In a split decision on the lesser of perceived evils, five bargaining units of American Airlines’ largest union voted to accept management’s final offer on concessions, while two voted to reject it. Members of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) voted via phone and Internet beginning last week, and the results were announced on Tuesday. The vote took place against the backdrop of a bankruptcy union leaders opposed, a legal process they distrust and a potential merger they’ve endorsed.
“We’re at the mercy of the court,” Tulsa machinist Joe McGill, whose unit voted against the deal, told the Associated Press Tuesday. “I hope we can survive this, keep the maintenance base open and functioning, and maybe start to rebuild.”
Josh Eidelson 