Southwest workers claim they got frostbite while working 16-hour shifts

According to a union letter, some Southwest Airlines ground crew workers developed frostbite during 16-hour shifts where they were exposed to sub-zero temperatures for prolonged periods. As angry as passengers have been this week due to delayed and canceled flights, lost luggage, and being stranded far away from loved ones during Christmas, that was nothing compared to what they experienced. Local 555 of the Transport Workers Union of America says it represents 17,000 Southwest Airlines ground crew members. TWU Local 555 President Randy Barnes said in a release on Wednesday that many of their members were working 16- to 18-hour shifts this holiday season. Some were becoming ill, and he stated that some had frostbite as a result of the extremely cold temperatures. "People must be able to ride their bikes in and out of the cold," Barnes wrote. "The airline must do more to safeguard its ground crews." According to a leaked email sent to Southwest employees in Denver, Colorado, the company announced an internal "State of Operational Emergency" on December 21. According to the memo, ramp workers were required to do overtime, and if they were sick, they had to provide a doctor's note—but not from any doctor seen via telemedicine. Business Insider first reported the memo on Wednesday, claiming that the document had been confirmed by the company.

The leaked memo from #southwest VP stated that #denver gate agents & staff will be fired if they deny overtime demands. This breaks @coloradogov labor laws. This is a nightmare for corporate leadership, but learn from it. Take a financial hit. Hire more staff. #PeopleOverProfit

— Ruth, MDiv (@ruthschmidt) December 26, 2022

Southwest Airlines has been chastised for booking so many flights in December, although it was extremely cold, snowy, and windy. On December 22, Colorado experienced -15 F average temperatures, some of the state's lowest recorded temperatures. Barnes believes Southwest should space out its flights more often during weather extremes, not just extreme cold. Gizmodo reached out to the union to learn more about the severity of sickness and frostbite for Southwest ground crews, but we did not receive a response right away. We also asked Southwest for comment on its policy initiatives for the ground crew during bad weather, but the company declined. Southwest told Insider that it has the contractual power to apply these emergency procedures for ramp workers. [caption id="attachment_77028" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] George Rose/Getty Images[/caption] Frostbite can develop in a matter of minutes depending on exposure, temperature, and wind chill. The National Weather Service has a chart on its website that shows the temperature and wind speed needed to cause frostbite in 30 minutes, 10 minutes, or 5 minutes. The agency observed a person with a wind chill of -20 F. Milder forms of frostbite, also known as "frostnip," can be treated at home, but it's important to see a doctor to determine the intensity and receive accurate treatment. Southwest has canceled thousands of flights since a winter storm disrupted people's holiday travel plans. The airline canceled 2,400 flights on Tuesday and another 4,800 on Wednesday and Thursday. Since December 22, Southwest has canceled nearly 16,000 flights. Southwest Airlines pilot association executive blamed much of the travel turmoil on the airline's aging scheduling software. The airline was also suffering from a staff shortage. Instead of responding to our queries, the company directed us to a video featuring Southwest CEO Bob Jordan, which was released on Tuesday. Jordan stated, "