CWA Sues Piedmont Airlines for Retaliation Against Union Supporters

CWA has filed a lawsuit against Piedmont Airlines for illegally suspending pay raises for 3,000 passenger service agents who voted to join CWA last year.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on Feb. 14, charges that the company's action illegally discriminates against the agents by cancelling an annual merit and bonus pay program, a violation of the Railway Labor Act.

CWA says the company's action is in retaliation for workers voting to join CWA last year, especially since the company has maintained merit and bonus pay for non-union employees.

CWA is asking the court to order the reinstatement of the pay program to union represented workers, and to pay lost wages and damages to all employees who lost wages.

Negotiations for a first contract have been underway since February 2011.