Labor negotiations at airlines and railroads are governed by the Railway Labor Act. Under this law, unions cannot strike without permission from the National Mediation Board. The Railway Labor Act serves to string out negotiations and tie workers up with restrictive regulations. Even after a federal mediator declares an impasse and agrees to release the unions from contract talks, the unions are not allowed to strike until they have gone through a 30-day "cooling-off period."

The more than 10,000 members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) at Northwest have been without a contract for four years. At United, mechanics, ramp workers, and service agents organized by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) have been without a contract since July 2000.

The mechanics explained that the mediation board has suspended their contract talks at both airlines, charging that the unions were demanding too much. Mediation board chief of staff Stephen Crable told AMFA negotiators that they could "sit 'until Hell freezes over' if they did not move substantially toward Northwest's proposal." Union mechanics counter this charge by explaining that the average starting hourly pay at the top ten major airlines of $14.96 has not changed much since the mid-1980s.

Felix Saenz, a Northwest aircraft mechanic at the Atlanta maintenance base, expressed the sentiments of many participants with the comment, "Let us talk or let us walk." Hundreds of AMFA members in Atlanta participated in the well-organized activities, which included distributing literature at each doorway and on every concourse at Hartsfield airport, while maintaining an informational picket line in front of the maintenance base throughout the day.

In Atlanta 35,000 pieces of literature were distributed by the uniformed cleaners, custodians, and mechanics. Mechanics from Delta, United, and American Airlines joined in the effort. "This was excellent," said Saenz. "The turnout, the unity. The passengers were very receptive."

Pilots from Delta Airlines also participated. On January 18 the 11th U.S. Circuit Court backed up Delta Airlines in its fight against the pilots union by issuing an injunction against the Air Line Pilots Association for not doing enough to stop what the company charges is a union campaign to turn down overtime.

Under the existing contract however, overtime is supposed to be voluntary. The pilots association is appealing the court's decision.

Arlene Rubinstein is a meat packer and a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1996.  
 
 
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