After nearly seven years of negotiations, Southwest Airlines mechanics have ratified a new contract. The new contract will give mechanics approximately $160 million in back pay, increase pay by 20 percent, and includes annual raises. The union has stated that the ratified agreement was approved of by more than 90 percent of union members. The major concession that the union made in order to achieve the desirable contract was allowing the firm to continue outsourcing some work to foreign contractors.
See "Southwest Airlines Mechanics Approve Contract, Ending Long Impasse", Zach Wichter, The New York Times, May 22, 2019