Summary
- Southwest Airlines pilots are holding their first-ever multi-base picket tomorrow as a consequence of failed contract negotiations and rising tensions.
- Over 200 pilots have left the airline for the reason that starting of the 12 months.
- The pilot union’s request to depart negotiations was denied by the National Mediation Board, however the pilots are determined to proceed fighting for a good contract.
Southwest Airlines pilots are going to do something unprecedented tomorrow. Its pilots will hold a multi-base picket for the primary time within the airline’s history. The announcement comes as negotiations haven’t gone because the pilots hoped.
Making history
Southwest Airlines’ pilots have been negotiating a brand new contract for greater than three years, and it appears they’re fed up with negotiations not resulting in an agreement of their demands. Today, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) shared a press release from yesterday announcing its first-ever multi-base picket, which is able to occur tomorrow. On Twitter, the SWAPA finished the post with ‘Southwest Airlines, your pilots are able to strike.’
Social media posts have circulated recently, highlighting the variety of pilots which have left Southwest Airlines for the reason that starting of the 12 months. That number has surpassed 200. For 3-and-a-half years, Southwest Airlines has been negotiating with its pilots, and the 2 sides haven’t been in a position to agree, resulting in rising tensions and even a request for federal mediation last 12 months. In May, 99% of Southwest’s pilots voted to strike and are only awaiting approval from the National Mediation Board.
Casey Murray, president of the SWAPA, noted that the delay in negotiations is just not only a detriment to the pilots but to the airline itself, which is losing manpower and leaving many unhappy with their working conditions.
“Our pilots deserve a contract that befits the most efficient pilots within the industry, and we now have been attempting to get Southwest to understand that their delay in reaching an agreement is causing irreparable harm not only to our pilots, but to the airline itself. We’re willing to take the RLA process all of the strategy to its conclusion to be certain that our airline and our pilots have secure futures.”
Murray also highlighted that other major carriers have already agreed to deals with their pilots and are luring Southwest’s pilots with higher offers.
Tomorrow’s pickets will occur in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, and Chicago Midway and end at noon local time.
Though the union shared in yesterday’s press release it’s awaiting approval from the National Mediation Board to strike, the authorization to depart negotiations was denied earlier this month. On the time of the mediation board’s decision, Murray stated that the pilots were “…farther away today than the day we filed for release…” The union felt that even mediation wouldn’t improve the situation between the pilots and the airlines.
Photo: VDB Photos | Shutterstock
The airline opposed the union’s request in June. It stated it had made an industry-leading offer to its pilots and adjusted its workplace quality-of-life issues, which have recently change into a necessary a part of negotiations for brand new pilot contracts within the US.
To read more on the mediation board’s decision, click here.