Southwest Blames Cancellations On Worker Shortage, Union Denies ‘Sick-Out’ Over Vaccine Mandate

Nation and State ^ | 10/11/2021 | Tyler Durden

[SeekAndFind]

Update (1800ET): Southwest Airlines has had another terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day - as a shortage of workers combined with an air traffic control interruption to bring the total number of canceled flights to nearly 3,100 in four days.

"Crews were struggling to move and you end up in short order with aircraft and crews in the wrong spot," said EVP Bob Jordan, adding "It’s really difficult to repair and put those things back together."

Speculation over the actual cause of the cancellations has been rampant on social media - with some pilots refuting claims that they were staging a sickout over vaccination mandates, while COPO Mike Van de Ven told employees on Sunday night that it needs to build more of a "staffing cushion" to deal with unexpected disruptions.

This photo was just sent to me of a grounded Southwest plane flying a Gadsden flag out of the cockpit. The Hero Pilots at Southwest and other Airlines deserve our support. True patriots worthy of the American Freedom Fighter tradition.
Don’t Tread On Me.
God Bless Them 🇺🇸✈️🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/tAo9pT4Q60 — Benny (@bennyjohnson) October 11, 2021

According to Bloomberg, Southwest has hired just half of the 5,500 workers it plans to before year-end, according to CEO-designate Jordan.

The airline has set a Dec. 8 deadline for vaccinations, which the Pilots Union claim "imposes new conditions of employment" and threatens termination.

"What was a minor temporary event for other carriers devastated Southwest Airlines because our operation has become brittle and subject to massive failures under the slightest pressure," said Casey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. "Our pilots are tired and frustrated because our operation is running on empty due to a lack of support from the company."

Murray denied that the cancellations were due to any sort of pilot protest.

"I can say with certainty that there are no work slowdowns or sickouts either related to the recent mandatory vaccine mandate or otherwise," he said, adding that under federal law "our union is forbidden from taking job action to resolve labor disputes under these circumstances. SWAPA has not authorized, and will not condone, any job action."

* * *

Update (1220ET):

*SOUTHWEST COO: STILL SHORT ON WORKERS, ESPECIALLY FLIGHT CREWS

*SOUTHWEST COO COMMENTS ON CANCELLATIONS IN VIDEO FOR EMPLOYEES

*SOUTHWEST COO: `WE NEED MORE STAFFING CUSHION FOR DISRUPTIONS'

*SOUTHWEST COO: `CANNOT TELL YOU THAT WE ARE OUT OF THE WOODS'

* * *

As we noted on Sunday, Southwest airlines canceled nearly 2,000 flights over the weekend - blaming the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and inclement weather.

Oddly, no other major airlines had the same issues, while rumors swirled that airline employees had staged coordinated walk-outs (which their unions deny).

This is the single bravest thing I have seen in years. God bless these Pilots. The heroes we need right now 🇺🇸✈️ pic.twitter.com/ZxuRseDoAq — Benny (@bennyjohnson) October 11, 2021

On Monday, Southwest was once again at the top of the cancellation list, according to FlightAware - which lists 356 cancellations as of this writing (23% of the day's 1,539 total cancellations), prompting Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) to tweet: "As a loyal Southwest customer who has been flying safely throughout the pandemic and is utterly opposed to vaccine mandates, I’m asking, stop the madness before more damage is done."

Needless to say, shares in Southwest weren't happy Monday morning - hopeful candle aside.

Former US Senator Dr. Ron Paul may be on to something in a Monday op-ed via the Ron Paul Institute, when he calls it a rebellion (emphasis ours)

The incredible cruelty and folly of forced vaccines finally came home to roost. The vaccine mandate backlash has been bubbling just under the surface, but now it has spilled out into the open, threatening to completely derail an already crumbling economy and to obliterate a deeply unpopular US President and Administration.

Seemingly out of nowhere what appears to be a Southwest Airlines rebellion has taken flight this weekend. According to media reports, scores of pilots and other Southwest employees have coordinated the taking of “sick days” to use them up in advance of a Southwest Airlines mandate to get the jab or lose the job. Over Saturday and Sunday more than 2,000 flights have been cancelled, with airports experiencing full-on mayhem.

The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association is suing the airline over the imposed vaccine mandate, bolstering the claim that there is a “sick out” underway among angry Southwest pilots.

The mainstream media is doing its best to keep a lid on the expanding rebellion against the vaccine mandates, and Southwest Airlines itself is blaming the cancellations on bad weather and a lack of air traffic controllers. However, the weather problems that Southwest claims to be experiencing seem unique to that carrier: no other airline (thus far) is reporting such weather-related cancellations. And FAA spokesperson Steve Kulm told USA Today that “No FAA air traffic staffing shortages have been reported since Friday."

Will other pilots, such as at American Airlines, follow suit? Rumors are circling that this is only the beginning.

Over the past few weeks, thousands of nurses, medical workers, and first responders have either quit or been fired for refusing to receive a medical treatment they do not want or need. The “nursing shortage” that Democrat politicians and the mainstream media had been blaming on “rising Covid cases” has been in reality a man-made disaster of historic proportions. The nursing crisis is not caused by “Covid” – cases have been in decline in the US for weeks. It is caused by the firing of medical personnel who refuse to take the experimental Covid shots.

The stupidity of adopting a policy of firing healthcare workers while at the same time claiming that there is a raging pandemic gripping the country has not been lost on Americans. President Biden’s polling numbers have unsurprisingly been in freefall, with major Democrat candidates like Virginia's Terry McAuliffe openly complaining that the deeply unpopular Biden is threatening him in a tight race for governor.

While Biden Administration lackeys like Fauci are telling Americans they can’t celebrate Christmas again this year, more and more of America is finished with this “public health” terrorism. Here in Texas, a hundred thousand unmasked Texas A&M fans poured onto the football field on Saturday after a last minute surprise victory over Alabama. In Texas and elsewhere, the Administration is losing the fear factor.

History may record this weekend as the turning point against the Biden Administration’s Covid tyranny. From nurses to pilots to truckers to even Amtrak workers, it appears that America is standing up and saying “enough!” Every one of our fellow citizens standing up on principle to oppose tyranny – facing the loss of their jobs and security – is owed a debt of gratitude by all who love liberty. Let’s hope that the peaceful rebellion continues to grow!

[Paladin2]

“Make Southwest Great Again!”

[Fire current management]

[dynachrome]

I support the workers in this instance, even though it may screw up plans I have.

[janetjanet998]

VIDEO Only 4 desk agents as Southwest cancels 1,000+ flights
https://rumble.com/vnlkef-4-desk-agents-as-southwest-cancels-1000-flights.html

VIDEO: Brave Pilot Speaks Out Against Vaccine Mandates
https://rumble.com/vnliyf-brave-pilot-speaks-out-against-vaccine-mandates.html

[teevolt]

Agree, I’m totally fine with some travel struggle with a fight for freedom.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Southwest. Phooey.

[Howie66]

Fire the f**king Union Pukes!!

[griswold3]

Sick outs are illegal, of. Ourse.

[P.O.E.]

I support the workers

[Don Corleone]

Ports backed up. Airports cluttered with parked airplanes millions of jobs unfilled and still the Communists are bragging about what a great job they are doing.Surprisingly they have said nothing about increasing our chocolate ration.

[frank ballenger]

The minimum wage employees who wound the rubber bands tightly
for takeoff assist were not vaxed. Ford Broncos have to push the jets to get them to wheels up speed now. And gas costs money so bosses don’t like it.

[Reno89519]

“Our operation has become brittle and subject to massive failures under the slightest pressure”

That should cause any ticket holder to ask for a refund and for anyone looking to fly, to choose a different airline!

[WMarshal]

I hope they shut down the entire passenger airlines industry until the illegitimate Biden regime capitulates.

[SeekAndFind]

According to Newsmax, these delays occurred right after a pilot’s union asked a court to invalidate Southwest’s vaccine mandate:

On Friday, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association challenged the company’s mandate inside a Dallas federal court. The union claimed the policy “unlawfully imposes new conditions of employment and the new policy threatens termination of any pilot not fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021,” according to Bloomberg.

The union said it was it was aware of the “operational difficulties” affecting the airline but “we can say with confidence that our Pilots are not participating in any official or unofficial job actions.”

Southwest is denying that the vaccine mandate is the cause of this, calling it “unfounded rumors and speculation.”

Yeah, right. Based on the reporting above that Southwest was the only airline to cancel thousands of flights this weekend, it sounds like to me they are trying to hide the truth to avoid a mass exodus of their customers to other airlines.

[Reno89519]

If the pilots did not call in and cause this, did airline management create the problem to discredit the pilots?

[Joe Boucher]

Stock holders need to stand up to the management and tell them to quit this crap or be replaced.
Not wanting to lose their money.
Go F-yourself management.

[poconopundit]

Some words of wisdom from Emerson about the limitations of governors and corporate kingpins:

"Society always consists, in greatest part, of young and foolish persons.  The old, who have seen through the hypocrisy of courts and statesmen, die, and leave no wisdom to their sons.  They believe their own newspaper, as their fathers did at their age.

With such an ignorant and deceivable majority, States would soon run to ruin.  But there are limitations, beyond which the folly and ambition of governors cannot go.  Things have their laws, as well as men; and things refuse to be trifled with.

Property will be protected.  Corn will not grow, unless it is planted and manured; but the farmer will not plant or hoe it, unless the chances are a hundred to one, that he will cut and harvest it.  Under any forms, persons and property must and will have their just sway.

Politics from Essays: Second Series (1844)

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

On Friday, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association challenged the company’s mandate inside a Dallas federal court. The union claimed the policy “unlawfully imposes new conditions of employment and the new policy threatens termination of any pilot not fully vaccinated by December 8, 2021,” according to Bloomberg.

Dueling executive orders (Biden vs Abbott) go to federal court I guess.

[Cboldt]

Here, the union chose federal court, and it is challenging company policy that it claims follows from federal government regulation.

The Company has been pressured by the federal government to enact a mandate for all employees by December 8. In order to maintain its status as a federal contractor (and secure the revenue that goes along with it), Southwest Airlines has agreed to ignore our CBA and implement this mandate. They will require all employees to upload their COVID-19 vaccination records (or fill out a form requesting a disability, medical condition, or religious accommodation) by November 24. The Company has further stated that the presence of antibodies will not be a permissible exemption. Management has told SWAPA that beginning on November 29, they will begin the disciplinary process for Pilots not in compliance, which will ultimately result in termination. Given their repeated dismissal of our role as your representatives, it is unsurprising that this comes without consultation with the one labor group required to maintain a medical certificate, despite SWAPA's repeated attempts to reach an agreement with them for more than six months.

South West Airlines Pilots Association Leadership Update: Vaccine Mandate
October 05, 2021

Haven't found a link to the actual suit yet, but from news reports it is asking the fedeeral court to compel the airline to abide by a collective bargaining agreement.

I expect the federal court to side with the federal regulation. In federal court, federal regulation is superior to God.

Abbot's rule is tangential. It might come up, but it's not the supporting basis on the union's side, and the airline seems to prefer to run with the fed side.

[Cboldt]

Southwest Airlines Pilots Association v. Southwest Airlines Co., 3:21-cv-02065-M,
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas (Dallas)

Link to the civil complaint. Court is faced with competing federal edicts, one being the Railway Labor Act, the other being the phantom federal regulation that pertains to jabbing federal contractors.