Union withdraws bid to organize Delta flight attendants

Ben Mutzabaugh | USA TODAY

Delta Air Lines flight attendants won't be voting on whether to join a union after all. At least not this year.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said Monday it is postponing a drive to organize Delta's attendants. The union said it's doing so after it learned some worker authorization cards were submitted with "insufficient information or questionable signatures."

The union plans to renew its effort next year.

"By our calculation, the number of questionable cards makes our showing of interest borderline," the union said in a statement. "However, rather than waiting months for a determination by the NMB, we believe the best course of action is to avoid further delay and withdraw our current application, renew our organizing drive and file again twelve months from the date of the dismissal of our application, as is permitted by law."

The union had said in January that it had gathered enough signature cards to make an election request to the National Mediation Board (NMB).

Delta remains one of the least-unionized of the big U.S. airlines. Its pilots are the only major workgroup to be represented by a union.