by James Parks, Feb 14, 2008

Delta Flight attendants from left, Rick Smaglo, Marianne Bicksler and Mark Stell deliver signed union cards to the NMB.

After nearly seven years of intense outreach and worker-to-worker contacts, 14,000 flight attendants at Delta Air Lines today took a big step toward having a voice on the job. They filed a petition with the National Mediation Board (NMB) to hold an election to be represented by the Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA). In 2006, a small group of flight attendants started collecting the signatures necessary for the NMB to call an election. Today, a solid majority of Delta flight attendants have signed cards.

AFA-CWA President Patricia Friend says:

Delta flight attendants deserve to have a voice in their careers and they have recognized that by joining together, they can accomplish that. They want the right to negotiate rather than simply having to accept what management decides. They want a contract with improvements in pay, benefits and working conditions. They want a seat at the table—whether it is during regular contract negotiations or mergers—so that their voice is heard. Their goals are our goals and we will work together to achieve them.

Once the NMB verifies that enough signed union representation cards have been submitted by AFA-CWA, a secret ballot election will be called. In December, AFA-CWA announced that half of Delta’s flight attendants had signed authorization cards. If the Employee Free Choice Act was enacted, the signatures would be enough for the flight attendants to join the union.

The latest drive by workers to join a union is growing despite Delta’s history of fighting against the workers’ choice. In 2001, when Delta flight attendants began to form a union with AFA-CWA, the company launched a vicious anti-worker campaign that included renting out movie theaters to hold mandatory meetings full of propaganda against the union. Supervisors intimidated attendants and even put notes in workers’ files for talking about the union—which is illegal. Delta sent letters and videos from senior management to the homes of flight attendants implicitly threatening job loss if they formed a union. Management even went so far as to tell the more than 3,000 flight attendants laid off after the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy they couldn’t vote—when, in fact, they could. Delta flight attendants were not able to overcome these tactics and lost their union election.

But this time, the result will be different, flight attendants assert. Mark Stell, a Delta flight attendant, says:

Delta flight attendants are hard working and are committed to our airline and to our profession. We want to make the decisions that affect our careers and our families, and not let others speak for us. Joining a union is about fairness, equal-footing and having a right to a legally binding contract.

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