Days before a U.S. bankruptcy judge is expected to rule on labor savings at American Airlines parent AMR Corp., two unions indicated they are willing to resume bargaining over new contracts the carrier said it needs to successfully restructure, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Meanwhile, the leaders of a third union, representing American pilots, are meeting to decide whether to put AMR's latest contract offer out to a membership ratification vote. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which has not made much progress in negotiations with AMR, also may be gearing up for new talks. Last week, the board of the Allied Pilots Association voted 11-to-5 against putting to a membership vote what AMR termed its final offer. But the two sides asked Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane to give them a few more days so the union could clarify its understanding of the offer. Judge Lane agreed, but insisted the pilots board make its decision known by the end of today.
