8/13/2019 Consistently Losing Elections Unions Feds Help a3856

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By Christopher Prandoni Tuesday, January 4, 2011 2:47 pm

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After Consistently Losing Elections,Unions Ask Feds for Help

This article was originally posted at BigGovernment.com

With public sentiment turning against organized labor, unions have enlisted obscure federal

bureaucrats to help bolster their ranks. The Department of Labor has been busy rolling back

transparency initiatives put in place during the last decade; the National Labor Relations Board is

considering rules which would guarantee union organizers access to private property; the

National Mediation Board (NMB) is easing union election rules for unions.

Of the three agencies charged with administering different facets of labor-employer relations,

none has been more blatantly pro-union than the NMB over the past two years. Founded in 1934,

the National Mediation Board is charged with overseeing labor-management disputes in the

railroad and airline industries. The three member boardcurrently comprised of two former union

officials and a Bush holdovershowed its true colors soon after its members were assembled. In

its first major decision, the NMB ruled that transportation unions only needed to receive a majority

of votes cast as oppose to a majority of all workers votes for the union to be certified.

From the unions perspective, transportation workers are ideal union members. Workers are

required to pay union dues if they want to keep their jobright to work laws are not applicable to

this industry. Compounding workers problems, once a transportation union is elected it is virtually

impossible to get rid of union representation. It is so difficult under the NMBs rules that it has

never been done in a group with more than 1000 employees. Coupled together, these policies

make transportation workers a golden goose for unionsworkers have to pony up hard earned

cash, indefinitely.

This NMBs move to facilitate union organizing was thought to have huge implications in looming

union elections. One such showdown is between Deltas flight attendants and the Association of

Flight Attendants (AFA).

When AFA called for an election, more then 94 percent of Delta flight attendantsnearly 19,000

employeescast votes in what was sure to be a highly contested election. Of the 18,760 ballots

cast, the National Mediation Board certified that 9,544 workers cast ballots for no representation,

while 8,760 votes cast for AFA. But the NMB also counted 430 write-in votes including 189

blank votes as votes for union representation, so the AFA officially fell short of a majority by 300

votes.

This was no anomaly; unions have lost seven of the seven Delta employee elections theyve

called for. Delta's below-wing airport customer service workers, cargo warehouse employees,

simulator technicians, meteorologists, passenger service employees, stock clerks and flight

attendants all rejected unions at the ballot box. The simulator technicians rejected unionization

twice.

In two other groups, the unions voluntarily decertified without an election after it became apparent

they couldnt get majority support. Thus, among nine groups, involving 56,000 employees, none

has chosen to have union representation.

Unable to persuade Delta employees on the merits of their argument, unions have run to the NMB

crying foul play. Unions are hoping that a sympathetic board will invalidate the democratically

conducted elections, arbitrarily penalize Delta, and then call for another election. Revealing howbaseless the unions case before the NMB is, unions have challenged Delta for encouraging voter

participation.

Senator Johnny Issakson (R-Ga.) and a group of 37 senators sent a letter to the National

Mediation Board expressing similar concerns:

While the Board Majoritys past actions with regard to the Delta-Northwest merger makes us

question its impartiality in this case...a clear majority of voting flight attendants had to vote for no

union representation for the AFA not to represent Delta flight attendants following the

representation election. That is precisely the choice Delta flight attendants made.

A similar letter from Americans for Tax Reform and nineteen other conservative groups and

activists concludes:

Despite the threats and bullying of the unions, it is the will of the people the will of these

employees democratically expressed through these elections that should be honored.

Initially unable to unionize Deltas workers, the National Mediation Board eased election rulesmoving the goal posts at the behest of Big Labor. Now, after every union couldnt persuade

Deltas workers to elect them, unions are yet again knocking on the NMBs doors looking to avail

themselves by superseding democratic elections. This is special interest politics at its worst

selling out workers for politically connected groups.

Tags: CARDCHECK, RTW, Federal

Comments

Card Check & TheEmployee Free Choice Act

Collective Bargaining

Green Jobs

Immigration Policy

Ind. Contractor Reform

Minimum Wage

Paycheck Protection

Pension Reform

Prevailing Wage

Privatization

Regulatory Reform

Right to WorkUnion Transparency

8/13/2019 Consistently Losing Elections Unions Feds Help a3856

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1 comment a year ago

BBoobb Defund the NLRB and

actively pursue right to work

legislation.

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3 comments a year ago

GGoollffeerrgguuyy4499220022 I am a public

employee, and I have no retirement

benefits, so spread your anti middle

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1 comment 9 months ago

ttbbssssiicc Why is it,,,, that right to

work,,,,,, ALWAYS means,,,, right to

work for LESS?????

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1 comment 11 months ago

11aallpphhaannuummeerriicc44660000 Have you

heard? Obama is just ignoring the

court ruling, and is keeping his

BBeesstt LLooggiinn

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AWF is a special project ofAmericans for Tax Reformdedicated to combating anti-worker

legislation and promoting free and open markets.

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