NWA Pilot Leaders Will Vote on Recall of 2 Union Officials

Northwest Airlines pilot leaders, badly divided over a concessionary contract, decided Thursday to vote on recalling the union's chairman and vice chairman.

Mark McClain, chairman of the Northwest branch of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), has been the target of criticism from pilots who dislike the tentative agreement that cuts pilot pay by 39 percent and allows Northwest to create a small-jet subsidiary.

McClain, a four-term chairman of the union's executive council, has endorsed the concessionary agreement because he characterized it as "the best option we have to protect our careers." McClain has advocated a "yes" vote on the tentative agreement.

Bill Bartels, union vice chairman, argued for a "no" vote on the deal.

A majority of the 12-member executive council has called for a special meeting at which recall votes will be taken, pilots spokesman Wade Blaufuss said.

The executive council will convene Tuesday in Bloomington for the recall votes and possible election of successors, according to a union message posted Thursday. McClain and Bartels were unavailable for comment Thursday.

The executive council has taken a "neutral" stance on the tentative agreement. Pilots are scheduled to complete voting on that agreement May 3.

The Northwest pilots' executive council has a history of splitting into factions.

The body took months before it could agree on a successor for Mike Ristow on the Northwest board of directors. It finally settled on Steve Zoller.

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