Will NWA and the Mechs agree?

[festus]

No plans to intervene in Northwest Airlines-WHouse

WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush does not plan to intervene to avert a possible strike by mechanics at Northwest Airlines Corp. , the White House said on Monday.

"The National Mediation Board has found that a labor action at Northwest Airlines would not present a substantial disruption of interstate commerce," said White House spokesman Trent Duffy.

"The administration does not dispute this conclusion based on current information, and the President is not creating a Presidential Emergency Board," he said, referring to a panel that would examine the dispute and put on hold a strike or lockout.

 

[ultrarunner]

No plans to intervene in Northwest Airlines-WHouse

WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush does not plan to intervene to avert a possible strike by mechanics at Northwest Airlines Corp. , the White House said on Monday.

WOW. I guess I'll eat my hat on that one.

Not something I would have bet on coming from this president.

 

[charley varrick]

Originally Posted by ultrarunner

Not something I would have bet on coming from this president.

All rhetoric about how this strike may or may not affect local economies aside, my guess is that this president won't intervene because NWA doesn't want him to intervene and has made no overtures asking for such intervention, probably just the opposite. As stated many times previous, NWA wants to lock-out the mechanics.

If NWA did not want this strike to happen, I think it is pretty safe to say that President Bush would be on their side. It speaks volumes about what NWA is planning on doing.

 

[philo beddoe]

Has anyone done any reading on the new BK laws? It is very interesting to read what the implications are. If NW plans to file, they will do it now.

The new law is much more restrictive in terms of companies riding out BK on the backs of their creditors. I'll try to find the article that really laid it out well and post a link.

 

[philo beddoe]

Here's a couple

http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/3936429?f=insidecfo

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/0,4621,321789,00.html

 

[WillowRunVortex]

WRV,

You seem to feel that you know all of the facts. Well you may have overlooked this: The Bridge Agreement that NWA ALPA signed, giving the company $265 million dollars in concessions, allowed NWA to aquire the financing necessary to refinance the revolver loan.

This was the first CH 11 bullet that NWA dodged because they would have had to file if they were unable to refinance. NWA ALPA wanted AMFA, PFAA and the IAM to come together and do a simultaneous concessions package, but none of the other unions would even listen.

If the other unions had worked with ALPA, NWA wouldn't be able to play them against eachother like they are now. It sucks that NWA mgmt has squandered so much of the ALPA concessions money on training scab workers, but ALPA had nothing to do with that.

What's your beef with NWA ALPA? Do you think that any of the NWA employees would be better off if the company was already in CH 11?

No, I know all about the 1 Bil Bail-out. Everything NWA ALPA has done has been in THEIR direct interest. What is interesting is to watch NWA ALPA when it is not in their DIRECT interest. Let me tell you something TREF. PFAA has substanstantially less to loss than AMFA. But, they want to support them anyway, why? BECAUSE MANAGEMENTS WRONG<<<THATS WHY. They didnt decide to coin a phrase " well, its' not our fight". THAT IS WHAT MY BEEF WITH NWA ALPA IS! If that prick Steenland smelled so much as a wif of sympathy from ALPA, his shenanagins would stop immediately.

 

[Inconceivable]

AMFA's goals: survival.

NWA mgmt goals: break a troublesome union (who has NO friends on property and a weak national organization) to lower costs and set the tone for other groups

PFAA goals: remove head from rear and pretend to have relevance for future negotiation with mgmt--acting hard-line, old-school union is the only option for non AFL-CIO, small shop union who has been marginalized by its membership since its narrow vote-in.

NWALPA goals: a P E N S I ON they would like to keep--and staying out of bk is the best way to do that--lately, pensions haven't been fairing well in court.


Why is this so complicated? All groups are representing their best self-interest, as they should. I don't pay dues for altruism. If any of them were repping me that's what I would demand.

Over the years the mechs leadership ticked off ALPA, the IAM, and management. Now they cry union fraternalism? Good luck. I'm sympathetic to their plight, but don't think they should expect a cavalry of Don Quixotes from the other groups.

 

[WillowRunVortex]

AMFA's goals: survival.

NWA mgmt goals: break a troublesome union (who has NO friends on property and a weak national organization) to lower costs and set the tone for other groups

PFAA goals: remove head from rear and pretend to have relevance for future negotiation with mgmt--acting hard-line, old-school union is the only option for non AFL-CIO, small shop union who has been marginalized by its membership since its narrow vote-in.

NWALPA goals: a P E N S I ON they would like to keep--and staying out of bk is the best way to do that--lately, pensions haven't been fairing well in court.


Why is this so complicated? All groups are representing their best self-interest, as they should. I don't pay dues for altruism. If any of them were repping me that's what I would demand.

Over the years the mechs leadership ticked off ALPA, the IAM, and management. Now they cry union fraternalism? Good luck. I'm sympathetic to their plight, but don't think they should expect a cavalry of Don Quixotes from the other groups.

Well, If your right thats unfortunate for NWA ALPA. Cause it is only gonna take 20% to not fly to shut the airline down. NWA trained a WOPPING 12oo FA's. Not nearly enough,,,even for just the severe PFAA membership 20% of 11,000= 2200). YEEEAAAHHH...BABY!

 

[mynameisjim]

If the flight attendants choose to do something, they better do something worthwhile. If 1000 of them stop coming to work, the airline will operate, and it will just be a pain in the ass for everyone. It needs to be something well planned or spectacular.

 

[WillowRunVortex]

--------------------------------------------------------------------.