The Dallas Mornng News
Terry Maxon

Transport Workers Union international president Jim Little has told members that last week's contract rejections won't prompt a strike against American Airlines Inc. in the immediate future.

Although two union bargaining units at American turned down proposed deals last week, Little said the union can't go on strike until the National Mediation Board agrees.

"First, the fact that the contract was rejected does not place us on a 30-day countdown to a strike," Little wrote in a message to union members.

"We are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the NMB, and in order to be on the 30-day clock the board has to release us," he said. That determination, he said, will be made only when the board decides "that further bargaining without a release would be futile."

American spokeswoman Missy Latham said the carrier is ready to sit down with the union and rework the two rejected contracts "in a balanced way that will achieve ratification." American is looking for mediation board guidance on the next steps, she said.

"We've demonstrated we can reach agreements with the TWU and look forward to getting back to the table," she said.

Mechanics and related employees, with 64.6 percent voting against, rejected their tentative agreement by a 6,344-3,472 vote. Stores employees, who handle parts inventories for maintenance, turned down their proposal 616-398, with 60.7 percent opposed.

A third unit, maintenance technical specialists, approved their contract by a 60-23 vote, with 72.3 percent in favor.

The union leadership worded the ballot to link a "no" vote to a strike authorization. "I vote to reject & authorize the negotiating committee to take whatever action necessary up to and including a strike," it read.

Some members who had opposed the contracts had claimed the top leadership worded the ballots to raise fears of a strike and scare members into approving the deals.

However, Little blamed "confusion created by newspaper and media coverage" for raising members' concerns.

The union and American have been negotiating a new contract since late 2007. They have had help from a federal mediator since early 2009. In March, the union asked the board to release it from mediation; if granted, the release would have started the 30-day clock ticking.

Little told members that union leaders will meet with the negotiating committee Sept. 14-15 "to discuss priorities and our further steps and options." Afterward, the union will contact the mediation board "to advise them that we are willing to sit down at the bargaining table with American."

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