Eastern filed a suit against the machinists union.

The airline filed the $20-million lawsuit against the International Assn. of Machinists claiming that the union, which represents 12,000 machinists, opened contract talks the night Eastern agreed to a takeover by Texas Air but then refused to continue them. The union allegedly offered to accept a 15% wage reduction on Feb. 23 if Eastern Chairman Frank Borman resigned. “It was a grossly unacceptable offer on its face, and the board gave it no serious consideration,” an Eastern spokesman said. “However, the act of making the offer in our view does constitute opening the contract for renegotiation.” The spokesman said the union violated the U.S. Railway Act by refusing to continue negotiations.