Mesaba Airlines pilots, who provide service for Northwest Airlines, are threatening a strike if a new contract is not negotiated by Friday night. Pay has been a key issue in the talks, as Mesaba pilots feel that they do not receive the same pay as their peers in the industry. Northwest is reluctant to grant pay raises at a time when all major airlines are cutting costs. Regional partners like Mesaba are now feeling the effects of these cost-cutting initiatives.
See "Pilots' Strike Looms at Mesaba Airlines", The New York Times, January 8, 2004