In a step that potentially could ease the way for a merger of American Airlines parent AMR Corp. and US Airways Group Inc., the board of American's pilots union approved an interim labor framework should the two carriers proceed with a combination to take AMR out of bankruptcy court protection, the Wall Street Journal reported today. After three weeks of confidential negotiations overseen by AMR's creditors committee, the Allied Pilots Association board on Saturday voted 11-5 in favor of a proposed accord, the union said, though terms were not disclosed. The proposal requires the assent of the other parties to the talks, including both carriers and US Airways' pilot union.
