Northwest Airlines flight attendants are voting on a deal that management says will not be improved.
The attendants will be voting through June 6 on whether to accept a tentative agreement that would cut their pay 21% and require them to work longer hours.
Northwest management says the deal will save them $195 million a year.
Baggage handlers and ramp workers rejected their own pay-cut offer from Northwest, which forced the airline back to the bargaining table. Flight attendants are also voting later this summer to possibly switch unions. Northwest management, which apparently thinks flight attendants might hold out for a better deal, say that will not happen.
Northwest plans to assign 30% of international flying to foreigners if the deal is not ratified.
Talks are continuing.
Report by David Wilkening
