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Northwest Airlines Corp. planned to go before a bankruptcy judge Friday as it seeks permission to throw out its union contract with flight attendants.
Northwest has said it has the right to unilaterally impose terms on flight attendants after 80 percent of them voted down a tentative agreement on Tuesday. But it said it would rather get permission from the judge. Lawyers for the company and union are expected to meet in Judge Allan Gropper's chambers Friday afternoon. Northwest is also seeking an injunction to bar a threatened strike by flight attendants in case new contract terms are imposed on them.
"We want to negotiate," said Karen Schultz, a spokeswoman for the Professional Flight Attendants Association. "We think that's the right thing to do. We'll certainly fight the items that Northwest has applied for."
Flight attendants rejected a contract that would have brought a 21-percent pay cut and numerous work rule changes which together would have saved Northwest $195 million a year.
But the terms Northwest wants to impose are even harsher, including eliminating severance pay for furloughed flight attendants.
Northwest baggage handlers and ground workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers are also voting on a tentative agreement this week. The union plans to begin counting ballots on Friday.
WCCO-TV Minneapolis-St. Paul
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