The Militant - October 10, 2005 -- Strikers appeal for support to other workers at Northwest

Vol. 69/No. 39 October 10, 2005

Strikers appeal for support
to other workers at Northwest
(front page)

BY NELSON GONZALEZ
ST. PAUL, Minnesota—“They told us they didn’t want a strike but they provoked one. Then they said they didn’t want to go into bankruptcy but they did. Now they’re telling us they want to avoid terminating pensions but that’s what they’re organizing to do. They’re union busters,” said Lynn Walker, one of the 4,400 mechanics, cleaners, and custodians on strike against Northwest Airlines.

Walker, a mechanic, spoke to the Militant September 25 as he picketed outside the Lindbergh Terminal here.

Northwest chief executive officer Douglas Steenland has now announced the company intends to dump its pension plans to save the bosses $3.3 billion in payments from 2006 to 2008.

“The other unions on the property have to face up to this and stand up and fight, because it’s not going to go away,” said Russell Welch, a mechanic on picket duty at the Lindbergh Terminal.

The striking workers, members of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), have been walking the picket line since August 19, after rejecting the company’s demand that they accept a 25 percent pay cut, a freeze in pensions, and layoffs of 50 percent of the AMFA workforce.

Two weeks after the strike began the carrier filed for bankruptcy protection and announced plans to lay off 400 pilots and 1,400 flight attendants. It is demanding $195 million in givebacks from the flight attendants. The bosses are also now pushing to eliminate three-fourths of the AMFA members’ jobs. The ramp workers already face $107 million in giveback demands and may face additional layoffs and concession demands as well.

Northwest flight attendants, ramp workers, and pilots have continued to work during the mechanics’ strike.

Strike captain Mike Klem said pickets are facing increased police harassment. “The cops have refused to allow pickets at the entrance [to the maintenance hangar] forcing them down the road and putting an airport police truck in between the pickets and the entrance,” he said. Klem said one picket was jailed for allegedly violating a spitting ordinance and two others face misdemeanor charges for calling strikebreakers “scabs.” Northwest has continued to operate during the strike using a small army of scab mechanics.

“Northwest is applying maximum pressure, but we’ve been defending our people and winning back some of the picket spots they have been trying to take away,” Klem said. Fewer than 20 AMFA members have crossed the picket line, said Steve MacFarlane, an AMFA national officer.

Delta Airlines announced it was filing for bankruptcy the same day as Northwest. Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein said the carrier plans to eliminate 9,000 jobs, make a $325 million cut in its pilots pay, a $605 million pay cut for the rest of its workforce, and retire more than 80 aircraft. “Everyone is going to have to work harder for less money,” Grinstein told the Wall Street Journal September 15.

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