CHICAGO, Sept. 11 (Reuters) - Three days of negotiations between Northwest Airlines and the union representing its striking mechanics ended Sunday morning with no new contract and uncertainty over when more talks would be held, the union and airline said.þþÿNo additional labor talks have been scheduled for today,ÿ Shawn Brumbaugh, a spokeswoman for the airline, said.þþIn a recorded message on Sunday, Steve MacFarlane, assistant national director for the Airline Mechanics Fraternal Association, also said the talks had ended without a deal to end the strike. ÿAt this point it is unclear whether additional meetings are scheduled,ÿ he said.þþSince the strike began on Aug. 20, the airline has continued flying using replacement workers and outside vendors. It has said it is prepared to begin hiring the substitute workers as permanent replacements, starting on Tuesday. Last Thursday, the airline raised its demand for concessions to $203 million, from $176 million, and proposed cutting 75 percent of the union's members from the payroll, a union official said Friday.þþNorthwest, which is based in Eagan, Minn., has declined to comment on negotiations. But the airline has said soaring fuel costs could force it to ask for more givebacks from the 4,400 workers represented by AMFA. þþ
Source: NY Times
