Southwest Airlines pilots reach agreement in principal on new $12B labor deal
NY Post
Negotiators for pilots at Southwest Airlines have reached an agreement in principle with the company for a new five-year contract worth $12 billion, the union said on Tuesday, adding that its board still needs to decide whether to send the deal to members for a ratification vote.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), which represents more than 10,000 pilots at the Dallas-based carrier, did not provide the details of the deal. The union later said it was worth $12 billion over five years.
Casey Murray, SWAPA’s president, said the union’s board will meet on Wednesday to evaluate the deal and decide whether to send it to the pilots for a ratification vote.
Southwest and its pilots have been in negotiations for a new contract for more than three years and in federal mediation since September 2022.
The last contract became amendable in 2020.
Southwest pilots have been demanding higher pay and better work rules.
