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Thursday, Aug. 27, 1998
Northwest fears strike, cancels flights
Settlement possible before Friday night deadline, pilots' spokesman says
By KARREN MILLS
Associated PressMINNEAPOLIS -- Airports stockpiled pillows and blankets for stranded passengers as Northwest Airlines on Wednesday canceled 400 flights in anticipation of a weekend strike by pilots. Progress was reported in the negotiations.
A Clinton administration official, meanwhile, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the administration was ``unlikely to get involved'' if a strike was called.
Dean Smith, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, said the negotiations with a federal mediator were progressing and that a settlement might be reached before the strike deadline of 11:01 p.m. CDT Friday.
``We can absolutely have a negotiated settlement. We're ready to go 24 hours if we have to,'' he said.
A news blackout has been imposed on the talks, and Smith would not elaborate, other than to say outsourcing of jobs was a more important issue than pay heading toward the strike deadline.
Northwest spokesman Jon Austin said the airline also hopes a settlement will be reached, but decided to cancel flights Friday and Saturday so the 25,000 passengers could make other arrangements.
Northwest canceled about 170 of its 1,700 daily flights scheduled to operate Friday and about 230 flights Saturday. The flights will not be rescheduled if agreement is reached, Austin said. He said additional cancellations were not expected unless there was a strike.
The airline also said it would accept no cargo beginning today. Northwest hauls about 700,000 pounds of mail daily, including about 80 percent of the mail through Detroit.
The Postal Service said it had made plans to shift that mail to truck, railroads and other air carriers.
Although the possibility of the strike took no one by surprise, some travelers scrambled to make last-minute arrangements.
``The calls are nonstop,'' said Janelle Nunez of Partners in Travel in Minneapolis. ``People who were thinking that maybe the strike wasn't going to happen are now fairly confident that it will and they are definitely booking away from Northwest.''
Officials at Memphis International Airport, a Northwest hub along with Minneapolis and Detroit, stockpiled 1,000 mattresses, pillows and blankets, baby formula and diapers.
``We understand a lot of hotels are full over the weekend, so we've made preparations,'' Airport Authority Vice President Bob Martin said. ``We're prepared for as many as 1,500 to 2,000'' stranded passengers.
``This is unprecedented,'' said Martin, who also said the airport is tightening security in case of any disruptions.
Detroit's Metropolitan Wayne County Airport also geared up to help passengers with free coloring books and crayons for children and free ground transportation to the train and bus depots.
If the 6,000 pilots strike, many of the airline's other 45,000 employees would probably be laid off but would face firings if they engage in a sympathy strike. The two regional airlines that handle about 19,000 passengers a day for Northwest -- Mesaba Airlines and Express I Airlines -- have said they will shut down if there is a strike.
Briefing reporters at Edgartown, Mass., where Clinton is vacationing, White House spokesman Barry Toiv said the president ``strongly encourages the parties to continue negotiations and work out their differences at the bargaining table.'' .
Toiv was asked but did not say what the president might do if the deadline passes and a strike is called.
Clinton acted quickly to end the American Airlines pilots' strike in 1997. But the union representing those pilots was not affiliated with the AFL-CIO, as ALPA is, and labor officials have made it clear that it does not want the administration to intervene.
Also, more than two dozen congressional Democrats have written to the president, asking him to not intervene.
Jake Siewert, spokesman for Clinton's National Economic Council, said that ``while no decision has been made, it would be a mistake for anybody to negotiate based on the assumption that we'll appoint a board.''Post your comments about local news eventsFront Page || Main Index || News || Business || Texas || South Texas Outdoors || Birdwatching || Sports || Entertainment || Selena || Education || South Texas Attractions || World Wide Web