Claiming the "American dream" is being stripped from U.S. workers, dozens of AMR employees picket Wednesday to protest the proposed layoffs of 13,000.
Chanting, "No need for corporate greed," protesters held signs and marched at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. AMR owns American Airlines. The crowd consisted primarily of members of the Transportation Workers Union and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, two unions preparing to take a hit to their ranks if AMR Corp. goes through with its layoff plans.
"Executives go into bankruptcy as millionaires and they come out as millionaires,’ said Brian Parker of TWU Local 513. "The employees go into bankruptcy and, unfortunately, come out without jobs.”
AMR filed for bankruptcy in November; earlier this year it offered a restructuring that includes the layoff plan. Similar protests are planned at airports in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and Miami.