P.M. BRIEFING : Union Weighs Distasteful Choice

The machinists’ union at Northwest Airlines said today it is considering a proposal by Northwest Chairman Alfred Checchi that it choose between laying off workers or taking a 10% pay cut for six months.

Checchi, whose airline faces soaring fuel costs, made the proposal Wednesday night to Guy Cook, president of the 24,400-member International Assn. of Machinists at Northwest, the Saint Paul Pioneer Press reported today.

Cook generally confirmed the report but said the number of layoffs is “up in the air.” He said figures of “10%, 15% and 20% were all mentioned.”

“Another possible scenario is management paying attention to some areas to cut costs,” Cook said. “I have mentioned that to Checchi.”

Northwest employs about 44,000 workers, about 16,500 in Minnesota. A 15% cut would amount to 6,600 jobs.