Markets

Delta Air Lines Rips Into International Association of Machinists

By Brett Snyder

Updated on: November 2, 2009 / 11:02 AM EST / MoneyWatch

It's rare that you see a company use a very direct and angry tone when it comes to a union, but Delta (NYSE: DAL) really unloaded last week in response to the International Association of Machinists' (IAM) decision to postpone a representation election. I'm guessing this is a calculated move.

Delta and Northwest have now been merging for over a year, and the progress has been quite good. One of the biggest issues still outstanding is the issue of union representation. The Delta folks are mostly non-union while the Northwest people are mostly union. So, as the airlines come together, decisions have to be made. Will there be a union or not for the various work groups?

The IAM has been trying to unionize the combined Delta fleet service employee group, but there have been delays. This latest delay is, according to the IAM, because Delta insists on handling the fleet service representation work alongside other related workgroups (pdf). The IAM says that the other groups are not working as a single carrier, so they have to wait.

Delta says that's a load of crap. A statement was released by Delta EVP of Human Resources and Labor Relations Mike Campbell.

"The IAM's action is repugnant, and is nothing more than the continuation of a pattern of stalling resolution of union representation among our work groups. The IAM communicated to Delta employees in early August that it could file for elections for the remaining 20,000 employees 'within weeks.' Now, months later, and on the one-year anniversary of our merger, the IAM instead withdraws its application claiming that we are not a single carrier.

Those are some pretty strong words in there. The statement goes on to say that the timing of this postponement is "suspicious" since it is happening just before the National Mediation Board is going to release "its proposal to change the longstanding majority voting rules."

So Delta, instead of waiting quietly, is lashing out. They want this done, so they can move on and create a single workforce, but the IAM says that's not true. At this point, Delta probably has nothing to lose. Trying to discredit the union seems like it won't backfire in a situation like this, though they need to be really careful about how they go about doing it.

This could either resonate with employees or repulse them. I'm interested to see which way it goes. Union representation of the group hangs in the balance.