Says FA's Cannot Walk Out On Bankrupt Carrier
Crisis,
averted... or just postponed? A federal judge Friday
blocked flight attendants at Northwest Airlines from launching a
series of wildcat strikes aimed at disrupting operations at the
airline... just hours before those strikes were set to begin.
In his ruling -- in response to an appeal filed by management at
Northwest, after another judge declared the court did not have
jurisdiction over the issue -- US District Judge Victor Marrero
said he needed time to review the case, and during that time
it would be illegal for flight attendants at Northwest to strike
the carrier.
The Associated Press reports Marrero admitted the delay is
a setback for flight attendants, as they attempt to force a
better contract from the airline... but added "far greater injuries
exist to Northwest and the public by permitting the strike to
commence at this point."
As Aero-News reported, the
Association of Flight Attendants had intended to implement its
CHAOS strategy at 10:01 pm EDT Friday -- a deadline that passed
without incident after the judge's ruling.
Northwest, the world's fifth-largest airline, has said such a
strike could cause the carrier to fold.
As Marrero reviews the details of the complex case -- that calls
into question the Railway Labor Act of 1931, which makes it
technically illegal to strike a bankrupt transportation business --
he urged both parties to return to the bargaining table. The judge
set a deadline of August 30 for both sides to tell the court if
they think those talks would be worth it.
Flight attendants
maintain the Railway Labor Act doesn't apply in this case -- as
they say management at Northwest unilaterally slashed pay, and
forced a new contract on workers after two tentative agreements
were rejected by their union.
"When does it end? When does the company have to negotiate?"
flight attendant Lou Rudy asked outside court. "Now they can do
whatever they want. We've gone as far as we can go. We have nowhere
to go except to use our right to strike."
During the presentation of the ruling, Northwest lawyer Brian
Leitch took a defiant approach -- saying the company is ready to
negotiate, but "those cows have left the barn" when it comes to
terms defined by the contract imposed on flight attendants earlier
this month.
That prompted a rebuke from the judge... and Leitch sounded more
subdued outside the courtroom.
"Whatever meets our objective and the flight attendants'
objectives, we're all for that," he said.
Edward Gilmartin, a lawyer for the flight attendants, was not as
optimistic. "Nothing has happened to indicate they want to make a
deal we'll ratify," he said. "I think they're emboldened now."