Southwest Airlines Ground Workers Protest Outsourcing and Cutbacks in Customer Service

[Omaha Steve]

From e-mail.

M E D I A A D V I S O R Y

For Immediate Release – May 8, 2013



Contact: Roger Kerson, 734.645.0535 [e-mail]

Patti Adams, 501-519-2743 [e-mail]



Advisory for May 9 and 10:

Southwest Airlines Ground Workers Will Conduct Informational Picketing, Leafleting to Protest Outsourcing and Cutbacks in Customer Service



DALLAS- Members of Transport Workers Union 555, concerned about Southwest Airlines’ management contract demands that would diminish customer service, will distribute leaflets to customers and informational picket at 18 airports across the country on May 9 and May 10.



Who: Members of TWU 555, Ground Workers at Southwest Airlines

What: Leafleting and Informational Picketing
to Inform Passengers of Southwest’s Proposals to
Compromise Customer Service

When: Thursday, May 9, 2013
and Friday, May 10, 2013 (times vary at each airport)

Where: Atlanta –
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Austin (TX) – Bergstrom International Airport

Baltimore – BWI Airport

Chicago – Midway Airport

Dallas – Love Field

Denver – Denver International Airport

Houston – Hobby Airport

Islip, Long Island –McArthur Airport

Las Vegas – McCarran International Airport

Los Angeles – LAX

Oakland – Oakland International Airport

Ontario (CA) LA-Ontario International Airport
Panama City (FL) –
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport

Phoenix – Sky Harbor International Airport

Providence (RI) – Green Airport

Raleigh (NC) – Raleigh-Durham International Airport

San Diego – San Diego International Airport

St. Louis – Lambert International Airport



“Delivering outstanding customer service and maintaining positive labor relations are principles that have served Southwest Airlines well for over 40 years, and we believe these principles are important to our future success,” said TWU Local 555 President Charles Cerf.



“We met with the company and a federal mediator last week, and we were stunned that Southwest Airlines continued to insist that temporary contract workers are good for our customers and our airline,” Cerf stated. “Our customers have come to expect a certain level of service when flying Southwest Airlines. Our members are career employees who are committed to providing friendly, efficient, on-time service. Now, Southwest Airlines proposes following in the footsteps of failed airlines and relying on temporary contractors to take care of our valued customers.”



“Over the next two days, our members will be distributing information to our customers and asking for their support,” said Cerf. “Our members are the employees who greet our customers with a smile when they board, ensure their bags are loaded on the correct flight, perform important flight safety duties and keep our planes on time. We don’t think customers will be pleased to learn about Southwest Airlines’ plan to hire temporary, inexperienced contractors to meet these critical travel needs. Our members remain the most productive in the industry and play a significant role in Southwest Airlines’ continued success. We want to continue doing our part to take care of our customers.”



The TWU Local 555 bargaining committee, representing more than 9,400 ground crew workers at Southwest, began negotiations for a new agreement in July, 2011. Talks have stalled, however, due to management demands that would negatively impact customer service and impose unnecessary concessions on members of Local 555.



TWU Local 555 is a local union of the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU). TWU, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, represents 200,000 workers and retirees, primarily employed in public transportation, rail and aviation. TWU represents Southwest ground crew workers, flight attendants, flight dispatchers and flight crew instructors.