Southwest pilots’ union lays groundwork for potential strike

Southwest Airlines The pilots’ union said Thursday it is seeking a release from federal mediation of a new employment contract, laying the groundwork for a potential strike because talks with the carrier have not yet resulted in an agreement.

The airline and Etihad, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, have been in contract talks for more than three years and negotiations have been tense. Pilots of the Dallas-based airline voted to allow the union to call a potential strike last month, a poll the union called for in the wake of last year’s weekend breakup.

Riven, the negotiating committee chairman, wrote to the National Mediation Board on Thursday, according to a letter seen by CNBC.

The union said Southwest refused to engage in “substantive discussions or make credible proposals” on issues such as improving pay and work rules, improving quality of life and alleviating fatigue, according to a letter sent by the union to the National Mediation Board.

Southwest vice president of labor relations Adam Carlyle said in a statement that the company disagrees with the need to release the mediation.

“We have continued to meet regularly with SWAPA and, in fact, have submitted a ground-breaking proposal for compensation and schedule adjustments to address workplace quality-of-life issues for our pilots,” he said. “We feel confident that the mediation will continue to move us closer to a final agreement that will benefit both our pilots and Southwest Airlines.”

Pilot strikes in the US are extremely rare, and the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association request does not mean that a strike is imminent due to US labor actions. Law. It was the last major US airline strike in the country Spirit Airlines in 2010.

There are many alleged cooling off periods if the National Mediation Board announces a deadlock between Southwest and the pilots union. The last 30 days for each day, giving time for a potential deal.