Monday, May 18, 2009

Southwest flight attendants approve contract

Southwest Airlines flight attendants, represented by the Transport Workers Union, have overwhelmingly approved a new contract with the carrier.

Results posted on the TWU Web site said 5,308 voted in favor to 652 who voted against, a 89 percent yes vote.

When the union announced a tentative agreement March 26, it said the four-year deal “includes raises, a boost in 401(k) contributions, and improvements in leave, flexibility and job security, among other areas. The tentative agreement contained no economic concessions.”

Keep reading for the message from Thom McDaniel, TWU Local 556 president:

“Over the next few months as we enjoy the improvements in our new Agreement and yes, spend those retro checks, it is important to remember that we would have never made it to this point so quickly without an informed and involved Membership. Of course many of us remember the 2004 Contract Campaign, and many others have heard us wax nostalgic about that valiant effort that brought us a truly industry-leading Contract in the face of insurmountable odds.

“Remember that although this campaign was not as long or as contentious, it is historic in its own right. During this round of bargaining, we were in the middle of an economic downturn in our country and industry that I hope we never repeat. During this round of bargaining, contractually, we were at the top of the industry in every area. During this round of bargaining, many of our Members had never experienced multiple pay scales that left our group divided and okay, a little angry.

“A few things, however, have not changed since the last round of bargaining. We are still the best and most productive Flight Attendants in the industry. We still contribute to the ongoing success of Southwest Airlines and we still deserve fair wages, work rules, and retirement. Most importantly, we still know how to stand united for a fair Contract and I hope that will never change.

“This Contract like all Contracts is not perfect. We did not get everything we wanted; however, we were able to make significant gains in many areas. During our informational meetings, we were sometimes asked why we did not fight for certain things. I can promise you, we did. The list of things we tried to get for our Members included a few items we really hated to withdraw. At the end of the process and considering our industry leading status and the daunting economic challenges, we had to prioritize what was most important and of course our Negotiating Team stood strong and prevailed against any economic concessions or minimum flying requirement. That being said, you can be sure that our Union will continue to work with Southwest Airlines to improve our quality of life even outside of negotiations.

“Now it is time to own our votes. During the ratification process, we asked for nothing more than an educated and informed vote. Thank you for looking at the Agreement as a whole and cast your vote accordingly. I believe that most people did this and I thank you for that. No matter whether you voted yes or no, this is now our Contract and our Union. We must stand strong and stand together to protect both. Regardless of how you voted, remember we are better when we are United.

“I have always been blessed to work with a great Team from our Union, and this time, I got lucky to work with a great Team on the Management side. Our effort really wasn’t about winning or losing, it was about solving problems. I hope that we can continue to move forward in that spirit, because that is when we are at our best. When you see them, please don’t forget to thank Cindy, Denny, Don, and Val for their hard work on the Contract. We were very lucky to have such a great Team.

“Of course we could not have succeeded as well as we did without our expert advisers Garry Drummond, Mark Richard, Jamie Horwitz, and Dan Akins. I am happy to say that I have never had a higher level of support from our Executive Board and Office Team. Our Contract Action Team was amazing in their assistance and the new ideas they brought to the table.

“I’d like to mention a special group that most don’t know about as most of their work was behind the scenes. Our Coordinating Council and Contract Educational Team made up of Allyson Parker-Lauck, Kyle Whiteley, Susan Kern, Gwen Dunivent, Donna Keith, and Crystal Rains coordinated our entire campaign right up through ratification.

“I have to give a shout out to the unsung heroes who manned our lounges and our call center for the weeks between the release of the Tentative Agreement and the vote today. Through the ups and downs or slings and arrows, they remained steadfast in their mission to provide our Members with accurate information, and they deserve our thanks.

“Finally, we are all part of a great Company and a great Union and with that comes great responsibility to keep it that way. Thank you for your participation, service and ongoing commitment to excellence.”