Airline workers seek union

Flight attendants at Allegiant Air have filed a petition with the federal National Mediation Board, seeking union representation with the Transport Workers Union of America.

The Las Vegas-based low-cost carrier that links Medford to Arizona, Nevada and Southern California has about 420 flight attendants. Allegiant attendants would become the first employee group at the airline with a union contract if they vote in the Transport Workers Union.

TWU has more than 9,400 flight attendants at Southwest Airlines and that number will be bolstered by an additional 2,200 flight attendants who now work at AirTran once the announced acquisition of AirTran by Southwest becomes final.

"We love our company and we are proud to be a part of the Allegiant success story," said Loren Edge, an Allegiant Air flight attendant in a statement released by the TWU. "We are not anti-company; we are pro-flight attendant."

Allegiant Air flight attendants filed their petition for a union election on Wednesday with The National Mediation Board, which supervises union representation elections at commercial airlines and railroads. Federal law requires an election be scheduled within 45 days.