Bargaining Begins for 9,200 Flight Attendants at Northwest

Negotiations between AFA-CWA and Northwest Airlines got underway July 11, following the July 6 vote by more than 9,200 Northwest flight attendants for representation by AFA-CWA.

Mollie Reiley, interim Northwest AFA-CWA Master Executive Council president, said the elected Northwest bargaining team has been working non-stop with AFA-CWA negotiators, attorneys and advisers to prepare for meeting with the airline.

Last month, the federal bankruptcy judge gave Northwest permission to void its current collective bargaining agreement with flight attendants if no agreement is reached by July 17. Northwest flight attendants overwhelmingly rejected a post-bankruptcy agreement negotiated by the Professional Flight Attendants Association, which had represented flight attendants prior to the recent election. Northwest is looking for substantial concessions — $195 million — from flight attendants.  

Reiley said "we are going to use creative means and aggressive tactics at the bargaining table" and urged Northwest management to take advantage of the opportunity of new negotiations to reach a consensus deal. "We are working hard for a deal that the flight attendants can ratify."