Today's SWAPA Number is 18. That's the number of days the NMB has given us for the next 10 weeks. Those extra days with additional unmediated sessions for language writing will help us get closer to a deal. So today we're going to talk to the SWAPA NC Chair Jody Reven and NC members Kurt Heidemann and Damian Jennette about the latest in negotiations and where we might be going. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or tap here to send us a...
Sep 18, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Today's SWAPA Number is 12. That's the number of BOD seats that are up for election next month, which include one for each domicile, plus the vice president executive seat. Today's podcast will take a different tack from our normal format where our hosts will serve as guests in a roundtable discussion on the importance of SWAPA board representation changes we've enacted for this election cycle, and how you can get involved and make a difference that impacts the lives of every...
Sep 11, 2023•23 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Today's SWAPA Number is 5. Last week, SWAPA pilots participated in our first ever nationwide picket at 5 domiciles, Atlanta, Chicago, Baltimore, Houston and Los Angeles. On this Labor Day edition of the SWAPA Number, we're going to talk to those pilots who came together to show their support for an industry-leading contract and to demonstrate their unity and resolve. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or tap here to send us a text. Follow us...
Sep 04, 2023•14 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Today's SWAPA Number is 649,000. That's the number of new pilots that Boeing projects will be needed to staff the growing demand for airlines in the next two decades. With such a high demand and low supply of qualified aviators, business as usual from the past must change to meet this new reality. On today's episode, we will be talking with the Training Committee Chair, Captain Greg Bowen and Professional Standards chair, Captain Jon Ross, about the pilot shortage, how training mu...
Aug 21, 2023•31 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Today's SWAPA Number is 23. That's the number of pages of SWAPA's Schedule Execution language that was missing from Labor Relations' last pass of work rules. Our proposals to mitigate long days, short overnights and a historic fatigue rate were completely ignored in their counter. So today's on the show, we're going to talk to the three SRC members who are working with the Negotiating Committee to deliver protections for our pilots in Contract 2020. Scott Plyler, me...
Aug 07, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Today's SWAPA number is $402. That's the dollar amount that SWAPA members pay for their long-term and short-term disability per month. Today on the show we're going to talk to SWAPA pilot Matt Minguela about his experience on disability, as well as Benefits Committee member Tony Caparella, to give us more information on what is lacking in your benefits, what you can do to make the process easier and what needs to change to be competitive in today's marketplace. If you have an...
Jul 31, 2023•36 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Today's SWAPA Number is 6. That's the number of agreements that have been ratified, with two still pending, at other carriers over the last nine months. So today on the show, we're going to talk with EF&A Chair, Eric Schnitzler, member Greg Auld, and SRC Committee member, Dan O'Connor, about what's been happening with other carriers' contracts and SWAPA's upcoming contract comparisons scheduled to be released in the next couple of weeks. If you have any fee...
Jul 17, 2023•27 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Today's SWAPA number is 117. FAR Part 117 is the regulation that governs flight time, duty time, and rest rules for airline pilots. So on today's episode, we'll be talking with Captain Scott Hutchinson, member of the SWAPA Safety Committee and the Fatigue Safety Advisory Group about fatigue issues that not only impact SWAPA pilots, but are industry-wide issues. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or tap here to send us a text. Follow us ...
Jul 03, 2023•30 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Today's SWAPA number is 8/31. That's the date of SWAPA's nationwide picket that will take place in 5 of the 11 domiciles. This historic picket is just one of the many things we have prepared over the next few months. So today on the show, we're going to talk to President, Casey Murray and Strike Committee Chair, John Murphy, about upcoming events and strategic plans for our organization. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or tap he...
Jun 19, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Today's SWAPA Number is 892. That's the number of planned CQT move-ups from August and September to June of this year. As you can imagine, this will have a definite impact on flying for the month. So on today's show, we spoke with SRC Chair, Scott Plyler, member, Dan O'Connor, and analyst manager, Meagan Nelan, about how the schedule might be affected and what pilots should expect going into the busy summer months. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line...
May 29, 2023•32 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Today's SWAPA Number is 99.2. That's the percentage of pilots who voted yes to the strike authorization vote. That number was very impressive and clearly showed our pilots' resolve. Because of that historic vote, on today's show, we spoke with SWAPA President, Casey Murray, about those numbers and what they mean for our pilot group as well as what the future holds. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or tap here to send us a text. F...
May 15, 2023•36 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Today's SWAPA Number is 11.9 million. That's the amount of money lost in pure training costs alone from the pilots who have left Southwest since December of 2021. That's a lot of money being lost to attrition, and it doesn't take into account the lost revenue from those pilots no longer being here to fly the schedule as published. So on today's show, we spoke with NC Chair, Jody Reven, and NC members, Damian Jennette and Kurt Heidemann about where we stand with regard to...
May 01, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 20
Today's SWAPA Number is 1380. That's the Southwest flight number that had an uncontained engine failure with an emergency landing into Philadelphia five years ago today on April 17th, 2018. Today, on the anniversary of that date, we talk with Houston Captain, Darren Ellisor, who was the FO on Flight 1380, about what happened that day, the investigation afterwards, and what lessons can be learned from the incident. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at comm@sw...
Apr 17, 2023•37 min•Season 3Ep. 19
Today's SWAPA number is 5, that's how many unions, including SWAPA that have chosen to call a Strike Authorization Vote during their negotiation cycle while we have been in the middle of ours. The other four are Delta, Alaska, American and FedEx. Southwest isn't alone nor unique in their struggle to achieve a contract that attracts and retains the best pilots in the industry. On today's show, we spoke with SPC Chair, John Murphy, and committee member Mike Terwilliger about th...
Apr 03, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 18
As we approach 100 episodes of the SWAPA Number podcast, we're going to look back on some highlights including some never before heard clips that will give you, our listeners, some insight into the process it takes to bring you information directly from the source- our SWAPA subject matter experts and leaders - since August 2019. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or tap here to send us a text. Follow us online: Twitter - https://twitter.com/swap...
Apr 01, 2023•14 min
Today’s SWAPA Number is 45. That’s the number of years since the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association was formally recognized by the National Labor Relations Board on March 27, 1978. You’ve heard the expression that history repeats itself, so for the SWAPA anniversary, we wanted look back at some of the events that have happened at our Union and see what they tell us about what we’re experiencing today in 2023. So on today’s show, we’re talking with Phoenix Captain Frank Schmuck who has been wi...
Mar 20, 2023•27 min•Season 3Ep. 17
Todays SWAPA Number is 89, thats the number of days Contract Admin Chair Seth Kornblum was on strike, when he was with his former carrier Comair. With the Strike Authorization Vote coming up and the Strike Prep Booklet having been mailed to homes, we felt that the time was right to sit down and talk with him about what that time in life was like, what were some of the things he would do differently and what he feels is important about the upcoming vote. If you have any feedback for us at all, pl...
Mar 01, 2023•25 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Today's SWAPA Number is 2.07, that's the percentage of 2022 profit sharing that will be funded next month. February is a busy time for our EFA Committee every year with full year earnings across the industry coming in and Southwest Profit Sharing getting announced. But this year it's especially busy with the fallout from the Christmas meltdown, a recent TA at Delta and big pay raises across the industry. So on today's show, we're gonna talk with Eric Schnitzler, Greg Aul...
Feb 20, 2023•31 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Today's SWAPA Number is 27. That's the number of Senators on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. This week, that committee held a hearing to investigate the airline industry and invited SWAPA President Casey Murray to testify. If you had any doubt about the value of SWAPA’s Government Affairs Committee, this hearing should be all the proof you need. GAC’s relationships and their credibility in DC opened the door and our Union's data-driven analysis got C...
Feb 10, 2023•21 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Today's SWAPA number is 33. That's the percentage of pilots who have joined Southwest Airlines since our last contract cycle between 2012 and 2016, which led to our current CBA and ended our last trip through mediation. So on today's show, we're talking to SWAPA's Communications Committee Chair, Mike Panebianco, about SWAPA's message moving forward. We'll also ask him to share with our newer members some of the history of SWAPA, what he sees as the most importa...
Feb 06, 2023•34 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Today's SWAPA Number is 99. That's the percentage of voting pilots who backed ALPA's strike authorization vote at Delta Airlines back in October. Pilots at Alaska voted in May with the same outcome. Those incredible numbers are the target SWAPA pilots need to aim for in our recently announced strike authorization vote. On today's show we're going to speak with Casey Murray and NC Chair Jody Reven, about how we got here, what an SAV means, and what our pilots can expect i...
Jan 23, 2023•41 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Today's SWAPA Number is 825 million. That's the negative impact the meltdown will have to our fourth quarter earnings according to an 8-K, the Company filed on January 6th. I don't have to tell you that SWAPA has been super busy communicating with our members over the last couple of weeks. Our reps and our execs have written extensively about the leadership failures, while our committees have been trying to make sure that you get the information you need to help navigate this cris...
Jan 09, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Amy Robinson: Today's SWAPA number is 3,025. That's the total number of aircraft mechanics and related professionals at Southwest Airlines, which are represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association. AMFA and SWAPA have worked closely together over the last few years to help one another out during contract negotiations. So on today's show we spoke with Scott King, National Safety and Standards Director for AMFA about maintenance issues, AMFA's focuses, and how pilo...
Dec 26, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Today’s SWAPA Number is 1 in 10. That’s the estimated number of American’s who have addiction issues. That means that with 10,000 Pilots as many as 1,000 of them might be dealing with some form of addiction. So today we are talking to SWAPA HIMS Chair, Tom Stanley about the upcoming holidays and what you can do to help mitigate risk, and who to call if you believe you need help. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or tap here to send us a text. Follow ...
Dec 12, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Today’s SWAPA number is 25,000. That’s the number of days off our pilots have involuntarily given up since the beginning of the pandemic. On today’s show we decided to talk to SRC Chair Scott Plyler and member Dan O’Connor about this troubling trend as well as getting some other scheduling updates. We’re recording this show in Austin while the NC is in active negotiations, and Kurt is downstairs in the room and therefore unavailable, so sharing hosting duties with me today is SWAPA SRC Manager M...
Nov 28, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Today’s SWAPA number is 12/7. That’s the date of the next SWAPA Informational Picket that will be held on Wall Street in New York City. So on today’s show we talked to President Casey Murray about the state of the operation, last quarter’s financial results, and the relationship between SWAPA and the Company's new leadership. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or tap here to send us a text. Follow us online: Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapil...
Nov 14, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Today's SWAPA Number is $1.2 billion. That's the dollar figure increase from TA1 to TA2 during our last round of contract negotiations. The analysis and costing that went into that increase was calculated by SWAPA's EFA committee. But assisting us at the time was industry analyst and former ALPA Chief of Staff, Jalmer Johnson. Today on the show, we'll talk with him about where he sees current trends and negotiations at some of our peers that he's working with, what the m...
Oct 31, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Today's SWAPA number is $3.5 million. That's the amount of money Resolute Healthcare Advisors have recovered for pilots since 2012 when they began working with SWAPA. This is a benefit that SWAPA provides for all of our pilots and is available for anyone to use regardless of their healthcare benefit plan. On today's show, we spoke with Kerrey Hunt from Resolute Healthcare about some of the things she's seeing on what Resolute Healthcare provides and how they can potentially h...
Oct 17, 2022•19 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Today's SWAPA Number is 50. That's the number of recently hired pilots who have voluntarily left Southwest Airlines so far in 2022. This record number shows that without an industry leading contract, Southwest Airlines cannot attract and retain the pilots needed to grow and sustain this network. SWAPA has been in formal negotiations for more than two years, since January of 2020, when we presented our pilot's full contract proposal. And just last month SWAPA filed for federal medi...
Oct 03, 2022•43 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Today’s SWAPA number is 1.31. That’s the new temporary dues structure that SWAPA is proposing on the fall general election ballot. This marks the first time the board has voted to increase dues during times of negotiations. So on today’s show, we spoke with SWAPA's 2nd Vice President, Tom Nekouei, and Executive Operating Committee Member, Hank Ketchum, about this year’s budget, that dues increase, and what it could mean for our pilots in the upcoming election. If you have any feedback for u...
Sep 19, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 3
