Southwest Airlines' flight attendants union, Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556, has announced that the proposed five-year contract agreement has been rejected with 64% of the flight attendants voting against it. According to the union, the proposed contract does not address the issues that the flight attendants are concerned about. The flight attendants have been requesting better work rules and higher pay in the new contract as the previous one expired in 2018. Both American Airlines and United Airlines are also currently in negotiations with their flight attendants while Delta Air Lines' flight attendants are not unionized.
.gif)
The TWU Local 556 has stated that they will go back to the table to achieve a collective bargaining agreement that meets the needs of the flight attendants. The proposed contract by Southwest Airlines included a 20% pay raise from next month and a 3% annual raise in 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028. The union has calculated that this would have resulted in a 36% increase over the life of the contract for flight attendants at the top of the pay scale and up to 90% for other seniorities. The proposed agreement also covered paid parental and maternity leave with insurance coverage. In recent years, several unions across various industries, including aerospace, construction, airline, and rail, have been fighting for higher wages and more benefits in a tight labor market. Southwest Airlines has yet to reach a contract agreement with its pilots. The proposed contract agreement between Southwest Airlines and its flight attendants union, Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556, has been rejected by 64% of the flight attendants. The TWU Local 556 stated that the agreement did not address the work rules and pay concerns raised by the flight attendants, who have been demanding higher wages and better working conditions since the previous contract expired in 2018. Similar negotiations are ongoing with the flight attendants of American Airlines and United Airlines, while Delta Air Lines flight attendants have not unionized.
The TWU Local 556 has expressed its commitment to return to the negotiating table and secure a collective bargaining agreement that addresses the concerns of the flight attendants. The proposed contract by Southwest Airlines included a 20% pay raise effective from next month, as well as a 3% annual raise for the years 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028. The union calculated that the proposed contract would have resulted in a 36% pay increase over the life of the contract for flight attendants at the top of the pay scale, while those at other seniorities could have seen up to a 90% increase.
The proposed agreement also offered paid parental and maternity leave with insurance coverage. In recent years, unions in various industries, including aerospace, construction, airline, and rail, have been fighting for better working conditions, higher wages, and more benefits in a tight labor market. It is worth noting that Southwest Airlines has yet to reach a contract agreement with its pilots.
