This week, the Association of Flight Attendants Alaska (AFA Alaska) is holding pop-up informational pickets at various flight attendant bases to protest stalled contract negotiations over pay. There is no credible threat of strike action at this time, but the concern and frustration among the work group is high.

Working under a nine-year-old contract

Surprisingly, the Alaska Airlines flight attendants, represented by AFA Alaska, are working under a contract that is nine years old that has been extended twice. The first was due to the merger with Virgin America, and the second was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While Alaska Airlines has happily reported record revenue of $9.6 Billion in 2022, Alaska Airlines' cabin crew have not received a significant pay increase in nine years..

Clearly, Alaska Airlines flight attendants are upset, hence a review of some outstanding issues from the flight attendants’ perspective. A response was sought from Alaska Airlines’ communications team on contract issues, but none was forthcoming.

Boarding pay is the largest request

For Alaska Airlines’ flight attendants, the issues include the dignity of being paid for the hour pre-flight of “boarding.” One word that means everything from boarding the aircraft an hour ahead of time to:

• Check for safety equipment
• Check against stragglers and stowaways
• Check passengers as they board
• Aid passengers in finding their seat and stowing their carry-ons to keep Alaska Airlines on-time

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

Furthermore, when Delta Air Lines – a competitor to Alaska Airlines – announced paying its flight attendants for boarding, Delta said to its flight attendants;

"Our new boarding pay component - an industry first - further recognizes how important your role is onboard to ensuring a welcoming, safe and on-time start to each flight and for each customer."

Photo: Delta Air Lines

As AFA Alaska Seattle Council President Paula Isla-McGill put the situation to Simple Flying,

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

The matter has certainly fired up Alaska Airlines flight attendants. Over 300 flight attendants and their allies attended a July 19 informational picket at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, with other informational pickets at other flight attendant bases.

“Pay Us or CHAOS”

One of the more prominent signs at the informational picket was “Pay Us or CHAOS”. Granted, Isla-McGill politely informed Simple Flying:

“Alaska Airlines had a very successful ‘chaos’ campaign back in 1994. We are nowhere near that point yet but that's definitely something that could down the road.”

In 1993, Alaska Airlines flight attendants pioneered a strategy of intermittent strikes called CHAOS or “Create Havoc Around Our System.” The Alaska Airlines of the day was planning to permanently replace flight attendants if AFA decided to go on a mass walkout and cut benefits. They also made Alaska Airlines management plan to hire office staff plus scabs to engage in flight attendant union busting.

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

So, one counterstroke was to show up on time to the gate, then announce to the gate agent going on strike, then return 30 minutes later to unconditionally offer to get back to work. The airline responded by not accepting the offers to return to work, and AFA Alaska responded by going to court.

According to an AFA-CFA General Counsel March 5, 2010, letter, the ruling in AFA v. Alaska Airlines, Inc., 847 F. Supp. 832 (W.D. Wash 1993) was that intermittent striking is permitted in the Railway Labor Act (RLA). Additionally, the ruling stopped the airline from any discipline – including firing – for engaging in intermittent strike activity. Within two weeks, the union and airline reached an agreement within two weeks of the ruling.

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

One can watch an Association of Flight Attendants-CFA 24-minute history of CHAOS below:

How can the public support Alaska Airlines flight attendants?

For now, according to AFA Alaska President Jeffrey Peterson;

The public can show support for us by going to the Alaska Airlines social media pages, and indicating that they support Alaska flight attendants and requesting that Alaska Airlines management give the flight attendants the contract that they deserve.

Hence, the informational picketing coupled with social media postings and red AFA pins by Alaska Airlines' flight attendants. There will also be an all-base August 15 informational picket.

Bottom line

Several flight attendant mothers at the Seattle informational picket felt they had to bring their small children due to not having a caregiver available. However, all at Seattle shared to a soul that they wanted the financial capacity to stay as flight attendants while starting a family. But as one San Diego-based flight attendant picketer put affairs for all her colleagues;

Much change has occurred in nine years for Alaska Airlines flight attendants – merging with Virgin America, a global pandemic, a rise in unruly passengers, new aircraft to learn like the Embraeer E175 and Boeing 737 MAX, winning top customer satisfaction awards, and new regulations. One wonders when management will adapt the flight attendants’ contract.

What are your thoughts? Please share in the comments.

Source: AFA-CFA General Counsel Letter