The IAM today announced it filed for a determination of single carrier status at Alaska Airlines with the National Mediation Board (NMB). The filing requests that the federal agency affirm that post-merger Alaska Airlines and Virgin America are now functioning as a single transportation system for representation purposes for Clerical, Office, Fleet and Passenger Service and Stores employees of the combined carrier.
While Virgin America voluntarily recognized the IAM as the representative of its Clerical, Office, Fleet and Passenger Service and Stores employees upon the close of the merger with Alaska Airlines in December, this single carrier filing is a required step in officially seeking to extend the existing NMB issued IAM representation certification from Alaska Airlines to all covered employees of both pre-merger carriers. Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, together and combined, will support this application with the NMB.
This filing alone does not permit the co-mingling of the pre-merger workforces. The IAM continues to seek a reasonable transition agreement with Alaska management to bring the pre-merger Virgin employees under the coverage, protections and benefits of the existing IAM-Alaska collective bargaining agreement. Only then can the carrier begin to co-mingle workforces and gain the efficiencies of a combined operation.
Fraternally,
Dave Supplee
PRESIDENT & DIRECTING
GENERAL CHAIR
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