A Southwest AirlinesCo airplane takes off as agents and pilots from the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA) show outside Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., on Wednesday, May 18, 2016.
Daniel Acker/ Bloomberg/ Getty Images
Southwest pilots’ union took legal action against the provider today, declaring the airline company broke federal labor laws by changing work guidelines throughout the pandemic travel downturn without working out the modifications.
Those consisted of modifications to work conditions and pilot pay guidelines and rates, such as an “emergency” time-off program, according to the suit, which the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association submitted in federal court in Dallas on Monday.
Southwest rejected the claims that its altered needed settlement with the union.
“Southwest Airlines, like the rest of the industry, has been forced to respond to the unpredictable challenges presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic,” Russell McCrady, Southwest’s vice president of labor relations stated in a declaration. “The airline disagrees with SWAPA’s claims that any COVID-related changes over the past few months required negotiation.”
The pilots union stated in the problem that it is looking for an injunction to require the business to go back to the regards to their cumulative bargaining arrangement.
The suit comes as stress in between Southwest’s employees and management are on the increase.
Southwest pilots’ labor union this month stated it was thinking about pickets at airports over Thanksgiving and Christmas to oppose work conditions.
The business recently stated it would downsize its schedules for the remainder of the year, following problems about fatigue from personnel. Pilots and flight attendants have actually likewise grumbled about a lack of hotels and food alternatives while on the roadway.
Southwest informed employees today that it is working out an arrangement with a “food delivery service provider” to provide hot food to hotels throughout over night journeys.
“Southwest will cover the cost of the monthly subscription to this service, and we are negotiating to remove delivery fees and significantly reduce service fees,” composed Rachel Loudermilk, director base operations in an e-mail to personnel.
