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ATTENTION TWU 557 Members

FLIGHT ATTENDANT LEADERSHIP'S RESPONSE TO SWA VIDEO AND PROPOSAL

TWU 557 Members navigate to NEWS, Other Media Links, click on SWA FA, President's video response to Southwest's video concerning their comprehensive proposal. This response is by Lyn Montgomery, President of TWU 556, Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants. 

TWU 557.org 

Inflight Negotiations Video

Dallas Morning News: SWA and Flight Attendants

from the Dallas Morning News...

 

By KYLE ARNOLD Staff Writer 

The union for Southwest Airlines’ flight attendants is accusing the company of circumventing negotiations by going straight to employees with details of potential raises that could come with a new contract.

In a video sent to employees last week, executives at Dallas based Southwest Airlines pitched a proposal with options for 3% raises or 2.5% raises with a $2,000 signing bonus.

The two sides started talks on a new contract earlier this year and Southwest said it hopes to get a deal done by Nov. 1 that covers all 16,778 flight attendants.

In the video, posted in an unlisted link on YouTube, Southwest vice president of inflight operations Sonya Lacore and vice president of labor relations Russell McCrady said they were giving an update on negotiations and gave details on the proposed raises. They also said there is a proposal for anew reserve system for flight attendants.

The company presented the deal to the union earlier this month, McCrady said. The video from Southwest followed a private video from the union updating contract talks.

Even with raises, TWU 556 President Lyn Montgomery said the company’s early proposal has been “overwhelmingly unpopular” with members.

“It didn’t answer ... many of the questions our members have,” Montgomery said. “It isn’t normal for the company to come out and give this straight to members.”

In the video, McCrady said the pay package isn’t a final proposal to flight attendants but the company hopes to narrow negotiations.

“This is not a take-it-orleave-it offer, so we narrowed the topics that we were willing to tackle in this negotiation,” McCrady said.

In a statement, Southwest spokesman Brian Parrish said the airline often communicates with employees about negotiations and proposals “so that when the time comes to vote they can make an informed decision regarding what is best for their interests.”

The two sides are back to the negotiating table after ratifying a two-year deal in 2016 that included a 6% raise in 2016 and 3% raises in 2017 and 2018. Without a new deal, flight attendants won’t get a raise this year.

Montgomery said flight attendants have about three dozen issues they want addressed in a new contract, making it more complex than a deal simply regarding pay raises and health benefits.

She said flight attendants want to negotiate better pay for the time that employees and passengers are on the plane before it takes off.

“We are spending more time than ever on the ground and that cuts into our flight time and often stops us from the next flight,” Montgomery said.

There are also issues with flight attendants regarding reserve time, overtime and rest between flights. Montgomery said the company also wants to be able to switch aircraft types or even start meal service without further negotiations. The union wants any changes in job descriptions to be negotiable.

The two sides started talking earlier this year. The union said the company has been slow to respond to requests for information.

McCrady said the sides have reached agreement on only four of more than 30 major issues.

“I’m very concerned about the pace of negotiations,” McCrady said in the video.

“We are on the path for a very long negotiation process.”

Added Category under NEWS

June 27th, 2019

Greetings fellow instructors!

Just a heads up that we have added a new NEWS Category to the site called "Other Media Links".

There is currently only a single link on that page, but it is an interesting one. It is a link to an interview with Lyn Montgomery, the SWA Flight Attendants Union (TWU556) President and their head contract negotiator. 

We will hopefully be adding additional interesting and hopefully valuable links going forward.

Gordy Purcey

Professional Data Returned by Instructors

June 4, 2019

Fellow Instructors

Last year TWU 557 conducted a demographic survey of our instructors. At that time the group consisted of 130 instructors. There were over 106 surveys completed. The following data is a synopsis of the total data returned. It represents our Instructor professional qualifications before teaching the Southwest Training Product.

Our group is a highly qualified professional aviation/n teaching group. You should be very proud of your credentials. The following data was presented at the TWU 557 Open House/Meetings in April. We are an impressive group that sets the tone for the Southwest Flight Crews that we train.

We present first impressions that speak to the efficiency and safety of Southwest operations. The following data reveals a great deal about our instructor group. The Company should also appreciate our professional qualifications, teaching abilities, and what we have to offer as Flight Crew Training Instructors.

TWU 557 Instructors Represent:

  • 1.6 million Flight Hours of total flying time, with the average instructor having over 14,000 flight hours. Many instructors have reported in excess of 20,000 total flight hours.
  • The average instructor’s Boeing 737 Flight time is over 5400 hours in the Boeing 737 with many above 20,000 flight hours in the 737.
  • The average time as a Flight Crew Training instructor is over 12 years.
  • The combined total of our instructors is 1200 years of service to Southwest Airlines.
  • Many instructors have over 30 plus years of service with the Company.
  • Almost half of our Instructors have FAA CFI-CFII qualifications.
  • Many are Certified Advanced Ground Instructors.

 

  • Our Instructor Aircraft Type Ratings include: Boeing 737, 747, 777 ,767, 757, 707, 727, 717, DC-9, DC-10, DC-3, CV-580,CV-440, CV-340 ,CV-240, MD-80, MD-82, L-382, L-188, L-1329, A-310, A320, BA-146 , AVR-146.
  • Others are type rated in almost all brands of corporate jets.
  • Many have single engine land and sea ratings.
  • Multiple Instructors have flown helicopters and gliders.
  • Several have remote pilot ratings.
  • Our Instructors have worked in Corporate Flight Departments as Corporate Chief Pilots.
  • The Instructor group overall reported extensive management experience in all phases of flight operations.
  • Many of our instructors have worked for multiple airlines.
  • Many have flown night freight.
  • Over 32 Instructors have master’s Degrees.
  • Two have PHDs.
  • One Instructor has a Juris Doctor Degree (Recently retired).
  • Over 50 have BA/BS Degrees.
  • 10+ have Associate Degrees.
  • Others have HS and Advanced Technical School degrees.
  • Almost all Instructors have had multiple advanced courses in professional aviation training. They also represent a variety of both aviation and non-aviation related disciplines.
  • Our instructor group has extensive Military Service and Flight Time in all types of military aircraft, including fighters, helicopters, tankers, bombers and large transports.
  • Many are combat veterans. Their former ranks range from Sargent to General.

To summarize, the raw data returned was very telling and indicates that our instructor group is a highly qualified professional group. Considering this data, we believe we are among the most qualified and experienced instructors in the industry, certainly in the Boeing 737. It is our intention to make the Company fully aware of the value added asset that our instructor force is to the safe and efficient flight operation of Southwest Airlines.

For the Executive Board and your Negotiations Team

Jerry Bradley

President TWU 557

Flight Crew Training Instructors

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