Flight Attendants Say Fight ‘Far from Over’ Despite Court Ruling

by James Parks, Sep 19, 2006

A federal judge on Friday extended an injunction prohibiting the Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) from striking Northwest Airlines. The Bush Justice Department and the airline are trying to reverse an Aug. 17 decision by a federal bankruptcy court that upheld the right of the flight attendants to strike.

After the Justice Department appealed the bankruptcy court decision, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a temporary injunction against a strike late last month and extended it again last week.

AFA-CWA had planned to implement its CHAOS™ (Create Havoc Around Our System™) strategy of targeted work actions using random, unannounced strikes Aug. 15.
The actions were planned after the 9,300 Northwest flight attendants rejected Northwest’s proposed contract that included cuts of up to 40 percent in pay and changes in work rules, along with the requirement that flight attendants spend 25 percent more time at work than under their previous contract.

David Borer, AFA-CWA’s general counsel, says the union will appeal the District Court’s ruling. While the decision is being appealed, AFA-CWA leaders say they will continue to prepare for a strike and fight Northwest’s steep cuts. Says Mollie Reiley, interim president of AFA-CWA’s Northwest Master Executive Council:

This is yet another example of how the legal system fails to protect working families. This fight is far from over.

Meanwhile, U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero ordered both sides to continue bargaining until an agreement is reached or until the National Mediation Board (NMB) declares an impasse and releases them to exercise “self-help,” including strike or lockout. The NMB, which administers the special labor law governing the railroad and airline industries, has not released AFA-CWA or Northwest, Marrero said.

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