American Airlines and its flight attendants union were summoned to a rare Saturday meeting in Washington, D.C. by the National Mediation Board.þþAfter talks this month failed to yield a contract that both parties could accept, the union told flight attendants to prepare to strike. The Mediation Board had not scheduled additional bargaining sessions. The union said the talks that already occurred were a last ditch effort. They believed they would be released into a 30-day cooling off period and then allowed to strike.þþThere was much speculation that this was going to happen on Saturday. I offered the reasons I did not think that was a likely outcome. The Mediation Board did not tell the parties that they were being released to ‘self-help’.þþInstead, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants told its members that negotiations continue.þþAmerican already increased its financial offer during negotiations. That alone gives the Mediation Board the fulcrum around which they can claim that no impasse has been reached.þþAirline strikes are rare in the United States. There have been two in the last 20 years – Northwest mechanics in 2005 and Spirit Airlines pilots in 2010. They are damaging to the economy, and to the President’s popularity, since the President can order a delay to the strike. President Clinton headed off strikes both by American Airlines pilots and flight attendants during his time in office.þþThe National Mediation Board is politically-appointed, with a current majority selected by the President. Allowing a strike would put the President in an untenable position, forced to choose between his labor constituency and median voters in states like in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Arizona where American has major hubs. Airfares would spike during the strike, removing a significant portion of inventory from U.S. air travel.
Source: viewfromthewing.com
