March 21, 2024
“Excellent and Well-Deserved” contract with Southwest Airlines is overwhelmingly ratified by TWU Local 555.
Ramp, Operations, Provisioning, and Freight Agents will get raises ranging from 14.4% to 46%. The average increase is more than 18%.
“This is a good day for our hardworking members at Southwest,” Transport Workers Union Executive Vice President Alex Garcia said. “This contract between The TWU and Southwest provides best in-the industry wages, bonus payments and other significant economic gains. It’s an excellent well-deserved agreement.”
The contract was ratified 78% to 22%.
Contract Highlights:
* Top-of-the industry wage rates at every pay step, including $38.00 an hour at the top of the scale. The top-of-scale rate is 3.5% higher than the next highest in the industry.
* Wage increases ranging from 14.4% to 46%. The average increase is more than 18%.
* Workers will reach top-pay rate after 10 years of service, down from 11 years. The new progression is the shortest of all ramp/fleet service groups in the industry.
* The employer 401(k) match is rising from 9.3% to 10%. This is the highest total employer contribution of any ramp group in the industry.
* Lump-sum bonus payments totaling $140 million.
The contract is a 5-year agreement that runs from March 2024 to March 2029. An earlier tentative agreement was rejected by the Local 555 membership, which is now comprised of approximately 19,500 workers.