AMFA Will Negotiate With Mesaba Airlines While Appealing Court Ruling.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) said it is willing to continue negotiations with Mesaba Airlines but will immediately appeal Friday's court ruling that would allow the company to reject its contracts with its unions provided it gives them 10 days' notice.

According to Kevin Wildermuth, AMFA negotiating committee chairman, "The guiding principle of AMFA's efforts in the Mesaba bankruptcy has been to reach a consensual agreement with the company, because that is the only route that will allow both the employees and the company to move forward over difficult times. Prior to yesterday's ruling, AMFA negotiated all week with the company. Going forward, AMFA will continue to negotiate toward a consensual agreement. AMFA has put significant money on the table and has offered meaningful and painful compromises in order to accommodate the company's distressed condition. Now, a consensual agreement will occur only when the company begins to compromise its demands to meet the fair and equitable needs of its employees. In sum, AMFA members are willing to make sacrifices to help save Mesaba but they are not willing to subsidize corporate profits at their expense. If a consensual agreement is not reached, it will not be the fault of AMFA."

Wildermuth said AMFA will immediately appeal the order allowing the rejection and will seek an expedited process for the appeal.

If the company imposes a contract, he said, AMFA leadership intends to assert rejection claims for the value of its contract. It also anticipates mass individual employee resignations. "AMFA reserves the right to exercise all legal options, up to and including a strike. No strike will commence, however, without a call to strike issued by the AMFA National Director or Acting National Director," Wildermuth said.