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employee had worked for NWA regardless of where the airline
facility was located. An employee with higher seniority could
exercise his or her seniority to bump an employee with less
seniority and take that employee’s position. The employee with
less seniority could then take the layoff or find another
employee with less seniority to bump. This seniority bumping
arrangement was in place across the country, so that an NWA
mechanic looking to keep his or her job at NWA had to look at
several different cities to find a less senior employee to bump.
Most employees exercised their seniority in the way that would
give them positions in cities as close as possible to their
families.
Mr. Wasik received a bump notice in September 2003. Mr.
Wasik looked into other job opportunities in the Minneapolis area
but did not find an opportunity that was right for him. Mr.
Wasik chose to exercise his seniority and bump another employee
rather than accept the layoff. Bumping another employee meant
that Mr. Wasik could retain his health care benefits. Mr. Wasik
was able to bump to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mr. Wasik was not
experienced with the type of aircraft typically arriving in
Milwaukee, so NWA first sent Mr. Wasik for training in Duluth,
Minnesota, to learn the skills he needed for the Milwaukee job.
Mr. Wasik was in Duluth for 2 weeks at the end of September 2003.
NWA reimbursed Mr. Wasik for his lodging and meals while he was
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Last modified: November 10, 2007