The stewards of the air have long advocated a little cushioning under their wings. And that's what Southwest Airlines flight attendants just received, thanks to their efforts at the Transport Workers Union (TWU). Last week, Southwest flight attendants ratified a new four-year contract that includes more than 33% pay increase— and starting Wednesday, Southwest flight attendants will get a 22.3% raise, followed by a 3% raise over the next three years.
Their success means Southwest flight attendants are now the highest paid in the industry, earning 14% more than the next highest paid in their role, Delta flight attendants, according to the TWU. United, Alaska and America Airlines are all also in contract negotiations.
“This is an important victory for flight attendants across the industry and TWU has once again proven that we are an incredibly effective voice for flight attendants,” TWU International President John Samuelsen said in a statement.
The contract also outlines paid maternity and paternity leave, something TWU says is an “industry first.” It also provides health care coverage for a flight attendant caring for a newborn baby and $364 million in retroactive wages incurred during contract negotiations.
During the pandemic, the flight attendant job took a nosedive. It was an already difficult job that was characterized by low payextensive opening hours and a history of lawsuits related to the deep-seated sexism to which the counselors were exposed. But pilot staffing problems, new regulations and hostile customers made the job even more difficult.
“I always tell people that when Covid happened, all the fun parts of being a flight attendant – all the satisfying, exciting parts of being a flight attendant – were taken out of their job,” flight attendant Rich Henderson said. CNN. Difficulties in hiring and retaining employees meant that those who remained employed did so greater leverage in negotiations with employers about new contracts. However, in their quest for recovery, airlines have been forced to reach out to their employees. For example, Delta paid employees a 5% increase and a $1.4 billion bonus this year (which is ten times greater than what was spent in 2022).
“We are proud of the new collective labor agreement This takes effect today and will provide our dedicated flight attendants with industry-leading compensation and quality of life improvements, while also delivering significant efficiencies for Southwest's operations,” a Southwest Airlines spokesperson said. Fortunewho added that the company has had “no issues hiring or retaining flight attendants,” and is instead limiting hiring this year.
“This deal provides significant increases and critical quality of life improvements for TWU's Southwest Flight Attendants, who have weathered historic operational meltdowns and a global pandemic,” TWU International EVP Alex Garcia said in a statement. “TWU Local 556 won quantifiable compensation throughout all phases of the day, putting real money into our flight attendant salaries. This is the least they deserve after years of hard work and negotiation.”
Flight attendants' quest for better wages and working conditions goes back decades, as Mary Longobardi, the former president of Southwest Airlines' unionized Flight Attendants and a flight attendant herself, has pointed out. noted. Southwest flight attendants became the second unionized workforce at the airline in the 1970s, after mechanics.
This story originally ran Fortune.com
