Updated: 11/27/08

Northwest flight attendants union sues Delta

The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents flight attendants at Northwest, has sued Delta in federal court. The union is trying "to block the world's biggest (airline) from starting the process to integrate the two carriers' seniority lists until the combined group is given the opportunity to vote on union representation," The Associated Press reports. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says "now that Atlanta-based Delta has closed its merger with (Northwest), many employees at the combined carrier, including flight attendants, will likely vote on whether to unionize. Flight attendants at Northwest are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants union, while flight attendants at Delta are not unionized."

The Journal-Constitution writes "one key issue is whether Delta flight attendants would benefit more from the company's seniority integration process, dubbed 'fair and equitable,' versus the union's seniority integration process, called 'date of hire.' " The union claims the airline is pushing ahead with attempts to integrate the seniority lists before allowing attendants to vote on unionization. The union says the airline is required to permit a vote prior to that process, and claims Delta is pushing ahead with the process in an way that could "influence" workers against union representation.

AP writes "Delta spokeswoman Betsy Talton said Monday in an e-mail 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." Talton tells AP: "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."

'Airline unions see shift in power with new administration'

That's the headline from the Chicago Tribune, which notes that John Prater –- president of the largest U.S. airline union -– was on hand at President-elect Barack Obama's victory speech last week in Chicago. The Tribune writes "his proximity to the next president symbolized a shift in airline labor relations that had tilted heavily toward management under the Bush administration, industry observers said."

Obama will take office as "the airline industry is embroiled in contract talks on an unprecedented scale: 16 airlines in 2009 ... (face) negotiations with all their unions," the Tribune writes. Martin Malin, professor and director of the Institute for Law and the Workplace at Chicago-Kent College of Law, tells the paper: "If I'm an airline executive, I have to be concerned about [Obama's ties to labor] and be careful that my negotiations don't backfire on me."

Still, at least one industry observer takes an optimistic look at what an Obama administration may bring to the airline industry. The Tribune writes Business Travel Coalition chairman Kevin Mitchell thinks "Obama may be able to craft a breakthrough if his administration is able to engender the trust and support of labor." Mitchell tells the paper: "There's a new awareness that the industry is broken, and all the stakeholders have to come together here and find some path forward that will include trade-offs from customers, shareholders and labor."

TSA likely to ease restrictions on liquids in 2009

"Airline passengers will likely be able to carry large bottles of liquids on airplanes some time next year", the Transportation Security Administration says. The TSA expects by next fall to lift restrictions that limit passengers to carrying 3-ounce bottles of liquids, gels and aerosols in airplane cabins, agency chief Kip Hawley said on the agency's website. Passengers would still have to remove liquids from carry-on bags at airport checkpoints and put them through X-ray machines separately. 'That's a major milestone for security,' TSA spokesman Christopher White said Monday. 'We're confident it's going to happen in 2009.' By the end of 2010, passengers should be able to keep liquids as they go through checkpoints, Hawley wrote in his blog, posted on Friday."