CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
American Airlines pilots hit the picket line Thursday at O'Hare International Airport, making the unions' struggles with the major air carrier public.
But the pilots aren't striking, at least not yet. The Allied Pilots Association said it's angry.
As American Airlines deals with bankruptcy, the pilots feel they're not being given a fair chance to succeed and receive benefits, which they say are key to doing their jobs.
"This right before you is not only a sign of unity," Tajer said, "but it is the path to a pilot strike at American Airlines which is something that we do not look forward to."
The Allied Pilots Association is in the process of a strike authorization vote. If the union votes to approve a strike, the pilots would be one step closer to truly hitting the picket line.
"The pilots simply want a viable, growing airline to work for," Tajer said. "The stand alone plan as managed and as a network as laid out is just not getting it done."
The airline is in bankruptcy, and the APA is upset. The union said American already sent 11,000 employees layoff warnings.
The union says management is now "unilaterally implementing new terms of employment that adversely affect pilots' working conditions, compensation and retirement security."
It believes management is using bankruptcy "to extract far more value from the pilots than what's needed to successfully restructure American Airlines," according to a statement.
They are also angry that the airline essentially tossed out their contract, and now wants to move pilots' flights and even rest periods down to the Federal Aviation Administration minimums.
The union feels one way out of financial trouble would be to merge with US Airways, which they said would "put American shoulder-to-shoulder with United and Delta."
The union said this merger would "revitalize the Chicago cornerstone, it would increase its network and competitive presence in the western U.S."
Passengers had mixed reactions about that idea.
"I think anything that gives the customers a little more option in traveling would be something that would benefit everybody," passenger Samantha Baldasty said.
"I like to have multiple airlines to choose from," passenger Lisa Jones said, "and I think with all these mergers, I think that causes a problem."
Tajer wants passengers to know that "American Airlines pilots are firmly committed to providing them with the safest travel possible, and that will never change - we're in the plane with you. And we will strongly oppose any entity that tries to compromise this safety."
American Airlines responded to the picket with this statement:
"As we continue to progress through the challenges of the restructuring process and implement the cost-saving changes we need, our goal remains to reach a consensual agreement with our pilots."
The union will continue its strike authorization vote until October 3rd. Then they will know if they could be headed closer to a strike.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
