Union support of US Airways' quest to take over American is a first step in a long merger process

Public support by American's unions of a merger with US Airways is an unprecedented move, and reflects the years-long frustration that has built among American's employees towards previous and current management. The employees see an opportunity to start fresh, and work with a management team that will cease blaming labour for the carrier's plight. US Airways sees an opportunity to completely overhaul American's lacklustre revenue management that has consistently produced results that pale in comparison to its peers. But many questions remained unanswered over the perceived strength of a combined network, and many tasks have to be completed before a merger gets remotely close to reality.

US Airways formally declared it was examining its options regarding American earlier this year, and tactically began courting the carrier's unions to gain support for a merger of the two companies that would entail US Airways' management taking charge of the new American. Unlike US Airways' attempt to take over Delta Air Lines in 2006 when it was restructuring under Chapter 11 and Delta employees rallied to block the deal, American's employees are exhausted with methods management has adopted in negotiating new collective bargaining agreements during the last few years.