OREANDA-NEWS. May 14, 2015. Southwest Airlines and the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) 550, which represents the Company's Meteorologists, announce they have reached a tentative agreement on the group's first-ever contract.  Terms of the four-year deal include adjusted wage-scale step increases, as well as opportunities for bonuses that are linked to individual and Company performances.

"Hats-off to TWU 550 for working so hard, and so quickly, to strike a fair balance between the needs of their members and the needs of the Company," said Senior Director Labor Relations Gerry Anderson.

"It is an exciting time for TWU Local 550 as this is our first foray into organizing," said TWU 550 President Mike Connor.  "For our Company to embrace our Meteorologists as a collective bargaining unit tied to the Dispatchers opens a new frontier of collaboration in planning our flights safely and efficiently with more concise weather knowledge. Our Meteorologists will be able to proactively and directly interact with the Dispatchers. This will prove to be a major asset to our Customers, our Company, and our operations, especially with our new direction into International service."

The agreement carries an amendable date of June 1, 2019, and is subject to membership ratification.

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In its 44th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 47,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest operates more than 3,600 flights a day, serving 94 destinations across the United States and six additional countries. Southwest service to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, begins in June 2015; and subject to government approvals, service to Belize City, Belize, begins in October 2015.

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From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic whenever the carrier enters new markets. With 42 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2013 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at Southwest.com/citizenship.

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