July 26, 2001
Contact: Linda Farrow 847-892-7170, ext. 519
Sara Dela Cruz 617-794-8951
Barbra Hillman,Esq. or Richard Tupper 312-236-7800
UAL MERGER HITS ANOTHER OBSTACLE
United Airlines Flight Attendants File Lawsuit, Seek To Stop Illegal Merger
CHAOStm Strikes Loom
CHICAGO, IL —United Airlines flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO, filed a complaint today with the Federal District Court in Chicago seeking a ruling declaring United's proposed merger with US Airways to be illegal.
The AFA United Master Executive Council's lawsuit claims if the merger moves forward, and the airline has not first secured a waiver to the "Scope" job security provisions in the flight attendant contract, the merger will result in a unilateral change to their collective bargaining agreement. United has already negotiated a similar waiver with the pilots, in return for significant future job security protections, yet refuses to provide the flight attendants with equal treatment.
If the Court agrees with the United flight attendants, the merger could be enjoined as a major dispute. United flight attendants could respond to a "major dispute" ruling with CHAOSTM strike actions.
The flight attendants are moving forward with their CHAOS strike plan while the U.S. Department of Justice continues its analysis of the merger. The DOJ's final analysis of the merger is expected on or before August 1, 2001. The flight attendants authorized a strike with a 97 percent vote "FOR", should United proceed with the merger illegally.
Create Havoc Around Our System, is AFA’s trademarked strategy of public information and targeted work actions using random, unannounced strikes.
The United flight attendant strike threat is not subject to regulation by the National Mediation Board, a 30-day "cooling-off" period, or intervention of a Presidential Emergency Board.
The 26,000 United Airlines flight attendants are joined together in AFA, the world's largest flight attendant union. Visit us at www.unitedafa.org.
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