Southwest Airlines customer service agents have agreed to a new contract with a 25% pay raise over four years after twice rejecting proposals.
The International Association of Machinists, which represents the workers, described the vote as “overwhelmingly” in favor of approval.
The 8,300 employees who work as customer service agents and customer support representatives at Dallas-based Southwest will get an immediate 13.1% pay raise when the deal is made official, bonuses of at least $1,000, and protections to limit mandatory overtime — a major complaint among airline industry workers.
“Our members were crystal clear on what they wanted to see in this agreement,” said a statement from IAM District 142 President John M. Coveny Jr. “Our members should be proud knowing that they ratified an industry-leading contract as a result of their dedication and solidarity throughout the process.”
It’s the first deal among the airline’s five major work groups in negotiations. Those groups represent nearly 45,000 workers, about three-quarters of Southwest’s workforce.
Customer service agents staff ticket counters, field phone calls from customers and provide support to employees, particularly during periods of heavy delays and cancellations from weather and other operational breakdowns.
But those operational issues have also stressed employees across the company, leaving pilots, flight attendants and others to look for protections and changes to provide more stable schedules and flexibility.
The previous deal rejected in May offered immediate 6.5% raises and 3% raises over the next three years. This new deal gives a 13.1% increase upfront.
The newly accepted deal also gives stronger protections around a 10-hour rest period between work shifts and a 32-hour monthly cap on mandatory overtime.
