Pilots at Southwest Airlines have overwhelmingly approved a new contract that will raise their pay rates by nearly 50% by 2028, becoming the last group of pilots at the nation’s four biggest airlines to score huge raises.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association said Monday that the agreement covering pay and other issues for about 11,000 pilots was ratified by a 93% to 7% margin.
Airline labor groups – and pilots in particular – have succeeded in negotiating pay raises over the past year as most U.S. have returned to solid profitability coming out of the pandemic. Pilots have been helped by a shortage, particularly at smaller carriers that act as training grounds for American, Delta, United and Southwest.
The Southwest agreement followed more than three years of bargaining.
Title read like it’ll take 4 years for their incremental pay raises to reach a 50% marginal increase.
30% raise up front though is helpful
They already make over 100k, so they are at minimum jumping up to 130k followed by 5k raises every year after that. Pretty significant.
Damn, us engineers need a union.
Yeah we do. Corporate goons gonna corporate goon regardless of your job title.
My company was recently acquired by another company. The new company has better pay, but more expensive benefits (health insurance). That would be fine, except we get the more expensive benefits, but without the pay bump. Based on their own numbers in job postings online (Thanks Washington, Colorado, California!), I’m being underpaid by $20,000.
Luckily my local management is on our side and trying to get pay raises, but the Chief Bean Counters have been tight lipped.
I’m not sure how (or if) a union would help in my case, but it probably wouldn’t hurt.
A company wholesale ruined by the exit of its operations expert CEO and the entry of a finance guy.
Just say NO to MBAs
I’ve got absolutely no idea what SW pilots make, but I do know a couple pilots (two commercial and one private) and this is, generally not a group of people that, in my limited experience, fall into the “Not making enough money” category.
I’m not saying they don’t deserve more etc… The one person I know who is a commercial pilot works WAY WAY less than I do, and the last couple houses they bought (one at a time) were significantly more expensive than ours. Totally anecdotal and non scientific, and they did not work for SW airlines.
I’m not saying they don’t deserve more
The rest of your comment sure does seem like you are.
Im saying it’s a little strange “story” for a group of people who “in my experience” do “ok”. I have absolutely no problem with anyone wanting to make as much as their employer will pay. Good on them
Just compared to a large chunk of the US truly struggling (based on articles, posts here and online) it’s a group of people um surprised to see having to strike/ threaten strikes.
You overlook the cost it takes to get that qualification in the first place… No one can just go up there and fly a plane unless you’re willing to spend every penny in your savings and take out multiple loans to get there…
