MILWAUKEE — One of the nation’s largest airlines could see its first-ever furloughs and layoffs in company history come spring.
In an exclusive release, Southwest tells WTMJ that nearly 6,800 employees, or 11% of the company’s 58,000 total workers, could be furloughed.
- 2,551 Ramp, Provisioning, Operations, and Cargo Agents represented by Transport Workers Union, AFL-CIO 555 (TWU)
- 1,176 Customer Service Agents in Ground Operations represented by International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO (IAM)
- 370 Customer Support and Services and Source of Support Representatives (similar to reservations) represented by International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO (IAM)
- 1,500 Flight Attendants represented by Transport Workers Union, AFL-CIO 556 (TWU)
- 1,221 Pilots represented by Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA)
- Six Flight Instructors represented by Transport Workers Union, AFL-CIO 557 (TWU)
- Four Flight Simulator Technicians represented by International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)
Vice President of Labor Relations Russell McCrady released the following statement:
“We have been engaged with our unions since early October seeking temporary cost reductions to help offset over one billion dollars of overstaffing costs projected for 2021. Our absolute goal is to preserve every job at Southwest Airlines; however, due to a lack of meaningful progress in negotiations, we had to proceed with issuing notifications to additional Employees who are valued members of the Southwest Family. We are willing to continue negotiations quickly to preserve jobs if we can achieve the support that allows Southwest to combat the ongoing economic challenges created by the decline in demand for air travel.”
No official numbers have been released regarding potential layoffs at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee.