Democratic senators urge Delta to remain neutral in union organizing effort

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Two Democratic senators on Wednesday urged Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian to remain neutral in ongoing efforts by some airline flight attendants to unionize.

In ​a letter seen by Reuters, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed ‌Markey said flight attendants have been trying to organize at the Atlanta-based carrier for years and argued management’s posture is “threatening flight attendants’ future pay and benefits if they choose to organize” and called it inappropriate.

Delta said it welcomes discussions with the ‌senators. “Delta ​fully supports our employees’ right to decide ⁠whether union representation is right ⁠for them and maintains a strict non-interference policy,” the airline said, adding it “respects every employee’s choice and does not tolerate harassment, bullying, or intimidation of any employee, regardless of their views on union ​representation.”

In June, over 170 House lawmakers also wrote to Bastian urging him to remain neutral in efforts by flight attendants, fleet service workers, ⁠and technicians to organize.

“We strongly encourage Delta ⁠to respect the rights of these workers by pledging ​to follow the law and not interfere in any union organizing activities ​or engage in intimidation, retaliation, or other forms of illegal interference ‌through the adoption of a neutrality agreement,” they wrote.

Delta employees initiated a coordinated campaign to organize a union starting in November 2022, the lawmakers said.

“Delta flight attendants have been exercising their right to organize for years, ⁠leading coordinated union campaigns since the 1990s,” Warren and Markey wrote, citing reports that Delta has said joining a union would jeopardize its employees’ benefits ⁠and publishing an official ‌Delta anti-union website.

The senators cited emails reportedly sent ⁠to staff by Delta last year telling flight attendants ​that ‌signing union authorization cards would cause “inner turmoil” at the ​company and ⁠said under the law workers can organize without intimidation or interference.

Airline unions can file for a representation election with the National Mediation Board once a majority of workers have done so. Delta’s pilots are already represented by the Air Line Pilots Association.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama ​and Aurora Ellis)