Alaska-Hawaiian Pilots to Management: It’s Time to Reach an Agreement

Seattle, Wash.—Today, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), called on airline management to finish negotiating the agreement meant to combine both pilot groups under one contract. Negotiations for a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA) began 18 months ago, and while management continues to report achieving merger “synergies ahead of plan,” progress has slowed.

Despite reaching nearly every major corporate and regulatory requirement to combine Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, management has demonstrated a reluctance to close the gap on key priorities shared by both pilot groups. Addressing those issues is vital to achieving a fair agreement and ensuring that Alaska-Hawaiian pilots do not fall behind industry standards.

“Management has shown that they can move quickly when merger priorities are on the line,” said Capt. Drew Coyle, chair of the Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council (MEC). “We are a year and a half into these negotiations. Securing our agreement is a critical component to the success of this merger.”

“It’s time for management to engage with us seriously and resolve the remaining open issues,” said Capt. Larry Payne, chair of the Hawaiian Airlines MEC. “Both pilot groups are committed to achieving an agreement that recognizes their share in the combined airline’s future. It’s time that the company stops stalling and finalizes the agreement.”

The Joint Negotiating Committee is scheduled to return to the bargaining table on Labor Day, September 7. Pilots expect management to acknowledge the pilots’ importance to the success of the operation by closing the remaining gaps at the bargaining table.

For more details on the merger visit: alahal.alpa.org

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 80,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us on X @ALPAPilots.

###

CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org