A Shotgun Negotiation?

You'd better make nice, and quickly, or else. That's the impression one gets from the decision reached by National Mediation Board Tuesday, regarding stalled negotiations between Northwest Airlines and its flight attendants.

Reuters reports the NMB, an independent federal agency that mediates contract talks for railroads and airlines, refused to honor a request by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) that it end formal mediation, and declare an impasse in the contentious talks. Such a declaration would have allowed the flight attendants union to strike the bankrupt carrier.

No deal, said the NMB... which ordered both sides to return to the bargaining table Wednesday. The two sides haven't held formal talks since the union came within hours of striking Northwest in August, after the carrier imposed its own contract on FAs following two rejected tentative agreements.

AFA President Patricia Friend said she was not surprised by the NMB's decision... nor does she expect it to be the final word on an impasse.

"If they are going to make a recommendation, they have to be very thorough," she said.

Few analysts expect the "shotgun" negotiations ordered by the NMB to be any more successful than previous talks, however, in reaching an amicable resolution in what has become a stubborn roadblock in Northwest's quest to realize $195 million in annual savings. The flight attendants union is the last holdout among Northwest's employees in accepting cuts in pay and benefits.

"I'm just not confident that there's any change in the process," said Doug Abbey, an airline management consultant at the Velocity Group.

For its part, Northwest held to its previous statements that the airline is willing to negotiate... as long as the final agreement meets the airline's savings goals.

"Northwest looks forward to renewing its negotiations with the AFA in hopes of reaching consensual agreements," said spokesman Bill Mellon.

FMI: www.nwa.com, www.nwaafa.org