Published 04 Apr, 2016
Following this morning’s announcement that Alaska Airlines would acquire Virgin America, we released the following statement to our members at Virgin America directly from their negotiating committee:
In spite of the rampant speculation and rumors over the past two weeks, we were still surprised this morning when we received official confirmation that our airline, Virgin America, is being acquired by Alaska Airlines.
This may come as a disappointment to some of our ITMs; however, we can all be proud of the exceptional and profitable company that we have built and the strong union we have developed with the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU). We look forward to blending our unique culture with the rich history of Alaska Airlines, when that time comes.
Most importantly, Virgin America leadership has stated that all VX ITMs will have jobs at Alaska Airlines. VX leadership has also stated that, in the meantime, nothing will change in our daily operation. Merging two airlines is a complex process and can literally take years. TWU will continue to represent us throughout this process, at least until the National Mediation Board decides that (for the purposes of the flight attendant class or craft of employees) the two airlines have become a “single carrier.” Throughout this transition, we will do our best to get you the answers to any questions that you may have.
It has been our honor serving as your representatives as we organized our union and negotiate our first contract and we thank you for your support. It is more important than ever that our ITMs remain involved, informed, and engaged to insure our efforts are successful.
Looking Towards Our Future,
Your TWU VX Negotiating Committee