Flight Attendants Petition Management To "Negotiate In Good Faith"

The latest development in the long-running labor dispute at US Airways has seen the Tempe, AZ-based airline file suit against the its pilots union, claiming they are actively engaged in a labor action designed to cause flight delays.

The union denies that pilots are engaged in any deliberate work slowdown.

In the lawsuit, US Airways says that operations at its hub at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport have been impacted "dramatically," with a substantial increase in flight delays and baggage that is not transferred to connecting flights. Charlotte is the airline's busiest hub.

The Charlotte Observer reports that US Airways CEO Doug Parker said in an e-mail to employees that filing the suit was not a step that was taken lightly, but "we simply can no longer allow the labor union's illegal and misguided actions to harm US Airways, our employees and our customers."

Reuters reports that USAPA, the union representing the pilots, denies that there is any coordinated effort among pilots to slow down the airline's operations. Capt. James Ray, the union spokesman, called the allegations "categorically false," saying the suit is just "an escalation of the pilot intimidation campaign that started more than three years ago when they tried to discipline pilots for requesting additional reserve fuel." The union place a full-page ad in USA Today on July 22nd accusing US Airways of not doing enough to ensure its airplanes were safe to fly.

US Airways says that the rate at which passengers bags do not make a connecting flight at Charlotte has risen by 45 percent over it's historical average of between 11 and 12 bags per thousand passengers.

In the lawsuit, the airline is seeking an injunction that would require the union to direct the pilots not to engage in any deliberate effort to slow down the airline's operations.

The airline is also in a dispute with flight attendants working for its regional subsidiary PSA, flying as US Airways Express, and PSA FAs and their supporters reportedly have signed a petition en masse urging airline management to "negotiate in good faith on important economic and quality of life issues."

Veda Shook

The petition was delivered to US Airways Group CEO Doug Parker last week. "PSA Flight Attendants are committed to reaching a new agreement that honors our contributions to the airline," Sheila Revis, AFA PSA President, said in a news release. "PSA Flight Attendants not only are integral to the success of PSA Airlines, but we are a key constituent to the success of US Airways as well. Management must come to the table and negotiate a fair contract and we are encouraging Doug Parker to exercise leadership and ensure that progress is made."

"Just as PSA contributes to the success of US Airways, PSA Flight Attendants are key to the success of PSA and US Airways. It is time that their role as first responders is recognized with meaningful contract improvements. We applaud PSA Flight Attendants for their continued dedication to raising the bar for all Flight Attendants. They are a vital part of our Flight Attendant union," said Veda Shook, AFA International President.

FMI: www.usairways.com, www.usairlinepilots.org, www.afacwa.org