News
Teamsters, Union Allies Brief Congressional Labor Caucus on Organizing at Delta Air Lines
(WASHINGTON) – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) joined the Congressional Labor Caucus on Capitol Hill for a roundtable on the coalition’s ongoing organizing campaign at Delta Air Lines. In November 2022, the Teamsters, AFA-CWA, and IAM announced a coordinated campaign to unionize the 45,000 workers at the passenger carrier.
Teamsters Organizing Director Chris Rosell and Philadelphia Delta technician Cole Bryson spoke about the issues facing mechanics at Delta Air Lines and why these workers need union representation.
“Airline technicians and mechanics are highly skilled at their craft and are the reason we are safe when traveling via aircraft,” Rosell said. “But one of the biggest issues these workers are facing across the country is maintenance outsourcing. Without unions, workers don’t have a fighting chance. These corporations can just take their jobs away and send airplanes to foreign countries, but the workers are fighting back.”
“We do dangerous industrial work and, at Delta, we do not have the protections that workers at other airlines have,” Bryson said. “Staffing is a huge issue for us. Delta workers like me need to be able to negotiate with the company for safer working conditions, better schedules, and improved compensation.”
Delta workers along with Teamsters, AFA-CWA, and IAM leadership were joined by numerous members of the Labor Caucus and led in discussion by Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-5).
“We were honored to hear from these brave workers who are organizing their workplaces to ensure that they have a voice on the job,” said Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Mark Pocan (WI-2), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Donald Norcross (NJ-1), and Steven Horsford (NV-4). “Every worker deserves a free and fair choice to join a union, and we are proud to stand with our constituents as they exercise their right to organize.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.