Union delays effort with Delta, Northwest

The ground workers union withdrew its application to the National Mediation Board in its effort to start a process toward representation elections in Delta Air Lines’ merger with Northwest Airlines.

The International Association of Machinists, which represents baggage handlers and other ground workers from Northwest, withdrew the application it filed in August with the National Mediation Board.

The move likely will further delay an election among ground workers from Delta and Northwest to determine whether they are unionized or not. Ground workers from Northwest are represented by a union while their counterparts from Delta are not. Atlanta-based Delta closed the merger a year ago and had hoped to resolve union representation issues quickly.

The machinists union said it withdrew the application because Delta and Northwest are not yet a single carrier for representation purposes in some of the employee classifications among ground workers. The union said it will file new applications later.

Meanwhile, the AFL-CIO has submitted a proposed change in the rules at the National Mediation Board which could make it easier for airline employees to unionize and could affect elections at Delta.