Northwest Strike Talks Break Off

Officials of Northwest Airlines and its striking pilots’ union met with a federal mediator in Rosemont, Ill., attempting to jump-start negotiations on compensation and job security issues. Negotiators broke for dinner and never returned. The money chasm dividing the two sides is about $180 million per year. Paul Omodt, spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Assn., said the airline has been indifferent about continuing the negotiations. Northwest has canceled all flights through Tuesday and all incoming flights from Europe and Asia through Wednesday. Meanwhile, AirTran reached tentative agreement with its 500 flight attendants, who had been without a contract since they organized three years ago as employees of what was then ValuJet Airlines.