MINNEAPOLIS — Northwest Airlink pilots who fly for Mesaba Airlines will conduct informational picketing and leafleting Nov. 12 at airports in Minneapolis, Detroit and Memphis to show support for their union leadership and to demonstrate their increasing frustration with company management delays in their contract negotiations.

"Our pilots are disappointed and upset that Mesaba management is breaking promises to them," said Captain Tom Wychor, chairman of the Mesaba Airlines ALPA unit. "Mesaba pilots are supporting their union leaders and negotiators 100 percent and also want Mesaba management to know that they are tired of management’s negotiating tactics."

Pilots will picket and leaflet in front of terminal doors 4, 5 and 6 at the Lindberg Terminal in Minneapolis; in front of the ticketing and departure level at the Northwest WorldGateway Terminal in Detroit; and in front of the "B" terminal doors at the Memphis International Airport. Picketing and leafleting is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Minneapolis and Detroit, and 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Memphis, all local time.

"Mesaba pilots built our airline into what it is today through our service and safety, as well as our concessions in 1996, and management assured us that we would benefit from its future growth. Instead our pilots are being laid off while management uses profits from our pilots’ hard work to purchase a new carrier," said Captain Wychor. "This is clearly designed to hurt our current negotiations and is devastating employee morale."

Negotiations with management, which began in June 2001, are currently being conducted under the direction of a federal mediator. The two parties have not yet begun to discuss key economic issues, including pay and retirement.

"We continue to show our commitment to reaching a fair and equitable agreement," said Captain Wychor, "but achieving that agreement is impossible when management won’t live up to its promises."

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world's oldest and largest pilot union representing nearly 66,000 pilots at 42 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.

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ALPA CONTACTS: 
Kris Pierson, (612) 839-0789 (for Detroit, Memphis)
Mesaba ALPA Office, (952) 851-9411 (for Minneapolis)