After five years of negotiations, Southwest Airlines and the union representing its flight attendants finally shook hands on a new contract deal. But by a 2-1 margin, flight attendants have rejected the deal, setting back contract talks in a huge embarrassment to the Transport Workers Union of America.
Contract Rejected: Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants Want Pay Raise Higher Than 20%
Transport Workers Union Local 556 (TWU) presented a proposed deal to flight attendants that would have brought pay raises, better benefits, and stronger workplace protections to the 19,000 flight attendants at Southwest. But by nearly a 2-1 vote, 64% to 36%, flight attendants voted on Friday to reject the deal.
Specifically, the deal would have given flight attendants a 20% pay raise in the new year and industry-leading pay, roughly 16% more than Delta Air Lines flight attendants, who are not unionized and were given a large raise by Delta earlier this year.
In addition to the 20% pay raise in 2024, flight attendants would have received a 3% annual raise each January in 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028, resulting in a net 36% increase over the life of the contract for flight attendants at top of scale and up to 90% for other seniorities.
The new contract also included:
- paid parental and maternity leave
- new reserve system
- The 24-hour on-call period would have been replaced with three 12-hour shifts
Southwest Airlines expressed disappointment over the vote:
“We are disappointed the industry-leading agreement reached between the negotiating committees was not ratified.”
Meanwhile, Lyn Montgomery, president of TWU Local 556, pledged to start over again:
“After five long years of negotiations, which have included fighting both pay cuts and furloughs, enduring historic operational failures, and working without raises to combat inflation or compensate for the extensive duties our members have to perform, the flight attendants of Southwest Airlines have made it clear that this proposed contract is not going to heal the hurt.
“We will go back to the table to achieve the collective bargaining agreement that meets the needs of the hardest-working flight attendants in the industry.”
The TWU will once again ask the National Mediation Board for permission to strike after a 30-day “cooling-off” period.
What Do Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants Want?
Per TWU 556, flight attendants are seeking a contract which:
- Pays Flight Attendants for time worked (including boarding pay)
- Allows Flight Attendants time to safely rest when not working
- Gives Flight Attendants control over their personal schedules when not at work, allowing them the liberty they deserve
- Provides access to food and a safe place to sleep when traveling on the job
- Fixes the technology failures that disproportionately impact frontline aviation workers and passengers
- Creates a modern Reserve system that meets the needs of personnel and the operation, and ends the unsafe practice of 24-hour on call
- Provides benefits that actually help flight attendants, like health insurance when we need it, including when we’re injured on the job, battling cancer, or just had a baby
All sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? But as always, the devil is in the details and it seems to me that Southwest and the union already put forth a generous contract that included so many of those provision in the deal that was just voted down.
CONCLUSION
After five years of negotiations and an agreement between management and union on a new deal, Southwest Airlines flight attendants voted it down, and did so overwhelming.
During a time in which many American workers have also gone years without a pay raise and don’t have a 20% pay raise on the table for next year plus many other fringe benefits, I would not expect much public sympathy for extracting more from Southwest.
image: TWU 556
Surprising, and not surprising. The FA’s are still steamed up over the WN meltdown, and the esprit de corps needs a refill. Seems like the money is OK, but many intangibles are not…..trust is not there. That will be hard to work around sucessfully.
Give them a 50% raise ,
“ roughly 16% more than Delta Air Lines flight attendants, who are not unionized and were given a large raise by Delta earlier this year.”
Speaking out of ignorance. Is this true? Does it include the difference/adjustment in block hour pay vs the flight hours how WN FAs are paid?
Yeah, I would like to see the proof of the 16% as well. I would bet a lot of fuzzy math involved.
This comes from the union, not Southwest…
This is about more than pay. Airlines have been raking in cash but have not dome anything to help workers. Companies are violating the current agreements we have and are fighting with the Unions every step of the way. The companies have been walking all over flight attendants and this is about quality of life too.
Agree . FA job is both unappreciated and physically debilitating .
Except its Southwest; the FA’s aren’t flying across the pond or even redeyes, working premium cabins, or even serving meals on longhaul segments. They have limited duties, serve snacks/drinks, and then perform routine safety protocols, not to mention basically working one type of aircraft. Not trying to say they don’t deserve a pay raise or work any less harder than other FA’s but its a rather limited scope compared to other carriers so I can’t see the argument that they should be paid more than DL FA’s
I know my own biggest issues with my (not SWA) airline contract have nothing to do with pay. That’s about #15 or 20 on the list of things I’d like addressed in my contract. My union doesn’t seem to grasp anything that’s important to flight attendants and I’d be shocked if they came back with a proposal I’d want to vote for. I expect it’s the same at Southwest.
Numerous Fact Checks Incoming:
A.) This article incorrectly states, “since boarding pay would have been included, which disproportionally impacts junior flight attendants.” TA2023 does NOT include boarding pay and, even if it did, would not have a disproportionate effect based on seniority. The TA maintained a structured pay scale with 15 total steps. As mentioned the 20% rate increase, along with the annual 3% raise, applies to all steps. Additionally, employees at Steps 0 – 12 will continue to progress through these steps, which may result in a higher percentage increase across various seniority levels through the life of the contract (snap up + annual + anniversary raise).
B) This article erroneously claims Local 556 will “once again” seek permission to strike. TWU Local 556 has not sought release from mediation ever during the last 5 years and has made no indication they intend to. Maybe the author is confusing Local 556 with SWAPA or APFA? In fact, the quote cited in this very article, “We will go back to the table” is contrary to that assertion.
C) I would like to point out that the term “sit pay” is not a recognized term at Southwest. It appears this and boarding pay are introduced by the author, despite attributing the list presented as being a direct quote.
D) Regarding the perspective on the 20% raise and public perception: It’s crucial to contextualize this increase with the inflation rate since November 1, 2019, which closely mirrors this percentage. While not insignificant, this pay increase was characterized by many as being more akin to merely a cost of living adjustment than a raise.
I hope these points help in providing a more accurate representation of the facts.
I write this comment and speak only on behalf of myself as an individual.
Thank you for your comments.
Maybe I’m just stupid. If you don’t like the job or the pay why not choose another career, find another job, go back to school or just plain do something else instead of relying on a union to get you what you think you deserve?
This isn’t the 30’s and everyone has choices.
Does that apply to pilots too? Baseball and football players? I have never been part of union because so few exist in the corporate world, but there is a divide and conquer aspect.
It’s much harder in some professions but this topic is about flight attendants so it’s a valid point. There are plenty of other fields someone like that could enter but it takes initiative and some courage. Most people don’t like moving out of their comfort zone.
@Jay does have a point about how this 20% raise pretty much just gets the flight attendants back to the pay they were making five years ago. That said, a lot of the union demands are either nebulous or seemingly met. For example I really don’t see Southwest telling people what they can or cannot do when they’re not working or on call.
20% is rubbish! They have had no increase since when (2018)! What a joke, this does not even cover inflation! SWA FA do not get paid for boarding time, Delta does…..it is a big deal. Also Delta has provided raises during this high inflation SWA zero raises for top scale. Sad!