Southwest pilots to vote on whether to authorize union leaders to call for strike
Last time US passenger airline pilots went on strike was at Spirit Airlines in 2010
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Southwest Airlines Co. pilots plan to vote later this year on whether to authorize union leaders to call for a strike should they deem it necessary, as they become increasingly frustrated with what they say are stalled contract negotiations.
Capt. Casey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association union, told members Wednesday that the union plans to hold the vote starting May 1, citing what he said was a lack of progress years into talks with the airline.
An affirmative vote from the airline’s pilots wouldn’t mean a strike is inevitable or imminent but would convey pilots’ support for union leaders to pursue a walk-off under a process governed by federal labor rules. The vote is largely symbolic, and Mr. Murray said in an interview that it is akin to a vote of "no confidence" that would express pilots’ displeasure.
Southwest Airlines pilots picket outside the terminal at Dallas Love Field on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, in Dallas. ((AP Photo/David Koenig) / AP Newsroom)
The union’s call for a strike-authorization vote doesn’t impact the airline’s operation and won’t have any bearing on the negotiations, Adam Carlisle, vice president of labor relations at Southwest, said in a statement. He said the airline would continue working toward an agreement at the negotiating table, with mediation scheduled to resume next week.
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| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUV | SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. | 27.25 | -2.04 | -6.96% |
Mr. Murray said holding a referendum like this is a first for Southwest’s pilots—the culmination of what he said was years of frustration that has bubbled to the surface during a protracted contract negotiation, a rocky re-emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of the airline’s recent difficulties recovering from a severe winter storm.
Southwest canceled over 16,700 flights late last year after a severe winter storm tipped its operation into chaos, and its pilots have emerged as some of the airline’s harshest critics.
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 28: Travelers search for their suitcases in a baggage holding area for Southwest Airlines at Denver International Airport on December 28, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. More than 15,000 flights have been canceled by airlines since wi (Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"This decision is not one based on emotion, but I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t angry," Mr. Murray wrote Wednesday. "Our airline just suffered a loss of $825 million due to outdated technology and procedures."
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Southwest has said that the magnitude of the storm overwhelmed a crew scheduling system the airline uses, leaving it dependent on tedious manual processes that hampered its recovery.
Chief Executive Bob Jordan has acknowledged that the airline made missteps and has said it is taking steps to prevent a recurrence, including working to upgrade a crew scheduling system with new capabilities. It has also hired consultants to review what went wrong—a process Mr. Jordan has said the airline’s unions have been asked to join.
Ice is removed from a United Airlines jet after a cold weather front moved into General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin last week. (Mark Hoffman/USA Today Network via Reuters / Reuters Photos)
U.S. labor laws make airline strikes difficult and rare. The last time U.S. passenger airline pilots went on strike was at Spirit Airlines Inc. in 2010.
Southwest’s pilots asked government mediators to step in and oversee their negotiation last year. For a strike to go forward, the National Mediation Board would first have to agree that talks have reached an impasse and would then offer both sides a chance to arbitrate their dispute. If either refused, there would be a 30-day cooling off period.
While any strike could be months away, if it happens at all, the union hinted at the possibility for disruption, writing that it would schedule its vote in May to give Southwest customers more time to plan.
Southwest is not alone in facing acrimonious talks with pilots.
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Several major carriers have struggled to come to terms with pilot groups in the past year as unions have sought not only better pay but also changes to scheduling practices, protections for time off and other changes they have said are needed to address disruptions the industry faced in its race to meet growing travel demand the past two years.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 49.88 | +1.94 | +4.05% |
Pilots at Delta Air Lines Inc. last year voted overwhelmingly to authorize union leaders to call a strike if they deemed it necessary—similar to the measure Southwest pilots are considering—saying negotiations had stalled. Now union leaders there are reviewing a preliminary agreement that includes raises of 34% over four years.