AFA-CWA: "Court Tramples Mesaba Flight Attendants' Right To
Strike"
Flight attendants at
Mesaba Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight
Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), vow to continue their fight against
impending pay cuts and the rejection of their contract despite an
injunction issued by a United States bankruptcy court. Mesaba
flight attendants expressed shock and anger at the judge's decision
to block the flight attendants from striking if the airline imposes
drastic cuts to pay and benefits.
"Mesaba management and the bankruptcy court have already
conspired to destroy our contract and now they are denying us the
right to use the only tool we have to protect our careers and our
livelihoods," said Tim Evenson, Master Executive Council
President.
"This is yet another example of how the legal system fails to
protect the average citizen and continues to cater to corporate
America. But I have a warning for the executives who thought this
was a good idea: this fight isn't over. Our crusade to protect our
careers has only begun. We will continue to fight this decision not
only for Mesaba flight attendants, but for all flight attendants
who will walk in our footsteps."
On October 16, 2006
Federal Bankruptcy Judge Gregory F. Kishel sided with Mesaba
Airlines' management and granted their motion to abrogate the
flight attendants' labor contract. The judge has set the deadline
for the company to impose at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, October 26,
2006. AFA-CWA had threatened to initiate CHAOS strikes at that time
if the court had not issued the injunction. Earlier this month, the
Mesaba Labor Coalition, comprised of flight attendants, mechanics
and pilots, presented management with a joint proposal outlining
shared concessions that would pave the way for the airline's
emergence from bankruptcy. Each union negotiated over the weekend
following the injunction hearing, but no agreements were
reached.
"Mesaba flight attendants have been willing to make the
sacrifices necessary for the survival of our company, but
management has refused to consider any alternatives," stated
Evenson. "By allowing management to come in and take what they want
from the flight attendants, the courts essentially allowed company
management to steal from company employees."
"This ruling is wrong and we will appeal," said David A. Borer,
AFA-CWA General Counsel.
"Mesaba management cannot expect to pull the rug out from under
the flight attendants without a fight. We will continue to defend
our members' right to strike in court, and we will seek to have the
1113 ruling overturned again on appeal."
For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been
serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the
aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than
55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines come together to form
AFA-CWA, the world's largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of
the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA),
AFL-CIO.