Southwest reaches tentative contract with pay raises for 5,300 customer-service reps

Southwest Airlines labor deal includes pay raises

DALLAS — Southwest Airlines Co. says it has reached a tentative agreement that gives pay raises to customer-service employees.

Southwest on Tuesday didn’t say how big the pay raises would be. The deal also includes provisions to increase productivity.

The 4-year contract covers about 5,300 of Southwest’s 35,000 employees.

The tentative contract is retroactive to last year and runs through October 2012. The customer-service employees will hold a ratification vote.

The workers are represented by the machinists’ union.