SWAPA Announces Nationwide Picket

DALLAS, Aug. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) will be conducting its first-ever multi-base informational picket on Thursday, August 31 at Baltimore Washington, Los Angeles International, Hartsfield Jackson International (Atlanta), Houston Hobby, and Chicago Midway airports. All pickets will end at noon local time. 

SWAPA has been attempting to bargain in good faith with Southwest Airlines for more than three years, even filing for federal mediation in September of 2022. They are the last major airline without an agreement in principle and have lost hundreds of pilots to other carriers already this year.

This informational picket is being held to demonstrate the pilots' frustration at still not having a contract after three-and-a-half years of negotiations

"Our pilots deserve a contract that befits the most productive pilots in the industry, and we have been attempting to get Southwest to realize that their delay in reaching an agreement is causing irreparable harm not just to our pilots, but to the airline itself. We are willing to take the RLA process all the way to its conclusion to ensure that our airline and our pilots have secure futures," said SWAPA President Captain Casey Murray. "Southwest Airlines simply cannot afford to sit idly by while every other carrier continues to reward their pilots and lure them away with better contracts and benefits."

After securing a 99% vote in favor of a strike back in May, the pilots of Southwest Airlines are ready to strike upon release from the National Mediation Board.

About SWAPA
Located in Dallas, Texas, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) is a non-profit employee organization representing the more than 10,000 pilots of Southwest Airlines. SWAPA works to provide a secure and rewarding career for Southwest pilots and their families through negotiating contracts, defending contractual rights, and actively promoting professionalism and safety. For more information on the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, visit www.swapa.org.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Pilots Association