Back To The Drawing Board... Again...

Northwest Airlines has resumed hiring permanent replacements for striking Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association members following the union's refusal last week to put the latest contract offer to a vote, after the airline allegedly inserted new language into the previously agreed-upon written offer.

Both the airline and AMFA state the language in question was aimed at preventing retaliation against replacement workers by strikers returning to their posts. AMFA states the language would have taken away its ability to govern its own members.

Union workers were not expected to approve the contract in the first place, as it would have only brought back about 500 out of the nearly 4,000 mechanics who have been on strike since August 19. It would have at least been a sign of progress, however, as no offer from Northwest to resolve the latest strike has made it to a vote.

As was reported in Aero-News in Real Time, the union initially agreed to put the latest offer to a vote, despite the less-than-favorable rehiring terms.

AMFA leadership had been criticized for not allowing votes on earlier offers, according to the New York Times. Many industry experts maintain AMFA had only agreed to put the offer to a vote to dispel criticism -- and the union had done little to urge its members to consider the deal.

"When you look at the details you will be hard pressed to find anything good," AMFA said to its members upon agreeing to put the contract to a vote October 14.

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