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Northwest sues mechanics
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November 20, 2000: 5:38 p.m. ET
Nation's No. 4 airline says mechanics are engaged in illegal job action
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Northwest Airlines became the second major airline in a week to seek a temporary restraining order against its mechanics, saying the union is seeking to ground planes during the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
The nation's fourth-largest airline said that the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), an independent union which represents about 9,600 mechanics there, is engaged in an illegal job action against the airline.
The move follows a similar move by United Airlines, the world's largest carrier, against its mechanics union on Friday, as the airlines brace for a busy holiday travel period. United won its TRO. No immediate word was available about the outcome of the Northwest suit.
 O.V. Delle-Femine, national director of the AMFA, said the company has not shown the union any evidence of delays or illegal activity by members, and said this is a diversionary tactic by the company as negotiations near a conclusion.
"We've been number one in terms of on-time performance," said Delle-Femine. "I'd be surprised if the TRO was granted by the judge."
The company did not give details about the rise of flight delays or cancellations, but its statement suggested that it was no longer the on-time leader and it attributed that fall to the mechanics.
"While we regret having to take this step, there is clear evidence that a deliberate and organized job action orchestrated by AMFA's leadership is taking place," a statement from Northwest Senior Vice President for Labor Relations Bob Brodin said. "These actions are a clear violation of (labor law) and threaten the travel plans of thousands of Northwest passengers over the holidays. We have asked the court to order AMFA and its members to cease all illegal job actions immediately or risk facing contempt of court fines or other sanctions."
The two sides are in contract negotiations, although those talks are now in recess. Delle-Femine last week sought a release from federal mediation, which under the Railway Labor Act, which regulates labor relations in the airline industry as well. The release would begin a 30-day cooling off period, after which the union could strike the carrier.
 "We've kept the guys cool. But we've been at table 13 months and the recess caused a lot of dissension on the floor," he said. "A 30-day cooling off period is the only time the two sides become realistic."
The union's current contract is a concessionary pact negotiated in 1993 when Northwest and other carriers were facing a far harsher economic situation. Despite high fuel prices, the last few years have generally been good ones for the industry.
Delle-Femine said the company gave his members a 14 percent pay raise in November, 1999, more than three years after the previous contract became open for amendment. Under the RLA contracts do not expire but stay in force and open for amendment at some point.
Delle-Femine said his members at Northwest are paid about $22-to-$25 an hour, and that the union is seeking back-pay increases to the October 1996, when it became open for amendment. He said it wants a three-year agreement with pay levels reaching $40 an hour by the end of the contract. He said contract language other than wage and benefits have been agreed to by the company and union.
Company officials did not return repeated phone calls for comments on the suit or negotiations.
United, mechanics at negotiating table
United Airlines, the world's largest airline, sought and won a similar retaining order against the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents its 15,000 mechanics, Friday. The IAM filed a counter-suit against the airline Friday saying it violated the terms of the existing contract, but no hearing has been set on the counter-suit.
The union denies it led any kind of job action to have mechanics ground aircraft on technicalities. Its statements said unfair job discipline and firings of mechanics by United management was more responsible for the rise in flight cancellations. But the union's site advised members to comply with the court order.
Federally-mediated talks with the IAM and United were held in Washington Monday. Joe Tiberi, an official with the union's Washington office, said the two sides were still in talks Monday afternoon and he couldn't say what progress, if any, had been made.
Shares of Northwest (NWAC: Research, Estimates) lost 50 cents to $27.25 in trading Monday, while shares of UAL Corp. (UAL: Research, Estimates), owner of United, lost 81 cents to $37.06. 
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