Employees with Southwest Airlines picketed at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Tuesday.
“We have been negotiating with Southwest Airlines for a contract since 2011 with little progress,” employee Richard Perry said.
Employees, including Richard Perry, are asking for more money. They said they want at least a cost of living raise.
“Over 40 percent of our workforce has not gotten a raise since 2011,” Perry said.
They don't want a contract starting this year, they want the company to take the past four years into consideration.
“It's called retro and if we would get a three percent increase it would have to be from the end of the contract. It’s money we missed out on,” employee David Garner said.
Perry said it is these employees, working without a contract, that make the flights run smoothly. With company profits going up to nearly a billion dollars this year, employees say they want their fair share.
“We provide a service and we want to continue doing that,” Perry said.
Employees are also concerned that Southwest officials want to add more part time positions, taking full time work away from people in Western New York.
