Voting underway for Delta Air Lines ground workers

A second group of 700 stock and stores employees will start voting Oct. 25, the union announced. The IAM is waiting for the National Mediation Board, the federal agency that administers union representation elections in the airline industry, to schedule a vote for more than 16,000 Delta passenger service employees.

Results of the fleet service election will be announced Nov. 18; results of the stocks and stores election Nov. 22.

The votes by ground workers coincide with an election among 20,000 flight attendants on whether to join the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. Results are expected Nov. 3.

The representation elections are occurring because Northwest Airlines, a unionized carrier, merged with Delta, which was largely non-union. The merger took place two years ago but only recently did the National Mediation Board certify that Delta was operating as a single carrier. Because workers are spread out over many locations, the elections are being conducted by phone and Internet.

Making the case
While the flight attendants are operating a phone bank to campaign for the union, the IAM has taken the unusual step of running television and radio ads in key cities served by Delta, including the Twin Cities, Atlanta, Memphis, Detroit, Salt Lake City and New York.

One TV commercial features quotes from both President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Obama about the importance of unions and short statements from Delta employees who are pro-union.

“The elections at Delta are an opportunity for the community to rally behind workers who are fighting to protect their jobs, their rights and their families,” said IAM Transportation General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “These radio and TV ads remind Delta workers and their neighbors that this election has great potential to benefit the entire community.”

Workers at Delta will hold a major rally Sunday to promote their efforts to unionize thousands of workers at the carrier. The rally will run from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Eagles Club 3208, 9152 Old Cedar Avenue South., Bloomington. (952) 854-3044

Keynote speaker will be IAM President Tom Buffenbarger.

For more information
Visit the Delta workers\’ campaign website

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