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NWA Warns Flight Attendants of Cuts: Crews Upset While Voting Continues

Posted on: Tuesday, 16 May 2006, 12:02 CDT

By Jewel Gopwani, Detroit Free Press

May 16--As Northwest Airlines Inc. flight attendants vote on a contract proposal that would cut their wages 21%, the airline told workers that they should not expect to head back to the bargaining table for a better offer if attendants reject their deal.

In a letter Friday that drew outraged calls from flight attendants, Northwest said it instead would try to implement a contract that would lay off more workers than the current deal and eliminate the current offer's early retirement program.

Northwest said the letter was intended to inform flight attendants about the contract proposal and tell them what to expect.

Guy Meek, president of the 8,500-member Professional Flight Attendants Association, called the letter "a blatant scare tactic meant to intimidate our members," in his own letter to Northwest management Monday.

Northwest said in the letter it has received hundreds of questions about the flight attendants contract proposal.

After explaining some of the contract's provisions Northwest said it "does not have the luxury of returning to the bargaining table for Round 2. The implementation of labor cost reductions must begin immediately."

If the deal is rejected, Northwest said it would want to:

* Eliminate a severance plan that would give at least 1,200 flight attendants $1,000 for every year of service, up to $27,000.

* Increase the number of foreign flight attendants it hires to staff international flights, which was a major sticking point in negotiations with the union.

* Lay off more workers than the current contract, with those furloughs starting in July.

Andy Damis, the union's secretary and treasurer, said flight attendants have been outraged and calling the union about the letter since it was e-mailed to workers Friday.

"Our phones have been ringing off the hook about flight attendants outraged at the company's threats and intimidation," Damis said.

Ultimately, whether Northwest can implement terms on a permanent basis is likely up to a bankruptcy judge.

Northwest asked a bankruptcy judge last year to cancel its union contracts. The airline reached deals with its unions before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Allan Gropper had to rule.

On June 8, two days after voting concludes on their contract, flight attendants will start another month-long vote to decide if they want to join another union, the Association of Flight Attendants.

Northwest said in its letter that flight attendants shouldn't hope to return to the bargaining table, even if workers elect a new union.

Northwest did not distribute similar letters when its pilots and ground workers voted on their contracts in recent months.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Detroit Free Press

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Source: Detroit Free Press

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