We’re cautiously optimistic about the plan we saw today for American Eagle, because it presents a viable path for a sustainable business going forward. That’s different from what we saw at American Airlines. American Eagle is moving on two tracks, either to remain a unit of AMR, or to become an independent and competitive company. That’s a good sign.
But it’s disheartening to see that once again, management wants to finance restructuring on the backs of workers who have already made enormous sacrifices. AMR is demanding over $12 million a year in concessions from TWU members at American Eagle.
We’re going to examine the company’s proposal very closely. We’re looking for ways to help sustain a profitable business without imposing unnecessary hardships on our members, who have already gone the extra mile to keep American Eagle’s planes in the sky.