AMR Corp.'s American Airlines won a court order temporarily blocking passenger-service employees from conducting a union representation election because it might violate labor laws, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means yesterday granted the provisional order requested by the airline three days ago. He also denied a National Mediation Board bid to dismiss the carrier's lawsuit and slated a consolidated preliminary injunction hearing and trial for June 21.
In related news, US Airways Group Inc. CEO Doug Parker told shareholders yesterday that their airline can jump to the top of the industry with a merger with American Airlines, the Associated Press reported yesterday. American has lost market share to Delta and United over the past five years, a trend that Parker asserts will not be fixed through bankruptcy reorganization. The merged airline would be the market leader across two-thirds of the country, he said. American’s parent, AMR Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection on Nov. 29. American CEO Tom Horton has repeatedly said that he wants his airline to emerge from bankruptcy before considering a merger, although AMR and its creditors committee have agreed to explore potential consolidation. Link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/us-airways-ceo-says-american-can…