IAM Withdraws NMB Election Application

[townpete]

http://www.iamdelta.net/2015/04/06/iam-withdraws-nmb-election-application/
 

As you know, for the past few years the IAM has supported a historic organizing drive by Delta Flight Attendants. This campaign offered the opportunity to participate in an election to determine whether you would be represented by a strong union and protected by an industry leading contract or continue to be employees serving at the whim of the company.
 
We were heartened by the outpouring of support for an election, as well as the sense of urgency among thousands of Flight Attendants who believed that the time to have a voice in their professional future had arrived at last. For that reason, as soon as we received what was believed to be a substantial majority of authorization cards from the Flight Attendant group we filed the cards with the National Mediation Board (NMB) in Washington, D.C., seeking an election. Unfortunately, we have recently discovered that a number of the cards submitted to us contain insufficient information or questionable signatures.
 
By our calculation, the number of questionable cards makes our showing of interest borderline. However, rather than waiting months for a determination by the NMB, we believe the best course of action is to avoid further delay and withdraw our current application, renew our organizing drive and file again twelve months from the date of the dismissal of our application, as is permitted by law.
 
We apologize to all of you for this delay but under the circumstances it is the only way to correct this unfortunate situation while continuing our drive to obtain the economic justice Flight Attendants deserve.
 

 

 

[townpete]

Guess that 60% (in the bag) "majority" wasn't so "majority" after all!
 
 

 

[WorldTraveler]

Delta mgmt. will have a field day with this. Never mind. They already are.

so will Boeing and Airbus and every other company where the IAM is "trying to make a push"

 

[Kev3188]

Not sure where you're looking, but I found Ausband's memo to be just the opposite of a "field day."

The C-suite's smart enough to avoid any public gloating.

 

[topDawg]

Delta mgmt. will have a field day with this. Never mind. They already are.

so will Boeing and Airbus and every other company where the IAM is "trying to make a push"

Only if they are just complete fools. 
 

Not sure where you're looking, but I found Ausband's memo to be just the opposite of a "field day."

The C-suite's smart enough to avoid any public gloating.

exactly. 

 

[WorldTraveler]

what is put in print and what is actually said are two different things.

DL has to run an operation; they can't afford to have meltdowns among coworkers.

and DL has not received its report from the NMB and may not even received one with the details since it is the IAM that petitioned the NMB.



but let's be very clear that the future of any expansion of organized labor at DL is more bleak than ever.



When the union itself has to finally admit that the level of questionable cards runs at least 2000 (10% of DL's FA workforce) there were SERIOUS problems with the application and that was apparent with complaints from FAs about their names being on cards that the IAM held.


The IAM has been seriously damaged by this. There simply is no other way to see it.

Those who are at DL and identified themselves as IAM supporters would be very smart to lay VERY LOW in the near future.

 

[topDawg]

what is put in print and what is actually said are two different things.

DL has to run an operation; they can't afford to have meltdowns among coworkers.

and DL has not received its report from the NMB and may not even be given the details since it is the IAM that is petitioning the NMB.



but let's be very clear that the future of any expansion of organized labor at DL is more bleak than ever.



When the union itself has to finally admit that the level of questionable cards runs at least 2000 (10% of DL's FA workforce) there were SERIOUS problems with the application.


The IAM has been seriously damaged by this. There simply is no other way to see it.

one time doesn't mean anything. 
 
Your are gloating to gloat at this point. At best, an i mean best, it might mean we go more than a few years without an FA election.  

 

[WorldTraveler]

no, it's actually about the 13th time.

The IAM lost a number of elections as did other workgroups.


This was just one more abortive attempt to unionized FAs and blew up worse than the others.

A union didn't have to pull an application in any of the previous organization attempts, did they?

they did so ONLY because the NMB told them how many fraudulent cards it found - and it had to number in the thousands.

No amount of negative post votes or arguing otherwise is going to change that reality.

 

[700UW]

 

[700UW]

DL isnt going to get a "report" from the NMB, nor will the IAM, A-Cards and who signed, etc are confidential.
 
You still get the process wrong.

 

[townpete]

It's not like ya'll weren't warned.

Warned that the union will over promise and under deliver.

And here we are.

All the efforts of the activists thrown down the toilet with a failure to launch.

I see many of the pro IAM feeling burned, as they should.

Fool me once...

 

[robbedagain]

as a pro union  I do not feel burned.   On the other hand we do not know yet about ACS   but should they get elected  how will you feel pete??    personally its nice to have scope protection  its nice to have procedures in place esp when mgmt. does ramp functions and grievances are filed   its nice to have union protection than be an at will employee

 

[700UW]

Union organizing is not for the faint of heart. It's grueling. It's ugly. Sometimes it's simply agonizingly unfair. But, We do know that it's right.
 
It's right for the Delta flight attendants. It's right for the Delta ramp. It's right for Boeing South Carolina. It's right for the middle class of our country and it's right for every employed group of people around the world who still don't have a voice.
 
Today was total bullxxxx. But let me tell you something...it wasn't 'your' fault. It wasn't 'our' fault. And when I say 'you're and our', I include IAM.
 

We went through those cards with a fine toothed comb. Our base leads can attest to that. In the past few years, we threw out many cards that didn't adhere to the NMB set standards. I'm sure the activists were tired of us saying 'Sorry...get a new card....sorry...not good; get a new card.'
 
We know that over 40%, close to 50% were multiple card signers....meaning that those employees didn't just sign once, but many times. We also know that after our filing, our assessments proved that an overwhelming majority of Delta employees were ready to vote YES; even if they DID NOT sign a card.
 
Now, what we don't know is why the NMB threw out some of our cards to take us below 50%.
We will find out. We assure you that.
 
But what to do now?
 
Keep faith in the majority. Keep the faith in US...the IAM. WE are the IAM. The largest airline Union in North America. The union with the best negotiating track record amongst any Union in the industry. We told you about what's happening right now because we have the INTEGRITY to be honest with you. We have put our hearts, our souls, our lives into this movement and we are not giving up.
 
We will figure out how to go forward with YOUR help and determination.
 
We believe in US. We believe in being on the right side of history. We believe that the majority will choose to be heard. We are the IAM and we are the the Delta flight attendants. We will listen, we will learn, we will take a deep breath and continue...but we will WILL continue. We will not be silenced.
 
VOICE.
 
In Solidarity,
Julianna Helminski

 
 

 

[townpete]

our assessments proved that an overwhelming majority of Delta employees were ready to vote YES; even if they DID NOT sign a card.

What a hefty load of BS right there.

So now they are blaming NMB for them withdrawing???

What a joke.

 

[BABABOOY]

Great day for Delta Flight Attendants!