Tombs v. Northwest Airlines, Inc.

This is an appeal by Northwest Airlines, Inc. (Northwest) from a judgment of the trial court sitting without a jury. The court awarded retirement benefits to Stanley A. Tombs under its interpretation of a series of collective bargaining agreements between Northwest and the Airline Pilots’ Association of which Tombs was a member.

The issues presented on appeal are the nature of the court’s jurisdiction, if any, under the arbitration clause of the Northwest Airlines, Inc., Pilots’ Pension Plan (Plan) and the duty of the Retirement Board (Board) established by that agreement to promulgate rules…