Northwest Flight Attendants Sue Delta

It adds, "Such action constitutes unlawful interference with and influence over the choice of its employees' bargaining representative."

The lawsuit also claims that Delta "initiated, organized and sponsored the election" of the representatives of the pre-merger Delta flight attendants, and that the carrier also is "financing the costs of the committee, including compensation for flight attendants elected to the committee."

Delta spokeswoman Betsy Talton said Monday in an email to The Associated Press that Delta believes the AFA-CWA's position regarding when the seniority list integration process should begin is wrong as a matter of law and does not serve the interests of the combined flight attendant group.

"Seniority integration is one of the top issues on employees' minds, and resolving seniority and representation issues promptly will allow all employees to more quickly benefit from the merger," Talton said.

No hearings were immediately scheduled in the lawsuit, which seeks payment of attorneys fees, a court judgment declaring Delta's actions unlawful and an injunction to stop Delta from proceeding with the flight attendant seniority integration process until union representation of the combined carrier is resolved. Along with the AFA-CWA, a Delta flight attendant from Park City, Utah, is listed as a plaintiff.

When Delta was a standalone company, its flight attendants failed in the past to get sufficient votes to join a union. The latest attempt failed in results announced in May. Not enough of the eligible flight attendants voted, and therefore the results, despite showing overwhelming support for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA from those who did vote, did not meet the certification requirements of the NMB. A similar effort in late 2001 was rejected in election results announced on Feb. 1, 2002.