Delta Flight Attendants' Union Election Begins April 23

Flight attendants at Delta Air Lines are gearing up for a massive get-out-the-vote effort for their union representation election that begins April 23. The voting, overseen by the National Mediation Board, will be conducted over the telephone and the Internet and will end June 3 at 2 p.m. EDT, the NMB said.

AFA-CWA President Pat Friend said the effort for a union voice at Delta is "one of the largest grassroots campaigns in union history. Delta flight attendants tell us that the airline's bankruptcy and more recently, the proposed merger with Northwest Airlines have made it clear – they want and need a voice in their future and a legally binding contract they can count on."

Last month, Delta flight attendants submitted union authorization cards from a solid majority of the airline's roughly 13,000 flight attendants. The union will be setting up phone banks nationwide to encourage flight attendants to vote in the election, and CWA President Larry Cohen is urging CWA locals, staff and retirees to work with AFA-CWA and help turn out the vote.

"It's critical that we all pitch in to support our sisters and brothers at Delta," said Cohen. "Under the NMB election rules, any flight attendant who doesn't cast a ballot is considered to be a "no" vote. That's why it's so important that every union supporter vote," he said. Fifty percent plus one of all eligible flight attendants must vote in order for flight attendants to win their union voice. Phone banks will be operating in Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York City, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon.

"We need a voice – more so than at any other time," said Toni Weinfurtner, Delta flight attendant and AFA-CWA activist. "We will have that voice when we join the tens of thousands of our fellow flight attendants across the country in AFA-CWA."

Delta flight attendants nationwide participated in an online town meeting this month, asking questions, talking about issues and hearing more about AFA-CWA and the election.