Southwest reaches a labor agreement with flight attendants
FILE - Southwest Airlines plane.
DALLAS - Southwest Airlines has reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with union flight attendants, who have lagged behind pilots in winning pay raises from U.S. carriers.
Details were not released Wednesday about the deal, covering about 20,000 attendants at the Dallas-based airline.
The Southwest attendants rejected a previous deal in December that would have given them an immediate raise of 20% followed by four annual raises of 3%.
Southwest Airlines flight attendants to vote on new contract with 20% pay raise
Southwest Airlines flight attendants will vote on a new tentative deal that would give a 20% pay increase in the new year.
The attendants are represented by the Transport Workers Union, which will hold a ratification vote.
Southwest’s vice president of labor relations, Adam Carlisle, said the attendants play a role in safety and passenger service. "I am glad they will have the opportunity to vote on this new agreement," he said.
Pilots at American, Delta, United and Southwest all approved contracts last year that will raise pay about 40% over five years, but attendants have been unable to reach agreements. Delta Air Lines cabin workers are nonunion and do not bargain over pay and benefits.
Southwest Airlines pilots okay five-year contract, includes immediate 29% pay raise
The agreement includes a 29.15 percent pay raise for Southwest Airlines pilots on the day of ratification.
The major airlines set records for quarterly revenue last year, as travel rebounded strongly from the pandemic.