From the Wall Street Journal:
PAGE ONE
Delta Aims to Unveil
Northwest Merger Pact
By SUSAN CAREY and PAULO PRADA
April 14, 2008
Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. may unveil their long-delayed merger announcement as early as Tuesday, said people familiar with the matter, in the latest move by airlines to grapple with high fuel prices and a softening economy...
Looks like Delta gave the RD's a leg up in the TA with seniority guarantees, equity and some other sweeteners. The NWA pilots will be added (or stapled) to the list after the deal.