A federal judge ruled Tuesday in Chicago that United Airlines (UAL) may temporarily postpone safety inspections on any plane that carries more than 83 passengers. Industry analysts say the move will help the company in its ongoing contract negotiations with the mechanics' and machinists' union.
The two sides resumed talks on Tuesday and are trying to strike a deal before an interim contract expires on May 31. If the sides do not reach a deal, a bankruptcy judge will decide whether or not to unilaterally break the contract and create new terms.
UAL argued in court that safety inspections were unnecessary and used as evidence vast amounts of data showing that airplanes rarely need to be repaired on the tarmac between filghts. The court agreed, ruling that inspections only needed to be completed once per week for all large aircraft.
"Planes of this size are very reliable," said UAL legal spokesman Kenneth Blonski. "If a plane makes it from say, Chicago to Orlando then you know the plane is in good shape. It certainly should be able to turn around make the return trip. The last trip proved it. There really is no reason to spend thousands of dollars inspecting it just to send it on a trip that it just proved that it can make."
The new ruling will put a lot of pressure on the union of what are now essentially unneeded mechanics.
Many are calling the company's decision to ask for the safety reprieve as unconscionable and unethical as its decision to shirk workers' pensions earlier in the month. Others are starting to notice that the federal government allows serial bankruptists to increasingly shed their responsibility to workers, consumers and the public at large.
"I don't know what's worse," says frequent United flyer Lynn Ascot, "the breaking of promises to the people whose blood and sweat built the company or the breaking of the promise to consumers to empty the toilets and eye up the gimbal nut assembly more than once a week. I suppose I need to switch airlines to show my disgust with the company's decisions. On the other hand, I guess it's not fair of me to expect safety inspections if I want to travel to Witchita for $39 each way."
After the ruling, the Judge Wedoff and attorney Ken Blowski both elected to take a train back to Washington DC rather than free seats on UAL.
The two sides resumed talks on Tuesday and are trying to strike a deal before an interim contract expires on May 31. If the sides do not reach a deal, a bankruptcy judge will decide whether or not to unilaterally break the contract and create new terms.
UAL argued in court that safety inspections were unnecessary and used as evidence vast amounts of data showing that airplanes rarely need to be repaired on the tarmac between filghts. The court agreed, ruling that inspections only needed to be completed once per week for all large aircraft.
"Planes of this size are very reliable," said UAL legal spokesman Kenneth Blonski. "If a plane makes it from say, Chicago to Orlando then you know the plane is in good shape. It certainly should be able to turn around make the return trip. The last trip proved it. There really is no reason to spend thousands of dollars inspecting it just to send it on a trip that it just proved that it can make."
The new ruling will put a lot of pressure on the union of what are now essentially unneeded mechanics.
Many are calling the company's decision to ask for the safety reprieve as unconscionable and unethical as its decision to shirk workers' pensions earlier in the month. Others are starting to notice that the federal government allows serial bankruptists to increasingly shed their responsibility to workers, consumers and the public at large.
"I don't know what's worse," says frequent United flyer Lynn Ascot, "the breaking of promises to the people whose blood and sweat built the company or the breaking of the promise to consumers to empty the toilets and eye up the gimbal nut assembly more than once a week. I suppose I need to switch airlines to show my disgust with the company's decisions. On the other hand, I guess it's not fair of me to expect safety inspections if I want to travel to Witchita for $39 each way."
After the ruling, the Judge Wedoff and attorney Ken Blowski both elected to take a train back to Washington DC rather than free seats on UAL.
