Northwest ?

[Mitch Cronin]

http://aero-news.net/index.cfm

Northwest Pilots OK Strike One Day Before Contract Ruling

Wed, 01 Mar '06

No Pressure, Judge...

On Tuesday, pilots at bankrupt Northwest Airlines voted to authorize their union leaders to call a strike if a federal bankruptcy judge allows the airline to impose "onerous working conditions," in the words of the Air Line Pilots Association.

The vote came one day before Judge Allan Gropper is to rule whether to allow Northwest to toss its current contracts with its pilots and flight attendants, in the name of forcing concessions upon them the airline maintains it needs to emerge from Chapter 11.

That ruling is expected any moment now... unless Gropper decides to postpone his ruling, as he has done twice before.

In a move to put pressure on airline management, the strike was authorized by 92 percent of voting pilots.

"We continue to meet with Northwest management in an effort to reach a consensual agreement, but the outcome will be decided by management's actions at the negotiating table," Northwest ALPA Chairman Mark McClain said in a statement to Reuters. "Our goal is not to strike, but we will retain all legal self-help options if management forces our hand."

As was reported in Aero-News, Judge Gropper has twice delayed ruling on allowing the airline to impose concessions, preferring to give all parties involved time to work out their problems amicably.

At least one analyst expects the unions to reach deals with Northwest before the judge rules.

"They will reach a deal with management," said airline consultant Michael Boyd. "These are not wild-eyed, crazy people on either side. These are rational people."

Northwest is also in talks with its flight attendants on a new labor contract.

[conehead]

"These are not wild-eyed, crazy people on either side. These are rational people."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[moeman]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060303/cgf042.html?.v=20