RockBottom

Northwest Airlines pilots will demonstrate their displeasure with management's contract demands by conducting informational picketing and leafleting from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 4, on the ticketing level at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport Lindbergh Terminal.

Northwest pilots will display their continuing frustration with management's demands for excessive pay cuts, benefit reductions, and work rule changes, and a proposal to outsource all jobs on aircraft with 100 seats or fewer to a new subsidiary airline (Newco). More than 1,000 Northwest pilot jobs would be lost as DC-9 aircraft are retired and replaced via management's Newco outsourcing scheme.

"I continue to warn Northwest management that its Newco proposal is unacceptable," the MEC chairman, Capt. Mark McClain, says. "Northwest pilots have already made huge sacrifices to help our company with its financial problems. We will not sacrifice pilot careers for a flying job at a start-up airline that may be sold off in the near future."

Over the past year, Northwest pilots have made tremendous sacrifices in an attempt to help the airline survive its financial problems. In December 2004, Northwest pilots agreed to an annual concessionary package valued at $265 million a year that included a 15 percent pay cut. In November 2005, Northwest pilots agreed to another concessionary package, for an interim period, valued at $215 million including an additional 23.9 percent pay cut.

Northwest pilots are now, as a result of the interim agreement, paid less than pilots flying comparable equipment at Southwest, American, Continental, Delta, United, and even Air Tran. Yet, management is still demanding another $145 million a year in concessions, plus the ability to outsource all jobs on aircraft with 100 seats or fewer, as well as other Northwest flying.

The bankruptcy court has scheduled the 1113(c) hearing to begin on Jan. 17, 2006. If the Northwest pilots have not reached an agreement with management by that time, the bankruptcy judge will rule by Feb. 16, 2006, on management's request to reject the pilot contract. If the bankruptcy judge allows management to impose new terms of employment, Northwest pilots could strike.

"Northwest pilots want to reach a fair agreement with management, but we will not agree to management's unnecessary outsourcing, pay cut, and other contract reduction demands," Capt. McClain says. "Our significant sacrifices were made to save Northwest and our jobs. Why save the airline if we can't save our jobs?"