On July 16, Transport Workers Union (TWU) members voted overwhelmingly to ratify a Merger Transition Agreement for the Dispatchers at Alaska Airlines. This ratification vote will combine the Boeing and Airbus dispatch groups into a single group, completing the final step in the Alaska Airlines/Virgin America merger.
This agreement includes a two-year extension of the existing contract and benefits the company’s approximately 90 Airbus and Boeing dispatchers. It combines both dispatcher groups into a single collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and includes the process for an integrated seniority list, provided by the TWU. Implementation will begin in the coming weeks and conclude when the groups are fully combined in a single work location.
TWU International President John Samuelsen said, “This is another victory for our members at the TWU and shows our constant commitment to delivering gains for our members.”
“We’re proud of the work of our negotiating team at Alaska, in their accomplishment of this very important agreement bringing these two carriers together for our members,” said TWU Air Division Director and International Administrative Vice President Mike Mayes.
“While this transition agreement took longer to achieve than we would have liked, it moves us forward in a direction that we can all be proud of. This was proven by our membership’s overwhelming support by their vote,” said Jenny Schar, interim President of TWU Local 549.