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Monday, Sep. 7, 1998
Arbitrators shuttle between airline, pilots
Northwest, union told to `redouble' efforts
Associated Press
ROSEMONT, Ill. - Federal mediators sent both sides in the Northwest Airlines pilots' strike home Sunday to rethink their positions after ``exploratory'' talks ended without a meeting between the two sides.
Negotiators from Northwest and the Air Line Pilots Association, the union representing the striking pilots, met separately over the weekend at a suburban Chicago hotel as federal mediators shuttled between the two groups.
A statement from Maggie Jacobsen, National Mediation Board chairwoman, urged both sides to ``redouble'' their efforts to find common ground before discussions resume in Minneapolis on Tuesday.
The statement gave no details on points of contention, and negotiators agreed not to talk to the media.
Before the news blackout was imposed, Northwest spokesman Jon Austin said there was a $180-million-a-year gap between the two sides - mostly over salary and benefits.
The airline's 6,100 pilots, who went on strike Aug. 28, have been negotiating a new contract for the past two years. They asked for a 14 percent salary increase over three years. Northwest has offered 9 percent over four years.
About 27,700 of Northwest's 50,000 employees have been put on temporary leave since the strike began.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