Members of United Steelworkers Local 5668-04 voted to accept the new three-year agreement August 5. The union maintained its health care benefits, gained an improved dental plan, a new vision plan, and wage increases. The union agreed to give up a $1,000 signing bonus.

“The membership deserves the credit,” Grievance Committee Chair Eli Morris told the Militant. “They showed we are still willing to fight a multinational company making millions of dollars in profit and keep our benefits.”

—Linda Joyce  
 
Northwest flight attendants
reject concessions pact again
Flight attendants at Northwest Airlines rejected for the second time in less than two months a proposed $195 million concession contract. The pact would cut pay 21 percent, reduce benefits, and lengthen work hours. It was rejected July 31 by a vote of 3,266 to 2,637. Northwest filed for bankruptcy in September, then imposed a contract similar to one flight attendants had rejected by an 80 percent margin in June. The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) then said that random strikes against Northwest could begin August 15. In response to the newest “terror” alert, AFA officials on August 11 moved the deadline to August 25.

After rejecting the first contract, attendants voted to leave the Professional Flight Attendants Association. They joined AFA, which is affiliated with the Communications Workers of America. A similar contract proposal put to a vote by AFA officials was then rejected as well.

—Brian Williams
 
 
Related articles:
In victory for union, worker reinstated at Hormel packing plant in Atlanta  
 
 
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