Northwest Flight Attendants Get Some Relief

The members of the Flight Attendants-CWA received the checks from the proceeds of a $182 million equity claim negotiated by the union during the company's bankruptcy.

Kelvin Griffin, AFA-CWA president at Northwest, says:

Today, our flight attendants received some much needed cash and 401(k) contributions. This by no means makes up for the fact that we are still working under 40 percent wage and benefit cuts, but it is a bit of good news for flight attendants who have had a very rough year.

A group of buyers led by JP Morgan Chase Bank bought the Northwest flight attendants’ equity claim for about 64.75 cents on the dollar. Each flight attendant received about $14,500 before taxes, with 40 percent in cash and 60 percent as a 401(k) contribution. However, the $14,500 pales in comparison to the nearly $1 million each Northwest executives received.