DALLAS, March 27/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines is pleased to announce that its Ramp, Operations, Provisioning, and Freight Agent Employees represented by the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 555 voted to ratify the tentative, three-year agreement both parties reached in February 2009. The new contract is active through June 30, 2011. The official Collective Bargaining Agreement will be signed in Dallas on April 7, 2009.
"We're very pleased our hard-working Employees represented by TWU 555 voted to ratify this new contract," said Greg Wells, Senior Vice President of Operations. "Today's positive vote allows us to reward our Ramp, Operations, Provisioning, and Freight Agent Employees for their contributions to Southwest, but at the same time enables the Company to sustain its success in an increasingly tough economy."
The new contract delivers raises in exchange for work rule improvements and scheduling flexibility along with productivity and gained efficiencies. TWU Local 555 represents approximately 7,780 Southwest Airlines Employees.
Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 65 cities in 33 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.
