Northwest Airlines faces the possibility of a strike by its mechanics' union on Saturday if no agreement can be reached between the two sides. While other airlines and their unions have sparred over reduced pay, elimination of benefits and job cuts, none of the disputes have come to the point of a strike. If workers walk off the job, Northwest is vowing to institute an extensive plan to keep its planes in the air, using replacement mechanics and management personnel.
See "Circling a Decision", Micheline Maynard and Jeremy W. Peters, The New York Times, August 17, 2005