Delta attendants move toward a union vote

— -- A union trying to organize 12,000 flight attendants at Delta Air Lines says it has enough support of those employees to formally seek a union vote.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA said it will file union representation cards on Thursday with the National Mediation Board.

Once the federal panel verifies the cards, it will call an election of Delta flight attendants to decide whether to form a union chapter.

"Delta flight attendants have made it clear that they want a voice in their future and a legally binding contract they can count on," said Patricia Friend, president of the AFA-CWA International, in a statement.

Delta officials said they anticipated the move. Delta spokeswoman Gina Laughlin said the union would reap more than $6 million in dues from the flight attendants if they unionized.

"We think our flight attendants can do better than the AFA," said Laughlin, who added Delta flight attendants enjoy better pay, benefits and profit sharing than at airlines represented by the union.

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