Northwest Airlines union seeks vote at Delta

The union for thousands of ground workers at the old Northwest Airlines says it will ask for a vote at Delta, now that election rules have been changed in a way that favors the union.

The union for baggage handlers and passenger service workers is asking the National Mediation Board to find that Delta and Northwest are operating as a single carrier. The two airlines got a single operating certificate from the government on Dec. 31.

Most of the former Northwest workers are unionized. At Delta, pilots were the only large group with a union.

The old rule required a majority of the entire work force to favor unionizing. That meant workers who didn't vote were effectively counted as "no" votes. The rule change took effect on Thursday.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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