Southwest Airlines pilots asked in August to be released from federal mediation with the airline. That request was denied and the union and the airline returned to the negotiating table.
That did not result in a contract even though the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) and the airline have been working with the National Mediation Board (NMB) since September 2022. Federal law requires that the union cannot do strike (or take any labor action). until he is released from mediation.
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Even if that happens and the NMB releases SWAPA, the union cannot strike until after a legally mandated 30-day cooling-off period. And even if those two things happen, President Joe Biden can prevent the union from going on strike.
Despite all those barriers, SWAPA has taken multiple steps toward a strike. The union has opened two “strike centers,” one in Dallas and one in Baltimore, and is amplifying the efforts of another airline union to move closer to striking. The union shared a post on its website that highlighted the steps American Airlines (AAL) – Get a free report flight attendants have taken during NMB-mandated negotiations with their airline.
“American Airlines flight attendants are asking federal officials for the right to strike, possibly before the peak Christmas and New Year’s travel season ends, but American said there was ‘no chance’ of a strike during the holidays,” SWAPA shared in through a ABC News Publishing on their website.
The flight attendants union requested release from mediation on November 20, but received no response. The union has not received a raise since 2019 and wants to start the process of going on strike.
SWAPA leaders plan to do the same and are again requesting to be released from mediation “in the coming days,” the union shared.
Image source: Patricio T. Fallón / AFP
Southwest Airlines pilots want to strike
Meanwhile, the stewards of American Airlines and Southwest Airlines (LUV) – Get a free report Although pilots have taken steps toward a strike, it is unlikely to occur during the holiday season. The NMB has not responded to the request from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which could be a delaying tactic designed to delay the 20-day cooling-off period beyond the New Year holidays.
Even if the request is granted, Biden will likely use his authority to prevent a strike and prevent flight attendants from striking.
SWAPA is likely to face the same impediments to a strike, and the union has come out swinging at the airline. The union is not only asking for higher wages and better working conditions. He wants the airline to improve its technology, said SWAPA Vice President Michael Santoro. NBC5 Dallas.
“We are behind the industry in every area you can imagine in our contract. So we are asking for a lot. Obviously, salaries, retirement, disability. One of the big pillars that other airlines didn’t have was a huge problem, but it we have, it’s our programming system,” Santoro said.
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Southwest Pilots Are Openly Critical
While contract negotiations can become contentious, SWAPA has criticized Southwest well beyond normal efforts to secure a new contract.
Captain Tom Nekouei, a pilot with 30 years of experience and 18 with Southwest, criticized the airline in a post on SWAPA’s website. He cited the airline’s crisis during last year’s holiday season, which left tens of thousands of passengers stranded.
“We had a winter storm and the company was unable to cope with severe weather events. I don’t know if we’re going to have another one. “We believe the company’s ability to deal with them has not been addressed or improved,” he said.
The pilot cited a recent situation in Denver where he said the airline had difficulty deicing planes.
“Last year, by closing the airline for a week, we thought we would get an overwhelming response with more manpower, equipment and more staff. It just doesn’t seem to have happened. “If we have major weather events this winter, the company won’t really be able to mitigate them,” he stated.
Southwest Airlines’ chief operating officer disagreed with that statement and addressed the company’s winter preparation during the third quarter. earnings call.
“We invest in key stations based on the calculated performance necessary to maintain our staffing network, we have added de-icing platforms, de-icing trucks, increased glycol storage and mixing stations, increased snow removal, heater cars and other equipment to operate efficiently. safely and effectively in winter climates,” he said.
Watterson also took issue with the idea that the crisis was caused by technology.
“Initially, there was a misconception that technology issues caused an operational outage. It was quite the opposite. Operational issues caused technology issues. Since the outage, we have reinforced those systems with updates to address the specific issues we experienced during the storm winter Elliott.” he added.
