AFA Testifies Against NMB Proposed Rule to Streamline Decertification and Toss Out Contract
Washington, D.C. (March 28, 2019) — Airline and railway workers’ ability to choose and maintain union representation and our contracts is under attack. The majority members of the National Mediation Board (NMB) are proposing a rule, contrary to the purpose of the statute, to encourage airlines to run decertification campaigns to end union contracts. AFA International President Sara Nelson issued the following statement:
“There is no legal authority for this NMB proposal to create a more 'direct' decertification process and no groundswell of support among airline employees for a new decertification procedure. Airline employees understand the critical importance of having a contract. There is absolutely no interest expressed by workers to decertify and give up their union contract,” said Nelson.
"This is about Wall Street’s relentless pressure on airline management to reduce costs in order to shift more profits to speculators. The proposal is coming from ideologues who fantasize about weakening labor in the most unionized industry in America. Airline unions have negotiated and fought for good middle-class jobs with benefits. This new decertification process, if imposed, will put pressure on airline management to illegally interfere or promote a decertification process and create massive labor unrest in the airline industry. This is an absurd waste of time and resources across the board.”
The NMB proposal would also bar workers from attempting to unionize again for two years, which is an increase to the current one-year ban that comes after decertification.
