US Air Transport Association launches suit against labour agency

THE US Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the big American airline lobby, has made good its threat to sue over a National Mediation Board (NMB) ruling that changes union representation.

"Today, ATA filed a lawsuit seeking speedy review of the National Mediation Board final rule, which changes procedures by which airline and rail union representation elections are conducted," said the group as it launched a legal challenge before the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

"ATA believes that the NMB failed to identify any material change in circumstances to support new election procedure - a procedure that it rejected only two years ago," said the ATA.

The NMB decision abandons a procedure that the Supreme Court has twice upheld, which has allowed unions to organise the rail and aviation industries, and has "served the public interest in avoiding disruption", said the group.

"The ATA looks forward to a quick resolution to this case, so that airlines and their employees can move forward together and more efficiently address their mutual goals," said the ATA statement.

ATA members participating in the suit are ABX Air, AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, ASTAR Air Cargo, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, Evergreen International Airlines, Federal Express Corporation, Hawaiian Airlines, and JetBlue Airways.

Source: www.schednet.com