American Airlines has filed a lawsuit against its mechanics, accusing them of engaging in a go-slow to gain leverage in labor negotiations.
The airline claims it has led to more than 600 canceled flights and 1,500 delays since February.
The action filed in federal court targets labor unions the Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Mechanics are taking an ‘inordinately long time to repair aircraft’ the lawsuit says, and are refusing to work overtime.
"The odds of this being random as opposed to concerted activity is less than one-in-one billion,” it claims.
American says the mechanics’ slowdown stepped up since the most recent labor negotiations in April, bearing striking similarities with the situation at Southwest Airlines.
The airline took the action as it reckons another 2,200 flights could be canceled or delayed over the peak summer travel season.
It could affect up to 300,000 travelers.
