SEATTLE (AP) -- Alaska Air Group Inc. has reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract with its 700 aircraft technicians, the carrier and the union said Thursday.
Terms of the deal, subject to union approval, were not disclosed.
Louie Key, regional director for the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, said he was pleased with the proposed pact, which ''provides job security language and wage increases that are unique in the current industry environment.''
Bill Ayer, CEO of Seattle-based Alaska Airlines, also praised the deal.
''We appreciate the dedication and professionalism of our aircraft technicians during recent challenging times and are grateful to the union leadership for working collaboratively with us to achieve this long-term, market-based agreement that is a win for both parties,'' Ayer said.
Last month, Alaska Airlines laid off nearly 500 baggage handlers and other ramp workers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, saying it needed to trim costs amid rising fuel prices and fierce competition.
A federal judge has since ruled that the company had the right to outsource the work to a subcontractor.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association represents Alaska Airlines aircraft technicians in Alaska, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington.
Alaska Air is the nation's ninth-largest carrier, serving more than 80 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
