By KYLE ARNOLD Staff Writer on Aug 23, 2013, at 9:18 AM Updated on 8/23 at 9:18 AM
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American Airlines passengers wait for their flight inside Tulsa Internaitonal Airport, following the recent merger of American and US Airways airlines. Taken on Friday, July 12, 2013. CORY YOUNG/Tulsa World
The unions for employees at American Airlines and US Airways are joining with the companies to call for a speedy trial in the antitrust lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice.
In rare show of solidarity, unions for flight attendants, pilots and maintenance workers at the two airlines issued a joint statement Thursday night for a Nov. 12 trial date.
American Airlines and US Airways asked for the Nov. 12 trial date Thursday afternoon, saying they want to prove their case in court and move on with the merger.
The statement below is from The Allied Pilots Association (“APA”), the US Airline Pilots Association (“USAPA”), the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (“APFA”), Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (“AFA”), the Transport Workers Union (“TWU”) and the Communications Workers of America (“CWA”). Together they represent about 70,000 workers at the two companies.
We urge the U.S. District Court and the Department of Justice to begin the trial on November 12, 2013 in order to get to a speedy resolution to this exciting merger.
Our message to consumers everywhere is simple: “Let us compete for your business” starting as soon as possible.
Our members want a fair shot at competing in the marketplace. The airlines we work for, US Airways and American Airlines, can together succeed in a way that neither airline can alone, bringing new competition to the domestic and international airlines that serve Americans. The improved network and higher quality product will attract new customers, allowing the airlines to compete with the megacarriers in a way neither airline can do alone, creating greater job security for our members as a result.
Delaying a trial puts our families and our customers at further risk. For American and its employees, the uncertainty of the last two years in bankruptcy has already exacted a heavy toll. Employees at US Airways have had similar hardships with two bankruptcies since 9-11. In order to make new American competitive, that uncertainly should be ended as soon as possible.
The livelihoods of hard-working aviation professionals at American and US Airways hang in the balance. Jobs are at stake if this merger does not go through. For our members, job security that comes with truly competitive airlines is on hold as we wait for trial.
Our members have borne the brunt of the severe turbulence in the aviation industry. Justice delayed is justice denied for our members. This merger makes sense for competition, customers, and the members we represent who want nothing more than to compete aggressively on a level playing field to serve those customers. Of course the unions, at least on the American Airlines side, have a huge vested interest in seeing the deal go through. Many employees are expecting raises the moment the merger closes. Stock awards are also coming to union employees, of course only if the merger goes through.
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