Delta CEO celebrates NMB victory with workers

Last year, when few were looking, the National Mediation Board approved new rules for union organization in the rail and aviation industries that allowed a majority of those voting--not a majority of workers--decided to form a collective bargaining unit.

Yesterday a House committee voted to drop the new rule and things may soon return to the way things were done for nearly eight decades. In a voicemail sent to employees and obtained by Marathon Pundit, Delta Airlines CEO Richard Anderson lauded the change:

Let me start off with some good news out of Washington this week. The Transportation and Infrastructure committee of the House of Representatives approved the long-awaited Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. This bill covers a wide range of issues and investments related to transportation in the U.S., including commercial aviation. The bill recognizes the significant economic contribution our industry makes to our economy and provides support for our industry to continue to advance. Chairman Mica has done a very good job in the House of putting together a very good bill for our country and for our industry. It also includes a provision that we support because of its importance to Delta people.

Title IX of the bill would repeal the new voting rules that two members – the two AFL/CIO members of the National Mediation Board put in place last year at the request of the unions. And as you know, it allows a minority of employees to permanently decide representational issues for the majority of folks in a class or craft without giving employees any ability to change that decision. There's no decertification under the Railway Labor Act.

The provision in the FAA reauthorization bill is intended to restore fairness to representational elections for rail and airline employees – bringing back the historical balance and integrity that has provided for fair elections for more than 75 years, It's been supported by Republicans and Democrats alike, and protects our economy by minimizing disruptions in the air and rail transportation industries.

UPDATE 10:45AM: An earlier version of this post gave the wrong name to the Delta CEO. And the message was a voicemail, not an email, as earlier indicated.

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