March 20, 2008 - After intense lobbying efforts by the Machinists Union, 47 Members of Congress wrote to the U.S. Attorney General and Secretary of Transportation questioning if airline consolidation is good for America.
Illinois Congressman Daniel Lipinski (D) and Ohio Congressman Steven LaTourette (R) led the campaign within Congress to gain co-signers for the letter. The complete letter and list of co-signers is available here.
“Airline executives who are seeking mergers threaten more than just their own employees,” said General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “A merger between two major airlines will have a ripple effect prompting other mergers. Smaller carriers like Air Tran, JetBlue and Southwest are rumored to be willing to jump into the merger pool. Additionally, thousands of workers at vendors who support the airlines can also lose jobs when hubs close and capacity is reduced.
