Local 555 Members Explain Issues to Public As TWU, Southwest Ask for Mediated Talks

TWU Local 555, joined by Southwest Airlines, filed for federal mediation at the end of October after negotiations for 7,200 ramp, operations, provisioning and freight agents bogged down over wages. Negotiations have been in progress since January.

While waiting for mediated talks to begin, Local 555 members have been taking their case to the public via informational picketing at Dallas/Fort Worth and other airports served by the low cost carrier. According to Local 555 President Charles Cerf the message is a simple one: “Our members are struggling with everyday living expenses and wages have not kept pace with the rising cost of living.”

In solidarity, other Southwest union members, including TWU Local 556 Flight Attendants, TWU Local 550 Dispatchers, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and Teamsters, have joined Local 555 members at the picketing events.

Cerf said that more senior members have been particularly hard hit because they have not had a wage increase since 2005. In previous negotiations, the Local agreed to a two-year contract extension in return for stock options that have yet to be valuable.

Although the Local 555 negotiators are seeking only modest increases, this time they want the pay raises to be guaranteed. “This is not about some type of executive bonuses,” Cerf said. “But hourly wages that employees depend on to earn a living.”

He said that equitable pay increases are in line with the company’s long and successful philosophy: Satisfied employees make for satisfied, loyal customers, which in turn makes for satisfied shareholders.

Noting that Local 555 members have a vested interest in keeping Southwest a profitable airline, Cerf said, “We have been careful to balance the needs of our members without losing sight of our responsibility to our customers and our airline. Our proposed wage increases are fair and reasonable.”

Cerf chairs the Local 555 Negotiating Committee with International Vice President Garry Drummond. Other members are Albert Barbosa, Kevin Carney, John Kaczmarek and Patti Adams. Union attorney Ed Cloutman and economist Dan Akins assist the team. Local 555 also established a CAIR Team (Contract Action Information Representatives) to keep members informed of the latest developments in the negotiations. Updates are also available on the union’s website.