Lawyers for Northwest Airlines and its flight attendants square off in New York

Two planes
Northwest planes on the tarmac at Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.
MPR file photo

Lawyers for Northwest Airlines and its flight attendants argued the untested legal question of whether workers can strike a bankrupt airline.

The flight attendants union has said it will begin intermittent work stoppages Tuesday if the judge allows a strike to go ahead.

Northwest says that could force the airline to shut down, and the judge should block any job actions.

MPR's Jeff Horwich reports live from St. Paul

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