Flight attendants blast management gains at Northwest

Flight attendants and pilots from Northwest Airlines rallied at the state Capitol on Wednesday to draw attention to a widening gap between their salaries and compensation for top airline executives.

Northwest flight attendants have voted for a new contract that includes pay cuts and work-rule changes. The Eagan-based airline is now set to emerge from bankruptcy protection this week with all employee unions agreeing on lower wages.

Pilot Ray Miller claims Northwest management has taken more than they've needed from employees.

"To us it's unconscionable for this management team, the same team that took us into bankruptcy, to be rewarded for not only taking us into bankruptcy, but the other side of bankruptcy, while the employees are still locked into long-term concessions," he said.

Miller and other union officials are particularly concerned by recent reports that CEO Doug Steenland is getting nearly $27 million in stock and stock options.

A Northwest spokesman declined to comment on the Capitol rally or employee complaints.

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