NWA Promises It Will Continue Operations As Usual If Mechanics Strike

Perhaps it's the idea that a strong offense is the best defense. Or perhaps it's whistling in the dark. Either way, Northwest Airlines Thursday promised it would keep flying without interruption -- even if more than 4,000 mechanics carried out their threat to walk off the job next Friday.

"We don't anticipate any disruption in travel plans," said NWA's executive vice president for marketing and distribution Tim Griffin, quoted by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "We will fly a full schedule. Normal ticket rules will be in place. If there is a [flight] irregularity, we'll handle it just like we handle it now. It'll be business as usual."

Northwest has demanded mechanics cut pay and benefits by $176 million a year. That would mean almost half the workforce would get pink slips. Those left would be forced to take a 25-percent pay cut.

Talks have been at an impasse and both sides demanded recently to be released from arbitration. But the negotiations may not be completely over. CEO Doug Steenland said Thursday he'd consider throwing in some sort of severance package to ease the pain of unemployment for those mechanics who are laid off.

"That's the first I've heard of that," AMFA Local 33 President Ted Ludwig told the Star-Tribune. "That's something for the negotiating committee."

Talks are set to resume on Monday.

FMI: www.nwa.com