First Layoffs In 53 Years Now Hitting Dallas, TX Based Southwest

Dallas, Texas and the D/FW metro is home to dozens of Fortune 500 companies, and every year a few more relocate to Texas in hopes of enjoying the same financial success that has come to many of the great businesses either headquartered or founded in the Lone Star State.

According to this KHOU article, Southwest Airlines has never gone through layoffs of this caliber in their 50 plus year history as they are slashing almost 2,000 corporate positions. The cuts break down to about 1 for every 7 employees at their Dallas headquarters, and the company hopes to slash nearly a half billion dollars.

Texas Airline Now Eliminating Over A Thousand Jobs To Start

Southwest has always boasted about their incredible culture, and never in the company's 53 years have they ever made layoffs because they always lived by a people first mantra. Now, some employees feel like the culture is shifting from all for one, to us vs them because none of the cuts are affecting union employees.

After all of the attached payroll of these now former employees clears the books, Southwest still has to find a way to slash another $200 million in operating costs, and all of these moves have to happen in a way that does not jeopardizes the customer experience, which is already going through its own adjustments.

Just like with many industries, you have entire families that all work for Southwest, and anywhere from one to all could be out of work today. Hopefully the job growth in Texas can keep up with the people seeking employment.