The Alaska Pilot Group's Road to a Contract
Alaska’s pilots were prepared for a contentious round of negotiations with a unified MEC and Strategic Plan that leveraged ALPA’s resources and the goals of the Alaska pilot group.
December 2016
Alaska Airlines Merges with Virgin America
Alaska Airlines merged with Virgin America in 2016. Since both Alaska and Virgin were ALPA carriers, the pilot groups were subject to ALPA Merger Policy, which sets up a process to negotiate a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) for the combined pilot group before integrating seniority lists.
October 2017
An Arbitrated JCBA
Alaska’s JCBA negotiations ultimately resulted in an arbitrated contract that left its pilot group with gaps in work rules, job security, benefits, and pay when compared to its peers. These shortcomings helped inform the pilot group's goals going into the next contract negotiation cycle.
August 2018
Strategic Planning Begins for a 2019 Negotiation
In August 2018, the Alaska MEC first reported that strategic planning efforts led them to conclude that it would be up to the Alaska pilot group to safeguard its future. That meant, among other things, to take control of its destiny and forge a path to a reliable future.
May 2019
The MEC and Negotiating Committee Set the Table
The Negotiating Chairman and MEC Chairman discuss pending contract negotiations and how ALPA National provides professional support to the process.
June 2019
Alaska Pilots Begin Contract Negotiations and Discuss Strategic Planning Document
Section 6 Negotiations begin between the Alaska Airlines MEC and management team.
The Alaska MEC shared an executive summary of its strategic planning document with its pilots. The Strategic Communications chairman discusses that document in detail with the MEC chairman, vice chairman, and Strategic Planning chairman.
November 2019
Negotiations Continue into Significant Contract Cornerstone Issues
The pilots’ Negotiating Committee shifts its focus to the significant aspects of the contract known as the four cornerstones - work rules, job security, benefits, and pay. The MEC Chairman Negotiating Committee Chairman, and ALPA’s chief negotiator Bruce York discuss negotiating the more significant aspects of the pilots’ contract.
December 2019
Membership Updates
In this episode, MEC officers and other committee chairs discuss current events and issues affecting the pilot group.
January 2020
MEC Officers Address Pilot Issues
MEC officers and other committee chairs discuss current events and issues affecting the pilot group. Among other topics, Alaska's Executive Vice President provides an update on ALPA’s work to improve the KCM experience for pilots. Membership Chairman Will Swoveland discusses attrition numbers and what those who chose to leave Alaska Airlines have to say about their decision.
March - December 2020
The Industry Shifts Focus to COVID-19
At the end of 2020, the MEC Chairman, Negotiating Committee Chairman, and Strategic Planning Chairman discuss closing out year 2020 and what is facing the pilot group in the near future.
April 2021
Alaska's MEC Updates Strategic Plan
ALPA leaders and ALPA’s Lead Economic and Financial Strategist discuss the Company must agree to long overdue improvements. Details of the union’s work may also be found in the MEC’s Strategic Planning Executive Summary. Part of that summary includes the MEC’s perspectives on the recent changes to executive management at Alaska Airlines.
May 2021
Unity & Solidarity and an Emphasis on Scope
The Alaska MEC discusses the innovative ways the MEC planned to overcome obstacles caused by COVID-19 restrictions to be on the road connecting with its pilots.
Additionally, job security is an important part of any career. Scope language in modern pilot collective bargaining agreements is designed to protect current flying, provide opportunities for growth of a pilot group, and prepare for unexpected events.
June 2021
State of the Union
The Alaska MEC describes their current table positions at the negotiating table. Additionally, the MEC announces a dues refund after responsibly managing their MEC budget.
July 2021
Alaska's MEC Responds to Management Direct Negotiations
The MEC Chairman and Negotiating Committee Chairman discuss the commitment ALPA leadership has in maintaining and pressing for the contract improvement priorities identified by Alaska pilots. Those goals are clear, consistent, long overdue, and are driving the efforts of the Negotiating Committee.
August 2021
Alaska MEC Proposes Private Mediation
Contract negotiations between the Alaska Pilots and the Company do not progress at a pace consistent with the market-based changes that the pilots are seeking. The pilots’ union recommend (and Alaska Airlines management agreed) to hire a third-party facilitator for limited mediated discussions.
September 2021
Private Mediated Negotiations End and the Company Files for NMB Mediation
After three days in private mediation with Alaska Airlines, the talks ended on September 20, 2021. ALPA proposed this process to explore every avenue to address contract goals consistently voiced by Alaska pilots, but unfortunately the Company’s positions did not reflect the commitment required to move negotiations constructively forward. The pilots’ union has been clear that substantial improvements to both job security and work rules are essential; pilots have serious concerns over both of these contract areas, and these sections are clearly deficient when compared to other pilot contracts in the industry. These areas have been addressed by management teams at peer airlines where they have agreed to significant improvements over what the Alaska pilots currently have.
October 2021
Alaska Airlines: Do the Right Thing-Value Your Pilots
Alaska's MEC launches an aggressive campaign to inform the public that negotiations between the pilots and the company have stalled. While Alaska Airlines’ management repeats its core value – to “Do the Right Thing” – it fails to live up to it by rejecting the pilots’ desire to bring their contract into parity with industry peers. Hear the pilots’ union leadership correct the company’s narrative.
November 2021
The MEC Shares Results of the "Do the Right Thing" Campaign
Union leadership recaps the final MEC meeting of 2021, an update on ALPA’s Do the Right Thing campaign, polling results, and what’s next in the national mediation process.
January 2022
Company Failures Over Holiday Weather Impacts Pilots
Discussions on management’s failure to address recurring weather issues affect pilots, the eroding culture at Alaska Airlines, and the Company’s inconsistent COVID-19 policies that are outside of industry best-practices. Additionally, the history and details of Severe Irregular Operations is explained.
January 2022
Mediation Under the Railway Labor Act (RLA)
The Strategic Communications Chairman discusses the RLA, including what it means to be in mediated negotiations and the process of being released before engaging in a legal strike. ALPA’s Senior Advisor and Chief Negotiator Bruce York, along with Senior Labor Relations Counsel Zach Henige join this episode to discuss what to expect during RLA mediation and what tactics are available to us to advance the pilots’ goals. Bruce York has been negotiating airline contracts for more than 40 years and shares his experience regarding ways management teams have in the past attempted to stymie the work of ALPA.
February 2022
The Power of Picketing
The Alaska pilots conducted an informational picket at an event in New York City where the COO of Alaska Airlines was speaking. The Communications Chairman, MEC Chairman, MEC Secretary, and SPSC Chairman discuss their experiences at that event as well as upcoming mediated negotiations sessions, the next picketing event coming up on April 1, and other SPSC events.
February 2022
Informational Picketing on April 1
The Alaska MEC announce informational picketing scheduled for April 1, 2022, in Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell discusses the importance of physical displays of unity and resolve with the MEC Chairman and Strategic Planning Chairman.
March 2022
ALPA’s Comprehensive Term Sheet
On March 10, the Alaska Pilots’ Negotiating Committee released a comprehensive term sheet covering the union’s solutions to the issues concerning pilots. In this episode the Strategic Communications Chairman, MEC Chairman, Negotiating Chairman, and Scheduling Chairman discuss that term sheet.
April 2022
Over 1,500 Pilots and Supporters Show Up In Record Numbers To Make a Statement to Alaska Airlines
Hundreds of pilots attended an all-base informational picket on April 1, to make a statement to company management—Do the right thing!
April 2022
Strike Authorization Ballot Approved by Alaska Airlines MEC
On April 21, the Alaska Airlines Pilots Master Executive Council (MEC) unanimously voted to approve a strike authorization ballot. While the pilot group is not on strike now a “yes” vote will authorize the MEC to call a strike if mediation is unsuccessful, all the procedures of the Railway Labor Act have been exhausted, and the National Mediation Board allows the Alaska Airlines pilots and management to exercise self-help at the end of a cooling off period.
May 2022
Alaska Pilots Vote to Authorize Strike
On May 25, a strike authorization ballot sent to the Alaska Airlines pilots closed. With nearly 96 percent of members participating, an overwhelming 99 percent of Alaska pilots authorized union leaders to call a strike if necessary and after the parties are permitted by the National Mediation Board (NMB) to take that action.
June 2022
Negotiations Post April 1 Informational Picket and Strategic Planning Update
The Strategic Communications Chairman discusses the increase in pace of contract negotiations with the Negotiating Committee Chairman and MEC Chairman. Also, the Strategic Planning Chairman and MEC Chairman discuss how the MEC’s strategic plan has brought Alaska's pilots to this point and how the MEC will continue to leverage it to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion in the form of a ratifiable Tentative Agreement.
July 2022
Special MEC Meeting Recap
The Strategic Communications Chairman speaks with the MEC Chairman, Negotiating Committee Chairman, and Strategic Planning Vice-Chairman about the Special MEC Meeting that concluded on July 1. Topics included how the Negotiating Committee refines goals as a deal grows closer and how a Local Council Block Representative functions at ALPA.
July 2022
Negotiations Update
The Strategic Communications Chairman David Campbell discusses the state of negotiations with the MEC Chairman, Negotiating Chairman, and the Strategic Planning Chairman; topics include the most recent company earnings call with analysis from ALPA Economic and Financial Analysis, the continued rapid pace of negotiations after the strike authorization vote and picket, and collaboration across ALPA when closing out a deal.
August 2022
Negotiations Update
The Strategic Communications Chairman, MEC Chairman, MEC Vice Chairman, and Negotiating Committee Chairman discuss the state of negotiations and what pilots may expect from the special MEC meeting scheduled to begin on August 29.
September 2022
Negotiations Update September 9, 2022
The Strategic Communications Chairman discusses the conclusion of last week’s negotiations session, and what to expect next week.
September 23, 2022
Tentative Agreement Reached
The Alaska Airlines MEC voted to approve a Tentative Agreement (TA). The MEC released seven podcast episodes all at once along with a Quick Reference Guide to ensure all facts were presented to its members as quickly as possible.
September 28, 2022
Ratification Process, What Happens Next
The TA approved by the Alaska MEC opens for the pilot members to consider for approval. This episode discusses the process of completing the full language TA which is expected to be available by Friday, September 30, events where one may learn more about the TA, such as roadshows and airport sits, and the balloting process.
October 17, 2022
Alaska Airlines Pilots Overwhelmingly Ratify Collective Bargaining Agreement
The pilots at Alaska Airlines overwhelmingly approve a tentative agreement with the Company on a three-year deal that contains improvements to job security, pay, scheduling flexibility, and other quality-of-life provisions. With 96 percent of eligible Alaska pilots casting ballots, 82 percent voted in favor of the new agreement.
October 2022
Contract 2022 Implementation
The process of implementing the new contract begins in earnest. Listen to the work being done to ensure that the process moves forward expeditiously and the need for pilots’ solidarity to remain strong.
November 2022
CBA 2022 Implementation: When and Why
Negotiating a contract means nothing if it is not implemented and enforced.
The MEC Chairman, Negotiating Chairman, and Scheduling Committee Chairman further discuss the CBA implementation process. A number of ALPA resources are mentioned in this episode which are linked below.