Reuters: Bankruptcy News: Merger support growing among AMR unions-sources

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Merger support growing among AMR unions-sources Apr 19th 2012, 20:39 April 19 | Thu Apr 19, 2012 4:39pm EDT April 19 (Reuters) - At least two unions at bankrupt American Airlines would support a potential merger with US Airways Group and could issue a joint communication soon pressuring airline management to consider a deal, two sources said on T hur sday. The sources said unions representing flight attendants and ground workers were open to talks between the two airlines. It was unclear if the union representing pilots also would support merger talks, they said. American Airlines parent AMR Corp filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November citing high labor costs. The company on Th ursday posted a net loss of $1.7 billion for the first quarter. AMR has said repeatedly it wants to exit Chapter 11 as a stand-alone company. "As you know, there continues to be much takeover speculation in the press fueled by those who seek to serve their own agendas, including the circulation of misleading information. I expect this to continue and to escalate," AMR Chief Executive Tom Horton said in a statement accompanying the airlines earnings report on Th urs day. An AMR spokesman declined to comment beyond that statement. Sources have said US Airways, formed in 2005 from a merger with America West Airlines, has pitched merger proposals to members of AMR's creditors committee, which includes labor unions, in hopes of attracting support for a deal. For now, AMR has the right to reorganize without intrusion from outside parties. "Although we put a high probability that an eventual merger will happen, we believe that this could be aggressive timing since AMR management has the exclusive right to reorganize through the summer," said Ray Neidl, an airline analyst at Maxim Group. In March, US Airways gave a presentation to representatives of AMR's unsecured creditors and told them that a combination of the two airlines would create about $1.5 billion in synergies, according to people familiar with the matter. The briefing, which included US Airway's analysis as to how a proposed merger would reduce costs while boosting combined revenues, received positive response from the AMR creditors, they said. American has said it plans to eliminate 13,000 union jobs, or roughly 15 percent of its work force, as part of an overall drive to save roughly $1.25 billion in annual labor costs. The company has asked the bankruptcy court for permission to void the contracts. A hearing on the matter is set for next week. The company said on Wednesday it intended to cut another 1,200 non-unions jobs to reach that goal. Spokesmen for the Transport Workers Union, which represents ground workers, and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants declined to comment. A spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association was not immediately reachable for comment. A US Airways spokeswoman did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Shares of US Airways closed up 16 percent at $9.51 on the New York Stock Exchange. Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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