NWA and Mechanics Reach T/A
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NWA and Mechanics Reach T/A
Monday April 9, 2:18 am Eastern Time
Northwest Airlines, Mechanics Reach Pay Deal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Northwest Airlines Corp. (NasdaqNM:NWAC - news), the nation's fourth largest airline, and its mechanics union reached a tentative agreement to settle a 4-year-old dispute over pay and benefits early Monday, averting a potential strike, a union official said.
Northwest and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), which represents more than 9,600 Northwest mechanics, had huddled in discussions throughout the weekend for the first time since their negotiations collapsed in March and President Bush intervened to stop a threatened strike.
AMFA spokesman Steve Lanier said union and airline negotiators reached the agreement around 1 a.m. EDT (0500 GMT) after marathon discussions that lasted throughout the weekend.
He gave no details of the agreement, saying it would be circulated to union members first for their review before they vote on whether to ratify its terms.
The deal comes just days before a Presidential Emergency Board appointed by Bush was due to issue recommendations to settle the long-running dispute, and averts a strike that could have begun as early as May 11.
