The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) today filed a lawsuit against Northwest Airlines in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, asking for an injunction to stop the airline from interfering with the union's right, under the Railway Labor Act, to choose its own negotiating representatives and to engage in negotiations. The Railway Labor Act of 1926 governs labor relations in the airline industry.

The complaint cites Northwest's refusal to bargain with AMFA, as required by law, because Northwest recently objected to the established practice of including a limited number of rank-and-file AMFA members as observers during the negotiations. In the most recent negotiating session, which took place on January 12, 2005, company representatives walked out while AMFA representatives remained at the bargaining table, ready to continue negotiations.

Northwest consented to having observers present at the prior round of collective bargaining negotiations, which lasted from October 1999 until May 2001. "The bargaining process was not hindered by the presence of our observers, and at no time during that entire period did Northwest claim anything to the contrary. In fact, representatives of Northwest Airlines, the National Mediation Board and the Presidential Emergency Board all thanked the AMFA observers for their presence and their professionalism," said Jeff Mathews, AMFA national contract coordinator at Northwest.

"Now, in the midst of current negotiations, Northwest is refusing to continue the discussions unless we exclude our legally chosen observers. We are asking the court to stop this illegal interference and to direct Northwest to return to the bargaining table." In the current contract negotiations, AMFA has tried to work with the company on its concerns regarding observer participation.

Mathews said having observers present during negotiations "reflects AMFA's philosophy of putting democracy back into unionism. This philosophy runs deep and is an integral part of AMFA representation." AMFA is using member-observers in current collective bargaining talks with other airlines, including Horizon Air, United Airlines and Mesaba Airlines.

The lawsuit filed today notes that the successful ratification of the Northwest contract agreement in 2001 was due in part "to the confidence rank and file (AMFA members) had in the collective bargaining process because of the allowance of, and use of, member-observers."

AMFA's craft union represents aircraft maintenance technicians and related support personnel at Alaska Airlines, ATA, Horizon Airlines, Independence Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. AMFA's credo is "Safety in the air begins with quality maintenance on the ground." To learn more about AMFA, visit www.amfanatl.org.