Southwest Airlines Pilots Picket at BWI Airport Over Contract Negotiations
Over 1,200 pilots from Southwest Airlines Co. picketed at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on September 1, 2023, to show their frustration with the ongoing negotiations for a new union contract (source: St. Louis Business Journal). The pilots are demanding better pay and working conditions amid the pilot shortage crisis that has hit the airline industry hard.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) organized the picket to raise awareness of the pilots’ concerns and to put pressure on the airline to come to a fair agreement. The pilots held signs and chanted slogans like “Fair contract now!” and “Respect our work!” (source: Simple Flying).
This is not the first time Southwest Airlines pilots have taken to the picket line. In June 2022, over 1,300 pilots marched in Dallas to protest unfair working conditions and low pay (source: NBC News). The pilots’ union has been in negotiations with the airline for over a year, but they have yet to reach an agreement.
Southwest Airlines has been hit hard by the pandemic and has been struggling to recover. The airline has had to cancel thousands of flights due to the pilot shortage and other operational issues. The pilots’ union hopes that by picketing and raising awareness of their concerns, they can come to a fair agreement with the airline that will benefit both the pilots and the company.
