Mechanics, cleaners and custodians for the fourth largest airline in the United States have gone on strike.
Officials at Northwest Airlines say replacement mechanics will allow the airline to keep flying normal schedules. Flight attendants, pilots and ground workers have said they will not join the labor dispute.
Union members began the strike early Saturday after months of negotiations broke down. Workers were not willing to take the pay cuts and layoffs the airline says are necessary to avoid bankruptcy.
The last strike against Northwest was in 1998.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.