Southwest Airlines and Its Stock Clerks Announce New Tentative Agreement

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Feb 15, 2011, 11:19 ET

DALLAS, Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Airlines Division, representing the carrier's Stock Clerks, announced today that the two parties have reached a tentative agreement. The tentative agreement is for a new, five-year contract through August 16, 2013. The current contract became amendable on August 16, 2008. One year ago, Southwest and the Teamsters agreed to seek assistance from the National Mediation Board through the mediation process as defined by the Railway Labor Act.

"Hard work and persistence have definitely paid off during this mediation process," said Mike Van de Ven, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. "The negotiation teams worked together to address several work rule changes in reaching this mutually beneficial, forward thinking tentative agreement, which delivers wage and benefit enhancements in exchange for work rule improvements and contract flexibility."

In the upcoming weeks, the IBT membership will be given the full details of the agreement and have the opportunity to vote on ratification. IBT represents more than 170 Southwest Airlines Employees.

In its 40th year of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines serves Milwaukee with 12 daily departures and is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, now serving 69 cities in 35 states. Beginning March 13, 2011, Southwest will initiate service to Charleston and Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina, and on March 27, 2011, service will begin to Newark Liberty International Airport. Southwest also is one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report(TM). Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.

www.southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines