AirTran Airways Agents Reject Representation by International Association of Machinists

/PRNewswire/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:AAI) , today announced that its customer service, ramp and Reservations agents have rejected representation by the International Association of Machinists (IAM).

The National Mediation Board (NMB) notified AirTran Airways today that they have dismissed the IAM's petition for a representation election because the group failed to garner the required 35 percent of eligible agents to sign representation cards requesting an election. The Board cited an "insufficient showing of interest" in its dismissal notification to both parties.

This is the fifth time since 1998 that this work group has elected to forgo representation. The company has ramp and customer service agents located in airports around the country while the Reservations agents are located in three cities -- Atlanta, Carrollton, and Savannah, Ga.

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Union Further Delays Delta Employees' Opportunity for Elections

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) yesterday issued the following statement from Mike Campbell, executive vice president of Human Resources and Labor Relations, in response to the International Association of Machinists' (IAM) decision to withdraw its application for a union election among Delta's 14,000 fleet service employees.

"The IAM's action is repugnant, and is nothing more than the continuation of a pattern of stalling resolution of union representation among our work groups. The IAM communicated to Delta employees in early August that it could file for elections for the remaining 20,000 employees 'within weeks.' Now, months later, and on the one-year anniversary of our merger, the IAM instead withdraws its application claiming that we are not a single carrier.

"We don't buy it and we don't believe our people will either.

"The timing of the IAM's action is suspicious considering it is taking place days before the NMB publishes its proposal to change the longstanding majority voting rules.

"Further delay disrespects our people who deserve the opportunity to make their own choice regarding union representation."

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Delta Calls on International Association of Machinists to Resolve Representation

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) yesterday sent the following letter from Mike Campbell - executive vice president of Human Resources and Labor Relations, to Robert Roach, Jr., general vice president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. In the letter, Delta accepts Roach's meeting request and calls for a resolution of the status of the various Northwest Airlines crafts or classes represented by the IAM pre-merger.

Dear Mr. Roach:


This letter is in response to your letter of July 27, 2009, to Richard Anderson, as well as a follow up to our several telephone calls of today and Friday, July 24.

We have agreed to meet next week in Washington, D.C., and I am awaiting confirmation from your office of either Monday, August 3, Tuesday, August 4, or Wednesday, August 5. As I stated, the National Mediation Board has agreed to make offices available for our meeting starting at 9:00 a.m. on whatever day we agree upon.

In your letter, you state that the purpose of our meeting will be to discuss various issues which will help facilitate your determination of single carrier status. As you know, we have taken the position since November 5, 2008, that we constitute a single transportation system. All other pre-merger unions at both DL and NWA have agreed with that position. As recently as yesterday, the AFA filed with the NMB stating "it is AFA's belief that based upon the standards governing the establishment of a single transportation system. . ., Northwest and Delta are now a single transportation system." Of course, in January of this year, the NMB agreed with each pre-merger union that requested a finding of single carrier status.

In view of this history, the IAM is now the only union that has not filed to resolve its post-merger representation status. We are available to discuss whatever subjects you want to raise, but in the end, we want to make clear that the continued post-merger status of the various NWA crafts or classes represented by the IAM pre-merger needs to be resolved.

Finally, with respect to your statement that the IAM has attempted to schedule meetings with Mr. Anderson in the past, we have no record that any IAM official has attempted to contact him or the undersigned to schedule a meeting for the purpose set forth in your letter.

I look forward to a productive meeting next week that starts the process of resolving post-merger representation.

Sincerely,

Mike Campbell

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Machinists Union to Protest Merger at Northwest/Delta Shareholder Meetings

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) will demonstrate in opposition to the proposed Northwest Airlines/Delta Air Lines merger at shareholder meetings in New York and Atlanta.

Northwest Airlines Shareholder Meeting Protest
September 25, 2008
8:30 am-11:30 am
AXA Equitable Center Auditorium
787 Seventh Ave, New York, NY 10019

-and-

Delta Air Lines Shareholder Meeting Protest
September 25, 2008
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
2000 Convention Center Concourse
College Park, GA 30337


"This merger would eliminate jobs, reduce service and create a single mega-carrier that could lead to the combined entity's bankruptcy," said IAM Transportation Vice President Robert Roach, Jr.

The Machinists Union is the largest airline union in North America. The IAM represents 12,500 Northwest Airlines Ramp Service, Customer Service, Reservation, Stockroom, Office & Clerical, Flight Simulate Technician and Plant Protection employees. More information about the machinists Union and the proposed Northwest/Delta merger is available at www.goiam.org/mergers.

New York Event Contact: Joseph Tiberi, IAMAW
202-974-8250 (office)
301-529-9341 (cell)
Georgia Event Contact: Gary Mobley, IAMAW
404-208-8807 (office)
612-432-6067 (cell)

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