The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and Alaska Airlines today reached a transition agreement that will provide improvements to the working conditions and benefits for Clerical, Office and Passenger Service (COPS) employees. This agreement spells out how Virgin America employees will transition to the coverage of the existing IAM-Alaska Airlines collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
The agreement protects all pre-merger Virgin America Passenger Service work at eight new locations, covering approximately 800 Passenger Service Employees. Virgin America has no ramp or stores employees to integrate into the Alaska workforce and is why this agreement applies only to COPS workers. This transition agreement not only brings the Virgin America employees under the coverage of the IAM CBA, it ensures the combined carrier reservations work is performed by Alaska employees when a single reservations system is achieved. The accord also achieves pay parity for all workers at both pre-merger carriers, and extends union protections to the previously non-union Virgin America employees.
“We are excited to welcome nearly 800 new members into the IAM family,” said General Vice President Sito Pantoja. “This transition agreement will ensure that all members at Alaska will be working under the same contract, providing equal protection and benefits to all.”
“We are appreciative of the positive discussions with Alaska Airlines that made this agreement possible,” added President and Directing Chair Dave Supplee. “Now all of us can focus on making Alaska-Virgin the best merger our industry has seen for employees, the company and the traveling public.”
The IAM represents over 4,000 Clerical, Office, Fleet and Passenger Service, Reservations and Stores employees at the combined Alaska Airlines-Virgin America, and is the largest airline union in North America.
Visit www.iamdl142.org for more information on the IAM at Alaska Airlines.
Fraternally,
David Supplee
President Directing General Chair
