Southwest pilots picket in Nashville amid contract issues
Dozens of Southwest Airlines pilots picketed on Broadway to protest workplace culture and a lack of progress on contract talks with the company.
The pilots continued a string of informational picket lines, much like the June protest held in Dallas.
Federal law makes it nearly impossible for airline unions to conduct legal strikes. Contract negotiations tend to drag out – often for years. Southwest's flight attendants have been working under an old contract since 2018.
Today, SWAPA Pilots stand together outside the Southwest Airlines Spirit Party representing the thousands of Pilots on the line not feeling the LUV. Without a contract, there is no culture. #2YearsTooLong #SS4M pic.twitter.com/a21k9osEnJ
— Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (@swapapilots) September 21, 2022
Casey Murray Southwest Airlines Pilot Association President, said in a September newsletter said the Wednesday protest was held in front of Southwest Airlines Spirit Party outside Bridgestone Arena to bring awareness to Southwest Airlines management not making meaningful progress on contract negotiations and the company celebrating record revenues with a "spirit party."
"Nine out of 12 labor groups, representing more than 41,000 SWA employees, are working under post-amendable contracts. The culture and tradition celebrated at headquarters is neither known nor felt by its frontline workers," Murray said in the newsletter.
Southwest said in a brief statement that it respects the right of employees to express their opinions, "and we do not anticipate any disruption in service as a result of this single demonstration." The airline declined to comment on the union's concerns.
The Associate Press contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Southwest Airlines pilots protest along Broadway Street in Nashville
