Alaska Air, attendants reach tentative pact

Friday, May 27, 2005

By DAN RICHMAN AND BRAD WONG
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERS

Seattle's Alaska Airlines and the Association of Flight Attendants, which represents the airline's roughly 2,400 flight attendants, yesterday said they have reached a "general understanding" on a new agreement governing their relationship.

Terms haven't been publicly disclosed, and won't be until the flight attendants have ratified the agreement -- an event that could occur as early as July, said Veda Shook, president of the union's Alaska Airlines chapter.

"I think that's a pretty impressive schedule," Shook said.

Talks between the union and the airline have been under way since August 2003, two months before the current contract was slated to end.

Airline contracts don't expire, however -- they become "amendable," meaning that they can be renegotiated under painstaking procedures designed to keep the members working.

"The negotiations have been too slow" at times, Shook said.

Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Caroline Boren agreed that "we would have liked to reach an agreement sooner -- but we sure are grateful to have gotten there this week."

Jamelah Leddy, an analyst with Seattle-based McAdams Wright Ragen, would only comment on the agreement in general because she had not seen its details.

"I can't see any negatives from this. I think this is a good announcement, from a financial perspective as well as a labor perspective," she said.

"Usually, the big hurdle is getting union leadership and management to agree."

She said it remains unclear whether this agreement would allay concerns that other unions at Alaska Airlines might have with their contract negotiations.

Among the other labor matters faced by the airline are:

A federal lawsuit over a federal-arbitration decision, which went into effect May 1, and reduced pay for some pilots.

A lawsuit over the replacement of 472 baggage handlers at Sea-Tac Airport, which is pending in federal court.

Negotiations with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, talks that cover about 600 workers, mainly customer service representatives.

Talks with about 2,800 reservation, accounting and sales staff members. Those talks, being held with a mediator, are scheduled to continue in July.

Talks with about 700 aircraft mechanics, possibly involving a slight pay increase.

P-I reporter Dan Richman can be reached at 206-448-8032 or danrichman@seattlepi.com

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