NMB Schedules First Machinist Union Election at Delta Air Lines

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "In spite of opposition from Delta Air Lines, the National Mediation Board (NMB) has scheduled the first union representation election following the merger of Delta and Northwest Airlines," said International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr., following the NMB's announcement of a union representation election for nearly 100 of Delta's flight simulator technicians (Sim Techs). "Delta Sim Techs now have the right to choose for themselves if they want a union to help improve their working conditions at Delta Air Lines."

The IAM's application was filed on August 13, 2009, but the process was delayed while Delta argued that Sim Techs should be included in Delta's currently unrepresented mechanic and related classification. The NMB rejected Delta's claims.

"If Delta had been successful in combining Sim Techs with mechanics, Northwest Sim Techs would have lost their union contract without a vote, and Delta Sim Techs would have been denied an opportunity to make up their own minds about union representation," said Roach.

The NMB will mail voting instructions to eligible voters on February 3, 2010, and tabulate votes on February 25, 2010. Voting will be conducted electronically by phone and through the Internet. Sim Techs, based in Minneapolis, MN, and Atlanta, GA, operate and maintain Delta's flight simulators.

The IAM represents 12,500 pre-merger Northwest Airlines fleet service, customer service, flight simulator technician, security guard and stock clerk employees. The IAM is the largest airline union in North America, representing more than 110,000 airline industry workers. Additional information about the IAM is available at www.goiam.org/transportation.

SOURCE International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers