Northwest Airlines flight attendants delay strike by 10 days

Northwest Airlines' flight attendants delayed the start of their threatened strike by 10 days, until Aug. 25, because of the increased terrorism threat against air travel.

Leaders of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA unit at bankrupt Northwest decided today on the delay, saying the workers need to focus on heightened airline security rules.

The union had planned to begin sporadic, unannounced work stoppages Aug. 15 that could affect one flight, one city or Northwest's entire system in protest of the airline's imposition of wage and benefit cuts in a new contract. Northwest, the fifth-largest U.S. airline, has asked a judge to block the strike, saying it could force the company out of business.

"Present security concerns take precedence over all other concerns at this time," said Mollie Reiley, interim head of the union at Eagan, Minnesota-based Northwest. The delay will allow attendants to focus on security and "reduce the stress level."