Three American Airlines labor unions have embraced the idea of a potential merger with Arizona-based US Airways to help boost their company's competitiveness and preserve jobs. However, Fort Worth-based American Airlines is staying mum about the possibility of a merger and plans to continue pursuing its reorganization plans in an effort to emerge from bankruptcy protection.

"As you know, US Airways recently revealed its non-binding arrangements with our unions, which is part of an attempt to force a merger with American ... first and foremost, nothing changes as a result of these announcements and we will proceed on our path toward a successful restructuring of American," chairman and CEO Tom Horton said in a letter to employees.

American Airlines this week began hearings in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York seeking to reject existing collective bargaining agreements with its three labor unions: the Allied Pilots Association, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants and the Transport Workers Union.

The Allied Pilots Association represents 10,000 pilots, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants represents 17,000 flight attendants, and the Transport Workers Union represents 26,000 mechanics and fleet service workers.

The three unions issued a joint statement supporting a merger between US Airways and American Airlines as the best and fastest way for the airlines to exit from bankruptcy protection.

"A merger would create a foundation to establish American Airlines as a vigorous competitor of the two larger network carriers and the industry at large," the statement read. "Customers of both airlines and air travelers in general will benefit greatly from a viable third network carrier and significantly enhanced travel choices."

Doug Parker, chairman and chief executive officer of US Airways Group, Inc. and US Airways Inc., sent a letter to employees saying while the three unions want to work to make the merger a reality, it would need the backing of American Airlines parent company AMR Corp.'s creditors, board of directors and management team.

"Combining American Airlines and US Airways would create a preeminent airline with the enhanced scale and breadth required to compete more effectively and profitably," Parker said. "... A merged airline would provide competitive, industry standard compensation and benefits, as well as improved job security and advancement opportunities for all employees of the combined airline."

Brian Parker, a spokesman for the Transport Workers Union of America Local 513, helped organize a protest on the steps of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York on Monday. The group represents about 3,300 members in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

About 1,000 people from the three labor unions showed up in New York to protest their company's presentation seeking to reject current union contracts, he said.

"It is over a half century of collective bargaining to earn the work rules, benefits and pay that we have, and American is asking the judge to rip up our contracts which protects those rights," he said. "We are disgusted."

In February and March, Parker organized employee protests at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport following their company's announcement of plans to alter pensions, cut about 13,000 employee positions and reduce an average of $1.25 billion in annual costs across all of its work groups. American Airlines had also announced plans to outsource 40 percent of its aircraft maintenance work, resulting in the closure of its Fort Worth Alliance maintenance base.

"We are willing to do whatever it takes to protect our members' interests," Parker said.

The labor unions will begin arguments before the judge around mid-May and a ruling might come in June, said Jamie Horwitz, a spokesman for the Transport Workers Union of America.

American Airlines spokesman Bruce Hicks said in a statement the airline's goal is to reach a consensual agreement with all of its unions.

"We understand these are difficult times for everyone," Hicks said. "That's why we want to exit restructuring as quickly as possible so we can concentrate on our future."