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A new rule may be announced this week that would give airline employees the right to organize with a majority vote in favor. The current rules say that the majority of the entire workforce has to vote for unionization. The Association of Flight Attendants is expected to begin organizing flight attendants on Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and Republic Airways in the very near future. Around 75 contracts are in negotiation, and more than half are in federal mediation. Unions contend that they have not received benefits for what they gave up in 2002 and 2003 to help cut costs for the airlines. Analysts say that at the five network airlines, labor costs have fallen 33% since 2003, but they also warn that too much of an increase in labor costs will reduce the profits for 2010 and 2011. The Transportation Workers Union, which represents ground-service workers and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants have both asked to be released from federal mediation, which, if granted will give them the option to strike after thirty days.