Hundreds of Alaska Airlines flight attendants join picket line to demand fair wages

SEATAC, Wash. — We followed a massive display of frustration outside Alaska Airlines headquarters, near Sea-Tac Airport, Tuesday afternoon.

Hundreds of Alaska Airlines flight attendants joined the picket line, demanding fair wages.

You could see a slew of yellow signs with slogans like “Pay Us or Chaos” and “First in Passenger Satisfaction and Sixth in Pay.”

Their actions come just a day after contract negotiations resumed with Alaska Airlines management. But the Flight Attendant Union said the negotiations have been ongoing for nearly a year with little movement. The last major contract was enacted nine years ago and flight attendants said they’ve seen very few changes since.

“They’re making billions of dollars and they’re past due paying us,” said the President of the Association of Flight Attendants, Sara Nelson. “We were essential workers during the pandemic. We’re essential workers now. And we essentially need to get what we’re owed.”

We reached out to Alaska Airlines for a statement in response to what we saw today. They told us the flight attendant’s last counteroffer was not economically feasible.

In a statement, they wrote:

We remain committed to reaching an agreement on a new competitive contract that fairly compensates flight attendants... but also maintains an emphasis on productivity that is critical to the sustainability of the company’s business model. - Alaksa Airlines

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