NMB Sets Dates for New Sim Tech Election

Following a unanimous ruling earlier this week that Delta Air Lines illegally interfered with a representational election for Flight Simulator Technicians at Delta Air Lines, the National Mediation Board (NMB) has scheduled a rerun election to begin on August 25, 2010.

Prior to scheduling the new election, the Board determined that laboratory conditions for a fair election were tainted when Delta promised pay raises for non-union workers.  The Board described as “troubling” the timing of Delta’s pay raise announcement – made on the first full day of voting in the Sim Tech election.

Federal labor law requires carriers to act in a manner that does not influence, interfere with, or coerce the employees’ selection of a collective bargaining representative.

The NMB also agreed with the IAM’s charges that Delta management conducted illegal one-on-one meetings where employees were improperly coerced. The Board has consistently found that one-on-one meetings with members of a class or craft, where anti-union opinions are expressed by management officials during the laboratory period, are inherently coercive.

The voting instructions for the new election, which will be conducted by Telephone Electronic Voting and Internet Voting, will be mailed to each eligible voter on August 25, 2010. The voting period will be from 12:01 a.m., EDT, August 25, 2010, through September 16, 2010. The tally will take place at the Board’s offices on September 16, 2010, at 2 p.m., EDT.

The rerun election will be conducted using the NMB’s standard election procedure that was in place at the time of the IAM’s original election request filing. Therefore, any Flight Simulator Technician who does not vote in the election will be considered to have voted against union representation.

All Flight Simulator Technicians should monitor the IAM’s Delta election website, www.IAM4Delta.org for the latest election news.

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