After contract talks with American Airlines Inc. recessed without a deal Wednesday night, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants said it will ask the National Mediation Board to start the legal process that could lead to a strike.

The union said the company walked out of NMB-mediated talks Wednesday evening without responding to the union�s last proposal. It said it will ask the NMB to start a 30-day cooling-off period, after which the union could walk off their jobs.

�Now, with no other options on the table, management has forced us to take the next step necessary to get the contract we have worked so hard for,� union president Laura Glading said.

American spokeswoman Missy Latham said the union�s claim that American walked out was �categorically untrue� and said the airline looks forward to further negotiations.

(Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/)