A union representing flight attendants at Horizon Air, a regional subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, has filed for federal mediation in an effort to address wage disparities between its crews and those on Alaska’s mainline fleet. The filing was made on January 17th, as confirmed by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), which represents Horizon Air flight attendants.
The case will be reviewed by the National Mediation Board (NMB), which handles disputes in the airline and railroad industries. AFA executives argue that Horizon Air flight attendants provide similar services to their mainline counterparts but receive significantly lower pay. The union claims that Alaska’s management has “so far failed to offer meaningful pay increases for all Flight Attendants in the workgroup.”
Horizon AFA President Lisa Davis-Warren expressed optimism about reaching a resolution through mediation: “Flight Attendants at Horizon Air and in the regional airlines deserve fair compensation. The company needs to recognize the contributions we have made to its continued growth. We are hopeful that with the help of a federal mediator we will work with urgency to get the pay, benefits, and scheduling provisions we have earned.”
Mediation is seen as a step before potential strikes or lock-outs, occurring only if further mediation is deemed unsuccessful after a 30-day cooling-off period post-mediation release.
Under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), both labor and management must make “every reasonable effort” to maintain collective bargaining agreements without disrupting transportation services. The NMB will now oversee negotiations between Alaska Airlines management and AFA, using various methods such as traditional mediation or interest-based problem solving.
If no agreement is reached despite efforts from both sides, binding arbitration may be suggested. Should either party reject this suggestion, they enter a 30-day cooling-off period where no changes can be made unilaterally regarding wages or working conditions.
Alaska Airline’s mainline flight attendants also requested mediation last year, with sessions taking place over several months. Progress was reportedly made towards improving contracts during these sessions.
