American air chaos

Air travellers face chaos if there is a strike

The four largest US carriers, United, American Airlines, Delta and Northwest, could all be grounded in the coming months as they face overlapping strike deadlines over pay and conditions.

Between them they carry more than two-thirds of the 588 million domestic passengers that travel in the US every year.

Workers at the airlines are demanding a reward for wage concessions made in the mid-1990s which resulted in carriers reporting record profits over the past three years.

The strike threat comes as airlines feel a sqeeze on their profits from the labour disputes as well as high fuel costs and a slowing economy.

President worried

US President George W Bush has already indicated that he may force some of the workers to keep the planes flying.

"I am worried about strikes at airlines," said President Bush early in February. "It could have a harmful effect to the economy."

Bush: Strike could threaten US economy

It's the first opportunity for the new president to use his special strike-busting powers to keep essential services running.

Under US law, the strike can only go ahead after the union is released from arbitration and has a 30-day cooling-off period.

Mr Bush has already threatened to force mechanics at Northwest, the fourth largest carrier, to stay on the job.

Northwest strike

Talks between the mechanics union and the airline broke down on 9 February. President Bush says if there is no resolution by 12 March, the strike deadline, he will appoint a Presidential Emergency Board which will extend the cooling-off period by 60 days keeping workers on the job until mid-May.

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), the union which represents 10 000 workers, has called a strike vote for 2 March.

The roots of this dispute go back to 1993, when Northwest's mechanics and other workers agreed to wage concessions to save the then nearly bankrupt airline. That helped Northwest go on to earn $2.4bn (£1.66) in net profits since 1994.

Northwest gave mechanics an interim 4% raise in 1999 but no pay settlement has been agreed.

Northwest has learnt the cost of strikes. A two-week pilots strike in 1998 reportedly cost the company more than $1bn (£691m) in lost revenue.

More strikes

Flight attendants at the world's second largest airline have voted to strike after two and a half years of negotiations failed to produce a new work contract.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), which has 22,500 members at American Airlines, said pay issues have been resolved but talks stalled over retirement benefits and work rules.

Passengers may have a long wait

More talks are scheduled between the APFA and the National Mediation Board in mid-March which means the strike could happen by mid-April.

Meanwhile, pilots at Delta voted overwhelmingly on 12 February to go out on strike. The number three airline in the US employs 9,800 pilots and has been negotiating a pay deal since November 2000.

The deadline for a deal is 28 February. If none emerges, pilots could strike on 1 April.

The situation at United, where 15,000 mechanics are threatening to strike, is complicated because the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM) union is waiting for an outcome for the mechanics at Northwest.

THe IAM once represented Northwest's 8,000 mechanics but was dumped by them in favour of the rival AMFA union. It has promised to deliver its members "industry leading" contracts, which means a better deal than Northwest's workers.

Last time round

In the 1960s the IAM struck five airlines for seven weeks causing major disruption. But far fewer people flew then than fly today.

Only once before has a President intervened in a major airline strike.

In 1997, former President Bill Clinton appointed a board to send American Airline pilots back to work after they had struck for just a few minutes. But he allowed Northwest Airline pilots to strike the following year.

Presidential power

The President has the power to intevene in the airline strike under the 1926 Railway Labour Act that was amended in 1936 to include airlines.

The legislation is designed to prevent the disruption of essential services through the appointment of a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) that can negotiate a settlement while flights continue.

Before presidential intervention, the National Mediation Board arbitrates. If it fails there is a 30-day cooling off period after which workers can strike or the airline impose a lockout. The NMB must tell the President if the dispute threatens major disruption.

If a PEB offers a deal and either side rejects it, Congress can pass a law imposing the settlement. This has never happened in a dispute involving a major airline.