Wednesday, September 01, 2021

Southwest Pilots Sue Airline, Claiming Lack of Bargaining in Covid-19 Response

Labor unions have criticized the carrier during this summer’s travel rebound


The Wall Street Journal 
By Alison Sider
August 31, 2021 5:01 pm ET


Southwest Airlines Co. pilots have sued the airline, alleging that the carrier has been making unilateral changes to working conditions, including no longer paying them during quarantines following Covid-19 exposure.

In a complaint filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association alleged that the airline acted unilaterally rather than bargaining with the union when the pandemic began to affect travel demand in the spring of 2020. The company has said it doesn’t agree that it needed to negotiate with the union over measures it implemented in response to the pandemic.

Tensions between Southwest and some of its labor groups have flared during the pandemic. Last fall the airline sought pay concessions and threatened to furlough workers, prompting a backlash from unions.

While the airline didn’t end up cutting workers, unions representing pilots and flight attendants have become increasingly vocal about their frustrations, complaining that Southwest hasn’t staffed up quickly enough as it ramped up to meet a surge of demand this summer, leaving workers stretched thin. Pilots have threatened to picket ahead of the winter holidays. The airline has apologized to workers for difficulties this summer and is stepping up hiring efforts.

In the lawsuit, the union cited the extended time-off program Southwest set up last year, offering pilots the option to take time off from flying and forgo pay in an effort to conserve cash, as an example of something that the company and union should have negotiated.

The union also alleged that Southwest made “random and unilateral changes” in implementing its infectious-disease policy, which requires employees to quarantine if they have been exposed to Covid-19. Initially pilots who were exposed to the disease and put into mandatory quarantine were paid for the work they missed, but the union said Southwest changed that policy by June.

The union said the changes violated federal labor laws by changing the terms of the union’s contract in the midst of negotiations.

“This was our only recourse,” union president Capt. Casey Murray told members in a message Tuesday.

Russell McCrady, Southwest’s vice president of labor relations, said it disagrees with the union’s claims that Southwest had to negotiate over its Covid-related changes in recent months.

“Southwest Airlines, like the rest of the industry, has been forced to respond to the unpredictable challenges presented by the global Covid-19 pandemic,” he said, adding that Southwest remains committed to pilots’ health and welfare.

Piper PA-28-161, N2874Z: Incident occurred August 31, 2021 at Oakland International Airport (KOAK), Alameda County, California

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Oakland, California

Aircraft landed and veered off runway into the grass. 

AirTerrys LLC


Date: 01-SEP-21
Time: 03:42:00Z
Regis#: N2874Z
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Aircraft Model: PA28
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: NONE
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: OAKLAND
State: CALIFORNIA

Sonex Xenos, N112XS: Incident occurred August 31, 2021 at Crystal River Airport (KCGC), Citrus County, Florida

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Tampa, Florida

Aircraft landed hard, veered off runway and went into a ditch.


Date: 31-AUG-21
Time: 18:53:00Z
Regis#: N112XS
Aircraft Make: SONEX
Aircraft Model: XENOS
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: CRYSTAL RIVER
State: FLORIDA

Cessna 172N Skyhawk 100, N5317D: Incident occurred August 27, 2021 at Freeman Municipal Airport (KSER), Seymour, Indiana

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Indianapolis, Indiana

Aircraft struck a runway light with the propeller after landing.  

Monroe City Aviators LLC 


Date: 27-AUG-21
Time: 20:15:00Z
Regis#: N5317D
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 172
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: MINOR
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: SEYMOUR
State: INDIANA

Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP, N916BA: Incident occurred August 31, 2021 at Knox County Regional Airport (KRKD), Rockland, Maine

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Portland, Maine

Aircraft landed, lost control and veered off runway striking a taxiway sign. 

MAYA Aircraft Holdings LLC


Date: 31-AUG-21
Time: 16:05:00Z
Regis#: N916BA
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 172
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: ROCKLAND
State: MAINE

Hawker Beechcraft 4000 N31JE: Incident occurred August 31, 2021 at Republic Airport (KFRG), Farmingdale, Nassau County, New York

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Farmingdale, New York

Aircraft while taxiing to the runway veered off into the grass. 

N450JE LLC


Date: 31-AUG-21
Time: 14:23:00Z
Regis#: N31JE
Aircraft Make: HAWKER
Aircraft Model: 4000
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: CORPORATE
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Operation: 91
Aircraft Operator: TALON AIR
Flight Number: TFF921
City: FARMINGDALE
State: NEW YORK

Cessna 182R Skylane, N9611H: Incident occurred August 31, 2021 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (KRDU), Wake County, North Carolina

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Greensboro, North Carolina

Aircraft landed, lost control and veered off the runway into the grass.


Date: 31-AUG-21
Time: 15:27:00Z
Regis#: N9611H
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Aircraft Model: 182
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: RALEIGH
State: NORTH CAROLINA

Beech B200 Super King Air, N200JR: Incident occurred August 27, 2021 at Music City Executive Airport (KXNX), Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Nashville, Tennessee

Aircraft while taxiing, left wing struck the right wing of Learjet 45, N445FD.

Blue Sky Aviation LLC


Date: 27-AUG-21
Time: 14:00:00Z
Regis#: N200JR
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Aircraft Model: 200
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: TAXI (TXI)
Operation: 91
City: GALLATIN
State: TENNESSEE