Southwest and mechanics reach tentative agreement in labor dispute



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Planes of the Southwest Airlines Co. on the tarmac at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States, on Friday, January 19, 2018. Publication of results from Southwest Airlines Co is scheduled for January 25th. Photographer: David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Planes of the Southwest Airlines Co. on the tarmac at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States on Friday, January 19, 2018. Publication of Southwest Airlines Co's results is scheduled for January 25th. Photographer: David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Southwest complained of minor maintenance issues reported by mechanics to impose unnecessary flight cancellations, particularly regarding the number of missing seat rows.

The number of canceled flights soared to 62 a day in February, up from 14 normally, according to a complaint filed by Southwest against the union of mechanics for what he said was an illegal slowdown in the work to force the airline to accept contract.

Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest, said flight cancellations cost the airline millions of dollars.

The union had filed its own lawsuit for defamation of Southwest and its chief operating officer.

Both parties made conciliatory statements Sunday but declined to discuss how the agreement in principle could affect their respective lawsuits.

"Our mechanics certainly deserve a new contract, and this state-of-the-art agreement-in-principle takes into account the interests of our employees," said Russell McCrady, vice-president of labor relations for Southwest.

"I congratulate both parties for their hard work and tireless negotiations this week," said Bret Oestreich, national director of the mechanics union.

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