Alaska Airlines, flight attendants reach ‘record’ tentative labor deal
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX sits at gate at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois on May 22, 2024.
Daniel Slim | AFP | Getty Images
Alaska Airlines‘ flight attendants union said Friday that it reached a “record” tentative labor deal with the carrier, ending a drought of new contracts for cabin crews that have clamored for pay raises for years.
The details of the deal, struck under federal mediation, weren’t immediately made public. It will be reviewed by union leadership and then voted on by rank and file members, the Association of Flight Attendants said.
A day earlier, American Airlines‘ flight attendants union said talks had broken down for a new contract, and that its members should prepare for a possible strike. However, a company spokeswoman said the two sides had made “good progress in negotiations this week, adding even more to the industry-leading proposal we’ve had on the table for months.”
United Airlines is also negotiating a new contract with its flight attendants union.
Strikes in the U.S. airline industry are extremely rare. If a deal cannot be reached, there could be a 30-day cooling-off period before a possible work stoppage.
