Catherwood LibraryILR School

A Federal Aviation Administration order requiring airlines to check identification and conduct random screenings has caused Northwest Airlines to assign gate agents to these tasks until new security agents are hired---and provoked a lawsuit by the union representing these employees. The International Association of Machinists, which represents the gate agents, is suing Northwest for disciplining workers who refuse to conduct these searches and threatening to fire them unless they comply. The IAM claims that the unarmed and hastily trained gate agents are unequipped to deal with terrorists and are being forced to risk their own lives and those of customers.