American Air "sickout" immature and illogical

The recent pseudo-strike by pilots of American Airlines, called a "sickout," was a sad display of immaturity, reminiscent of a child's tantrum.

When American Airlines completed its latest acquisition of Reno Air, the pilots union began encouraging pilots to call in sick. This circumvents a federal law that says pilots cannot strike over the matter.

The job action was completely inappropriate. Besides leaving thousands of passengers stranded in airports nationwide (at one point, AA was forced to cancel 40 percent of its flights), the measure worsened relations between the airline's management and its employees.

Because the union decided to cut off all relations rather than pursuing a mediated solution, the parent company of American Airlines was forced to seek a court order against the union.

For this reason, the fines incurred against the union by federal courts were well deserved. The federal law prohibiting pilot strikes is in place to protect the integrity of a vital national industry.