Using Every Tool in Their Arsenal, Delta Lobbies Against Fair Elections

New Lobbying Reports Show that Delta the Only Airline to Lobby Against Fair Union Elections Last Quarter; Company Continues to Throw Around Money and Perks to Lawmakers in Support of their Extreme Ideological Agenda

WASHINGTON D.C. - The manager of corporate communications for Delta Air Lines, Chris Kelly Singley, recently said, "We don't want to engage in a political debate…And we just thought we were flying airplanes."

Yet new revelations included in Delta's new lobbying disclosure report highlight that Delta doth protest too much. Despite their avowedly apolitical stance, Delta continues to drive a union-busting political agenda, and is ready and willing to throw around a range of dollars and perks to sweeten the pot for lawmakers - no matter the cost to the American taxpayer or traveler .

Delta's new lobbying disclosure report, reflecting the period from July 1^st through September 30^th, shows thatthe airline spent over $533,000 on lobbying this past quarter. Notably, according to disclosure reports, Delta was the sole major airline to lobby on the issue of the "National Mediation Board rule change" - i.e., the fair elections provision in the House version of the FAA Reauthorization bill that seeks to count non-participating voters in a union election as "no" votes against organizing. This provision remains the major stumbling block preventing a long-term agreement on the FAA Reauthorization bill.

"Companies unwilling to engage in political debate don't lobby against fair elections and spend over half a million dollars on Washington lobbyists," said Candice Johnson, Communications Director for CWA. "Delta is the only airline to lobby against fair elections and remains willing and able to use their influence to the detriment of the American worker and taxpayer."

New revelations also show that Delta relies on an array of perks to further its ideological goals. As a recent article in Roll Call highlights, a Delta spokesperson admitted that "the airline has a Congressional call desk and allows Members to double-book flights." As the article explains, this allows Members of Congress to "reserve seats on multiple flights but pay only for the one they board," to "accommodate their unpredictable travel schedules." Delta's involvement in this scheme calls to mind the company's efforts in its home state of Georgia. Earlier this year, an investigative journalism piece found that leading Republican lawmakers in Georgia's state legislature received free upgrades from Delta to platinum status, valued at approximately $10,000 to $15,000 per year. Valued as campaign contributions, the piece noted that Delta low-balled the reported value of the platinum upgrades in state ethics records.

Among other "lowlights" of Delta's political involvement this year:

• Delta actually made money off the FAA shutdown they helped to drive! That's right - while government coffers were depleted and people put out of work, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Delta "received a $70 million revenue increase from the 13-day shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration in late July and early August" due to uncollected airline ticket tax revenue.
• Delta has a history of rewarding Republicans who help further their anti-union goals : As Campaign Money Watch reported recently, "Delta's been spending money wisely to try to overturn the decision to let workers organize more easily. They spent $1.6 million on lobbying during the first half of 2011, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. (Over the past ten years they spent at least $32 million to influence Washington.) Their PAC has given $826,243 to members of Congress since 2000. Adding additional incentive for Republicans in Congress to stand with them, Richard Anderson, Delta's CEO, made a $5,000 contribution to the Senate Republican's campaign committee earlier this year - apparently his first one ever."
• Open advocacy against fair American elections : Delta issued a press release commending the news that the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform would investigate the National Mediation Board's 2010 decision to conduct union elections for air/rail workers the same as all other types of American elections . Mike Campbell, Delta's executive vice president of H.R. and Labor Relations said, "This investigation is an important victory for Delta people because it will finally allow the facts to speak for themselves." Unfortunately for Delta, the facts aren't on their side regarding their continued involvement in this issue.
• Partisan and ideological, even on issues not concerning Delta: In the same press release Delta issued to employees praising the investigation into NMB, the airline blasted the Obama administration over the Boeing/National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) controversy - despite not being governed by NLRB. In his statement, Mike Campbell said, "Unfortunately, this is not the only recent occasion when a federal labor agency has attempted an unprecedented shift in labor policy at the behest of unions. The Committee's decision to investigate the questionable circumstances behind the NMB's voting rule change follows last week's announcement that they would investigate similar partisan actions involving the National Labor Relations Board and the Boeing Co."
• Bumping paying customers…so Delta employees can lobby: Delta is so committed to its anti-union ideology that it offered its employees the chance to travel to Washington to lobby against fair union elections under a provision that may bump paying customers. Talking Points Memo reported that the group No Way AFA, "a coalition of Delta employees who want to deliberalize union rights," came to Washington the week of the House vote on the FAA Reauthorization bill to lobby against fair election standards…and potentially bumping paying Delta customers in the process.
• Sticking it to returning troops via baggage fees : Delta actually charged returning military servicemen for baggage fees until media and public outcry forced their hand. Anything for a buck, apparently.

Unfortunately for Delta, and its claims of being above the political fray, the facts aren't on their side. The airline continues to drive the impasse behind the FAA Reauthorization and remains a lead player in driving an extreme ideological agenda.

Press Contact: Michael Earls, 202-261-2388