"Northwest mechanics union authorizes strike vote"

Saturday, July 2, 2005

Northwest mechanics union authorizes strike vote The Associated Press


MINNEAPOLIS -- A union representing mechanics at Northwest Airlines Corp.
has authorized a strike vote as the airline attempts to cut annual labor
costs by $1.1 billion. 

Shares of Northwest fell 30 cents, or 6.6 percent, to $4.26 Friday afternoon
on the Nasdaq. 

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association said Friday its members at
Northwest will be sent ballots and have until 10 a.m. July 19 to cast their
votes on whether to authorize a strike, the union said. 

Mechanics reversed months of tough talk June 24 and said they'd consider
wage cuts. So far only the airline's pilots have agreed to cuts. Northwest
is Michigan's biggest passenger air carrier, with a hub at Detroit
Metropolitan Airport. 

AMFA said it offered cuts it calculates at $143.5 million. It has said
Northwest wants $176 million in savings from mechanics. 

Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest issued a statement Friday that didn't directly
address the strike vote, but said the airline was working with all of its
other unions to reduce labor costs. It also said the airline was
"disappointed" with AMFA's latest wage proposal. 

Both sides have made strike preparations. 

The company recently laid off about 700 mechanics and related workers in the
Twin Cities. Managers have told union negotiators they want to cut about
2,000 more jobs across the Northwest system and save $176 million a year by
reducing pay and benefits. 

Northwest lost $458 million on operating revenue of $2.8 billion in the
first quarter. 

Talks between the two sides began in October. A mediator got involved in
February.


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