Delta Flight Attendants One Step Closer to Union Election

By Jim Burress

Atlanta, GA – Delta's 2008 merger with Northwest created two sets of flight attendants. Northwest's remain unionized. Delta's are not. Now, as a combined group, they must decide which way to go--union or non-union.

The decision is closer to being made, as the he National Mediation Board, which governs labor relations in the aviation industry, recently declared the merged airlines are operating as a single carrier.

That decision triggered a union representation election, meaning the combined airlines' 20,000 flight attendants could soon vote whether they want to unionize.

The Association of Flight Attendants has requested to represent Delta. It's now in the middle of a 14-day period to prove there's enough interest among flight attendants to go forward with an election, says Patrick Scott of the pro-union Atlanta Solidarity Committee:

"They have to show at least 35% support among flight attendants [for AFA representation] before the government can validate and then set an election date."

Previous efforts to unionize Delta flight attendants have failed. However, new rules governing elections could make it easier than in the past.

Jim Burress, WABE News.