ period prior to being allowed to strike.
- There is zero chance that Alaska’s flight attendants will be fast tracked to a strike in four months. The National Mediation Board, a majority of which were appointed by President Biden, isn’t stranding passengers in the days leading up to the Presidential election.
The National Mediation Board will conduct mediated bargaining. They will send the parties back to the negotiating table, several times. But there is absolutely zero chance of a strike before the election. There is zero chance of a strike being permitted over Thanksgiving and Christmas. And that means the parties are almost certain to have until 2025 to make a deal before any strike happens.
Flight attendants at Alaska Airlines are represented by Sara Nelson’s AFA. The union has also seemed to make little progress on a contract at United Airlines, presumably waiting to let American Airlines flight attendants strike in hopes they set a new compensation bar for their airline to meet.
(HT: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)
Gary,
Mediated talks ongoong. So On behalf of all the fans of AFA Alaska all around the world please kindly keep your pro management opinions to American Airlines and the credit card company sponsors of your version of Foz Business. Simple Flying will take it from here.
Thanks,
Joe
PS I don’t want a strike but I love flight attendant badazses
Good!
They’ve waited long enough.
Union Strong!
@Joe A Kunzler – totally different to ask to declare an impasse than to be in mediated negotiations.
There is nothing whatsoever pro-management in this post – just offering an explanation for passengers of what to expect
A mass firing would be appealing.
Being a flight attendant takes little real-world skill or education. These flight attendants striking when they already make > $40/ hr is disgusting to me. I hope Gary is right, that the national board can mediate all these strike threats before they occur.
The strikes are NOT against management — they are against the American public. The airline will just pass any labor increases onto the customer, thru the airline ticket price. Therefore I DO NOT SUPPORT HIGHER WAGES for flight attendants, since all they do is stand in the aisle, reposition carry-ons, serve a drink and crappy snack pkg, & give a canned speech. I vote “hell no” to increasing their pay to $60/hr.
I wonder how many assumed flight attendants voicing strong opinions that they are American Airlines flight attendants and they will strike at the soonest opportunity actually are from other flight attendants unions egging on American Airlines flight attendants so that those are the people who take the hit from striking while they will be able to easily reap the benefits with little cost. Always getting someone else to do the dirty work.
Ah, come on Gary, this the 21st century. Joe is like 90% out there: if not “pro-A,” you must be “anti-A.” Since your posts can’t be described as pro-union, you must be anti-union (or pro-management).
@Lindy: if FA’s make $40 a hour, why did Gary recently post that American is giving their FA’s verification letters so they can qualify for food stamps? In another post Gary said they make $17 an hour, less than the kid that spit in my burrito at Taco Bell. Everyone cries poverty in negotiations, and Alaska’s FA’s may figure if the airline has got money to buy Hawaiian on very good terms they can send a little their way.
@James N: tough talk, but this ain’t 1981. Are their sufficient millennials willing to work for the current wages offered? How long will it take to train them properly, and at what dislocation to the traveling public?
Not concerned about any of those issues, I simply want individual rights applied consistently.
Thank you @sammons !!!!
@lindy Flight attendants are not making $40 an hour at America airlines and a flight attendants job is to protect you and ensure your safety if there is an accident or an amergency. Also, they don’t work a full time schedule like you do as it’s impossible to work 40 hours a week. They don’t get paid for boarding you and I and they don’t get paid for all the hours traveling back and forth or during sits in the airport. We need to support their right to have increases and large ones at that. You say $40 is too much but you don’t know how the pay schedule even works. A little education would get you a long way. Karen
Let me try again, Gary. This post left a lot to be desired.
First, there is another option that nobody talks about on all the blogs for AFA Alaska publicly opposing merging with Hawaiian Airlines while asking for release to strike — a double whammy. These options would put the Biden Administration in the wrong spot and pressure Alaska Airlines execs to address horrendous pay rates.
Second, if this were a balanced piece, it wouldn’t just blurt out guesstimates about what the National Mediation Board will and will not do. I have tried to shine sunlight on them and their modus operandi during a different labor dispute, but no luck.
Third, as to the comment “The strikes are NOT against management — they are against the American public” the only fellow Americans who can make that claim are those in places that Alaska Airlines is the exclusive air transport provider. Otherwise, it’s FAs seeking a living wage, and furthermore a wage that takes starting FAs off of public benefits. So, who’s striking against who in that circumstance?
Lindy! With all due respect you have no idea what you’re talking about. Flight attendants only get paid from door closure to door opening. They are required to be there an hour before departure and until everybody is off the plane. They are not paid for so much of their time. ie delays, boarding, sits in between flights, the list goes on and on. When you do the math it’s practically minimum wage. All the time they’re away from their families in hotel rooms. So with that being said there are flight attendants making “$40” per hour who are on food stamps, living in cars, and getting assistance because they’re not able to keep up with inflation. Also if you haven’t noticed most airlines are based in some of the most expensive cities in the US so $40 an hour is nothing. And another thing, they haven’t had a new contract in practically a decade because the flight attendants tried to play nice with Alaska when they promised to reward the flight attendants after the whole Covid situation and clearly they didn’t keep their promise. I hope this information helps you understand why a pay raise for Alaska is detrimental for the moral of the company.
Its too bad we are so dependant on the airlines for fast but complicated travel.
Thank you Lindy, for showing what your narrow mind can understand, there is lots of people like you out there that are blinded by ignorance and stupidity of their own beliefs .
I could spend my time explaining to you what is to be a crew member inside an aircraft, but forget it , not even Jesus coming down from heaven could teach individuals like you, probably you would send him back to be crucified again.
I would like to suggest that 60 minutes , do a report in what is life of a flight attendant to teach something about the reality of a professional that suffers with the stigma and romances of a career that has changed during so much in so little time of existence.
Government don’t have a clue on what is happening in this industry ,the result of this problem fault is our own failure to understand and respect what we do, I know because I know what is going on in the mind of my coworkers and the gullible people that the company hires to pry on their ignorance and lack of self value. Is sad to be judged and exploited because of the guilty to do something that you enjoy and love and that only so few people can do it , like walking with a smile on you face during a turbulence in the air. Safe travels to you and just be careful when you swallow your food ,you could be choking and not having a flight attendant to save your life.
Joe vs Gary Thunderdome, let’s do this . Gary, the corporate apologist, vs pinker than an Indian river grapefruit Joe. Keep em coming fellas.
Mark, I won’t shy away from a debate with Gary on a serious radio or podcast show. Gary should have my e-mail by now to pick the show.
Also I’m not very pink. Consider me old school liberal, not a progressive.