The Southwest Airlines and its pilots’ union reached a preliminary labor agreement on Sunday. According to reports, the deal—following years of contentious talks—lays out a 20-year contract and provides significant raises for pilots. According to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division—the union representing Southwest Airlines pilots—the negotiations resulted in “significant economic improvements” for pilots and other union-represented personnel.
The agreement includes, among other things, pay raises of 14.5 percent retroactive to 2017, plus an extra 4 to 7 percent increase in 2021. Benefits such as vacation and travel privileges, which had previously been under review, were also preserved in the agreement.
The new deal brings to a close a long-standing disagreement between the airline and its pilot union—which has been in negotiations since 2012. Pilots have demanded improved pay and benefits, and had long argued that their salaries didn’t match up to those of pilots at other major airlines. After five years of protracted talks and failed negotiations, the union and the airline appear to have finally reached an agreement that both parties can live with.
The agreement must still be ratified by Southwest’s pilots, but is a major milestone in the long-term relationship between pilots and the airline. Southwest Airlines’ CEO Gary Kelly applauded the agreement in a statement, saying, “We are content and pleased to have reached this agreement—it reflects recognition of our employees’ contributions, and sets the stage for our continued success.”
