Here we grow again!!! Just the beginning of growth and expansion in 2026 for SWA

[SWAMECH]

Raises are always last in every negotiations because the things you want in the middle like work rules and benefits cost money. Even adding work comes with a cost. That cost is always more expensive than outsourcing unless the quality is just so bad it’s costing the Company more than it’s worth.

Under Section 6 of the RLA if you open the whole Contract it’s going to take time because both sides get to negotiate every article.

I agreed with, supported and even pushed for an extension because overall I think are 2020 Contracts are very good. Of course it’s the membership that ultimately decides if they really are and I was glad to see by the vote count in both Fleet and M&R that the memberships overwhelmingly agreed. 👍

They may not the next time though because we are at the top of the industry and it’s not looking good for anyone to leapfrog over us.

UAL Contract talks for both Ramp and AMT’s look stalled and Delta gave raises this year that didn’t even match our rates.

So AA and SWA Management may not make this easy for us next go round? And yes you guys do have your Elliot problem. They’re going to stall Labor cost rises. Guaranteed.

UAL, if they wise up, it would be advantages if they get to a deal that does leap from the AA mechs now, rather than waiting for the SWA mechs doing an extension or full nego's and then UAL would have to leap over us which will be even more. I predict UAL mechs will get an agreement next, we should follow, and of course that clever Delta Airlines will more than likely give another raise in front of all the airlines tossing out their raises as they usually do. I am actually hoping for an extension. There are guys still holding some hard, hard feelings towards SWA management from the 7 year fiasco and if they open up again this soon, I don't see the maint side being any where nice or patient like they were last time. As most all have said, we will not trust the co again to run out for years and years. So they will be much better prepared.
With all this said, I probably won't be around for another contract. I soon will be approaching 30 years at SWA and it may be a good timeframe to hang up my wings in Aviation. So weez, this time around I may not get so involved with it and just follow it from the outside. IF they are tossing around a major signing bonus or huge raises up front, I might stick around a little longer, but highly doubt it.

 

[WeAAsles]

UAL, if they wise up, it would be advantages if they get to a deal that does leap from the AA mechs now, rather than waiting for the SWA mechs doing an extension or full nego's and then UAL would have to leap over us which will be even more. I predict UAL mechs will get an agreement next, we should follow, and of course that clever Delta Airlines will more than likely give another raise in front of all the airlines tossing out their raises as they usually do. I am actually hoping for an extension. There are guys still holding some hard, hard feelings towards SWA management from the 7 year fiasco and if they open up again this soon, I don't see the maint side being any where nice or patient like they were last time. As most all have said, we will not trust the co again to run out for years and years. So they will be much better prepared.
With all this said, I probably won't be around for another contract. I soon will be approaching 30 years at SWA and it may be a good timeframe to hang up my wings in Aviation. So weez, this time around I may not get so involved with it and just follow it from the outside. IF they are tossing around a major signing bonus or huge raises up front, I might stick around a little longer, but highly doubt it.

UAL Management (Scott Kirby) is slow walking negotiations with the Mechanics and Ramp. That’s what I’m telling you. They know well that the RLA and the Trump Administration will be more on their side than Airline Labor.

The Mechanics voted no for a deal I believe it’s been over a year ago now and the IBT after that put out updates that management was basically ignoring them.

Ramp (IAM) had no choice but to negotiate because their Contract is very far in language behind both AA (TWU IAM) and SWA (TWU) I feel sorry for them because they would really like to gain what we have but I don’t think “Job Protections” are going to take root for them? We’ll see but maybe they could get a timeframe like say 5 years plus is protected?

On a side note the Flight Attendants at UAL (AFA) F’d up voting no for their deal recently. I suspect they’ll also be sliding on ice for a long time?

Eventually someone does leapfrog but it might not be dramatically higher this time? All of us getting too greedy is what kills us. You build wealth by capturing wealth, not waiting for wealth. That 7 years cost you guys a lot of value you could have built off of if you had signed earlier. A huge retro check isn’t invested money. That same say one time $40,000 could have grown much larger being put over 7 years into your 401K or other personal investments.

I think the Country may be caught near a new inflation rate closer to 3% rather than getting down all the way to 2%. So if we can get our Companies to offer a 3% 3% 3% 4% 4% style formula we should snatch it. Money talk only.

And frankly (honestly) you guys need to capture more work. The smaller you are the easier you are to be replaced. I don’t put it past Corporate to make that move. Check out the latest News on that IAM Boeing Strike. They’re hiring permanent replacement workers.