Northwest Airlines to restore about 150 mechanics' positions

Airline Industry Information, June 15, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Northwest Airlines has reportedly been ordered by an arbitration board to restore about 150 aircraft mechanics' jobs eliminated at the start of the Iraq war.

The carrier laid off about 2,000 mechanics in 2003 in the wake of the Iraq war and the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The airline invoked the "force majeure" clause of its contract, which allows layoffs for some events outside the company's control.

However, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association claimed that the layoffs were due to economic conditions and that the carrier used the war and SARS as an excuse for layoffs.

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