Mesaba Airline workers to protest judge’s decision

On Monday night, U. S. Bankruptcy Judge Gregory Kishel granted Mesaba\’s request for a strike injunction, giving the regional carrier the ability to impose lower pay on its union workers as early as Thursday.

A week ago, Kishel gave the airline permission to toss out labor contracts and impose labor cost cuts of 17.5 percent, but the airline said it needed protection from a strike.

"We will be appealing this decision as soon as possible," said Cordelia Cronen, MEC secretary-treasurer for the Airline Flight Attendants at Mesaba. "This is clearly just one more step toward destroying all of the unions of this country."

The Air Line Pilots Association also plans to appeal.

"We will not stand for this injustice," said Captain Tom Wychor, chairman of the ALPA unit at Mesaba. "Under the law, if your contract gets rejected, you don\’t have to perform under that contract. No bankruptcy court has recognized any exception under the statutes until today."

Mesaba pilots had planned to strike if management imposed its terms, in an effort to compel management to negotiate a consensual agreement. "We will follow the court\’s order today, but we will aggressively appeal the edict," Wychor assured.

The Mesaba Labor Coalition, which includes the Air Line Pilots Association, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, is urging Mesaba management to return to the bargaining table.

On Thursday, the coalition plans events in three cities – Minneapolis, Detroit and Memphis – and calls on its friends in the labor movement and the community to participate.

In Minneapolis, workers will gather at 11 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Northstar hotel to hear speakers. At 11:30, they will march to the federal courthouse at Fourth St. and Third Ave. (across from City Hall) for a rally.

In Detroit, the coalition plans to leaflet at the airport from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Leafleting also is planned over the lunch hour at the Memphis airport.

"We would love to have as many unions as possible come out and show their support for us as well as each other," Cronen said. "We want all of Minnesota to know we will not stand quietly while companies use the bankruptcy process to strip workers of our rights."