Northwest Airlines Mechanics approve strike failing arbitration

Northwest Airlines Corp, the No. 4 U.S. airline, will face strike following the Airlines rejection on Monday of an offer from federal mediators to settle the airline’s stalled contract talks with its mechanics through binding arbitration.

The mechanics have voted overwhelmingly to approve a strike against the airline, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association said on Tuesday. In ballots tallied earlier, 92.4 percent of the AMFA members working at Northwest authorized their national leader to call a strike, the union said.

In response to the vote, Northwest released a statement that said it still hoped to reach a consensual agreement with the mechanics’ union, but was prepared to fly a full schedule if there was strike.

Stock in Eagan-based Northwest, the nation’s fourth-largest carrier, fell 2 cents to USD 4.65 in early afternoon noon trading on the Nasdaq.

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Mark restructuring HP by cutting jobs

Hewlett-Packard Co., the world’s largest printer maker, will be cutting 14,500 jobs, about 10 percent of its full-time staff, as part of a restructuring plan designed to save USD 1.9 billion annually and boost business performance, under the guidance of the former NCR Corp. CEO Mark Hurd who was named chief executive less than four months ago.

In May, Hurd described the cost structure at some of the sprawling company’s divisions as “off benchmark.” “After a thorough review of our business, we have formulated a plan that will enable HP to begin delivering its full potential,” Hurd said in a statement Tuesday. “We can perform better, for our customers and partners, our employees and our shareholders and we will.”

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Bush close to SC decision, to get the process moving

President Bush is near to his decision, on his first nominee to the Supreme Court and could announce his decision this week, Bush administration and Republican sources said.

Bush said he will meet with some candidates after studying their records.

“My desire is to get this process moving so that someone will be confirmed, whoever he or she is, will be confirmed by October” when the court reconvenes,” Bush said Monday but gave little clue about whom he is considering.

The sources said Bush is leaning toward picking a woman to fill the vacancy left by retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. O’Connor was the first woman on the high court and a moderate conservative who often controlled the outcome on abortion and other issues.

Sources said the timing of an announcement had been moved up in part to deflect attention away from a CIA leak controversy that has engulfed Bush’s top political adviser, Karl Rove.

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Base-closing committee to decide Defense Secretary’s proposal

The committee, charged with decision which military bases will be closed or downsized, will vote today.

A base-closing commission expressed deep reservations on Monday about Pentagon’s proposal to restructure domestic military bases, including its plan to disband or move dozens of Air National Guard units, as a government study showed that cost savings from such moves have been exaggerated.

The skepticism exhibited by members of the independent commission at a hearing was an indication that they won’t rubber-stamp Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld’s proposal, as some in Congress had feared.

During the hearing Monday, members of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission questioned Pentagon officials about the size of the future submarine force and noted that once a base is closed it could not easily be rebuilt.
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