Southwest airlines strike3/28/2023 ![]() ![]() It usually means that they will have their flights delayed or even canceled, and often times there is no clear solution to their situation. What happens when airlines go on strike?īefore we go over the most relevant strike action in the past and the industrial action planned for the near future, it is essential to understand what happens when airline employees go on strike.įrom the airline’s point of view, since the date labor union members decide to take strike action until the action is over, the airline cannot provide all the offered services to their passengers, which usually results in airline revenue and reputation loss.įor the passenger, this is usually uncomfortable and inconvenient. Join us by reading below as we share the details of past and current airline strikes. Yet, industry tensions are far from over, with many affected workers already taking or ready to take strike action. Now, more than two years have passed since the crisis started. It has performed better more recently, including over the Memorial Day weekend.Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the aviation industry, especially the airline sector, has been under high pressure given the financial impact of the global health crisis.Īirlines had to ground full fleets, many jobs were cut, and a significant number of pilots were forced to early retirement, which also added pressure on the current pilot shortage. Southwest, the nation's fourth-biggest airline, suffered through high cancellation rates last summer and again in early October, when weather-related cancellations in Florida cascaded into a dayslong, nationwide meltdown. The union says pilots are not being fairly compensated for handling extra flights, and that Southwest uses outdated crew-scheduling technology that makes it hard for the airline to recover from even minor hiccups. Neither the union nor the company would discuss wages or other bargaining topics.ĭallas-based Southwest has been hiring pilots since last year to replace those who took buyouts that the airline offered in 2020, when the pandemic caused air travel to plummet. In the first five months of this year, Southwest pilots reported feeling fatigued at more than triple the rate of a year ago, according to figures from the union, which says this raises safety concerns. ![]() ![]() Our fatigue rates reflect that," he said. On Tuesday at Love Field, which is next to Southwest headquarters, pilots in crisp white short-sleeved shirts with epaulets on their shoulders stood at attention, holding signs that read "Southwest's operation: From first to worse," and "Our passengers and pilots deserve better."Ĭasey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, the union for the airline's 9,000 pilots, said work has turned into a "flightmare" for pilots because of over-scheduling. So-called regional carriers, which operate American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express flights, are being hit hardest by a shortage of pilots. Two regional subsidiaries of American will give pilots a wage premium of 50% through August 2024 in addition to longer-term increase. Sometimes they vote to authorize a strike - Alaska Airlines pilots did that last month - even though there is little chance that they will walk off the job. That slow pace has caused unions to look for creative ways to put pressure on management. Southwest's flight attendants have been working under an old contract since 2018. Contract negotiations tend to drag out - often for years. The airline declined to comment on the union's concerns.įederal law makes it nearly impossible for airline unions to conduct legal strikes. For 51 years, we've maintained a legendary SouthwestCulture that honors our valued employees. Southwest Airlines respects the rights of our employees to express their opinions, and we do not anticipate any disruption in service as a result of this single demonstration. We're aware that some off-duty Pilots are participating in informational picketing today. Southwest Airlines spokesman Dan Landson sent CBS11 the following statement: The protest, which the union said drew up to 1,300 pilots, was the latest example of airline workers trying to put pressure on companies by taking their demands for higher pay directly to the flying public. DALLAS (CBSDFW/AP) - Hundreds of uniformed Southwest Airlines pilots stood in the scorching Texas sun at Dallas Love Field on June 22, holding signs blaming Southwest management for delays and cancellations that have upset passengers. ![]()
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