AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler visited Atlanta as part of the organization’s “Better In A Union” bus tour, joining union leaders and Delta Air Lines employees in support of their ongoing campaign to unionize. The initiative aims to highlight efforts by workers across the country seeking improved jobs, contracts, and workplace respect.
During her visit, Shuler met with representatives from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), and Delta employees who are working toward union representation. Currently, only about 20 percent of Delta’s workforce is unionized, making it the only major U.S. airline where flight attendants, fleet service workers, and mechanics lack union representation. Despite this, Delta has consistently reported strong financial performance compared to other airlines in recent years.
The IAM recently addressed a settlement involving Delta Air Lines and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. Under this agreement, Delta will pay $8.1 million to resolve allegations that it violated terms of the Payroll Support Program under the False Claims Act. The IAM has maintained since 2020 that Delta accepted significant taxpayer-funded relief on the condition that employee jobs, pay, and benefits would be protected but failed to uphold those commitments.
“I want to thank President Shuler for encouraging the Delta workers to keep up the fight for fairness and a seat at the table,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Delta workers are tired of being left behind while the airline earns billions.”
IAM Union Air Transport General Vice President Richie Johnsen added: “Delta workers are leading one of the biggest labor campaigns in the country. They are not just organizing for themselves. They are raising the bar for every worker in our nation. We are proud to continue this fight for the respect and dignity they deserve.”
Earlier in Atlanta, labor leaders and union members gathered at IBEW Local 613’s Union Hall for a “Workers Over Billionaires” rally as part of AFL-CIO’s nationwide bus tour.
