MORRISVILLE--American Airlines rebuffed a request by its flight attendants' union on Sunday for emergency mediation to help settle the union's four-day strike.
Robert Crandall, American Airlines' chair, said he would not accept a presidential emergency board because "a mediator always splits the difference," and American could not afford to budge from the contract it offered attendants last week.
A presidential emergency board would have been appointed by President Clinton only if both the airline and union agreed. The flight attendants would then have returned to work while negotiations continued.
American representatives at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, where striking flight attendants picketed outside the airport's Terminal C, said that a revised contract would financially harm the company.
"In the short run, any contract is good for the company because it gets the planes running again," said Andy Brooks, manager of American's RDU facilities. "In the long run, a contract like the one [the flight attendants] want is economic suicide."
Striking flight attendants at RDU said the contract currently offered is unacceptable.
"The new contract is taking away our schedule flexibility. It's also offering us slightly higher wages, but then severely cutting our health benefits," said Bill Richardson, a union representative for American flight attendants based in the Triangle.
If a presidential emergency board had been created, the attendants would have been ordered back to work under the terms of their previous contract. The board would take 30 days to review the issues and offer recommendations. The two sides could then take another 30 days to ponder the suggestions, after which the union could reject the proposal and start another strike.
After being caught off guard initially by the numbers of flight attendants who joined the strike, airline officials said that they now have a better idea how many flights they will be able to run.
At RDU, 9 percent of scheduled flights are expected to carry passengers during the strike.
"Although we're getting a better feel for when we'll run flights, we unfortunately can't tell far in advance if a flight will definitely be canceled," Brooks said.
The airline is promising to call people with reservations to update them on the status of their flights at least 24 hours before their departure.
For those passengers who cannot be accommodated on American or other airlines, American said it would either honor their ticket at no charge at any time during the next 12 months, or give a refund and a $100 voucher good for travel on American.
Picketers at RDU said American pilots were leaning towards a sympathy strike, but the flight attendants' union encouraged them to fly the planes instead.
"They're helping us more by flying empty planes and wasting all the fuel and maintenance costs," said Karen Kelly, a picketing flight attendant at RDU.
American's pilots' and mechanics' unions have promised that they would not work with permanent replacements.
Ticket agents and employees of American's reservations center at RDU were more critical of the strike. Workers at the reservations center circulated a petition supporting Crandall.
Nationally, American estimates 90 percent of the flight attendants have walked out. Of the more than 400 based in Raleigh, about 10 to 20 are reporting for work.
"Those who aren't striking are working their butts off," Richardson said. For a plane to carry passengers, one flight attendant must be on board for every 50 seats, regardless of how many of those seats are occupied, he said.
Striking flight attendants plan to return to work Monday.
A large number of University students' holiday travel plans have been affected by the strike. Most have arranged for flights on alternate carriers, although they do not appreciate the inconvenience.
"I understand that the workers need to get their point across, but basically, I'm powerless. I'm a pawn," said Trinity sophomore Ian Hamowy.
A few students are staying on campus over the break as a result of the strike.
"I'm just going to stay and write my paper. Maybe I'll throw a Thanksgiving dinner at my apartment for everyone that got stuck here," said Trinity senior John Younger.
Associated Press and The New York Times wire services contributed to this report.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.