A lawyer for Northwest Airlines insisted Tuesday that the financially beleaguered airline wants labor peace with its flight attendants even as he urged a federal appeals court to support a judge’s decision to block the workers from striking.

The lawyer, Brian Leitch, told the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Northwest would continue to negotiate with representatives of about 7,300 active flight attendants who were prevented from striking on Aug. 25 after the company imposed pay cuts.