An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900ER airplane on the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in Seattle, Washington, U.S., Monday, Jan. 22, 2024.
David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Alaska Airlines Flight attendants rejected a new labor deal that would have come with immediate raises averaging more than 24%, their union said Wednesday, setting both sides up for further talks such as a merger with Hawaiian Airlines Looms.
The union and the company had reached a tentative “record” agreement in June that included boarding pay as well as retroactive pay, plus average wage increases of about 32% over the three-year deal, according to the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.
“There is more work to be done,” the union said, adding that it will survey members to “determine key issues and come back to the table to address them.”
The airline said in a statement: “We remain committed to reaching an agreement that reflects the critical role of our flight attendants and is good for Alaska's long-term success.”
Airline workers across the industry have been pushing their employers to raise wages and improve working conditions after Covid-19 put most labour negotiations on hold. Wages and fuel are airlines’ biggest costs and negotiations at some companies had become contentious before the new contracts were approved.
Pilots at major airlines have struck deals over the past two years, while other airline workers have continued to seek better pay.
American Airlines reached an agreement with its flight attendants union last month, and members are voting on whether to ratify it. united airlines is still negotiating a new contract with its flight attendants' union.
