Court: Airline's workers can't sue as class in pay dispute

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By DAVID PORTER

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — American Airlines workers at Newark’s airport who claim in a lawsuit they’ve been shorted on overtime pay can’t sue as a class, a federal appeals court ruled this week.

The three-judge panel’s decision published Tuesday reversed a New Jersey judge’s ruling that would have allowed the lawsuit to go forward and include all non-exempt hourly workers employed at Newark Liberty International Airport since April 2014.

Several employees, including mechanics and workers responsible for tasks such as cargo handling, filed the suit in 2016 and said American’s timekeeping system automatically paid employees based on their schedules rather than on the hours they actually worked.

They also alleged managers regularly refused to authorize overtime pay for work performed before and after scheduled shifts and during scheduled 30-minute lunch breaks. The lawsuit sought back pay as well as punitive damages. American denied the allegations.

Read more: https://apnews.com/f2c480b13b6694d55aaf08428fec76bd

[kimbutgar]

1. Seems like a strike might be brewing in the future.

Airline jobs pay well but for you to work for one, you have to pass a big yearly background check. They just can’t pick just anyone up to take over a job anymore.

This will come back to hurt American Airlines in the future.

[Sherman A1]

2. One does not work off the clock, period.

Those are definite wage & hour violations. Action by the State agency in charge should be taken against the employer.

[SharonAnn]

3. Are these some of Trump's "conservative" judges.