The SWAPA Number

By SWAPABusiness

The SWAPA Number episodes

November 27, 2023 20 (Negotiations Q&A, Kurt Heidemann)
Today's SWAPA Number is 20, as in 20 questions, because that's what we're doing today on the show with typical host, Kurt Heidemann, who also happens to be a part of the NC.

We've been in negotiations for more than three years, and the SEP process ran for two years before that. With that much time, a lot of our pilots either forgot or weren't here to know the why's behind some of our asks and how the NC conducts our negotiations. So today, we spent some time talking with Kurt about those why's.
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35 min
November 13, 2023 11/30 (Expectations, Casey Murray, Jody Reven)
Today's SWAPA Number is 11/30. That's the date the federal mediators assigned to our negotiation have indicated that they expect Southwest and SWAPA will have a deal. So on today's show, we'll speak with SWAPA President, Casey Murray and Negotiating Committee Chair, Jody Reven. about what that date could mean and what our members can expect as that date arrives.
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.
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32 min
October 30, 2023 $70,000 (Contract Admin, Seth Kornblum)
Today's SWAPA Number is $70,000. That's roughly what SWAPA spends on an arbitration when we and the Company can't settle a grievance before it gets that far. Arbitrations are a required part of the RLA process that we operate in as professional pilots. Today, we're going to talk with Contract Admin chair, Seth Kornblum about some of the work that he and his committee do to defend our CBA from violations, and our pilots from potential discipline.
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.
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36 min
October 16, 2023 4 (Pilot Healthcare, Todd Hermling, Tony Capparella)
Amy Robinson:

Today's SWAPA Number is four, as in stage four cancer. Imagine if you were given that diagnosis by your doctor on today's show, myself and Tony Caparella from the Benefits team ended up talking with SWAPA pilot Todd Hermling about what he felt when he heard those words from his doctor as well as what he's experienced while he's been out on disability. We also talked about how he dealt not only with his diagnosis, but what advice he has for other pilots who may be going through the same thing.
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27 min
October 02, 2023 $37.5 million (Budget, Tom Nekouei, Hank Ketchum, Brian Hickman)
Today's SWAPA Number is $37.5 million. That's the total expenses in the 2024 budget, which will be voted on by the membership this month in the fall general election. Today, we're going to talk to SWAPA's Second Vice President Tom Nekouei, Executive Operating Committee member Hank Ketchum, and Director of Finance Brian Hickman about the next year's budget and what changes might be included and how the money is being spent.
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.
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27 min
September 18, 2023 18 (Negotiations, Jody Reven, Kurt Heidemann, Damian Jennette)
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 text.
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30 min
September 11, 2023 12 (Elections, Dan Mosher)
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 pilot on the Southwest seniority list.

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.
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24 min
September 04, 2023 5 (Nationwide Picket, Pilot Sentiment)
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.
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14 min
August 21, 2023 649,000 (Training and Professional Standards, Greg Bowen and Jon Ross)
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 must adapt to the new and diverse experience of our recruits, and what pilots can do to acclimate to the new environment we find ourselves in.
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.
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31 min
August 07, 2023 23 (Schedule Research Committee, Scott Plyler, Dan O'Connor and Meagan Nelan)
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, member, Dan O'Connor, and Analyst Manager, Meagan Nelan, will help us understand what they're seeing in the room and what's holding up the work rules negotiations.
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.
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43 min

About The SWAPA Number

From the publisher's feed

In each podcast we explore a number that will help us explain an issue that matters to our Pilots. This might be a scheduling metric, a Company financial number that impacts us, or anything else that…