Facing a possible strike as soon as Aug. 19, Northwest Airlines mechanics have invited unions and union supporters to join them in a "Union Unity Rally" Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 4 p.m. at the state Capitol.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association Local 33 "invites all Minnesota unionists and union supporters to join a Union Unity Rally to stand up against union-busting by Northwest Airlines," the union announced.
In current contract talks, Northwest management is seeking to eliminate more than half of the 5,000 mechanics, cleaners and custodians represented by AMFA.
"For Northwest to demand 53 percent job cuts is the most blatant union-busting technique that I can think of," said Ted Ludwig, AMFA Local 33 president. "The company knows that asking over half of our members to vote away their jobs is a sure way to guarantee a strike. They want to force us out and use the 1,000 non-union replacement workers they have already hired. We cannot allow them to succeed.
"This is not solely our struggle," he noted. "Northwest has demanded that flight attendants train additional 'replacement workers' if they honor our picket lines. The company has also contracted with a temp agency to replace ticket agents and baggage handlers."
As part of its comprehensive union-busting strategy, the company has contracted with Vance Security International, the country's most notorious anti-union security force that has busted unions and unionists' heads for more than two decades.
"Northwest's current actions are particularly egregious examples of the anti-union tactics used against our union brothers and sisters by the corporate world. It is only through solidarity that we can preserve the gains that unions have made, and preserve middle class America," said Ludwig.
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Facing a possible strike as soon as Aug. 19, Northwest Airlines mechanics have invited unions and union supporters to join them in a “Union Unity Rally” Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 4 p.m. at the state Capitol.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association Local 33 “invites all Minnesota unionists and union supporters to join a Union Unity Rally to stand up against union-busting by Northwest Airlines,” the union announced.
In current contract talks, Northwest management is seeking to eliminate more than half of the 5,000 mechanics, cleaners and custodians represented by AMFA.
“For Northwest to demand 53 percent job cuts is the most blatant union-busting technique that I can think of,” said Ted Ludwig, AMFA Local 33 president. “The company knows that asking over half of our members to vote away their jobs is a sure way to guarantee a strike. They want to force us out and use the 1,000 non-union replacement workers they have already hired. We cannot allow them to succeed.
“This is not solely our struggle,” he noted. “Northwest has demanded that flight attendants train additional ‘replacement workers’ if they honor our picket lines. The company has also contracted with a temp agency to replace ticket agents and baggage handlers.”
As part of its comprehensive union-busting strategy, the company has contracted with Vance Security International, the country’s most notorious anti-union security force that has busted unions and unionists’ heads for more than two decades.
“Northwest’s current actions are particularly egregious examples of the anti-union tactics used against our union brothers and sisters by the corporate world. It is only through solidarity that we can preserve the gains that unions have made, and preserve middle class America,” said Ludwig.