Want More Time To Convince FAs To Support Union
When unionized pilots for Delta and
Northwest reached an agreement with Delta management on a
post-merger contract, that agreement called for the Air Line Pilots
Association to submit an application to the National Mediation
Board, seeking a determination that Delta and Northwest now
constitute a single carrier.
Approval by the NMB would trigger a 14-day countdown for other
unions to demonstrate 35 percent employee support for a union
representation vote at the combined company.
Pilots were the only unionized major segment of the Delta
workforce, but Northwest was heavily unionized. Two major union
groups at Northwest were ground workers, represented by the
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and
flight attendants, represented by The Association of Flight
Attendants.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports AFA has now filed suit
against Delta management, claiming that rushing the deadline for
the 35 percent requirement amounts to illegal interference in a
union election. The union is concerned it won't have time to
convince non-union Delta attendants they'd be better off as AFA
members.
Delta is telling its flight attendants they would benefit more
from a seniority integration process dubbed "fair and equitable,"
according to federal law, which Delta is using, versus the
union’s seniority integration process based on "date of
hire."
AFA also charges that starting the seniority integration process
before a union representation vote could force the AFA to act on
behalf of the interests of Northwest attendants, which would cast
the union in an unflattering light among the non-union Delta FAs at
a time when they're considering how to vote.
Delta spokesman Kent Landers says the AFA’s position is,
quote - "wrong as a matter of law and does not serve the interest
of our combined flight attendant group."
Much is at stake for Delta in the outcome of the vote. Non-union
flight attendants from the pre-merger Delta outnumber former
Northwest attendants by a wide margin, but AFA came close to
gaining representation rights at Delta back in May. If the union
can't pull the combined workforce together under the AFA banner, it
will lose its right to represent even the former Northwest
attendants who are already members.
Presumably, Delta management would welcome the chance to operate
with a fully non-union workforce.