Alaska Higher Education Crafts and Trades Employees Local 6070 is a labor union that represents maintenance, trades, crafts, and custodial employees within the University of Alaska system. The union conducts collective bargaining and grievance processing and advocated for left-of-center public and labor policies. It is a local affiliate of the Alaska Public Employees Association/American Federation of Teachers (APEA/AFT), which is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO. ^{1 2}

Background

Alaska Higher Education Crafts and Trades Employees Local 6070 was established as a local union affiliated with APEA/AFT to represent skilled trades and maintenance workers at the University of Alaska. The group organizes on a regional basis, with divisions covering the Northern, including Fairbanks, Nome, Kotzebue, Bethel, Delta Junction, and Dillingham; Southcentral, including Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak, Valdez, Mat-Su, Seward, Palmer, and Cordova; and Southeast, including Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka, areas of the state. The union’s regions do not align with the university system’s administrative units. ³

The union’s 2023 collective bargaining agreement with the University of Alaska, effective through June 30, 2026, governs wages, benefits, and working conditions for approximately 200 bargaining unit members. The agreement includes provisions for term and temporary employees, probationary periods, and union access to facilities for organizing and communications. ⁴

The union is a local affiliate of the Alaska Public Employees Association/American Federation of Teachers (APEA/AFT), which is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO. ^{1 2}

Activities

Local 6070 has engaged in contract negotiations, grievance handling, and member representation. The union’s negotiating team, consisting of one representative from each region, plus the president, prepares proposals, conducts member surveys, and handles impasse procedures, including strike votes. Regional negotiation committees also exist within the union. ⁵

The group participates in the university’s Joint Health Care Committee, appointing three representatives to review health plan options. It also engages in classification reviews, allowing members to appeal job classifications, and addresses work scheduling issues during campus closures through labor-management committees. ⁴

The union is funded primarily through member dues, which are equal to those of its parent union, the Alaska Public Employees Association/American Federation of Teachers (APEA/AFT). APEA/AFT’s regular dues range from $19.28 to $57.90 per month, with an average of $57.66. These dues cover local, state, and national affiliations, as well as representation costs. Additional local dues may be set by a simple majority vote of the membership. ^{3 6}

Related Organizations

Local 6070 is a subordinate local of the Alaska Public Employees Association/American Federation of Teachers (APEA/AFT), which serves as its exclusive representative for contract administration. APEA/AFT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO. The president of Local 6070 is a vice president on the Alaska State AFL-CIO executive board, and the union sends delegates to APEA/AFT’s biennial caucus and central labor councils based on regional jurisdictions. ^{2 5}

1. “AHECTE, Local 6070.” APEA/AFT. Accessed March 06, 2026. https://www.apea-aft.org/ahecte-local-6070.
2. “Local Affiliates.” American Federation of Teachers. Accessed March 06, 2026. https://www.aft.org/our-members/public-services/local-affiliates.
3. “AHECTE Bylaws.” APEA/AFT. Accessed March 06, 2026. https://www.apea-aft.org/_files/ugd/e07771_0864b4062bc848df97f11d74cefbb5be.pdf.
4. “Collective Bargaining Agreement: University of Alaska and Alaska Higher Education Crafts and Trades Employees Local 6070 APEA/AFT (AFL-CIO).” University of Alaska. July 1, 2023. Accessed March 06, 2026. https://www.alaska.edu/hr/labor/files/labor_relations/6070/2023-2026-Local-6070-CBA.pdf.
5. “AHECTE Constitution.” APEA/AFT. Accessed March 06, 2026. https://www.apea-aft.org/_files/ugd/e07771_939334ea2e1c41ebabf9d58d0caade18.pdf.
6. “Alaska Public Employees Association (540-538) LM-2, 06/30/2024.” U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. Accessed March 06, 2026. https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptForm=LM2Form&rptId=898618.