Report: Northwest mechanics given ultimatum
Associated Press
Tuesday, July 17, 2001
Some Northwest Airlines mechanics have been told they must relocate from the Twin Cities or lose their jobs, according to a television report Monday.
KSTP-TV reported that about 180 mechanics are affected by the job shuffle, which the mechanics union confirmed. The move is part of a company-wide effort to
cut costs during tough times for the airline industry, according to the Minneapolis station.
Also Monday, the Eagan-based carrier proposed a voluntary leave program for flight attendants, a union official said.
Northwest spokeswoman Mary Beth Schubert would not comment other than to say the airline continues to evaluate cost-savings measures in all aspects of the
operation. She said all departments were asked in recent months to examine ways to cut costs and those plans are now being considered by top executives.
Schubert gave no timeline for an official announcement of money-saving moves by the airline.
Thursday could be the day that actual expense reductions are announced. That's when Northwest is scheduled to report financial results for the second quarter.
Caught in an industrywide downturn of business travel and high fuel costs, Northwest has said it will lose between $50 million and $75 million in the second quarter,
which ended June 30.
In the preliminary discussion between airline managers and Teamsters Local 2000 - which represents flight attendants - Northwest said it was overstaffed for
September, October and possibly November, said Danny Campbell, Local 2000 president. He said he doesn't know the scope of the desired staffing reduction.
Jeff Maxey, a Northwest mechanic for 31/2 years, was told he was part of the shuffle. But he doesn't plan to leave the Twin Cities.
``I have moved too many times and I am not moving again,'' Maxey said. ``I will take my station layoff and stay here.''
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