Merger in the Air

  • Northwest strikes symbolizes declining influence of labor
    No other union at Northwest Airlines is honoring the picket line of striking mechanics. Nationally, several unions have split from the AFL-CIO. Those examples are, in many ways, emblematic of today's broader labor picture.September 4, 2005
  • Northwest warns that time running out to avoid bankruptcy
    Northwest Airlines Corp. says spiking fuel prices are pushing it closer to bankruptcy. Company pilots said they would negotiate a new round of pay cuts.September 1, 2005
  • Northwest's other unions prepare for negotiations
    Northwest is currently negotiating with unions representing flight attendants and groundworkers. The company is also trying to get pilots back to the table for the largest cuts of all.August 29, 2005
  • State unlikely to hold bag on loan to Northwest, officials say
    It's not only the airline and the mechanics that have a stake in Northwest Airlines' financial situation, but also the taxpayers of Minnesota. In the early '90s, the state lent Northwest $270 million, and the company is still making payments.August 26, 2005
  • Family upheavals dot Northwest mechanics' picket lines
    Striking airline mechanics have dug in their heels for a long fight as their strike against Northwest Airlines starts its second week. Many of the mechanics say they're prepared emotionally and financially for a protracted walkout. At the same time the thought of finding another job if the strike ultimately goes sour remains a nagging concern.August 26, 2005
  • NWA strike leads to question: Can any worker be replaced?
    When Northwest Airlines Corp. replaced its striking mechanics this past week, the move drew wide attention as a potential watershed moment: Could an employer replace scores of its highly skilled workers wholesale?August 26, 2005
  • What's wrong with the airline industry?
    As the Northwest Airlines mechanics strike enters its seventh day, NWA executives say they are reducing delays and working out the kinks with their replacement mechanics. But Northwest's claims of a successful contingency plan belie a daunting financial picture for NWA and other big airlines. Why is it so hard to turn a profit flying planes?August 26, 2005
  • Mechanics' supporters turn to prayer
    Emotions are running high for Northwest Airlines mechanics union members and their families. Some say they're struggling to hold things together both emotionally and financially.August 26, 2005
  • Strike or no strike, it's still a company town
    Some travelers looking for other airlines to fly during the strike at Northwest Airlines are having a hard time, since Northwest controls 80 percent of the gates at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.August 25, 2005
  • The power of labor
    An expert on the labor movement in the United States says the mechanics strike against Northwest Airlines is the troubled union situation in a microcosm.August 25, 2005
  • Northwest strike could benefit other airlines
    Several of Northwest Airlines' competitors are reporting a small increase in business since the carrier's mechanics went on strike last week.August 24, 2005
  • Period of strike limbo leaves lingering questions
    How long it could the Northwest strike last? Can Northwest simply leave the striking union behind.August 24, 2005
  • Analysis shows plenty of flight delays as mechanics strike continues at Northwest
    Using a sample of almost 180 flights, an analysis by Minnesota Public Radio has found 58 percent of Northwest Airlines flights did not arrive on time on the first business day of its mechanics strike.August 23, 2005
  • Who controls the message in mechanics and NWA dispute?
    Northwest Airlines and the mechanics union are each trying to deliver a specific message to the public about how the strike is going.August 23, 2005
  • The strike at Northwest Airlines chronology
    A Flash presentation showing the major points in the mechanics' strike against Northwest Airlines, which began on August 19, 2005.August 22, 2005
Merger in the Air photo by Michael Carter

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