NMB Clears Vote For April 23-June 3

Delta Air Lines issues a statement Tuesday, announcing it has received notification from the National Mediation Board that the voting period for a union election among Delta's flight attendants has been scheduled for April 23 to June 3.

More than 50 percent of all Delta flight attendants would have to vote "yes" on union representation for the proposal to pass. If that happens, Delta's 12,000 flight attendants will be represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.

The Associated Press reports that would make them only the second major work group at Delta to have union representation, along with pilots. A similar vote failed in late 2001, but across the industry, organizers are telling workers they'll need union representation if major airlines begin merging.

Joanne Smith, Delta's senior vice president of in-flight service and global product development, maintains a direct relationship is better for both the employees and the company.

"The facts are: Delta flight attendants have it better than what the Association of Flight Attendants has been able to deliver at other airlines, and those airlines' contracts are not open to changes for several years to come — years in which Delta flight attendants will continue to enjoy higher rates of pay, a better profit sharing program and a better performance rewards program," Smith said Tuesday.

Delta has also reminded flight attendants that despite the pilots' union contract, the airline has still been able to furlough pilots when needed, and the same thing could happen to the attendants, even if they unionize.

The AFA-CWA called Smith's statement "...typical, anti-union rhetoric that companies use," and noted that more than 50 percent of Delta's flight attendants filed cards seeking the union election.

FMI: www.delta.com, www.afanet.org