AMFA to Call for Strike Vote After Reaching Negotiating Impasse With Mesaba Airlines.

LACONIA, N.H. -- The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) announced that after reaching an impasse in its contract negotiations with Mesaba Airlines, the union will ask its members for a strike vote.

"It's unfortunate that we have arrived at an impasse with the carrier and have to ask our members for a strike vote and to prepare for a future confrontation with Mesaba," said AMFA National Director O.V. Delle-Femine. "We are appalled at the National Mediation Board's biased attitude and favoritism toward the company. The NMB has not allowed us to travel the system for negotiating meetings and has taken the side of the carrier to such an extent as to create the perception they are negotiating for the carrier."

Delle-Femine said Mesaba has not negotiated in good faith and has stretched the negotiating process to two years. "No progress is being made. Mesaba's modus operandi is to stall the negotiations, as evidenced by the prior round of talks with us, which took three and a half years, and by their recent negotiations with the Airline Pilots Association, which were on the verge of a strike before the carrier began to negotiate in good faith."

AMFA's craft union represents aircraft maintenance technicians and related support personnel at Alaska Airlines, ATA, Horizon Airlines, Independence Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. AMFA's credo is "Safety in the air begins with quality maintenance on the ground." To learn more about AMFA, visit www.amfanatl.org.

Mesaba Airlines is a subsidiary of MAIR Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ-MAIR) and operates as a Northwest Airlink affiliate under code-sharing agreements with Northwest Airlines.