SWA Lands Deal with Transport Workers
March 1, 2009 by Stephen Kersey
Filed under Business
Following a year of negotiations, Southwest Airlines and the Transport Workers Union have tentatively agreed to a new three-year deal. This agreement will reportedly be valid through June of 2011.
Southwest Airlines - Image: Flickr
To become official, the Transport Workers Union members will vote on the deal. In total, nearly 8,000 Southwest Airlines workers are represented by this new agreement. Those workers include freight agents and those in ramp operations.
Since its beginnings in 1971, Southwest Airlines has continually grown. Even during the turmoil that has forced many other airlines to go under, Southwest Airlines has remained strong. Today, the airline is considered by most experts as having the strongest business model in its industry.
Despite its success, Southwest Airlines has responded to the economic downturn in the United States by lowering its planned flying capacity in 2009 by 4%. This will be the first year in the company’s history that it doesn’t plan an expansion of flying capacity.
