AIR LINE PILOTS (APA)
Bosses and Union Liable for $45.5 Million
On Jun. 23, U.S. Dist. Judge Joe Kendall in Dallas held the Allied
Pilots Ass'n, its president, Rich LaVoy, and its vice-president, Brian
Mayhew, jointly and severally liable for $45.5 million in damages for
violating a court order to call off a sickout against American Airlines,
Inc., in Feb. 1999. The amount was aimed at compensating American for
the losses sustained by canceling thousands of flights. "By their deliberate
and contemptuous actions, these Defendants inflicted millions of dollars
in financial losses on Plaintiff American and needlessly disrupted the
lives of hundreds of thousands of travelers," wrote Kendall.
LaVoy had the audacity to lash out at a U.S. Dist. Judge for enforcing a court order. LaVoy accused Kendall of making "highly derogatory and totally gratuitous remarks" and portraying the pilots as undeserving of sympathy. APA said that Kendall appeared more interested in pushing "political hot buttons." Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
The ruling "more than wipes out assets" of APA said a union spokesman. APA has already paid $20 million which the Court will hold in escrow. The remaining $25.5 million plus interest is due after appeals are exhausted. It's a clear victory for justice and the rule of law. And, it sends a strong message to union bosses: if you contemptuously violate a court order, you may obliterate your union. [BNA 6/25/99]
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