Southwest Airlines announces today that the Company has reached a tentative agreement with Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 555, representing Ramp, Operations, Provisioning, and Freight Agents. The tentative agreement is for a new, three-year contract through June 30, 2011. The current contract became amendable on June 30, 2008. TWU Local 555 and Southwest Airlines began contract negotiations in January 2008.
“The negotiation process has been long and arduous – both negotiating committees have certainly worked diligently and in good faith,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest’s Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO. “We urge our Employees to give serious consideration to the tentative agreement, keeping in mind that in these uncertain economic times, our common goal should be to take needed steps to protect Employee jobs and to ensure the financial viability of our Company.”
The TWU Executive Board has voted to submit the tentative agreement to all members of TWU 555 for review and a ratification vote. TWU Local 555 represents approximately 7,780 Southwest Airlines Employees. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities (will begin service to Minneapolis-St. Paul March 8, 2009, and service to Boston Logan in Fall 2009) in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.
