AFA-CWA Sues Delta Over Profit-Sharing to Northwest Flight Attendants

AFA-CWA has filed a federal lawsuit against Delta Air Lines for leaving its former union-represented Northwest flight attendants out of profit-sharing payments it made to its other flight attendants.

"Delta is punishing Northwest flight attendants for their long history of collective bargaining," AFA-CWA International President Veda Shook said. "Delta management's actions are shameful and undemocratic. Our union will not rest until this mean-spirited retaliation comes to an end and all Delta flight attendants receive a fair share of the profit that their accomplishments helped to achieve."

Delta and Northwest merged in 2008. Last November, 7,500 formerly Northwest flight attendants lost their collective bargaining rights by just 328 votes in an AFA-CWA representation election at Delta. Northwest flight attendants had been unionized for more than 65 years prior to the vote.

AFA-CWA has asked the National Mediation Board to run the election again, charging that Delta harassed workers, used illegal surveillance and breached their right under NMB rules to a secret ballot.