Another round of worker protests has been scheduled for June 6. The National Mediation Board rarely declares a dead end to bargaining, and even if it does, there is a no-strikes ‘cooling-off’ period during which the White House and Congress can block a walkout,” reports David Koenig of AP.ĭemonstrations and strikes have been occurring throughout France since the start of the year as French citizens protest the country’s recent pension reforms. law, airline and railroad workers can’t legally strike, and companies can’t lock them out, until federal mediators determine that further negotiations are pointless. While the notion of a pilot strike is certainly worrisome for fliers, picketing actions and the recent strike votes from pilots are not likely to lead to pilots walking off the job anytime soon.
Murray noted that Southwest desperately needs to modernize its systems and procedures “to be able to keep pace with other carriers and give our passengers the level of service they expect.” What do the pilot strikes mean for air travelers? “We have been attempting to negotiate with Southwest in earnest for years, but they have shown no willingness to address some of the issues that impact not only our pilots but our customers as well, such as scheduling work rules and technology improvements,” stated SWAPA’s president Murray. airlines, including American, Southwest, and United, are under pressure to also raise pilots’ pay and offer improved benefits. The agreement also included a 34 percent pay increase over the life of pilots’ contracts, as well as better vacation and benefits for Delta’s 15,000 pilots. In March, Delta pilots brokered a deal for more than $7 billion in cumulative pay raises over the next four years.
#Southwest airlines flights full
But now that the airlines are returning to profitability, and in light of the sacrifices that were made during the pandemic (when pilots and airline staff and crew worked tirelessly and often put themselves at risk during the global public health crisis), not to mention a pilot shortage that further underscores how vital a highly skilled workforce is to the airlines’ operations, negotiations are back in full effect. Why are pilots considering a strike?Īcross the air travel industry numerous contract negotiations, including pay raises, were put on hold for years during the COVID-19 pandemic-when the airlines were bleeding cash and were not in a position to increase pay. Like airline pilots, guild members are also seeking better pay, among other improvements to their contracts and working conditions. Members of the Writers Guild of America, which represents thousands of TV, movie, news, and online media writers, walked off the job last week in the guild’s first strike since 2007. The pilot actions comes at a time when other industries are rising up as well. We want our customers to be prepared for the path ahead and make arrangements on other carriers so that their plans through the summer and fall are not disrupted.” Of the 98 percent of Southwest member pilots who participated in the strike authorization vote, 99 percent voted in favor of authorizing a strike. In a letter to United passengers, the union stated that United pilots are operating under a contract that hasn’t been updated for more than 10 years.Ĭasey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), said in a statement, “We do not take this path lightly. The informational picket is intended “to demonstrate the United Pilots’ resolve and solidarity to achieve an industry leading contract,” according to the United Master Executive Council, which represents more than 14,000 United pilots. As for United Airlines pilots, they are participating in a nationwide informational picket on Friday, May 12, and will be marching at airports throughout the country, including Denver International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Newark International Airport, and San Francisco International Airport. American Airlines pilots last week voted in favor of authorizing a strike, and Southwest Airlines followed suit this week, voting to authorize a strike as well. It’s been a busy month for disgruntled airline pilots.
0 kommentar(er)
