August 31, 1998 - Twin cities airport officials say things were relatively calm at Minneapolis St. Paul Internaional airport today. Airport officials had been bracing for the worst on the first business day of the Northwest airlines pilots strike which grounded the airline late friday. As Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports, morning travellers either had an easy time of it, or became ensnared in frustrating misadventures trying to get out of town. sfx-- Are they insane?
August 31, 1998 - It is day three of the Northwest Airlines' pilots strike. So far, at least in the Twin Cities, the melee predicted by the airline has NOT materialized at the airport. Northwest customers are apparantly finding alternatives... and judging from sparse crowds at the airport, many of them may have choosen NOT to fly. No further negotiations are yet scheduled. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
September 1, 1998 - Northwest airlines has started laying off employees as a result of the pilot's strike. Today the airline announced it would furlough 162 dispatchers and 15 meteorologists. Other union heads say they expect more layoffs in the next few days. Northwest says it will decide tomorrow (Wednesday) whether to lay off flight attendants. Minnesota public radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports: Northwest says it's paid its employees--other than striking pilots--as if the airline were running full steam. But that could soon change barring an agreement between management and pilots. Layoffs would save the carrier money but could also delay a start-up by several weeks once the strike ends.
September 1, 1998 - The effects of the Northwest Airlines pilots striking are starting to bite at regional airports. As Minnesota Public Radio's Hope Deutscher reports - at the Hector International Airport in Fargo, businesses have sent dozens of employees home. (sound of United Express plane purring along) Passangers are still landing three times a day at the Hector International Airport in Fargo...when the United Express plane from Chicago arrives. Nine Northwest flights usually land each day - bringing in about 16-hundred passengers...the three United Express flights bring less than 200 passengers daily.
September 2, 1998 - Kathy Tunheim, president of Tunheim-Santrizos, and Leonard Lee, president of the Right Stuff, share analysis of the public relations war being conducted by Northwest Airlines and the pilots' union. Tunheim and Lee also answer listener questions.
September 2, 1998 - With the flight cancellations and the lay offs, it looks like mid-september is the EARLIEST travelers can expect things to be back to normal at Northwest Airlines. Camille Riggs is with Dayton's Corporate Travel in Minneapolis. When we called her this afternoon, her voicemail said "insanity has set in and we are going crazy." When we reached her later, I asked her what was going on: Camille Riggs is with Dayton's Corporate Travel in Minneapolis. Sun 28-MAY 09:03:52 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
September 2, 1998 - Northwest Airlines has begun laying off some employees as the pilots' strike enters its 5th day. Some flight dispatchers and meterologists were furloughed yesterday and more layoffs are expected as the strike continues. Yesterday after hours of meetings with Northwest Preisdent John Dasburg and unions leaders, U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater said the President still has no intention to force the pilots back to work. Slater said however, the adminstration wants Northwest and its pilots back at the table as soon as possible. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik has a report. | D-CART ITEM:0135 | TIME: 4:20s | OUTCUE: soc
September 2, 1998 - On the 5th day of the pilots strike today, Northwest Airlines laid off half its workforce. The company furloughed Mechanics, customer service employees, ground workers and flight attendants. David Cave is a 3rd year flight attendant with Northwest and a volunteer for the teamsters union. He says he fully supports the pilots' strike despite the financial hardship: David Cave is a flight attendant with Northwest Airlines and a contract action team coordinator for the Teamsters Local 2000, the flight attendants union in the Twin Cities.
September 2, 1998 - Nearly 28 thosuand Northwest Airlines employees have been sent home indefinitely as the pilots strike heads toward its sixth day. Northwest announced the layoffs today and says more workers could be furloughed if a settlement is not reached soon. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports... | D-CART ITEM: 0408 | TIME: 4:11s | OUTCUE: soc
September 3, 1998 - Chris Farrell, MPR senior business and economics editor, presents MPR special report, "Make Change, Not Money: The Power of the Non-Profit Economy."