Robert Brodin, who played key roles in securing more than 20 collective-bargaining agreements with Northwest Airlines' major unions, will retire at the end of this month.
Brodin, 55, joined the carrier in 1982. He was appointed senior vice president of labor relations in April 2000. In that post, he had overall responsibility for labor relations, with particular attention to pilot issues.
Julie Hagen Showers, vice president of labor relations, will take over for Brodin.
Brodin's departure comes as Northwest presses its unions for about $1.1 billion in annual wage and other labor cost reductions.
After a campaign that is now more than 2 years old, the airline only has a deal with its pilots union, one that saves it $265 million a year. In addition, executives, managers and other salaried employees are taking pay and other cuts worth about $35 million annually.
Meanwhile, Eagan-based Northwest's losses continue to grow. Its cumulative operating losses since the start of 2001 now total about $2.8 billion.
Northwest CEO Doug Steenland praised Brodin as a key member of the Northwest management team.
"Under his leadership, Northwest has fostered a more open dialogue with its labor unions," he said. The Northwest Airlines Air Line Pilots Association spent a lot of time at the bargaining table with Brodin.
"ALPA sat across the table from Mr. Brodin for many years and although we didn't see eye-to-eye on various issues, we did respect him and wish him well in his future endeavors," said union spokesman Will Holman.
Bobby De Pace, president of District 143 of the International Association of Machinists, which represents most of the airline's ground workers, had similar sentiments.
"I got along good with Bob Brodin,'' said De Pace. "We did not agree on everything. But we had good rapport."
Showers joined Northwest in 1992 as labor counsel after four years with the law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi. Before being named vice president of labor relations, Showers was vice president of labor relations-flight. She earned a bachelor's degree from Stanford University and received her law degree from the University of Minnesota.
Northwest on Friday also named Mike Becker as its senior vice president of human resources and labor relations.
Becker, a 12-year Northwest veteran, was named senior vice president of human resources in August 2001.
