WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following statement was offered by Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, in reaction to the results of the Delta Air Lines flight attendants’ election to form a union:
“Delta Air Lines flight attendants have been denied a fair opportunity to join a union. We call on the National Mediation Board (NMB) to exercise its power to protect these workers from a blatant case of employer interference and misconduct.
“Delta management’s ‘Rip It’ campaign was a deliberate voter suppression campaign. It was a sophisticated anti-union campaign that is against the law, but to date, the NMB hasn’t done anything to stop it. This is the second time in five years that Delta executives have dedicated significant resources to suppress voter turnout and use the election procedures of the NMB to block unionization.
“Nearly all of the 5,300 votes cast were in favor of organizing a union with the Association of Flight Attendants – CWA. But under NMB election rules, all of the flight attendants who didn’t send in a ballot due to management’s unlawful bully tactics were counted as “NO” votes.
“This assault by Delta management on the rights of its own flight attendants must not stand. The NMB must uphold the law regarding these workers’ rights to form and join a union, and the agency will have the chance to do so.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, trucking, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit ttd.org.
