Catherwood LibraryILR School

The Association of Flight Attendants and the International Association of Machinists have asked, via the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, for a change in the union election rule. Currently, a majority of employees who will be affected must vote in a union election in order for the results to be valid. The AFL-CIO says that union elections should be run the same way as general US elections, where the one with the most votes wins, regardless of how many voted. Delta and Northwest merged about a year ago, and there has been management-contention ever since, as the 85% unionized Northwest tries to extend its influence into the almost entirely non-union Delta. If the rule change is granted, it will be much easier to unionize.