Alaska Airlines flight attendants reject tentative contract

Alaska Airlines flight attendants have rejected the tentative contract their union negotiated.

The Association of Flight Attendants told KIRO Newsradio the following in an emailed statement:

Alaska Flight Attendants today voted not to ratify the tentative agreement. This is democracy in action and Flight Attendants always have the final say on any contract. There is more work to do.

Flight Attendants need improvements as soon as possible. Our union will continue to fight for the contract Alaska Flight Attendants deserve. The next step is a member survey to determine key issues and return to the table to address them.”

The union which represents 6,900 Alaska employees, reached a tentative agreement in June after about 18 months of negotiation. Voting closed Wednesday.

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According to Aviation Week, the three-year contract would have boosted pay by 32% and compensated flight attendants for boarding time before the plane takes off.

This contract would have been the first U.S. airline union agreement to include pay for flight attendants during the boarding process. Airlines have historically paid cabin crew members only after the cabin door is closed.

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The agreement covered 21 months of retroactive pay, reflecting the time spent negotiating.

The union plans to survey its members and return to negotiations.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X here and email him here.