Southwest, fleet service union reach tentative deal on 3-year contract

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-southwest_28bus.State.Edition1.10b8122.html

09:44 AM CST on Saturday, February 28, 2009

By TERRY MAXON / The Dallas Morning News
[e-mail]

Southwest Airlines Co. and one of its unions have reached a tentative deal on a three-year contract that would give most of its fleet service employees 3 percent annual pay increases, retroactive to July 1, the airline said Friday evening.

However, the Transport Workers Union local leadership is sending the agreement to its members without recommending that they either approve or reject it.

Southwest chairman, president and chief executive Gary Kelly urged the union members, which include ramp, operations, provisioning and freight agent employees, to consider the poor economy when they decide on how they vote.

"The negotiation process has been long and arduous – both negotiating committees have certainly worked diligently and in good faith," Kelly said in a statement.

"We urge our employees to give serious consideration to the tentative agreement, keeping in mind that in these uncertain economic times, our common goal should be to take needed steps to protect employee jobs and to ensure the financial viability of our company," he said.

FULL story at link.