AA maintenance workers to protest Justice officials in Tulsa Thursday
By KYLE ARNOLD World Business Writer on Aug 28, 2013, at 3:39 PM
American Airlines
Some travelers will encounter the most tangible evidence of the reboot of American Airlines on Monday when the airline begins flying its first Airbus A319 jets.
The American Airlines bankruptcy judge issued a written opinion Friday stating that he took the financial sacrifices made by union members into account when rejecting a $20 million severance deal for CEO Tom Horton.
A “convoy” of American Airlines maintenance members will deliver a petition of protest to local Department of Justice officials at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Tulsa Thursday morning.
The protest comes as the U.S. Department of Justice is suing to block the merger between American Airlines and US Airways on antitrust grounds, saying the combination will irreparably hurt competition on hundreds of routes across the country where the two carriers compete.
The Transport Workers Union, which represents about 4,600 workers in Tulsa and nearly 12,000 workers at American Airlines, will deliver the 8,000 signature petition to the Federal Courthouse at 224 S. Boulder Ave.
“Airline workers and supporters are calling for the government to drop its irrational lawsuit against the proposed merger of American Airlines and US Airways,” reads a press release announcing the protest. “The merger will protect good-paying U.S. jobs and give consumers the only real chance for competition with the Delta-United duopoly, which currently dominates the U.S. airline industry."
On Friday the Justice Department and the airlines are scheduled to meet to sort out a trial date for the antitrust trial. Airline officials hope to start on Nov. 14, while U.S. Department of Justice lawyers want to delay the start of the trial until March.
American Airlines and US Airways have agreed to merger and create the world’s largest airline, with about 100,000 employees. But the Justice Department of lawsuit has forced the two companies, as well as a bankruptcy judge in New York, to delay the merger until the lawsuit is sorted out.
American Airlines
Some travelers will encounter the most tangible evidence of the reboot of American Airlines on Monday when the airline begins flying its first Airbus A319 jets.
The American Airlines bankruptcy judge issued a written opinion Friday stating that he took the financial sacrifices made by union members into account when rejecting a $20 million severance deal for CEO Tom Horton.
