Alaska Airlines

Home Agent Test Program To End

District 143 regrets to inform the Alaska Airlines Home Agent test program participants that District 143 has received a counter proposal from Vice President Steve Jarvis that clearly falls short of our initial request in order for us to continue the Home Agent test program and therefore has sent Mr. Jarvis a letter terminating the test program...

District 143 Meets with Management

District 143 President/Directing General Chair Stephen Gordon, along with General Chairs Nan Otto and Jackie Fay, met with Alaska Airlines management on April 1st and April 2nd to discuss several pending issues such as Home Agent Test Program, Field Service, and the recently cancelled Management Assist letter.

The nature of the discussions related to the Home Agent Test program was to bring permanency to this program. Alaska Airlines management has had more than a year to review this program while under the testing phase. District 143 has presented proposals to management in order for us to agree to a permanent program. As we stand today, Alaska management continues to review the proposal presented to them and have committed to answering our proposal within the next few days.

As for the issues related to “field service,” we also continue to express our concerns related to the current policy and will maintain dialogue with the applicable company representatives to ensure that our membership is properly represented. Without proper provisional protections of “field service,” District 143 would strongly recommend that members do not put themselves in precarious situations by accepting “field service” that lacks all protections of the collective bargaining agreement.

COPS Field Service

To date, the Company has not responded to the letter of agreement regarding field service language for the COPS members. District 143 is aware that our members work field trips on a routine basis. Members should not complete these trips without the language to govern your pay, working conditions and insurance. By wholesaling yourselves, you undercut yourselves. Why are you less important as it pertains to contractual provisions than the RSSA members?

Cooperative Management Assist Program

District 143 recently sent a letter to Alaska Airlines VP/Employee Services, Dennis Hamel, stating that in accordance with the provisions of the Cooperative Management Assist Program Letters of Agreement (COPS LOA #11/RSSA LOA #13), District 143 is exercising its contractual right to cancel the Cooperative Management Assist Program in its entirety for all applicable collective bargaining agreements with the IAM.

“Just as I stated in my letter to Mr. Hamel, I believe, as do other District 143 officers, that these letters of agreement are more of a want versus a need,” stated PDGC Gordon, “especially since Alaska Airlines management has neglected their responsibilities as outlined within the language of these agreements, self-evidenced by recent emails sent by Darryl Walker, ASA Senior Attorney. Mr. Walker’s emails are reminiscent of a bye gone era, and absolutely will not be tolerated by this organization under my watch, or the membership thereof .“ PDGC Gordon went on to state, “In order for us to have a Cooperative Management Assist Program, the very first thing that we need is a commitment of respect towards our organization and most importantly, towards our membership.”