On the same day the SAV vote story hit the press, with headlines appearing yesterday like, “Strikes and pay raises: Southwest pilots will hold strike vote, Delta's could see a pay bump,” SWAPA announced they signed the company’s gratitude pay MOU that did not include any C2020 improvements, despite Casey explaining on Dec 26:

The signing of the MOU yesterday resulted in headlines like the following appearing in the press today: “Southwest pilots, others to get bonus pay for working during meltdown.”

Part of the idea with the SAV is to get the wheels of the book away effect going with the public. Another idea behind the SAV is that we’re trying to communicate to the company and to the NMB that we’re through with half-measures; we want an industry-leading contract, period.

But, now the headlines regarding the MOU and the implied cooperation going on between SWAPA and the company have supplanted, at least for now, what we were trying to accomplish with the announcement of the SAV.

It appears we have played ourselves. Again.

I can imagine the scene on the conference call between FH, SWA Labor Relations, and the company PR folks this morning, “As expected expected, they took the bait! [Lots of lol’s] Send out the press releases!!”

 

I (like most swa pilots) was against the MOU when it was presented as it was clearly an incentive for pilots to pick up to help save management from themselves.

At this point, it’s free money with no strings attached and despite any lack of scheduling improvements I don’t think it will move the needle on anybody’s pov towards management or the SAV. It is swapas job after all to extract value from the company.

 

Not a good look.

 

Yep.

123456

 

This sums up my feeling on it too. It was originally presented as a way to get the company through early January by acting as an incentive. SWAPA did the right thing by giving them the Heisman and telling them to pack sand.

At this point, it's free money. It would be pretty bad if a union turned down free money for the majority of their members out of pride or spite. It may even open them up to lawsuits.

 

Agreed. I’m okay with it after the meltdown but not during or before.

 

Yes… exactly.

 

Idk, hard to pass up free money but I see others point that we shouldn't have taken it.
I relate this to my divorce...
Ex is not being cooperative at all, always making it hard or having conflict. Right before going to court she makes a gesture by allowing another day with kid.
then the court doesnt see all the times she's said no, or went against the orders. All the court see is she is trying to work it out because of this one gesture.
I believe that is the strategy the company was going for. Cheap way to drag in negotiations for another yr because one time they made a gratitude payment.

 

Yep. It’s also another affirmation to the company that we will, in fact and as usual, compromise our stated principles for a little bit of cash.

“Things haven’t changed,” says BoJo.

“No, they haven’t,” laughs A Watt with glee.

 

Despite personally being against it, I understand why SWAPA did it. If they turned it down with no “pick up” strings attached, the 20-30% of clueless independent contractors we are trying to sway into voting yes on the SAV would’ve turned their ire towards SWAPA.