Northwest gives new flight attendants union a dues headache MINNEAPOLIS (AP) =97 Northwest Airlines said Tuesday it won't deduct union= =20 dues from its flight attendants' paychecks because the deductions would=20 violate the collective bargaining agreement with flight attendants, who=20 have chosen a new union. Flight attendants last week chose the Professional= =20 Flight Attendants Association to replace Teamsters Local 2000. The PFAA got= =20 55 percent of the vote to represent the 11,000 flight attendants, who had=20 been represented by the Teamsters since 1976. The PFAA, an independent=20 union, said Tuesday that its lawyers were studying the issue and expected=20 to decide within a week whether to file a lawsuit against Northwest. But=20 Northwest maintains it is simply following provisions of the contract. "The= =20 current language of the flight attendant agreement states specifically that= =20 the union shop and dues checkoff provisions shall be in force 'only so long= =20 as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Airline Division, continues= =20 as the recognized bargaining representative of the company's flight=20 attendants,'" said spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch. The PFAA could collect the dues itself, but might have trouble getting dues= =20 from Teamsters supporters. Ebenhoch said Northwest is willing to bargain=20 with the PFAA on the dues collection "and other subjects," but won't=20 unilaterally change previously bargained provisions, Ebenhoch said. The=20 contract inherited by the PFAA runs through mid-2005, but Northwest has=20 asked all of its employees to make concessions totaling nearly $1 billion=20 as the carrier struggles =97 along with the industry =97 to survive the= effects=20 of the down economy, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, severe acute=20 respiratory syndrome and competition from low-fare carriers. Northwest's=20 contracts with pilots and ground workers become amendable this year, but=20 its contracts with mechanics and flight attendants run into 2005. The dues= =20 checkoff issue could be a way for Northwest to get flight attendants to=20 reopen negotiations earlier. The PFAA also wants the Teamsters' seat on=20 Northwest's board of directors =97 held by Ray Benning =97 now that Local= 2000=20 no longer is the bargaining representative for any Northwest employees. The= =20 Teamsters, meanwhile, said they are investigating reports of election=20 interference and may appeal the election results to the National Mediation= =20 Board. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.carib-link.net/naparima/naps.html TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************