Ahead of a key court decision, pilots’ union talks of a strike (HI)

[struggle4progress]

A judge must decide whether it is necessary to force a labor contract
on Hawaiian Air pilots

By Dave Segal
[e-mail]

A federal bankruptcy judge said he was "thunderstruck" when Hawaiian Airlines pilots previously rejected a tentative labor agreement with the company and urged the two sides yesterday to reach a deal before he forces one upon them. <snip>

Air Line Pilots Association attorney Richard Seltzer said union members would consider striking if a contract was imposed on them.

Bruce Bennett, attorney for Hawaiian Airlines trustee Joshua Gotbaum, said the company would take action against strikers. <snip>

http://starbulletin.com/2005/04/16/business/story1.html

[cpamomfromtexas]

1. BET THAT JUDGE IS BOUGHT AND PAID FOR

It always seems odd that the media trys to degrade any workers standing up for themselves.

I guess it's ok for a sports figure to have lawyers negotiate for them, but if you're in charge of the safety of 300 people at a time, we'll just go bankrupt if you think you're worth gains at least equal to inflation!

Does anyone know the dirt on this judge? The judge down here in Texas that ruled against the Pilots of American Airlines a few years ago, hated pilots since his significant other had run off with a pilot! For the life of me, I don't know why this wasn't reported in the media, the guy was clearly biased.

This is a decades old attempt to degrade pilots authority, autonomy, and financial well-being, but make a mistake and not even a serious one and they'll fry their asses.