Sailing, couldn't it be like LAX where the "Jr" FAs get to stay that were already there but if they bid out then they may not be able to get back in?

They can't implement anything yet. The AFA has a grace period to file objections to the election. I wanna say its 10 days but I'm not sure. Until then, its sort of like our "status quo". Management can't do anything until that grace period ends. And then if they do file objections, the "status quo" continues while the NMB investigates.

The AFA press release says they will file objections, so this thing could go on for months.

The union has all sorts of examples of "management interference" ready to go. Some of them are just strange. ie = Breast cancer month and the flight attendant activities associated with that constituted "interference" with the election. Jeans, t-shirts, etc. and relaxing the normal uniform rules during the vote were illegal changes in working conditions.
Stuff like that.

Possibly a more serious objection has to do with the timing of the profit sharing.

If you want to read a NMB finding where Delta management did improperly interfere in a union election -- here is an example from the simulator tech dispute:

http://www.nmb.gov/representation/deter2010/37n053.pdf
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edit: I used the wrong legal term when I said "status quo". That's for contract negotiations.
For an election dispute the Board calls it "laboratory conditions".
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Based upon the totality of circumstances, the Board finds that the laboratory conditions required for a fair election were tainted. This conclusion is based on the timing of Delta’s announcement of a pay increase during the laboratory period and coercive one-on-one meetings held by a management official during the laboratory period. Therefore, the Board ORDERS a re-run election using Telephone Electronic Voting (TEV) and Internet voting, with the Board’s standard voting procedures.

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So I guess you think the pay raise resolution that is passing thru the various LECs is doomed as well?

http://images.theage.com.au/2010/11/...e420-420x0.jpg

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/m...2_1753557c.jpg

I think the technical term here is that the engine went kablooie.

That's interesting. I'll admit I remember the vote was no to the union but haven't followed it since, is Delta appealing or are they going to revote? Reading the dissenting opinion seems to provide ammunition to appeal the NMBs decision, is that possible?

Where is the AFA's greivances concerning the vote? I'd like to see those. Although I've linked to it I'm still not thrilled the AFA has published every single pilots name and employee numbers at DAL from both north and south by posting on the public side of their website are SLI.

I think the participation of the FA's was astoundingly high imho. Doing it again could allow the AFA to find their votes but at the same time backfire depending on how the AFA handles it and especially if FA's keep hearing about how other FA's want out of the AFA now that Delta voted. I'm sure the AFA has no choice but to fight for another revote or as a UAL FA said they go out of business and good riddance.

This is cute:
Out of 18,760 total votes cast, 8,778 of Delta's cabin crew gave AFA a thumbs up. Another 189 voted "yes" to union representation, without naming a bargaining agent. A small number of others asked to be represented by various unions, including the Transport Workers (TWU), Teamsters (IBT), Machinists (IAMAW), and Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). Those casting "no" votes totaled 9,544.

AFA has mismanaged their response to this merger from the get-go. They have delivered nothing of value to their flight attendants and made such a pain of themselves, they probably cost themselves the vote. I am sure they have some good reason why shouting and complaining and being obstructionist was the focus of their efforts, but they have not put any money into the hands of the people they represent. Not only that, but they referred to ALPA pilots as "scabs" because we supported the merger and got stock, pay increases, and more benefits from the merger agreement. Scabs. Enough said about that group.

Are those the same Rolls Royce motors we have on some of our 777s?

never mind.

Delta Air Lines flight attendants have decided not to name the Association of Flight Attendants as their bargaining unit.

The National Mediation Board reported that just under 47 percent of those voting picked the AFA, while 50.9 percent voted against unionization.

Here's the breakdown:

AFA Yes votes 8,778 46.8%
Write-in Yes votes 438 2.3%
Total No votes 9,544 50.9%
Total votes cast 18,760 100.0%

"This is a win for all Delta flight attendants," Delta executive Joanne Smith said in a message to flight attendants. "We are pleased not just with the outcome, but also with the fact that so many of you let your voice be heard."

Delta shares were up 65 cents to $14.48 in mid-afternoon before settling at $14.19, up 34 cents or 2.5 percent.

Analyst Jamie Baker of JP Morgan quickly came out with a "so-what" reaction to the union vote, saying that the degree of unionization on an airline's prospects is vastly overrated.

"We blame Delta, whose pre-merger, sole-union status apparently did little to prevent that carrier's bankruptcy filing (whereas heavily unionized AMR skated by, and the topic for heavily-unionized LUV [Southwest Airlines] never even came up)," Baker wrote.

"While the market may initially not agree, we don't consider overall unionization levels to be of any particular significance."

In case you're wondering about who or what got the 438 write-in votes, I've got a list down below.


Valid Vote for representation (no name) 189
Transport Workers Union 101
Any other organization or individual 56
International Brotherhood of Teamsters 49
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers 13
In-house union 11
Association of Flight Attendants (write-in votes) 8 ????????? :D
Air Line Pilots Association 4
Association of Professional Flight Atendants 1
David Oshman 1
Independent Union of Flight attendants 1
Independent union 1
International Railroad Union 1
Paul Tanner 1
Representation 1
Total write-in votes 438