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From: Kimberly Hillary
T1: pearlsbykim@aol.com
Category: Northwest News
Date: 16 Jan 2006
Time: 09:44:39 -0500
Remote Name: 152.163.100.199
Senator this is a copy of my letter to the CEO of Northwest Airline
Are you aware of what's going on to employees in your state? Northwest Airlines has a hub in Memphis. Please do something about this CEO. Many lives are being ruined and something has to be done. Behavior like this is going to put our country into another DEPRESSION!!! Please do something before I run for senator myself!
Thank you.
Kim Hillary
Mr, Steenland,
WOW....YOU WANT EVEN MORE MONEY FROM THE BROKE Flight Attendants. YOU HAVE WON THE BATTLE. I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO WORK AT Northwest Airlines. I NOW MAKE $22,000. A YEAR. A LOT LESS THAN THE $40,000. I MADE LAST YEAR SO I CAN NOT AFFORD MY MORTGAGE ANY LONGER AND AM FORCED TO SELL MY HOME, THE ONLY BILL I HAVE. I WILL BE LEAVING NWA AS SOON AS I SELL THE HOUSE AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU I'M ASHAMED OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE AT THIS COMPANY. I MADE $12,000. MY FIRST YEAR AND STAYED BROKE FOR 7 TEARS IN HOPES THAT ONE DAY I WOULD EARN A LIVABLE WAGE. I SEE THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. MR. STEENLAND WHY AND HOW COULD YOU TAKE A 4.5 BILLION DOLLAR BONUS AND HAVE THE AUDACITY TO TELL ME YOU NEED 1.4 BILLION DOLLARS FROM THE ALREADY WELFARE QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES SUCH AS MYSELF! IF YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE BONUS I WOULD UNDERSTAND SOME OF THIS BUT SEEING HOW YOU TOOK A BONUS I FIND IT REVOLTING. IT SICKENS ME AND UPSETS ME TO NO END! GOD BLESS NWA AND THE POOR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO STAY IN THIS MESS. KIMBERLY HILLARY (727)251-5466...FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ANYTIME!!!
From: IFCOMM - INFLIGHT COMMUNICATION To: 229868 - HILLARY, KIMBERLY A Sent: 14JAN06 01:18 GMT Subject: Letter from Doug Steenland January 13, 2006 To: All NWA Employees From: Doug Steenland, President and CEO Re: Bankruptcy Proceedings Dear fellow Northwest employee: Next Tuesday, January 17, is the scheduled start of the Bankruptcy Court hearing at which Northwest will present to the judge its plan to reduce annual labor costs by $1.4 billion the goal needed to make Northwest competitive in the new airline marketplace. In keeping with our commitment to inform all of you about our progress as we restructure NWA, Id like to outline in this letter what you can expect to see and hear about this court process in the coming weeks. First, though, I would like to thank all of you for your hard work during this uncertain time. Recently, our operations have been running well, and I know that your professionalism and commitment have made this happen. As you know, we have already achieved consensual agreements on permanent wage and benefit reductions from the Aircraft Technical Support Association, the Transport Workers Union of America and the Northwest Airlines Meteorology Association. Also, the second round of management pay cuts went into effect Dec. 1, 2005. As you also know, we reached interim agreements with our pilots and flight attendants and the court imposed temporary terms on our IAM-represented employees providing about 60 percent of the labor-cost reductions we needed from those groups. This has given us more time to reach consensual agreements, and we have been working hard to do that. We are now in discussions with representatives of the Air Line Pilots Association, the Professional Flight Attendants Association and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. We remain hopeful about reaching consensual agreements with all three unions. The long-term viability of the company requires that we resolve our cost challenges now. We need to achieve a total of $1.4 billion in annual labor cost reductions. While we remain committed to working hard to reach consensual agreements with all unions before the court date, it appears likely that we will be in court next week. Here is generally how the process will work. Its important to note that next week will be business as usual throughout the company. When the hearing starts on the 17th, nothing automatically changes everyone will report to work as normal, existing labor contracts remain in force, and well continue striving to provide the best customer service in the industry. During the hearing, we will present our case for why it is necessary to obtain the $1.4 billion in labor cost reductions to emerge from bankruptcy as a viable competitor and achieve sustainable profits. We believe that our case is solid, and in fact, people outside the company say that what were doing will ensure our competitiveness in the new airline marketplace. ALPA, IAM, and PFAA have each filed objections to our plans. After Northwest completes its presentation, the three unions will present their positions about what may or may not be necessary for NWA to restructure successfully. The hearing could take several weeks. The bankruptcy judge will have 30 days from the start of the hearing to rule on the 1113 (c) motion. If NWA and any of the unions want to continue negotiations during or after the hearing and before the judges decision, we can. There have been several bankruptcy cases where that is exactly what has happened. If the hearing goes forward, we believe that we will be able to demonstrate to the Bankruptcy Court judge that we have met the standards set forth in Section 1113(c), and so we believe the judge will grant Northwests motion. Obviously, we would prefer a result that is negotiated, rather than imposed. Another issue that has caused a lot of comment is the rumor about a possible strike by one or more of the unions if the court imposes new contract terms. To put it simply, a work stoppage would not be in the best interests of anyone our employees, our company, the communities we serve, and most importantly our customers, whose support is essential to NWA. We also do not believe that under the terms of the Railway Labor Act our unions have a legal basis for a strike. In closing, I want to emphasize my personal thanks to all of you for your commitment to NWA. I recognize that this is a very trying time, and that you are working hard to achieve a very important goal we all share: to restructure Northwest into the strong, vital and profitable business we know it can be. Over the next few weeks, we will make every effort to keep you informed on the process, and on what is being achieved. Please check audio line, Newswire, Radar and all the other communication vehicles we have in place. I also encourage you to bring any questions you may have to your managers, or to me (DMSteenland@nwa.com). We know there will be rumors; we know that people will speculate about what might happen in the face of uncertainty. But we will do everything we can to give you accurate and timely information.