TWU Local 556 Negotiation Update #10

This week your TWU Local 556 Negotiating Committee engaged in its eleventh bargaining session with Southwest Management. We were waiting for responses on a few outstanding articles that we proposed at our last session.  The articles are Article 13: Uniforms, Article 25: Health and Safety, and a new proposed article for hotels.

Article 13: Uniforms

First, we are pleased to report that some progress was made during this week’s session. We have reached a Tentative Agreement on Article 13: Uniforms. The highlights include the following:

• The ability to combine an allotment purchase with a credit card to allow utilization of your full allotment balance 
• To provide assistance to Flight Attendants returning from leave with new uniform orders and allotment
• The ability to wear flat soled dress shoes during cabin service 
• Contractual language ensuring you can wear your Union pin on your uniform
• A requirement that maternity loaner uniforms be provided within 14 days of your request

We want to be clear: Management countered with Uniform Allotments to be paid using a scale based on TFP flown in a calendar year. The proposal did not include credit for vacation pay or premium pay (VJA) and would give less money than the current language to some, and no money to others. Coupled with the fact that this provision created a minimum fly requirement, your Committee rejected this proposal for the fourth time. There are no minimum flying requirements in the Uniform Tentative Agreement. No Minimums and No Maximums, period.

Article 25: Health and Safety

Management responded to our proposal for Article 25 – Health and Safety. With safety being of utmost importance, your Negotiating Committee, with the aid of the Safety Committee Chairperson Michael Massoni, proposed language that addressed several chief areas, as well as to codify existing policies and best practices. Areas we addressed ranged from notification/protection involving aircraft accidents and incidents, temperature standards on board, needle sticks on duty, animals on board, Union input for training, Fatigue, and International Security. We were disappointed to see Management reject many relevant safety requests. The team will work to develop a counterproposal. We hope that Management will be prepared to offer more of the requested provisions. Ensuring your safety is our number one priority.

New Article: Hotel Standards

Our current Contract contains far less contractual protections for hotels on RONs compared to other flight attendant contracts in the industry.  Based on the numerous hotel issues that our Flight Attendants have experienced, your Negotiating Committee proposed a new and separate article ensuring things such as hotel quality, food availability, security, timely transportation, and better locations for longer layovers. Management rejected our proposal for a new article and claimed it had a high-cost associated with it. However, when asked about the specifics, they were unclear with their figures and said they were relying on costing from a SWAPA proposal made by the Pilot’s Union in 2016.

FAA Reauthorization Act

The parties followed up with previous discussions regarding the effects of the FAA Reauthorization Act on our Contract language. Both parties have done a thorough analysis of the contractual touch points. Management has committed to drafting some language to further our discussions.

Tone at the Table

Management once again asked us to pare down our issues in order to meet a November 1 deadline. While your Negotiating Committee does not desire to have a lengthy negotiation, we are not willing to dismiss the numerous issues raised by our Members simply to meet Management’s deadline.

 NT Response to Management’s Letter 

From the beginning of Negotiations, we informed you to watch for attempts from Management to try to divide us. On May 5, 2019, Southwest Lead Negotiator Brendan Conlon sent a letter to the Executive Board and shortly thereafter to all Flight Attendants. The letter discussed the contents of an internal TWU email sent only to TWU 556 Members on April 26. The April 26 email concerned the issue of New Hires being disproportionately assigned to one base and its impact on seniority.

Management’s letter undermined the Union’s leadership and disrespected the Union’s democratic process. Management had been made aware that the Tentative Agreement reached in the current Section 6 negotiations would have to be included in a complete Contract Tentative Agreement to be voted on by the entire Membership. The attempt to discredit both the Negotiating Committee and the Executive Board is a classic union-busting strategy.  The Company must respect the internal democratic processes of our Union and cease attempts to negotiate directly with our Membership.   

Stay tuned and in touch with your Negotiating Committee for the facts.

Our next Negotiating Session is scheduled for May 29 and 30 and will be hosted at the TWU Local 556 offices.