Union workers at Spirit Airlines may potentially strike on June 12. Negotiations for a new contract have been ongoing for years, and now the pilots have turned down a binding arbitration to settle the dispute.
By refusing it, they agree to a 30-day waiting period that restrains them from striking and encourages more talks with the company.
Union officials have said that they hope the waiting will ultimately push management to settle, but that even if that doesn’t happen, the union workers are ready to strike without question on June 12.
Spirit Airlines is working to negotiate a contract, but has also talked about reducing jobs. Until a further decision is made, the airline said it will continue to operate normally, and said that for a contract to be made, it needs to ensure long-term stability and growth. Spirit currently operates 150 flights a day.
The union, on the other hand, says that Spirit isn’t offering contracts like other low-cost carriers are, and wants it to meet those standards.
U.S. Presidents can legally end airline strikes, as Bill Clinton did in 1997 for American Airlines, but there is no word on whether Barack Obama plans to intervene in this case.
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