Northwest union, CEO at odds

Northwest Airlines Corp.'s flight attendants union called for Chief Executive Officer Doug Steenland to resign, saying mismanagement led to crew shortages and flight cancellations last month.

The cancellations apparently have continued. On Friday, two local Northwest round trips, one between Albany and Detroit and the other between Albany and Minneapolis, were canceled.

The unanimous vote by leaders of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA follows a no-confidence resolution in management adopted last month by Northwest's pilots union. Steenland, who became CEO in October 2004, led the fifth-largest U.S. carrier through a bankruptcy reorganiza tion that ended May 31.

"Labor groups gave Mr. Steenland early and fair warning that his business plan was overreaching and destined to fail," union President Kevin Griffin said Friday.

A spokesman for Eagan, Minnesota-based Northwest didn't immediately return a call for comment on the attendants' action.

News stories provided by third parties are not edited by "Site Publication" staff. For suggestions and comments, please click the Contact link at the bottom of this page.