Pilots Sue Southwest Airlines Over Employment Conditions During the Pandemic
A union representing thousands of Southwest Airlines pilots has sued the company over alleged changes to employment rules, pay rates and other working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic.
In the complaint, which was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) said that during the pandemic, the airline implemented several changes without first reaching a new collective bargaining agreement with the union after the previous deal expired in August 2020.
The union alleged that the Dallas-based airline has continued a “pattern of taking without bargaining,” including by implementing an “emergency time off” program, altering work schedules, and reducing prescription drug and retirement benefits.
