Eastern Machinists Ordered to End Slowdown

A judge on Friday ordered machinists at Eastern Airlines Inc. to end a work slowdown that Eastern officials say has forced it to ground 17 planes, or about 7% of its fleet, as it faces a possible strike by its largest union.

U.S. District Judge C. Clyde Atkins also ruled partly in favor of the machinists by ordering Eastern, a Texas Air Corp. subsidiary, to stop farming out maintenance work to subcontractors.