The IAM filed a formal charge of election interference with the National Mediation Board (NMB) against Delta Air Lines in an election concluded November 18, 2010 for 13,000 Delta Fleet Service Workers.
“Delta created an atmosphere of such widespread surveillance, coercion and intimidation that a fair election was impossible,” said Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr. “The scope and sophistication of their campaign to rig the outcome of this election sets new standards in the annals of election interference.”
In addition to coercing pre-merger Delta employees to vote from Delta-controlled computers in the workplace, the IAM charges that Delta electronically blocked pre-merger IAM-represented Northwest employees from voting on Delta computers.
Federal labor law requires that a carrier must act in a manner that does not “influence, interfere with, or coerce the employees’ selection of a collective bargaining representative.”
In total, the IAM provided more than 180 exhibits to demonstrate the breadth of the interference by Delta, including: manipulating employees into voting from company computers where the carrier could observe how employees voted; surveillance and intimidation designed to make employees fearful of supporting the IAM; captive audience meetings and one-on-one meetings throughout the system to convey anti-IAM information and misinforming employees about voting.
The full text of the IAM protest to the NMB is available at www.IAM4Delta.org.
Earlier this year, the NMB ordered a new election for Flight Simulator Technicians at Delta after finding that the carrier committed improper election interference.
The Machinists Union is calling for the Fleet Service election to be rerun using a mail ballot or, if online voting is used, that votes cannot be cast on Delta-controlled computers or telephones.
Additional election protests will soon be filed on behalf of more than 15,000 Passenger Service employees and 700 Stock & Stores employees. More information about the IAM at Delta Air Lines is available at www.IAM4Delta.org.
