Monday will be the day a bankruptcy judge decides whether unions at Mesaba Aviation can strike if the airline imposes pay cuts on its workers. A spokeswoman from Mesaba says the proposed pay cuts were put on hold after a ruling from Judge Gregory Kishel earlier in the week to postpone a decision on whether or not to block a strike.
Mesaba has not decided what they’ll do if the unions are free to strike. Company officials are hoping they can negotiate with pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics over the weekend, but they’ll impose terms if the unions are blocked from striking. Officials in Mason City and Fort Dodge are waiting patiently for Judge Kishel’s ruling, wondering if the only commercial airline serving their airports will continue to run if a strike is allowed.