About fifty demonstrators weathered the rain Wednesday afternoon at a Racetrac gas station near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for a rally in support of unionizing Delta Air Line’s baggage handlers, cargo and tower workers, amid a larger union push at the Atlanta-based airline and pushback from Delta.
While other large U.S. carriers are highly unionized, about 55,000 Delta workers are non-union. The airline’s only unionized employees are its 16,700 pilots and 500 dispatchers, making it an outlier in the industry.
The pro-union ramp workers want to be represented by the International Association of Machinists (IAM).
Renita Gibbs, an IAM organizer at the rally, said a major part of the union’s effort is ensuring workers know they have a right to form a union. “We’re just educating the people to let them know that, yes, they’re going to intimidate you. Yes, they’re going to try to put that fear on you. But you have the right to do this,” she said.
“All the other major airlines are unionized, and Delta’s CEO needs to let these employees unionize if that’s what they want to do,” Gibbs added.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) is trying to unionize Delta’s 28,000 flight attendants, while the Teamsters are conducting a union campaign for the mechanics. To file for a union election, organizers must collect valid authorization cards from more than 50% of workers that have been signed within the past year, which has been a major hurdle for over a decade.
Another IAM organizer, Nicole Fears, said many Delta ramp workers feel “fear and intimidation” about tryng to unionize, to the point that some have taken jobs with other airlines.
“The fear is so serious that there’s a worker out here today who worked beside me on this campaign as a ramp worker for many years – and actually took the buyout to leave this airline to go work for United [Airlines], so that he can stand out there and not be intimidated,” said Fears, IAM’s human rights director and formerly a flight attendant for 30 years.
State Rep. Kim Schofield (D–Atlanta), whose district includes Hapeville, East Point, and College Park by the airport, joined the rally to show her support. “Georgia has lagged behind in workers rights,” she said. “We can’t continue to say we’re the best place at anything if we treat our workers badly.”
A coalition of 150 members of the U.S. House signed a letter in February to Delta CEO Ed Bastian calling for Delta to stay neutral and allow the unionization process to play out fairly. A group of 25 U.S. Senators sent Bastian a similar letter May 15, urging Delta to pledge “not to interfere in any union organizing activities by adopting a neutrality agreement.”
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock followed with his own letter on May 24, asking Delta “to remain a good faith partner as these discussions continue.”
Last week, Georgia’s other senator, Jon Ossoff, also wrote Bastian, encouraging Delta to follow “the letter and the spirit” of federal labor law for union organizing: “I urge Delta’s leadership to act as a good faith partner throughout this process. Both Delta and union groups should respect any relevant outcomes from a free and fair election,” his July 12 letter said.
Bastian has not provided an official response. In response to a request for comment, a Delta spokesperson referred to a previously provided statement:
“Delta firmly believes every employee has the right to choose or [reject] union representation without interference, and we have policies in place that allow employees to learn more about this important decision. Delta also has the right and responsibility to ensure our people can make their choice with an informed perspective. All of this is done in full compliance with applicable labor law. Exercising their right to choose, Delta employees have repeatedly declined representation over the past 20 years in favor of maintaining our direct relationship.”
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