Southwest Airlines sued its mechanics’ union late Thursday for what the airline claimed was an illegal work slowdown that grounded planes and has resulted in as many as 100 flight cancellations a day since mid-February. The carrier said its mechanics had taken an unusually high number of planes out of service in recent weeks, a move seen as a negotiating tactic in a contract dispute. Negotiations most recently broke down over how much maintenance the airline would be allowed to outsource. Last month, mechanics pulled as many as 62 planes from service in one day, resulting in schedule disruptions across Southwest’s network, according to the lawsuit. The mechanics, who are members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, have cited safety concerns as the reason for taking the aircraft out of service.

Source: New York Times March 01, 2019 19:47 UTC