WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) said Monday it has reached a tentative Seniority Integration Agreement with the Transport Workers Union 556, representing its Flight Attendants, and the Association of Flight Attendants Council 57, representing the Flight Attendants of AirTran Airways.
Southwest Airlines finalized closing of the acquisition of AirTran Holdings Inc. on May 2, 2011.
According to the company, the tentative agreement would integrate the two groups' seniority lists. Transport Workers Union, or TWU 556's Executive Board and Association of Flight Attendants, or AFA's Master Executive Council both approved the agreement, which will allow the membership of each Union to review the proposed agreement and ultimately put it to a ratification vote.
'The Union and Company negotiating Teams never lost focus on the ultimate goal of creating an integrated seniority list and transition plan for our Flight Attendants -- one that avoided arbitration,' said Mike Van de Ven , Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
'Much like the Pilots before them, everyone involved in the Flight Attendant discussions took ownership of their role in the integration of AirTran into Southwest Airlines, and I want to commend our teams for delivering this crucial first step in that process.'
Both Flight Attendant Unions will now spend the next several weeks reviewing the tentative agreement before putting it up for a ratification vote, the company said.
TWU represents approximately 9,800 Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants, and the AFA represents close to 2,400 AirTran Airways Flight Attendants.
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