Alaska Airlines and AMFA Celebrate New Contract with Significant Advancements

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Alaska Airlines‘ techs & support staff, under AMFA, ratify a new 5-year deal with pay hikes, retirement boosts, & life quality improvements.

Employees associated with aircraft maintenance at Alaska Airlines, including aircraft maintenance technicians and controllers represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), have approved a fresh five-year labor agreement.

This pact, which took a year to forge, brings with it substantial benefits such as enhanced salaries, improved retirement contributions, and better work-life balance enhancements. This recent agreement marks the seventh contract Alaska Airlines has successfully negotiated with six different represented factions since the onset of 2022.

“The expertise, professionalism and dedication of our aircraft technicians is unmatched,” said CEO Ben Minicucci. “I’m proud to have them working under a new contract just four months after their previous contract was amendable. This contract reflects the critical contributions of our technicians, improves their quality of life, and reinforces Alaska’s foundation for long-term success.”

“This agreement not only includes justifiable increases in pay, benefits, and quality of life, it gives our members a framework for fulfilling their careers with Alaska Airlines,” said Bret Oestreich, AMFA National President. “Thanks to our negotiating committee, we were able to secure protections in headcount and work rules, as well as job security for work performed by our members for decades. AMFA prioritized the interests of all its members in various classifications when bargaining the deal, and this agreement shows the importance of our members remaining unified and AMFA’s strength at the bargaining table,” Oestreich continued. “Our focus now shifts to working with Alaska Airlines to attract and retain qualified, skilled professionals, and this industry-leading contract will make that job much easier.”

The contract, which took effect from the amendable date of the preceding agreement (October 17, 2023), incorporates several key features:

• An increase in wages, with the peak rate for technician categories reaching $65.85.
• Enhancements in work-life balance, including adjustments to schedules to minimize disruptions in personal lives and the introduction of seniority-based shift allocations to honor service duration.
• Upgrades to retirement contributions and limitations on healthcare expenses.
• Modifications to contractual language to boost productivity.

The existing contract with AMFA was up for amendment in October 2023. In the airline sector, contracts remain active indefinitely. They continue to be operative until a new contract is endorsed, even after reaching their amendable date.

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