Northwest Mechanics Interviewed by U.S. Department of Transportation on Security at Foreign Aircraft Repair Stations

Business Wire, Sept 4, 2002

Business Editors/Travel Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 4, 2002

Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) Local 33, serving Northwest and Mesaba Airlines, today said the U.S. Department of Transportation interviewed union officials last week as part of a review of security at aircraft repair stations located outside the United States.

Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General announced plans to conduct a review to determine if foreign repair stations "have controls in place to provide adequate security for aircraft and repair facilities."

Jim Atkinson, AMFA Local 33 legislative liaison, said the interviewer seemed very interested in the union's perspective. Union officials have questioned whether heightened security regulations enacted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are being rigorously applied to workers at foreign repair stations. In December 2001, the TSA mandated fingerprint-based criminal background checks for about one million U.S. employees, including Northwest aircraft mechanics, who work in secure areas of U.S. airports. In January, a suspected Al-Qaida agent arrested in Singapore turned out to be a senior aircraft repair technician employed by the same company Northwest uses to repair its DC-10 jets.

The union also has criticized Northwest for cutting costs by sending U.S. aircraft maintenance jobs to the overseas facilities after September 11, while accepting more than $500 million in federal relief money.

"We believe it's morally wrong for Northwest to send these American jobs overseas," Atkinson said. "Any airline receiving aid from 9-11 should feel obligated to keep jobs here at home. This is needed to spur the economy. We have also been concerned whether foreign workers are subjected to the same security measures as American workers. For this reason, we are happy to see this ongoing audit by the Department of Transportation."