PITTSBURGH -- The nation's largest flight attendants union said Tuesday it would hold strike-authorization votes at four major airlines, accusing the industry of using the bankruptcy process to cut workers' pay and other benefits.þþThe strike votes should be tallied by the end of December. After that, union officials plan to await the outcome of the airlines' bankruptcy proceedings before weighing whether to walk off the job.þþÿAlmost everywhere we look, flight attendants are being forced to work longer hours with reduced rest time, and all for ever-decreasing wages. This must stop,ÿ Patricia Friend, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said at the opening of a meeting of the union's board of directors.þþFriend said the union would immediately poll members at four airlines on whether to strike. The union has 46,000 members employed by 26 airlines, but the four immediately at issue are United, US Airways, ATA and Hawaiian.þþIt was unclear Tuesday how many flight attendants -- and from what airlines -- would strike if union members approved a walkout.þþFriend noted the efforts at airlines such as United and US Airways to use the bankruptcy process to cancel union contracts and impose deep pay cuts. In addition to pay cuts, the two carriers are each seeking to terminate attendants' pension plans.þþUS Airways spokesman David A. Castelveter said the airline continues to negotiate.þþÿThis proposed action is not helpful to our employees, or the success of our company going forward, or our industry,ÿ United Airlines spokeswoman Jean Medina said.þþAirline labor contracts are governed by the Railway Labor Act, which bars a strike before negotiations overseen by a federal mediator have been exhausted.þþThe union has the right to resort to so-called ÿself-helpÿ under the act if an airline unilaterally rejects a contract, Friend said.þþFlight attendants are not unionized at Delta Air Lines Inc., which is in danger of bankruptcy.þþ[Information from Bloomberg News and The Associated Press was used in this report.]
Source: Chicago Tribune
