American Airlines Pilots to Hold Strike Vote-Report
American Airlines Boeing 737-800
The American Airlines pilots union plans to hold a strike vote now that the carrier has won a bankruptcy court ruling to reject the union’s labor contract.
The Star-Telegram reports:
‘The Allied Pilots Association had previously said it would hold a strike vote if American Airlines implemented any of the work rule changes from the February term sheet. And now that the bankruptcy judge ruled last week that American was allowed to reject its pilot contract, it appears that American plans to put in place some of the changes it says are necessary to restructure successfully.’
Online voting for a strike is reported to begin tomorrow and continue until October 3rd with the results being announced shortly thereafter.
American spokesman Bruce Hicks said the union cannot legally strike against the carrier.
“The APA’s own general counsel reminded the union in a memorandum to its national officers and board of directors posted Saturday that any job action would be unlawful. So, it’s obvious this announcement is simply a diversionary tactic,” Hicks said. “American is committed to moving forward with implementing those terms from both the Tentative Agreement and Term Sheet that are necessary for our successful restructuring.”
He continued, “We assured the APA and our pilots on Friday that the vast majority of working conditions will not change from the pilot contract previously in place with the exception of specific changes found by the Court to be necessary for American to reorganize. At the same time, we remain committed to bargaining in good faith with APA for an agreement that addresses the Company’s needs and that pilots will find acceptable.”
Category: Airnation
News flash AA, bargaining in good faith does not involve getting a judge to shred previously agreed upon terms.
I hate unions
EI-EBB, just a word of advice… If you choose to be the type of poster that likes to share your often controversial “opinions”, at least be gentle in your presentation. It’s usually more satisfying to post educated statements and suggestions by presenting DATA to support your thesis, rather than merely “blurting out” your feelings while losing all creditability.
I don’t know why i’m asking, but do you care to defend your hatred towards unions? Specifically, unions as they apply to the aviation industry?
Keep in mind that the airline industry could not survive without unions, as without them management would suck every penny, hour of sleep, and brain cell out of it’s employees until they made little enough to quit. Without unions, airline pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, engineers, baggage handlers and everyone in between would go broke, quit, and the industry would fall.
Unions are necessary in the industry for without them, management could force it’s employees to do anything they wanted them to. This is called a “change in working conditions”, which cannot be tolerated.
Yet some airlines are union free…
Unions in the USA and in Canada usually make airlines bankrupt.
Just when i think i’ve reached someone…
Pray tell, what are these “union-free” airlines?
And how have the unions put US and Canadian airlines in bankruptcy? Last i checked, mismanagement of an airline results in bankruptcy- not the employees’ attempts at keeping what they’ve been promised. Management promises their employees X, Y and Z, and when they realize they can’t afford what they’ve promised to their employees, unions defend the workers. If the airline can’t afford to pay their employees what they’ve promised, it’s their problem.
Westjet is union free and I think my favorite airline (Ryanair) is too. Unions in the US and Canada are asking way to much out of the airlines and its making them go bankrupt. In my opinion unions are useless and you can’t make me change my opinion.
Uhh, no. Pilots at Westjet do unionize and so do those at Ryanair, belonging to the European Pilots’ Association.
And you are VERY confused in saying that unions are asking “way too much”. Management has made promises to their employees, and are attempting to take back benefits. Unions are lucky if they get back half of what management has taken away.
And i have no desire to change an opinion that lacks all observable merit. We’ve had a few airnation pariahs trolling around here in the past- it’s just up to the rest of us to correct any false information for the benefit of the readers.
El-EBB, I usually agree but this time I’m with the employees. The airline agrees to a pay rate, and they should honor it. Do you really want your pilot to be the one who agrees to work the cheapest, or the one with the best qualifications? They’re never the same person…..