The stewards of the skies have long petitioned for a bit of cushioning under their wings. And that’s what Southwest Airlines flight attendants just received, thanks to their efforts with the Transport Workers Union (TWU). Last week, Southwest flight attendants ratified a new four-year contract that stipulated a greater than 33% pay raise—and starting Wednesday, Southwest flight attendants will get a 22.3% raise, followed by 3% raises in the next three years.
Their success means Southwest attendants are now the highest paid in the industry, making 14% more than the second-best paid in their role, the Delta flight attendants, according to the TWU. United, Alaska, and America Airlines all are in contract negotiations as well.
“This is a significant victory for Flight Attendants industrywide and the TWU has once again proven that we are an incredibly effective voice for Flight Attendants,” TWU International President John Samuelsen said in a statement.
The contract also outlines paid maternal and paternal leave, something TWU notes is an “industry-first.” It will also provide healthcare coverage for a flight attendant looking after a newborn and $364 million in retroactive wages that occurred during contract negotiations.
During the pandemic, the flight attendant’s job took a nosedive. It was an already difficult job that was marked by low pay, extended hours, and a history of lawsuits related to the entrenched sexism attendants were subjected to. But pilot-staffing issues, new regulations, and hostile customers made the job even more trying.
“I always tell people that when Covid happened, all of the fun parts of being a flight attendant—all of the satisfying, exciting parts of being a flight attendant—were stripped from the job,” flight attendant Rich Henderson told CNN. Difficulty in hiring and retaining employees meant those who were left working had greater leverage when bargaining with employers over new contracts. In the quest to bounce back, though, airlines have found their hands forced towards their workers. For instance, Delta paid employees a 5% raise and a $1.4 billion bonus this year (which is 10 times greater than what was issued in 2022).
“We’re proud of the new collective bargaining agreement that goes into effect today, providing our dedicated Flight Attendants with industry-leading compensation and quality of life enhancements, while also providing key efficiencies to Southwest’s operations,” a Southwest Airlines spokesperson told Fortune, who added the company hasn’t “had any issues with hiring or retaining flight attendants,” and is instead limiting hiring this year.
“This deal provides significant raises and critical quality-of-life improvements for TWU’s Southwest Flight Attendants who worked through historic operational meltdowns and a global pandemic,” TWU International EVP Alex Garcia said in a statement. “TWU Local 556 won quantifiable compensation throughout all phases of the day that will put real money into our Flight Attendants’ paychecks. This is the least they deserve after years of hard work and negotiations.”
Flight attendants’ quest for better pay and conditions stretches back decades, as Mary Longobardi, the former president of the unionized Flight Attendants of Southwest Airlines and a flight attendant herself, has noted. Southwest flight attendants became the second unionized workgroup at the airline, after the mechanics, in the 1970s.
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