October 30, 2025

Local President Update: 3rd Quarter

As we head into the last part of the year, I want to take a moment to share an update on what’s been going on in our Local and within AMFA. This is always one of the busiest times of the year as we wrap things up and prepare for the new year. From the last quarter, we did not have any Local airline arbitration fundings or any pro rata fundings for review. We have continued to see a steady flow of retirements, about one or two each month. While that may not sound like much, it’s something we’re keeping a close eye on because it will start to affect staffing levels and overall operations.

Officer nominations recently closed for the positions of President, Secretary, and Safety Chair. The Secretary position was filled unopposed and elections will be held for the other two positions. I want to thank everyone who participated in the nominations and stepped up to run. On a personal note, I’ve made the difficult decision not to seek another term as your Local4 President. This decision does not come easy after being constantly involved for the past seven years serving in different roles as a Local representative, committee member, and LEC officer. I truly enjoy the work I always do and the challenges that come along with it, but it’s time for me to shift focus on my family. While other factors influenced my decision, it has become harder to balance work, Union duties, and family life. I’m very proud of everything Local 4 has accomplished, and I’m grateful for the support I have received over the years. I will continue to stay involved and help our Union grow in any way I can.

Last month, AMFA held a special convention in Denver where delegates approved a proposal to change language in Article 22, Section 3 of the AMFA Constitution. The goal was to modernize some old language that no longer fits how we operate today. The next step is a membership referendum that was mailed out on October 23rd and voting will close on November 13, 2025. Please take the time to review the information and make the choice you believe is best for our membership. This is your Union and your decision, so please vote when ballots arrive.

Following the Convention, we had the Joint Advisory Council (JAC) meeting. The JAC gives all AMFA Locals a chance tocome together and talk about what’s going on across the industry. One of the big topics was the growing technician shortage that’s starting to hit nearly every airline. Many seasoned mechanics are retiring faster than new hires can replace them, creating long-term staffing challenges. Since June of 2024, over 150 Southwest mechanics have retired, yet the Company still openly says they are overstaffed. This type of message shows a serious disconnect from reality and it is concerning. AMFAwill continue to push back on this topic going into the future.

Other items that were discussed included Southwest leadership accusing AMFA over an alleged job action in PHX related to excessive write-ups. AMFA Legal was notified of these allegations and a meeting was scheduled with Union and Company leaders to address the claims. Instead of finding solutions to the problems our members are dealing with, management continues to shift the blame onto the technicians. It's clear that management continues to deflect from operational failures and common issues across the network such as staffing shortages, MXI issues, and unbalanced workloads. Members are reminded to stay professional, follow procedures, and document all work properly as the Company is watching all activities. At Southwest, morale continues to be strained with ongoing abolished slots, level staffing changes, and reduced overtime opportunities. The Company recently eliminated 12 covered slots in Dallas and converted them into permanent management positions as part of the maintenix (MXI POD) structure. Most of those members associated within the MXI POD left thebargaining unit and accepted offers to move into these management roles. Over the past few months, several AMFA leaders, including myself, have met with senior Company management to raise ongoing concerns about manpower, parts shortage, workloads, and other issues affecting our members. While the Company acknowledges these problems, there’s currently no plan to address them. In an already high-stress environment, this puts our members in a difficult position, creates unnecessary challenges, and at times feels like they are being set up to fail.