Northwest Mechanics Applaud Minnesota Bills Introduced to Restore Unemployment Benefits.Business Editors BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2004 Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) is an independent union that represents aircraft maintenance employees of commercial airlines in the United States. AMFA is committed to the principles of craft unionism, in that it seeks to represent only airline mechanics and (AMFA AMFA Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association AMFA Alternative Motor Fuels Act (PL 100-494) AMFA Asociación Movimiento Fe y Alegría (Association for Activities of Faith and Joy; Guatemala) ) Local 33, serving Northwest and Mesaba Airlines Mesaba Airlines is an American regional airline based in Eagan, Minnesota. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Northwest Airlines. All of its flights are operated under the name Northwest Airlink for Northwest Airlines. , praised bills introduced today into the Minnesota Legislature The Minnesota Legislature is the legislative branch of government in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is a bicameral legislature located at the Minnesota Capitol in Saint Paul and it consists of two houses: the lower Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate. to correct an error that cut off unemployment benefits for some Northwest employees in the state and on military duty in Iraq. Senator Jane Ranum (DFL-Minneapolis) sponsored the Senate bill (SF 2827) and Representative Tony Sertich (DFL-Chisholm) introduced the companion House bill (HF 3017). The bills aim to fix an oversight in federal TEUC TEUC Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation unemployment extensions that left hundreds of Northwest technicians who had been laid off as a result of the Iraq War ineligible for 39 weeks of benefits. These individuals lost eligibility for the extensions because they did not exhaust their state unemployment benefits before the December 20, 2003 deadline. In many cases this was because they took incentive pay severance packages or part-time jobs. The problem was exacerbated by the fact that the State of Minnesota, in writing and Dislocated dis·lo·cate tr.v. dis·lo·cat·ed, dis·lo·cat·ing, dis·lo·cates 1. To put out of usual or proper place, position, or relationship. 2. Worker meetings, incorrectly stated that all those laid-off from Northwest Airlines would be eligible for the TEUC extensions regardless of the December deadline. "This bureaucratic error has caused real economic hardship for these hard-working Minnesotans who had the misfortune to be laid off and are now struggling to get their lives back together," said AMFA Local 33 Vice President Ted Ludwig. "All they want is a chance to complete the retraining re·train tr. & intr.v. re·trained, re·train·ing, re·trains To train or undergo training again. re·train programs and other activities that will allow them to support their families and contribute fully again to Minnesota's economy. The state made a mistake and needs to give them that chance." "We are very grateful that Sen. Ranum and Rep. Sertich are fighting for fairness on behalf of our laid-off members," Ludwig said. "We have every confidence that the Legislature will do the right thing even in these difficult budgetary times." |
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