AFA-CWA Details Anti-Union Stance by Delta, Concerns Over Merger

At a U.S. House hearing focusing on the impact of the proposed Delta-Northwest Airlines merger on employees, AFA-CWA President Patricia Friend cited concerns over possible future job cuts and noted that Delta workers are especially vulnerable without union representation.

"Since the merger was announced, Delta's new management team continues to offer empty promises and reiterate a hollow commitment to employees yet refuses to put anything in writing, indicating that it is not interested in building a positive workplace culture," Friend told members of the House Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee on Wednesday.

"Earlier this year, Delta management violated the rights of over 13,500 employees to freely select a bargaining representative when the carrier's flight attendants were voting for AFA-CWA representation," she testified.  She submitted to the subcommittee the union's filing with the National Mediation Board detailing Delta's voter-suppression campaign and calling for a re-run of the election.

Throughout the hearing, which also included experts from across the industry, congressional leaders issued pointed concerns over Delta management's anti-union actions and the importance of including all voices during the merger process.

Noting that a future representation election will be held among all flight attendants at the merged airline, Friend urged House members "to send a strong and clear signal to Northwest and especially Delta executives that they must not use this merger as a means to destroy the collective bargaining rights of flight attendants."