Southwest Airlines pilots approved a new contract that will boost pay almost 30 percent over its term and improve retirement benefits while falling short of recent raises proposed at some rival U.S. carriers.
The agreement was approved by about 84 percent of those voting, the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association said in a statement Monday. The labor group, which represents 8,500 aviators, and the airline negotiated more than four years on the accord.
“This has been an incredible year of pilot unity and resolve,” Jon Weaks, union president, said in a statement. More than 96 percent of pilots cast ballots, the union said.
The vote is the second victory in a week for Southwest in efforts to nail down future labor costs, following the Oct. 31 approval of a contract for flight attendants that kept them the best paid in the industry. The airline, which generally seeks productivity improvements in order to hold down expenses, still is negotiating with three other unions.