Well looks like no one else has posted it so:

ROMULUS, Mich. (AP) — Northwest Airlines plans to lay off about 120 customer service agents and replace them with skycaps in an effort to save several million dollars a year, a union says.

Northwest plans to have skycaps help its self-service customers check luggage, according to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, union for both the skycaps and the agents.

The company plans to make the move starting June 1, the union said. It said the move violates its contract and has asked for an arbitration hearing.

Northwest, the nation's fourth-largest airline, plans to hire about 80 skycaps, who make less than $10 an hour helping travelers with their luggage at curbs, union officials said. They would replace agents who make about $20 an hour.

About 50 customer service agents will lose their jobs at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, about 50 in Minneapolis and 15-20 in Memphis, the union said.

"They feel they have been let down and betrayed by Northwest," Robert DePace, president of the union, said on Tuesday.

Currently, Northwest has about 100 skycaps at its three hub airports.

Northwest spokeswoman Mary Stanik said the airline is hiring more skycaps in response to the increased use of self-service devices. She would not comment on the number of layoffs.

DePace said skycaps are paid less in base wages because they get tips. But those workers would not be allowed to take tips at self-service kiosks or behind the ticket counters, DePace said.


ugh.....