AFA Says Delta Urged Flight Attendants To Skip Vote

Delta Airlines flight attendants have voted against union representation, but the battle to organize them appears far from over.

The Association of Flight Attendants had more than enough support from flight attendants to hold the election, but when it came time to vote, a majority of eligible employees stayed away. Because the election needed more than 50 per cent turnout to become binding, and drew participation from only about 40 per cent of the 13,380 flight attendants eligible to vote, the union has lost its bid to organize.

As might be expected, analysis of the outcome varies depending on which side you talk to.

TheStreet.com reports Joanne Smith, senior vice president of Delta's in-flight service division, told reporters on a conference call, "Our flight attendants rejected the AFA by a very sound margin. We believe the direct relationship we have is the best relationship."

The union, on the other hand, says the company used posted notices, e-mails and DVDs to promote its message that, "the only sure way to vote 'no' was to not vote at all." AFA says it will file formal interference charges with the National Mediation Board by June 6, alleging the company interfered with the right to have a free and fair election.

Smith counters that Delta sought to inform its flight attendants of the truth, and to counteract inaccuracies that were circulated by the union.

AFA-CWA International President Pat Friend issued a prepared statement, spinning the defeat as an incremental victory, and looking ahead.

"A larger portion of the Delta workforce than ever before voted for union representation," Friend said. "Those supporters, combined with strong union support at Northwest, will clearly be enough for the flight attendants to win union representation after the merger with Northwest is finalized."

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