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."

FMI: www.nwaafa.org, www.nwa.com