Southwest Airlines pilots have asked to be released from mediation in their contract negotiation process with the Dallas-based carrier, putting them one step closer to going on strike.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, which represents more than 10,000 pilots, wrote in a statement Thursday the union has been negotiating with company management for three years and has become "increasingly frustrated" with the lack of progress.
The main issue, said SWAPA President Casey Murray, is that the union and Southwest disagree on pilots' overwhelming flight schedules.
That, he said, can contribute to flight delays and pilot fatigue, which could lead to more widespread operational meltdowns.
"None of us want to strike," Murray said. "The next step is to bring attention to the problem and bring attention to Southwest Airlines that, number one, they're not negotiating in good faith and that we need to, you know, take this next step."
In a statement Friday, Southwest's Vice President of Labor Relations Adam Carlisle wrote the airline doesn't believe requesting a release from mediation is justified.
"We’ve continued meeting regularly with SWAPA and, in fact, made an industry-leading compensation proposal and scheduling adjustments to address workplace quality-of-life issues for our Pilots," Carlisle said. "We feel confident that mediation will continue driving us even closer to a final agreement that will benefit both our Pilots and Southwest Airlines."
In its mediation release request letter, the union accused Southwest CEO Bob Jordan of threatening to furlough more than 1,000 pilots if they didn't agree to a 10% pay cut during the pandemic.
The letter also mentioned Southwest's reported $214 million dividend to shareholders in the first quarter of 2023 despite a $163 million loss.
"The revenue that allowed for those bonuses and dividends to be paid could not have been earned but for the hard-work and dedication of our Pilots and front-line employees," SWAPA's letter reads.
With 98% of union members participating in a strike authorization vote in May, 99% voted in favor of authorizing a strike. The voting period closed 10 days after it had opened.
In the transportation labor negotiations process, the National Mediation Board mediates contract discussions between the carrier and its employees. When a party requests a release from mediation, the board must determine whether continuing with the negotiations process would be productive. If the answer is no, the NMB allows "a cooling-off period" of 30 days, after which a strike can happen.
SWAPA pilots are planning a nationwide picket on Aug. 31 in five cities: Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Earlier this month, Southwest reached agreements in principle with its flight attendants union — whose board later rejected the agreement — and its aircraft mechanics union, which moved forward with a tentative agreement.
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