Union fails to gain Delta mechanics

The mechanics union at Northwest Airlines will not represent any mechanics at merger partner Delta Air Lines, after failing to garner enough support among the combined mechanics group.

Northwest mechanics were represented by the small Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which waged a 15-month strike at the carrier, ending in 2006, and was smaller and weaker afterward.

AMFA said it did not collect enough authorization cards to meet the 35 percent required to file for an election to extend its representation to Delta. The union filed to end its representation of Northwest mechanics and the National Mediation Board accepted the request Thursday.

The mechanics union faced a steep challenge to unionize at the combined airline because the Northwest mechanics were greatly outnumbered by nonunion Delta mechanics, with about 5,000 from Delta and 1,000 from Northwest.

Only about 100 mechanics at Northwest pay union dues, while hundreds are replacement workers from the strike and do not pay dues.

Northwest is heavily unionized, while at Delta pilots are the only major workgroup represented by a union. Flight dispatchers and meteorologists will finish voting on union representation next month. Other groups plan to file for elections later.

AMFA and Delta also have agreed to bring pay, seniority and benefits of the mechanics group from Northwest to the same levels as the Delta mechanics group.

And Delta is eliminating outsourcing at locations where it has its own mainline employees, opening up more jobs.

The union said the move to common pay and benefits would mean an officially combined operation, and to prolong that any longer “would be a disservice” to the mechanics from Northwest, according to AMFA.

WHAT THE ACTION MEANS

> Mechanics at the merged Delta-Northwest will be nonunion.

> For Delta, it’s a victory and another milestone in its process to combine operations with Northwest.

> Other employee groups at Delta have elections ahead to determine whether to unionize or not.