Senior Labor Relations Manager

As a Senior Labor Relations Manager supporting Tech Ops, you'll serve as a subject matter expert on the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division (IBT) Collective Bargaining Agreements, providing strategic guidance to Leaders on their interpretation and administration. You'll help ensure the consistent application of contract provisions, advise on complex labor matters, and represent the Company's position throughout the grievance and arbitration process. This role partners closely with union representatives, Leaders, and internal stakeholders to resolve disputes, foster collaborative relationships, and support positive, productive labor relations across the operation.

Additional Details

• The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX Headquarters facility during business hours. 

• U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.

We’re committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics. 
 

Responsibilities

• Oversee onboarding and training for new Labor Relations Employees focused on labor administration to include grievance resolution, System Board, and Arbitration preparation training

• Update the Department Onboarding Manual as needed

• Develop and administer training material for Company Leaders related to fact-finding, System Board players, and investigation training

• Call or meet with union, Company, government, or other interested parties to discuss labor matters, such as contract negotiations or grievances.

• Advises Leaders who lead employees covered by collective bargaining agreements on disciplinary issues and Company policies

• Monitor Company or workforce adherence to labor agreements

• Present the position of the Company or of labor during negotiations and arbitration and prepares summary of Company arguments in written briefs

• Interpret contractual agreements for employers and employees engaged in collective bargaining or other labor processes

• Interpret Union contracts as they relate to Payroll, Leaves of Absence, Bid processes, and other work rules

• Consult Senior Leadership on all areas of Union contractual issues and correspondence system-wide for contract Employees

• Negotiate, prepare, and distribute settlements for grievances, including from System Boards and Arbitrations

• Act as an advisor to Leaders to help meet deadlines or resolve complex problems

• Provide expert testimony in legal proceedings related to Labor Relations or labor contracts

• Communicate grievance denials and resolutions between the Company and union

• Prepare documentation to present at Systems Boards, Med/Arbs, and other grievance meetings

• Ensure compliance with contractual timelines and inputting details into Company database

• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee’s Leaders.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of Collective Bargaining Agreements

• Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems

• Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources

• Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology

• Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process

• Skilled at understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making

• Skilled in using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems

• The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense

• The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions, (including finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events)

• Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, which does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem

Education

• Required: High School Diploma or GED

Experience

• Expert level experience, expansive and far-reaching knowledge in:

  • Collective Bargaining Agreements

• Preferred previous Tech Ops frontline leadership experience

• Preferred experience working in a union environment and with union contracts

• Preferred experience addressing labor issues, including the grievance and arbitration process

• Preferred experience investigating union grievances

Licensing/Certification

• N/A

Physical Abilities

• Ability to perform work duties from [limited space workstation/desk/office area] for extended periods of time

• Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job

• Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job

Other Qualifications

• Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines

• Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986

• Must be at least 18 years of age

• Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines

• Must meet confidentiality expectations as to confidential, proprietary and sensitive personnel information

• Must be able to travel, with overnight stays, several times a year and to work some nights and weekends

Pay & Benefits  

• Competitive market salary from $125,900 - $139,900 per year* depending on qualifications and experience, with opportunity for future pay increases based on performance and market movement. For eligible leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the company.  

 
Benefits you’ll love  

• Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)  
• Southwest will help fund your Retirement Savings Plan with Company contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings**  
• Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit***  
• Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including pets)  
• Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.  
• Explore more Benefits you’ll love: https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits  

 
*Pay amount doesn’t guarantee employment for any particular period of time  
**401(k) match contributions are subject to the plan’s vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits  
***ProfitSharing contributions are subject to plan’s vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company