Machinists for United Airlines who are engaged in a dispute with company officials over wages received a legal slap on the wrist yesterday for their role in more than 100 flight cancellations over the past few weeks, but a threatened strike will most likely not affect December holiday travel. Yesterday, 30 United Airlines flights were cancelled because of "maintenance operations issues," which airline officials say is a direct result of worker protests. Normally, 10 flights a day are cancelled because of maintenance issues. Airline officials also say machinists also have been refusing to work overtime and have called in sick in higher than normal numbers, affecting more flights.
But the airlines won a legal battle yesterday in United's hub city of Chicago. The union must now comply with a November 17 court order that barred union members from disrupting normal work operations during the course of their contract negotiations. Company officials said they may seek monetary sanctions from the union if operation disruptions continue.
Union members were close-lipped about the claim they were pulling jets with mechanical problems.
"If they're broke, they're broke," John Laurin of Local Lodge 1781 in Burlingame said. "The only reason anyone is hearing about this is because United is choosing to highlight that fact. But if they're broke, they're broke."
In the meantime, both sides are embroiled in contract mediation to avoid a machinists strike at the airline already shell-shocked by last summer's pilot strike. During that strike, an estimated 30,000 flights were canceled and thousands more delayed. But the strike would likely not begin until after the new year - holiday travelers may not be inconvenienced after all.
Though negotiations began last December, the union and United Airlines have been unable to come to an agreement on wage and benefits increases and other specifics to their contract. Two weeks ago, the union asked mediators involved in the labor dispute for permission to begin a 30-day countdown that will end in a strike if a settlement is not reached. The National Mediation Board is expected to make a decision on Monday, Nov. 27 whether to release both parties from mediation.
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