BY MARY MARTIN
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A tentative contract has been presented to 18,000 unionists at Northwest Airlines by officials of the International Association of Machinists (IAM). They recommend approval in the ratification vote set for February 16. IAM members at Northwest overwhelmingly turned down the first contract offered last July.

Some union members say the new offer is worse. Louis Guy, a five-year ramp worker at Washington National Airport, told the Militant, "A central problem with this proposal is that it increases the percentage of part-time jobs allowed to up to 20 percent of the workforce. This is an attack on the union. All the airlines want to implement a mostly part-time workforce so they can lower the wage and benefits base and not have workers on the clock between flights. We should vote down the contract."

Protracted government-mediated negotiations between the IAM and Northwest Airlines began after the previous contract expired in October 1996. In early 1998 the union ranks mounted an effective campaign of resistance to defend themselves against forced overtime, speed up, and unsafe shortcuts being demanded by Northwest.

Machinist union members, as well as pilots organized in the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) and flight attendants organized by the Teamsters union, carried out informational picketing events at airports across the country and found a sympathetic response from many passengers. After a 15-day strike in September, the Northwest pilots won a favorable contract. The flight attendants are still pressing for a contract.

After months of involvement in various protest actions related to the contract, some Northwest workers were surprised to see what the IAM officials listed as reasons for recommending approval of the proposed contract. These included "Eroded customer and financial standing due to the August 29, 1998 work stoppage"; "Changing membership demands due to the length of the current negotiation process"; and "Uncertain Asian markets."

The proposed agreement would include those who work in ground operations, customer service, clerical jobs, and as stock clerks. Not covered in the agreement are 10,000 mechanics, inspectors, cleaners, and custodians who were separated from the IAM in a union representation election won by the Airline Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) in November.

Mary Martin is a member of the IAM at Northwest Airlines.
 
 
 
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