Airlines

Alaska Airways Pilots Get A New Contract

Alaska Airways administration and pilots have reached a tentative settlement for a brand new contract, which is lengthy overdue, and will keep away from a strike.

Alaska Airways pilots have been combating for a brand new contract

In the intervening time we’re seeing pilots at main US airways attempting to barter new contracts. They didn’t have a lot leverage to barter throughout the first two years of the pandemic, and with pilots now being in such excessive demand, that is clearly a good time to attempt to get a brand new contract.

Within the case of Alaska Airways, the Air Line Pilots Affiliation (ALPA) has been in search of a brand new contract for its pilots for over three years now — it’s one thing that was began earlier than the pandemic, however was delayed considerably.

The shortage of a brand new contract was getting more and more contentious, and in late Could 2022, Alaska Airways pilots voted in favor of authorizing a strike. That wasn’t simply by a small margin, however moderately 96% of Alaska pilots voted, and 99% of these voted in favor of authorizing a strike.

Effectively, after a protracted wait, there’s lastly a optimistic consequence…

Alaska Airways pilots have needed a brand new contract

Fundamentals of Alaska Airways’ new pilot contract

On Friday, Alaska Airways pilot leaders voted to approve a tentative settlement with Alaska Airways administration. Members will nonetheless must vote to finalize this contract, and that’s anticipated to occur within the coming weeks.

Right here’s how Captain Will McQuillen, Chair of the Alaska Airways ALPA Grasp Govt Council (MEC), describes this contract:

“We’re happy, after three years, that we now have reached an settlement addressing all of the areas during which we’ve lagged our mainline service pilot friends for practically a decade. Not solely does this settlement acknowledge the essential function pilots have performed within the success of Alaska Airways, it would additionally assist our airline stay aggressive within the trade.”

This new contract addresses compensation, job safety, schedule flexibility, and improved high quality of life.

The largest change shall be with pay. If the contract is ratified, pilots will obtain a pay enhance backdated to September 1, 2022. Pay relies on whether or not you’re a captain or first officer, plus your years of service.

Beneath is the up to date first officer pay scale. As you may see, first officers would get an 8-23% pay enhance.

New Alaska Airways first officer pay charges as of September 2022

Beneath is the up to date captain pay scale. As you may see, captains would get a 14.9-23.1% pay enhance.

New Alaska Airways first officer pay charges as of September 2022

On high of that, pilots would obtain an extra pay enhance as of September 1, 2023.

Alaska Airways pilot pay charges as of September 2023

Then there could be one more pay enhance as of September 1, 2024.

Alaska Airways pilot pay charges as of September 2023

These are fairly important pay will increase. For instance, an Alaska captain at the moment maxes out at $266.29 per hour, whereas as of 2024 they might be maxing out at $330.97 per hour — that’s a 24% pay enhance!

There are another vital provisions within the contract, together with:

  • Within the occasion pilots at different airways get a greater contract, Alaska pilots could be entitled to the typical of the highest pay scales of American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United
  • Alaska Airways pilots would have a correct scope clause, limiting how a lot flying may be outsourced — non-Alaska flying could be formally restricted to as much as 76-seat jets, and there could be protections for brand new codeshare companions, the place Alaska must proportionally add extra flying as effectively
  • Pilots could be getting an elevated per diem, plus elevated pay when flying worldwide or on ETOPS routes

I’m curious to see how Alaska pilots vote on this — I’d assume that they might approve this, however we’ll see. Most significantly for passengers, it feels like there ought to be no imminent strikes.

Alaska pilots will lastly get a correct scope clause

Backside line

Alaska Airways pilots lastly have a brand new tentative settlement with administration. if it’s permitted by pilots, they’ll see fairly important pay will increase of 8-23.1% instantly, plus additional pay raises over the subsequent couple of years. On high of that, pilots have new scope clause protections.

Alaska has at all times been in a tough state of affairs in the case of pilot contracts. Clearly Alaska Airways doesn’t have vast our bodies, so pay scales can’t totally be in comparison with the “large three” US carriers. Nonetheless, Alaska Airways pilots have needed “large three” pay, whereas administration was form of attempting to maintain pay nearer to rivals like JetBlue.

What do you make of this new Alaska Airways contract for pilots?

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