“Delta told its workers to buy video games instead of unionizing”, 10 May 2019

For years, Delta … workers … have been trying to unionize. And for years, Delta has tried to dissuade them from doing so, workers claim…

“Union dues cost around $700 a year,” one flyer reads. “A new video game system with the latest hits sounds like fun. Put your money towards that instead of paying dues to the union.”…

James Carlson, a coordinator with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers [said] “Delta is probably one of the most anti-union companies in the world,” … “They’ve hired consultants to run anti-union campaigns. The flyer you saw that caused so much hubbub is just the tip of the iceberg on the tactics that Delta uses.”

According to Carlson, Delta has been putting these flyers in flight attendant and ramp crew break rooms … Ramp workers claim Delta has capped the number of hours part-time employees can work and does not provide them with adequate health insurance, two grievances that the workers want to address as part of a union contract…

In a statement to Vox, Delta claimed the posters were a way of educating employees about the risks of joining a union:

I can confirm that this poster is one of many pieces of content available to our employees and was produced by Delta a year ago. The specific questions are available in the employee break piece in rooms.

The direct relationship we have with our employees is at the very core of our strong culture and it has enabled continuous investments in Delta people. Our employees have the best total compensation in the industry, including the most lucrative profit sharing program in the world. They want and deserve the facts and we respect our employees’ right to decide if a union is right for them. Delta has shared many communications, which on the whole make clear that deciding whether or not to unionize should not be taken lightly.

But unionization advocates see the flyers as a way of threatening employees, not educating them…