Sun, Jul 03, 2005
Say Company Refuses To Take Contract Talks Seriously
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal
Association (AMFA) Saturday announced that its National Executive
Council has authorized a strike vote in light of what it calls
Northwest Airlines' continuing refusal to take current contract
negotiations seriously. Northwest Airlines AMFA members will be
sent ballots and voting instructions soon and will have until 1000
on July 19 to cast their votes on whether to authorize a
strike.
"It's ironic that Northwest adamantly refuses to engage in the
give-and-take needed for progress in negotiations, yet complains
that progress isn't being made. You can't have successful
negotiations when only one party is willing to negotiate," said
AMFA National Director O.V. Delle-Femine.
In his letter accompanying the voting materials, Delle-Femine
said, "Since the beginning of negotiations in October 2004,
Northwest Airlines has taken the stance that the AMFA members
should continue to sacrifice their jobs and accept pay cuts that
are disproportionate to the other work groups and out of line with
your industry peer group. The company's negotiating committee has
continued to refuse to negotiate the many language issues that
remain open for resolution and they have steadfastly refused to
move off their initial economic proposal."
Delle-Femine's letter pointed out
that in the most recent negotiating session, AMFA made "a very
generous economic proposal" that "would have saved NWA over $140
million a year in labor costs. This proposal is fair and equitable
compared to the other (Northwest Airlines) work groups and the rest
of the industry." He said AMFA's proposal, which included a 16.1
percent pay cut and other concessions, was "summarily dismissed by
the company." Northwest has not budged from its initial proposal
that seeks to save about $176 million per year through pay
reductions of 25-26 percent and other major concessions.
"These developments leave us little choice but to prepare for a
strike," the letter went on to say.
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