Delta’s smear campaign sways attendants’ election

There’s no doubt an intense union-busting campaign soured Delta flight attendants’ attempt to organize. But despite the airlines’ costly efforts to sway the outcome of the Nov. 3 vote, it was this close: just a 328-vote difference out of 18,760 votes cast.

Workers would have become part of the Association of Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America (AFA-CWA). AFA-CWA represents more than 60,000 employees who make up 70 percent of American airline workforce.

The rejection of union representation affects not only about 20,000 Delta attendants across the country, but also 7,000 Northwest attendants who will lose their unionized status and AFA benefits.

Unlike Delta, most of Northwest’s employees had been unionized for 25 years – a fact that only came into question when the two airlines merged in 2008. But for months leading up to the election, workers were fraught with the company’s anti-worker tactics and intimidation.

According to reports, Delta spent nearly $40 million on its smear campaign, even offering pay raises as an incentive to thwart the attendants’ attempt to form their own union.

The National Mediation Board will investigate Delta’s involvement in the election.

On a more positive note, workers at Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of US Airways, affirmed their right to organize by a two-to-one margin in favor of joining the AFA, just a day after the Delta elections.

The 3,000 Piedmont fleet and passenger service agents weren’t dismayed by the company’s anti-union tactics, which included captive-audience meetings, destruction of pro-union material and tactics taught by the Labor Relations Institute (LRI).

An anti-union consulting firm, LRI apparently guaranteed success for its client, Piedmont, with this promise: “No union or your money back.”

Thanks to the Piedmont workers’ victory, LRI will be writing a big refund check.

Beenish Ahmed