US Airways went to court to get an injunction against its pilots union for conducting a “safety campaign” designed to slow the airlines operations and put pressures on US Airways.  The judge didn’t grant immediate relief but he did something else that does signal that the pilots union would be well advised to reconsider its actions.  He granted a quick hearing date and refused to move jurisdiction to a union friendly US Federal Court in New York. 

US Airways “East” pilots (former employees of the airline before it was purchased by America West) seem to enjoy shooting themselves in the foot.  This isn’t an action that is likely to find patience with from a US Federal Court and it’s an unwise move in general.  You don’t sucker punch your own company smugly while demanding a new contract when you can’t even get half of your membership to go along with you.

Doug Parker and America West should have eliminated the US Airways name and signaled who the regime was when it bought US Airways.  Sadly, US Airways pilots (EAST) think they still work for the same old airline and in the same old airline industry.  It would be wise to take a look at what happened to American Airlines pilots’ union, Allied Pilots Association, when it did something similar more than a decade ago.  It cost them millions of dollars in fines after a “sick out” campaign that failed completely.

Filed under: Airline News by ajax