IAM Charges Delta Air Lines with Election Interference

The IAM has issued the following statement yesterday:

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) today filed a formal charge of election interference with the National Mediation Board (NMB) against Delta Air Lines in an election concluded November 18, 2010 for 13,000 Delta Fleet Service Workers.

“Delta created an atmosphere of such widespread surveillance, coercion and intimidation that a fair election was impossible,” said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “The scope and sophistication of their campaign to rig the outcome of this election sets new standards in the annals of election interference.”

The IAM’s charges of interference include:

Delta manipulated the outcome of the election by isolating and coercing pre-merger Delta employees to vote from Delta-controlled computers while electronically blocking pre-merger Northwest employees (IAM members) from voting on Delta computers.
Delta manipulated employees into voting from company computers where the carrier could observe how employees voted.
Delta habitually engaged in surveillance and intimidation designed to make employees fearful of supporting the IAM.
Delta held nearly daily captive audience meetings and one-on-one meetings throughout the system to convey anti-IAM information and misinform employees about voting.
Delta discriminatorily denied the IAM equal access to employees, to post information, to discuss Union matters and prohibited employees from wearing pro-IAM insignia, as well as numerous other counts of nationwide interference.
The IAM protest is available at http://www.IAM4Delta.org.

The Machinists Union provided more than 180 exhibits to demonstrate the breadth of the interference. The NMB found Delta had committed improper election interference earlier this year in an election for Flight Simulator Technicians and in a 2000 election for Fleet Service workers.

Among other relief requested to ensure a level playing field in a new election, the Machinists Union is asking for the election to be re-run either using a mail ballot or, if by electronic means as in the initial elections, that votes cannot be cast on Delta-controlled computers or telephones.

Additional election protests will soon be filed on behalf of more than 15,000 Passenger Service employees and 700 Stock & Stores employees. More information about the IAM at Delta Air Lines is available at http://www.IAM4Delta.org.

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