LUV Southwest Airlines Co

Southwest Airlines Co. pilots will vote on a tentative labor agreement in October, after union leaders voted to send it to membership but decided not to endorse or reject the offer.

"After four days of intense review and discussion," the board of the Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association "believes the ultimate decision should be made by the 8,000-plus members of the union."

Southwest said Sept. 3 that an agreement-in-principle was reached. The airline didn't disclose terms.

The agreement runs through April 1, 2019, and has pay increases that "put Southwest pilots in line with other major airlines," the union said. The proposal includes increases in company contribution toward retirement and improved work rules, as well as "company-desired changes to pilot subsets for international and future 737-MAX flying," the union said.

Southwest said the accord "offers wage increases and work-rule changes that will benefit the pilot group and position Southwest to continue its expansion both domestically and internationally," and said it is "encouraged" that the proposal is being sent for a vote. The airline said the vote will close Nov. 4.

In July, a wide majority of Southwest flight attendants turned down a new, six-year labor agreement that their union had said would maintain their industry-leading wages, benefits and work rules.

Meantime, Delta Air Lines Inc. pilots rejected a contract in July, and in August, the union representing United Airlines flight attendants filed for federal mediation. And Republic Airways Holdings Inc. has been in a dispute with its pilots union.

Write to Josh Beckerman at josh.beckerman@wsj.com

Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 17, 2015 20:55 ET (00:55 GMT)

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