Unions for thousands of flight attendants and ground workers at the old Northwest Airlines said they would seek a vote to represent those groups at Delta, taking advantage of new election rules that make it easier for them to win.
The federal rule that took effect Thursday covers airline and railroad workers. Delta Air Lines Inc. would be the biggest and most visible prize for organized labor, but union drives at other companies are expected to benefit from the new rule, too. On Thursday, the Teamsters said they filed for an election to cover 570 mechanics at Atlantic Southeast Airlines.
Under the old rule, it took votes by a majority of the entire group of workers to approve a union. That meant that workers who didn’t vote counted as “no” votes. Now, unions can be voted in by a majority of workers casting ballots.
Alcoa cutting 65 jobs at Lafayette plant
An Alcoa plant in Lafayette is laying off 40 workers in the latest cutback by the company.
Jerry Misner, United Steelworkers local president, says the layoffs at the west-central Indiana plant are effective Monday. He says the factory also is cutting the jobs of 25 employees who accepted a retirement incentive package.
Alcoa spokeswoman Jean Moorman says the company made the job cuts because of a decline in customer orders. She said no other layoffs are planned.
Alcoa laid off 17 workers in February, leaving the Lafayette plant with just fewer than 700 employees.
Film studio Lions Gate keeps Icahn out
Carl Icahn’s bid to take over the boutique film studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. has fallen short.
The billionaire investor said Thursday that stockholders representing 2.4 million other Lions Gate shares accepted his $7-a-share offer by the Wednesday deadline. That leaves him short of a controlling interest with 33.9 percent of the total, up from about 20 percent before he launched his tender offer. Icahn has criticized the company’s board and management for high costs and a sinking share price.
Google buys ITA in $700 million deal
Google Inc. plans to buy travel technology company ITA Software Inc. in a $700 million deal that would provide the Internet search leader with more comprehensive information about airline flights.
The all-cash deal announced Thursday could signal Google’s intention to mount a challenge to other online travel services such as Expedia and Orbitz.
ITA Software, a 500-employee company created in 1996 by computer scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, provides technology that helps run the reservation systems of several airlines.
Pending home sales tumble without credits
The number of buyers who signed contracts to buy homes tumbled in May, a sign the housing recovery can’t survive without government incentives.
The National Association of Realtors said Thursday its seasonally adjusted index of sales agreements for previously occupied homes dropped 30 percent in May from April. The index fell to 77.6 from 110.9. May’s reading was the lowest dating back to 2001.
The index also was down 15.9 percent from the same month a year earlier.
