Warren, Markey Urge Delta Air Lines CEO to Remain Neutral in Flight Attendants’ Unionization Efforts

“All workers deserve the right to join a union freely, and Delta must not obstruct that right for their flight attendants” Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) raised their concerns in a letter to Delta Air Lines, which operates more flights in the New England region than any other airline, about reports of union busting activities. The senators urged CEO Ed Bastian to comply with federal law and remain neutral in Delta flight attendants’ campaigning efforts to unionize with the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA). According to reports from flight attendants in Massachusetts and across the country, Delta has a history of union-busting activities, which includes sending threatening emails to flight attendants regarding unionization efforts. A flight attendant has stated that Delta told trainee flight attendants that they are not allowed to discuss a union on board an aircraft and encouraged new flight attendants to report their colleagues to management for even mentioning a union. The company also previously had a dedicated online portal to oppose union organizing, which framed signing a union authorization card as a risk for flight attendants. Delta management points to employees’ increased wages and benefits as the rewards of remaining union-free, threatening flight attendants’ future pay and benefits if they choose to organize. “These attempts to influence workers’ decision to join a union are inappropriate and threaten to infringe upon flight attendants’ right to organize without intimidation or interference,” wrote the senators . “Delta should follow the RLA and commit to a policy of neutrality towards the union campaign,” continued the senators . The RLA requires Delta to behave neutrally towards employees’ unionization efforts and not “interfere with, influence, or coerce” its employees in their choice of representative. This ensures that workers are able to freely exercise their right to seek union representation without fear of interference or retaliation and without influence from management on their decision-making process. Delta would also cease any threatening anti-union communications to flight attendants—which constitutes a clear attempt to influence employees’ choice to be represented by a union. “We look forward to working with you on ensuring Delta Flight Attendants experience a free and fair union campaign process,” concluded the senators . Senator Warren has led the fight to protect American workers under the Trump administration: In June 2026, Senator Elizabeth Warren released a new report titled “10 Ways President Trump Has Hurt American Workers,” detailing how President Trump has broken his promises to workers. In May 2026, Senators Warren (D-Mass.), Duckworth (D-Ill.), and Minority Leader Schumer (D-N.Y.) led 12 senators in pressing the Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on the Commission’s efforts to weaken a rule affirming employment protections for workers undergoing fertility treatments. In March 2026, at a hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) questioned Dan Adcock of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare about Republicans’ plans to raise the retirement age. In February 2026, Senators Warren (D-Mass.), Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Baldwin (D-Ill.), Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Padilla (D-Calif.), and Wyden (D-Ore.) released new data revealing the Trump administration’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) performed 20% fewer inspections and issued 42% fewer fines for severe workplace violations in 2025—indicating that the Trump Department of Labor may be discouraging inspectors from enforcing workplace safety laws. The lawmakers also launched an investigation into the Department of Labor’s broader plans to eliminate key safety regulations, putting American workers at serious risk. In December 2025, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman DeLauro (D-Conn.) reintroduced the Schedules That Work Act to address unpredictable scheduling practices that may deprive workers of income and require them to work unreasonable hours, like “clopening” shifts that leave little time to commute and rest between shifts. In December 2025, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Schakowsky (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act to strengthen protections for part-time workers and allow them to better balance their work schedules with personal and family needs. In November 2025, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Duckworth (D-Ill.), along with Representatives Dingell (D-Mich.) and Simon (D-Calif.), led 56 members of Congress in pressing Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer about the Department of Labor’s dismantling of key disability employment protections. In September 2025, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Sherman (D-Calif.) reintroduced the Nationwide Right to Unionize Act , legislation that would support the right to unionize by invalidating “right-to-work” laws meant to weaken unions’ ability to organize workers. In September 2025, at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Aging, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) highlighted how “just-in-time” scheduling practices—which leave workers with last-minute shift assignments and inflexible schedules—have a particularly negative effect on older workers in part-time jobs. In June 2025, Senator Warren (D-Mass.) led members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in writing to the Secretary of the Department of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, urging the department to preserve President Biden’s expansion of the overtime threshold. In March 2025, Senator Warren (D-Mass.), along with Senator Booker (D-N.J.), then-Representative Connolly, and House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Raskin (D-Md.), led 38 Members of Congress in a letter to President Donald Trump, raising concerns about his unlawful firings of dozens of independent agency heads and inspectors general (IGs) and calling attention to how many of these firings appear to benefit Elon Musk. ###