Northwest cuts jobs at Eppley

[Coyote]

Northwest plans to cut jobs at Omaha airport

Thirty-five employees of Eagan-based Northwest Airlines at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Neb., will lose their jobs Nov. 29 when a union-negotiated contract takes effect, transferring those jobs to an outside contractor. Contract employees are taking over at all airports where Northwest has fewer than 50 flights per week. The airline is phasing in the changes across the country as part of its bankruptcy restructuring, and they have taken place at 27 airports so far, said Northwest spokesman Roman Blahoski. At Eppley, the 35 Northwest employees who will lose their jobs include 15 ticket and gate agents and 20 baggage handlers. All will receive a severance package with 20 weeks of pay, medical and travel benefits, Blahoski said.