As Strike Countdown Starts, Northwest Mechanics Blast Executives for ''Recklessly Gambling with Our Company''.

MINNEAPOLIS -- As the National Mediation Board (NMB) released both parties from negotiations today, starting the 30-day countdown to a strike, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) accused Northwest Airlines executives of recklessly gambling with the company's future and the public's welfare, and grossly misrepresenting the impact of a strike.

A strike by AMFA mechanics, cleaners and custodians could begin at any point after 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on August 20, 2005. Yesterday, the union announced that an overwhelming 92.4 percent of its Northwest members voted to authorize AMFA National Director O.V. Delle-Femine to call a strike.

"Northwest executives gambled recklessly from the start, by dismissing the whole negotiating process and wasting the NMB's and our time," Delle-Femine said. "By refusing to budge from their unreasonable initial offer, they made a consensual agreement impossible and forced the process toward a strike. Northwest compounded this arrogance by rejecting the NMB's offer of binding arbitration in a letter last week on the disingenuous grounds that 'the company is committed to reaching consensual agreement with AMFA.' How can you reach consensual agreement while refusing to negotiate? Where is Northwest's counter-proposal to our economic proposal? There isn't one."

According to Delle-Femine, "AMFA represents eight airlines, and not even our consensual agreement with bankrupt United Airlines includes terms as economically devastating as those contained in Northwest's initial and only proposal." Northwest's proposal seeks to save about $176 million per year through pay reductions of 25-26 percent, along with other major concessions. The company summarily dismissed AMFA's latest offer, which included a 16.1 percent pay cut and other concessions.

"Northwest executives sound like Eastern Airlines execs of old when they tell the public maintenance will continue to go smoothly during a strike, but as the fate of Eastern illustrates, this is another reckless gamble. It's about as likely as winning the trifecta, considering all the things that would have to go right," he said.

"In the Minneapolis-St. Paul hub, for example, hundreds of Northwest planes arrive and depart every few hours. Replacement mechanics would have to keep up with this high volume while learning from scratch how to work in this totally unfamiliar environment. They won't even know where the tools are. It's also no secret that Northwest has one of the airline industry's oldest fleets, including 150 DC-9s and 20 DC-10s from as long ago as the 1960s," Delle-Femine added. "Our mechanics grew up with these vintages planes and know all of their idiosyncrasies and how to keep them flying reliably. Many of the replacements will be learning to work on these aircraft for the first time."

Northwest executives are also creating a hostile environment through actions like the recent letters demanding that flight attendants train their replacements in the event of a strike or be fired. "Northwest is increasing solidarity between the unions," Delle-Femine said.

AMFA represents more aircraft technicians than any other union. AMFA's craft union represents aircraft maintenance technicians and related support personnel at Alaska Airlines, ATA, Horizon Air, 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.