International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Delta Organizing Campaign

The New York City Central Labor Council is working closely with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), as well as the NYS and the National AFL-CIO, to assist in the IAMAW’s efforts to organize over 18,000 new members at Delta Airlines.  When Delta merged with Northwest in 2008, it became the largest carrier in the world with over 30,000 employees.  The former Northwest employees, 12,000 of the 30,000, are already IAMAW members.

The IAMAW has the potential to win a voice for 18,000 non-union Delta workers nationwide.

The National Mediation Board recently changed the rules governing representation elections conducted under the Railway Labor Act.  These changes enable workers to choose to be part of a union with a majority of votes cast rather than a majority of total employees.  This puts union representation elections in industries covered under the Railway Labor Act, such as the airline industry, on the same level as every other type of democratic political election in the United States.

There will be four separate, staggered elections for different employee groups at Delta.  Those four separate bargaining units are fleet/ramp, customer service, stock clerks, and office and clerical.  Each job classification must individually show interest with 35% signing election authorization cards.  Pre-merger Northwest employees are already IAMAW members and therefore count towards the 35% of signed cards necessary in each group.

The New York City Central Labor Council is committed to working with the IAMAW as they fight to give over 30,000 Delta workers a voice in their workplace.

To learn more go to www.goiamnow.org.