(AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)DALLAS – Southwest Airlines warned nearly 7,000 workers on Thursday that they could lose their jobs unless labor unions accept concessions to help the airline cope with a sharp drop in travel caused by the pandemic.
The warnings went to 6,828 employees including more than 2,500 ground workers and 1,500 flight attendants represented by the Transport Workers Union and 1,221 pilots, who have their own union.
Rivals American Airlines and United Airlines furloughed 32,000 workers between them in October.
Jon Weaks, president of the pilots’ union, called the furlough notices “a sad milestone” in Southwest history.
Southwest received $3.2 billion in federal aid this spring as its share of the $25 billion allotted by Congress to help airlines cover their labor costs through September.