Horizon Air, Teamsters Reach Tentative Agreement

Sept. 24, 2013
Deal, if approved by union members in a vote next month, would cover 280 aircraft technicians, fleet service agents and other workers.

Sept. 23--Horizon Air and the Teamsters Union have reached a tentative agreement on a five-year extension of their existing labor agreement, the SeaTac-based airline and the union announced Monday.

The new agreement, if approved by union members in a vote next month, would cover 280 aircraft technicians, fleet service agents and other workers.

If the agreement meets members' approval, the contract would go into effect in early November and extend through 2019. The extension agreement came more than a year before the existing contract was scheduled to become amendable.

Under federal law, contracts in the airline industry do not expire but rather become amendable on a date certain.

"Mechanic representatives, assisted by the Teamsters, met with the company to chisel out a contract extension well before the amendable date," said Curtis Bernier, Horizon Air technician and Teamster shop steward. "There are some very good provisions for consideration and it is now up to the membership to make the final decision."

"This tentative agreement recognizes the value of our skilled and dedicated technicians, fleet service agents and other equipment technicians, whose dedication to safety and excellence are a key element to our operational excellence," said Glenn Johnson, Horizon Air president and executive vice president of Alaska Air Group. "I applaud the hard work of the negotiations team, who are to be commended for reaching a tentative agreement before the amendable date of the contract."

Horizon Air is part of the larger Alaska Air Group. Horizon flies regional routes on Alaska Airlines' behalf.

Copyright 2013 - The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)