Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Make Historic Decision to Strike After Three Decades

Alaska Airlines Flight Attendants Make Historic Decision to Strike After Three Decades

In a historic move, Alaska Airlines flight attendants have voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike for the first time in three decades. The vote, conducted by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), saw approximately 99.48 percent of participating flight attendants supporting the strike.

The decision to strike comes as flight attendants demand “significant improvements” in their contracts. The AFA Alaska president, Jeffrey Peterson, emphasized their determination to fight for what they believe they deserve. Peterson stated, “We’re out on the picket line demonstrating that we’re ready to do whatever it takes to get the contract we deserve.”

The authorization of the strike allows the union to request a release from the National Mediation Board, triggering a 30-day cooling-off period and strike deadline. This means that the union can decide when, where, and how to strike without giving prior notice to management or passengers.

The last time Alaska Airlines flight attendants went on strike was in 1993, resulting in significant disruptions and uncertainty for passengers. The association recalls “dramatic reductions” in ticket bookings as travelers were unsure if their flights would take off until they arrived at the airport.

Alaska Airlines is not the only airline facing labor disputes. Thousands of cabin crew members from various airlines, including Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines, picketed outside airports across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Guam on Tuesday. The flight attendants are advocating for better contracts and higher wages.

These airline workers argue that they worked through the challenges of the pandemic and now deserve higher pay as carriers have returned to profitability. Pilots at American, United, and Delta have already secured raises of around 40 percent over five years.

Southwest Airlines flight attendants are specifically seeking a new contract that addresses issues such as scheduling for on-call rotations, fair compensation for ground time, improved commuter policies, and the provision of safe sleeping arrangements during overnight stays.

Lyn Montgomery, president of Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556, which represents Southwest Airlines flight attendants, emphasized the importance of setting a new industry standard for pay. Montgomery stated, “Our fight is about valuing our very personhood. Our employer has failed to implement even no-cost work rule changes that would improve our quality of life.”

Flight attendants from Southwest Airlines and Air Transat in Canada are currently in negotiations after rejecting earlier contract proposals. They are pushing for steep pay raises to align with their counterparts in other airlines.

The impact of these labor disputes is being felt in the stock market, with shares of Alaska Air falling 2.1 percent, Southwest decreasing by 0.9 percent, United Airlines tumbling 3.9 percent, and American Airlines shedding 2.2 percent.

As the negotiations continue and the threat of strikes looms, it remains to be seen how these airlines will address the demands of their flight attendants. The determination shown by the workers suggests that they are prepared to take bold action to secure their rights and fair treatment in the industry.

Sources: Reuters, The Associated Press