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Wednesday, Sep. 9, 1998
Negotiators resume talks in 11-day-old strike
By KARREN MILLS
Associated PressMINNEAPOLIS -- The White House on Tuesday dispatched two of its big guns to Minnesota to help get Northwest Airlines and its striking pilots back to the bargaining table.
Deputy counsel Bruce Lindsey and Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater were sent to meet first with the federal mediator who has been working with the two sides. The two men will remain ``as long as they can be useful there. They are primarily there to assess the situation,'' White House spokesman Barry Toiv said.
Northwest and the union representing its 6,100 pilots resumed meetings amid tight security and a news blackout Tuesday, the third day of talks aimed at resumption of contract negotiations. The two sides also met separately with a mediator Saturday and Sunday in Chicago.
At the suburban hotel used as a meeting site, a blue screen and a large plant blocked a hallway leading to the area where talks were being held. Both sides were ordered by the National Mediation Board to say nothing about the talks.
The dispute, which centers on pay and job security, began Aug. 28 and is the longest airline strike since 1989, when a machinists' strike led to the collapse of Eastern Airlines.
Northwest has canceled all flights through Friday, and flights originating in Europe and Asia through Sunday.
Two feeder carriers that discontinued Northwest Airlink service when the strike began had been ordered by the Transportation Department to reinstate service Tuesday to 17 towns with no other scheduled air service.
Both carriers had said it would be impossible to comply.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