Note 14 - Retirement Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Notes Tables

Schedule of Multiemployer Plans [Table Text Block]

Plan name	Alaska Electrical Pension Plan
Employer Identification Number	92-6005171
Pension plan number	001
Pension Protection Act zone status at the plan's year-end:
December 31, 2019	Green
December 31, 2018	Green
Plan subject to funding improvement plan	No
Plan subject to rehabilitation plan	No
Employer subject to contribution surcharge	No
			Greater than 5%
			of Total
			Contributions
Company contributions to the plan for the year ended:			to the Plan
December 31, 2019	$	6,588	Yes
December 31, 2018	$	6,492	Yes
Name and expiration date of collective bargaining agreements requiring contributions to the plan:
Collective Bargaining Agreement Between Alaska Communications Systems and Local Union 1547 IBEW	December 31, 2023
Outside Agreement Alaska Electrical Construction between Local Union 1547 IBEW and Alaska Chapter National Electrical Contractors Association Inc.	June 30, 2022
Inside Agreement Alaska Electrical Construction between Local Union 1547 IBEW and Alaska Chapter National Electrical Contractors Association Inc.	October 31, 2022

Schedule of Net Funded Status [Table Text Block]

	2019			2018
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	14,499		$	15,798
Interest cost		604			566
Actuarial loss (gain)		1,221			(872	)
Benefits paid		(1,166	)		(993	)
Benefit obligation at end of year		15,158			14,499
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year		10,871			12,534
Actual return (loss) on plan assets		1,662			(863	)
Employer contribution		81			192
Benefits paid		(1,166	)		(992	)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year		11,448			10,871
Funded status	$	(3,710	)	$	(3,628	)

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

	2019			2018
Interest cost	$	604		$	566
Expected return on plan assets		(678	)		(792	)
Amortization of loss		141			451
Net periodic pension expense	$	67		$	225

Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

	2019		2018
Loss recognized as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss:	$	4,289	$	4,191

Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions [Table Text Block]

	2019			2018
Discount rate for benefit obligation		3.20	%		4.30	%
Discount rate for pension expense		4.30	%		3.70	%
Expected long-term rate of return on assets		6.53	%		6.53	%
Rate of compensation increase		0.00	%		0.00	%

Schedule of Target and Actual Allocation of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

Asset Category	Minimum		Maximum
Equity securities		50%		80%
Fixed income		20%		50%
Cash equivalents		0%		5%

Asset Category	2019		2018
Equity securities*		66%		64%
Debt securities*		33%		35%
Other/Cash		1%		1%

Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

	Fair Value Measurement at Reporting Date Using
			Quoted Prices
			in Active		Significant
			Markets for		Other		Significant
			Identical		Observable		Unobservable
			Assets		Inputs		Inputs
Asset Category	Total		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Money market/cash	$	38	$	-	$	38	$	-
Equity securities (Investment Funds)*
International growth		2,215		2,215		-		-
U.S. small cap		1,341		1,341		-		-
U.S. medium cap		692		692		-		-
U.S. large cap		3,338		3,338		-		-
Debt securities (Investment Funds)*
Certificate of deposits		2,411		2,411		-		-
Fixed income		1,400		-		1,400		-
Total fair value	$	11,435	$	9,997	$	1,438	$	-

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments [Table Text Block]

2020	$	1,091
2021	$	1,095
2022	$	1,082
2023	$	1,071
2024	$	1,056
2025-2029	$	4,945