The US Airways Group Inc. pilots who are represented by the US Airline Pilots Association have filed suit against the carrier, contending the company has violated its legal obligation to bargain in good faith.
The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court Southern District of New York.
Among its allegations, the union says US Airways (NYSE:LCC) has intentionally failed to “exert every reasonable effort” to reach a settlement regarding a collective-bargaining agreement.
In addition, the union says the carrier has “unilaterally altered the parties’ collective-bargaining agreements by intentionally frustrating and abrogating the contractual grievance and arbitration procedures outlined in the collective bargaining agreements.”
The pilots have been unsuccessful in winning a unified contract since US Airways’ 2005 merger with America West Airlines. Pilots are working under contracts that were in place before the merger. The pilot groups have been at odds with each other — as well as airline management — over seniority and pay issues as they try to forge a single labor agreement.
The US Airline Pilots Association is based in Charlotte and represents more than 5,000 mainline pilots who fly for US Airways. US Airways, based in Tempe, Ariz., has its largest hub is at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport and is also the busiest carrier operating out of Piedmont Triad International Airport. Winston-Salem’s Piedmont Airlines, which at its peak employed 9.000 in the Triad and 24,000 worldwide, was merged into US Airways in 1989.