Following on the heels of a historic $15 billion bailout of the airline industry, a fight is brewing in Congress over a proposed aid package for the over 100,000 airline and aerospace workers who have lost their jobs due to the events of September 11. The issue is becoming increasingly critical as American Airlines and Northwest Airlines announced on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, that they will try to avoid paying severance to the 30,00o workers they are laying off. Having allowed Republicans to pass the airline industry bailout without inclusion of aid to affected workers, Democrats have indicated that they will likely insist on inclusion of such aid in any bill addressing airline security.
See "House Republican Leaders Balk at Any Help for Laid-Off Workers", LIZETTE ALVAREZ, The New York Times, September 25, 2001