Comair pilots go out on strike

Comair pilots went on strike early Monday

In this story: Bush unlikely to intercede Airline industry watching Comair dispute RELATED STORIES, SITES

ERLANGER, Kentucky (CNN) -- Pilots for Comair, the nation's second largest commuter airline, went on strike Monday at 12:01 a.m. Comair had announced Sunday evening it would cancel all flights through Monday evening.

Comair spokeswoman Meghan Glynn said talks with federal mediators between the airline and its pilots had ceased Sunday, and the second-largest commuter carrier would cancel all flights through 6 p.m. Monday from its Cincinnati hub. With a midnight Sunday strike deadline approaching, Glynn said pilots' union negotiators have told the company it was unwilling to back off its demands.

PLAN AHEAD Comair is urging passengers to check the status of their flights before arriving at the airport, by doing one of the following: Call Comair reservations at 1-800-354-9822 Go to www.comair.com   RELATED STORY Comair pilots reject contract, threaten to strike     MESSAGE BOARD Are you worried about the potential airline strikes?

Union officials Sunday accused Comair of abandoning the talks. Capt. Paul Lackie, a spokesman for Comair's pilots, said the company had offered a settlement that was "completely unacceptable" and walked away from the bargaining table.

"The major issues that have been on the table for the last three years remain on the table. They're just being neglected," he said.

Comair will end up canceling about 750 flights out of its Cincinnati hub, Glynn said. It will try to accommodate passengers on Delta Air Lines or other carriers, she said.

The company urged passengers to check the status of their flights before arriving at the airport by calling Comair reservations at 1-800-354-9822 or visiting www.comair.com.

Bush unlikely to intercede

The union wants its regional pilots to be compensated on the same scale as major airline pilots, and was willing to strike to get that.

"If that's what it takes, then that's what we'll have to do," he told CNN.

The two sides could agree to extend the deadline of the "cooling-off" period and continue negotiations.

The White House said Sunday there was little chance Bush would intercede in the dispute. Unless mediators decide that a strike by Comair would cause significant harm to a region of the country, Bush cannot act to head off a strike.

"Unless and until the National Mediation Board makes such a determination, the president's hands are tied," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said. And a senior administration official told CNN the board appears unlikely to do that.

Bush did set up a presidential emergency board in the dispute between mechanics and management at Northwest Airlines, preventing a strike from taking place, but the National Mediation Board had determined a strike by the mechanics would cause significant harm to the country.

Airline industry watching Comair dispute

Comair began canceling flights last week to prevent passengers and employees from being stranded in case of a strike. Comair is a feeder for Delta, and any strike at Comair also could affect the Atlanta-based airline.

The dispute is being closely watched by the industry. Talks began in June 1998 between Comair and its 1,400 pilots. Mediation was unsuccessful through 1999 and 2000.

The union's stance is that an airline pilot should earn the same income whether flying for a regional airline or a national one.

Last week, pilots rejected a proposed contract that would have given them a company-funded retirement program, which was extended last year to Comair's other employees. It also would have increased the pay of top-scale pilots from $66,000 to $96,000.

"No one wants a contract as much as we do -- one that respects us as real airline pilots and pays us as real airline pilots," Lackie said Saturday.

Comair is second only to American Eagle among commuter airlines. In 1993, it became the first commuter service to use jets. The airline operates 110 small jets and eight prop planes. Comair has almost 5,500 employees.

Correspondents Kelly Wallace and Patty Davis contributed to this report

Comair to announce Sunday if flights will be canceled
March 24, 2001
Comair cancels flights in anticipation of strike
March 22, 2001
How threatened strikes could affect flight plans
March 7, 2001

Comair
Air Line Pilots Association
National Mediation Board
The White House
Delta Air Lines

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