After a week of intense bargaining and a final marathon session, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) and Northwest Airlines reached a new tentative agreement early July 17, 2006. Negotiators reached the agreement in time to avoid rejection of the existing flight attendant contract, as had been authorized by the bankruptcy court. “With the airline in bankruptcy, this deal was always going to be about survival,” said Mollie Reiley, Northwest Interim Master Executive council (MEC) President. “We left no stone unturned and have made a significant difference together, but this is not a day that we celebrate. We have an agreement that will give flight attendants hope for the future and one that allows us to fight another day.”

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the work place, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 55,000 flight attendants, including 9,200 at Northwest, come together to form AFA-CWA, the world’s largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO. Visit them at www.nwaafa.org.