More than 1,300 Southwest Pilots Protest Contract in Dallas

Off-duty, uniformed pilots lined the sidewalks at Dallas-Love Field hoping for movement on a new contract.

Michael Wildes

Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 05:54 PM ET

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Southwest Airlines hires 9,600 pilots. [Courtesy: Southwest Airlines]

Key Takeaways:

Over 1,300 off-duty Southwest Airlines pilots protested in Dallas, demanding a new contract with improved pay and work rules after nearly 900 days of negotiation attempts.
Pilots are frustrated with frequent schedule changes, being asked to work on days off, and the lack of updates to their contract, which became amendable in September 2020.
Operating under the Railway Labor Act, pilots are prohibited from striking but can conduct off-duty pickets to pressure management, a tactic also being utilized by pilots at other major airlines in similar disputes.

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More than 1,300 off-duty but uniformed pilots of Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) lined up along the sidewalks of the Dallas Love Field Airport (KDAL) Tuesday to demand a new contract. Despite sweltering heat nearing 100 degrees, some of the pilots—who in total represent 8 percent of the Dallas-based airline’s 9,600 pilot workforce—brought their families along to protest as well.

The family that Informational Pickets together, stays together. Proud to stand with my family — along with 1,300 other Southwest Airlines Pilots Association Union members in Dallas today — who 896 days ago proposed a new, industry-leading contract. #IStandWithSWAPA pic.twitter.com/T9CtWeOJKE