Getting personal with the NWA judge

According to an article on seattlepi.com, workers at Northwest Airlines (NWA) are sending personal letters to Judge Allan Gropper, who is involved with NWA's bankruptcy case.

The article quotes several of the letter writers, including Jim Ward, a former NWA mechanic, and Rick Larson, described as an "A-320 co-pilot."

Larson's letter echoes the feelings of many other pilots and other workers at NWA:

"What we need is true leadership, and right now that leader is you," he wrote to Gropper. Employees will sacrifice, he wrote, for leadership they trust.

Mechanic Ward invited the judge to visit Minnesota's Twin Cities for some "field research."

"I'm sure you have the power to have Northwest let you and I tour the maintenance facility so you might have a better feel and understanding of what's at stake," wrote Ward, who was laid off from his job more than two years ago, before the current strike began. "I hope I haven't offended you with my candid comment because I am definitely in a 'David vs. Goliath' battle and I need someone that's in a position to make change hear my arguments."

Judge Gropper declined to comment on the letters.