Pilots at Southwest Airlines have overwhelmingly approved a new contract that will raise their pay rates by nearly 50% by 2028, becoming the last group of pilots at the nation’s four biggest airlines to score huge raises.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association said Monday that the agreement covering pay and other issues for about 11,000 pilots was ratified by a 93% to 7% margin.
Airline labor groups – and pilots in particular – have succeeded in negotiating pay raises over the past year as most U.S. have returned to solid profitability coming out of the pandemic. Pilots have been helped by a shortage, particularly at smaller carriers that act as training grounds for American, Delta, United and Southwest.
The Southwest agreement followed more than three years of bargaining.
Yeah we do. Corporate goons gonna corporate goon regardless of your job title.
My company was recently acquired by another company. The new company has better pay, but more expensive benefits (health insurance). That would be fine, except we get the more expensive benefits, but without the pay bump. Based on their own numbers in job postings online (Thanks Washington, Colorado, California!), I’m being underpaid by $20,000.
Luckily my local management is on our side and trying to get pay raises, but the Chief Bean Counters have been tight lipped.
I’m not sure how (or if) a union would help in my case, but it probably wouldn’t hurt.