Negotiations Update - October 5, 2014 Your TWU Local 556 Negotiating Team (NT) returned to the bargaining table with Southwest Airlines Management this week during a two-day session, hosted at the Union Office on October 1 & 2. Attorney Jeff Bott, of the law firm Phillips, Richard and Rind, P.A., assisted us at the table. Your NT continued the fight to protect and improve upon the flexibility that is so very important to our Flight Attendants, who remain the “face” of Southwest Airlines. From the start of this week’s bargaining sessions, it was apparent that both sides had been very busy since our last meeting. Management presented a new proposal on Article 14 (Vacations) and your NT presented our counterproposal on Article 23 (Insurance Benefits). Your NT still awaits a response from Management regarding our proposal on Article 11 (Reserve). Both Negotiating Teams have work to do regarding Article 24 (General and Miscellaneous) as our proposals are currently far apart. Management did not accept our proposals that no changes be made to Article 16 (Sick Leave/On-the-job Injury). Your NT has requested additional information necessary for us to engage in any further discussions regarding Management’s counterproposal. You have told us that we must preserve our sick banks and we have made that clear to Management. While we believe they have heard us, until a Tentative Agreement (TA) is reached on Article 16, and all outstanding Articles, our sick banks are still at risk. Your NT reached TAs with Southwest Airlines Management on Article 15 (Leave of Absence) and Article 10 (Scheduling/Bidding). Reaching a TA on Article 10 has involved intense dialogue since it was first “opened” early in the bargaining process in 2013. Management initially sought increased operational control that could dramatically affect the flexibilities of our Flight Attendants and we are extremely pleased that we have come to an agreement. We now have TAs on 20 of the 34 Articles of our Contract! While I am cautiously optimistic about our progress, there are obstacles ahead. We are eager to “open” discussions on Article 21 (Compensation), and the outstanding Articles that relate to compensation. If our bargaining sessions with Management continue to remain productive, we foresee this happening very soon. Our next bargaining session with Management is scheduled to be held at Southwest Airlines Headquarters on October 13 & 14. Earlier this week, the Union hosted a dinner at the Union Office for our newest Flight Attendants, Class #295. We were reminded that we are negotiating a Contract not only for the 12,000+ current Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants (and their families), but also for those who will join us in the years to come. The TWU Local 556 NT will continue the fight to maintain and improve upon our industry-leading Contract and our Flight Attendants’ quality of life. We will fight to uphold our unlimited trip trade/giveaway privileges; we will fight to maintain overlap and prohibit a Preferential Bidding System (PBS); we will fight to preserve our sick bank and accrual rates and defend our attendance policy. While we will continue to recognize that as Southwest Airlines Employees we must position ourselves to enter the global aviation market, we will forge ahead and not waiver in our insistence that a “cost-neutral” Contract is unacceptable. These are lines in the sand that must not be crossed. Thank you for keeping up with our ongoing Contract Negotiations. We appreciate your efforts to remain up-to-date and informed and for continuing to be the best Flight Attendants in the industry. I am proud to represent you at the Negotiating Table and as your President. In Solidarity, Audrey Stone, TWU Local 556 President and Lead Negotiator
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 00:07:55 +0000
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