Alaska-Hawaiian Merger
Updated January 18, 2025
As your merger moves forward, so does your representation. Our AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws calls for the merger of the Master Executive Councils in order to address our issues with the power of one voice. That starts with the election of MEC Officers. All of the Local Councils and your elected representatives will remain in place until the ratification of a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA). After the ratification of the JCBA the dual Councils at LAX will be merged as well.
The MEC Officer elections for the merged MEC will be conducted on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, with an effective date of March 1, 2025. The Alaska and Hawaiian Local Council Presidents and the respective MEC Officers will meet in person in San Francisco for these elections.
The International Office will collect Willingness to Serve forms and resumes for consideration by the Local Council Presidents representing both Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants.
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Submit your Willingness to Serve through this form.
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Email your resume to Int’l Secretary-Treasurer Dante Harris at [email protected]
MEC Officer Duties and Responsibilities are detailed in AFA-CWA Constitution and Bylaws Article VII.
We recommend submission of resume and willingness to serve no later than January 15, 2025 in order to provide ample time for consideration of all candidates. The International Office will provide a list of candidates and their resumes beginning January 7, 2025, with updates to the list completed at the end of each business day.
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE
MEC President
MEC Vice President
MEC Secretary-Treasurer
- Louize Borras
- Linda Christou
- Paul Ikioka
- Justin Wetherell
- Soon Kim
More Information:
- Notice of Election for Officers of Joint Alaska-Hawaiian MEC, December 9, 2025
- Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Clears Final Regulatory Hurdle, September 17, 2024
- Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Moves Forward, August 20, 2024
- Protections Secured for Flight Attendants in the Alaska-Hawaiian Merger, August 15, 2024
- AFA Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Meeting, April 26, 2024
- Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Meeting, February 6, 2024
- Alaska-Hawaiian Announce Merger: What Flight Attendants Need to Know, December 3, 2023
AFA Merger Q & As
Q: When would the operations of the two carriers be merged?
A: It will be a while, at a minimum 12-18 months. This is a journey of a thousand steps. Throughout it all, your AFA leadership will be representing your best interests and negotiating for the best outcome for Flight Attendants.
Q: What exactly is “integration” and when would it happen?
A: It is important to understand that “integration” applies to many steps along way to completely combining the two carriers:
- Integration of corporate management and departments (Labor Relations, Legal, Finance, etc) is one aspect of integration and could possibly happen quickly after DOJ approval and the financial close of the corporate merger.
- Operational Integration of policies, maintenance procedures and manuals, etc. leading up to a Single Operating Certificate takes over a year and longer.
- Seniority list integration – we will conduct our bidding “date of hire” seniority integration process with Flight Attendant representatives from each airline, but management will not receive the completed list until a merged contract is ratified.
- Contract Integration – negotiating the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) and finalizing a process agreement which allows for a smooth and orderly combining of the two labor groups (eg. Alaska Flight Attendants and Hawaiian Flight Attendants) requires Flight Attendant ratification - and this step can only take shape alongside the operational integration.
- Operational Integration, including combined reservations and scheduling. Again, this will take time, likely a couple years if the merger moves forward.
Q: What bases would open and close at the combined carrier?
A: The airlines have stated all bases will remain open and contractual protections will protect base assignments.
Q: How would the seniority lists be combined?
A. A Seniority Merger Integration Committee (SMIC) with Flight Attendant representatives from both carriers will be established and representatives may only be chosen by Flight Attendants from each respective pre-merger airline. The SMIC will review the records of every Flight Attendant and ensure no one leap frogs another Flight Attendant on each respective list, while also assessing whether adjustments of bidding seniority dates should reflect time in training consistently for both groups. This process is transparent and includes a verification period with the opportunity for each individual Flight Attendant to review their seniority date before the list is final.
Q: What is the AFA merger policy that will govern how the Flight Attendant groups are integrated?
A: The AFA Merger Policy can be found in the AFA International Constitution and Bylaws, Section X. AFA has vast experience with mergers and negotiating agreements that protect our members and keep Flight Attendant interests front and center.
Q: Will negotiations continue for the Alaska Flight Attendant Contract?
A: Yes. We are continuing with the Alaska contract negotiations. Improvements are needed now and will help raise standards for Flight Attendants on the industry whether this merger is approved or not.
Q: How would the merged contract be negotiated?
A: Under the AFA Constitution & Bylaws, a Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) will be formed following Single Carrier Determination by the NMB. Flight Attendants from both airlines will be members of the JNC, and JNC may only be chosen by Flight Attendants from their respective pre-merger airlines. The JNC will negotiate a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) attempting to combine the best from each Flight Attendant Contract in addition to other improvements. The tentative JCBA will be voted on by all Flight Attendants at the merged airline and must receive a majority vote in favor by the combined group for ratification.
Q: When would the Flight Attendant Groups be combined?
A: The Flight Attendant groups cannot be combined until the JCBA is ratified and the seniority list is merged and accepted. In addition, combining carriers includes FAA oversight of safety policies and procedures - leading to the Single Operating Certificate. Flight Attendants will take part in “differences training” to ensure certification is the same on each aircraft. The company will also need the ability to schedule crew with a combined system.
The expanded flying opportunities and route network typically provides more choice for Flight Attendants in bidding and managing our schedules.
A: Some call it a merger, others call it an acquisition. Does it matter?
A: An acquisition is a technical finance term about the financial transaction between the two airlines. No matter what the technical financial transaction is called — the two companies must be merged together. The merger begins once the financial transaction is approved. Nothing changes for Alaska Flight Attendants or Hawaiian Flight Attendants until the airlines are in merger mode. That’s why we don’t refer to the financial transaction, because it doesn’t change your contract or your legal rights during the actual merger. When and if we get to an “approved deal” involving these airlines, that is when the merger starts and that is what it is called no matter how management initiated the deal.
