Air Division

Thom McDaniel

Thom was elected as International Executive Council Member in September of 2001 and was elected as an International Vice President in 2009, 2013, and 2017. Prior to joining the TWU Air Division Staff, Thom served as TWU Local 556 1^st Vice President from May 2000 – May 2001 and TWU Local 556 President from May 2001 – April 2012.  He currently serves on the TWU International Committee on Appeals and the TWU International Civil and Human Rights Committee.

Thom was hired in June 1992 as a Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant and continues to hold that position today.

Thom attended Angelo State University where he majored in Psychology and minored in Speech.  Thom has certificates in Level 1 & 2 Arbitration Training from the George Meany Institute and has completed subsequent courses on Negotiation in the Private Sector and Brief Writing.

Thom is currently the Texas State Chapter President of Texas Pride at Work (PAW) and also serves on the PAW Executive Board.  He serves on the Executive Board of the Texas AFL-CIO and as a Delegate for the Gulf Coast Area Labor Foundation and the Harris Country Central Labor Council.  Thom served for five years on the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE). Thom is also on the Board of Directors of AIDS Foundation Houston and the Texas Labor Management Conference(TXLMC) where he has been inducted into the TXLMC Hall of Fame.

Thom McDaniel was born in Las Vegas, NV and raised in West Texas.  He has lived in Houston, TX since 1992 where he currently lives with his husband, Lance and five cats.