There is breaking news from Capitol Hill, negotiators have dropped the anti-union language for votes to start a union. Republicans were insisting that no-shows be counted as “No” votes. Delta’s check must have been mailed late.

AP: Compromise boosts prospects for FAA bill passage,

The compromise would let stand a 2010 National Mediation Board ruling allowing airline workers to form a union by a simple majority of those voting. Previously, workers who didn’t vote were treated as “no” votes.
An FAA bill passed by the GOP-controlled House would have completely overturned the board’s ruling. Senate Democrats opposed the provision.

Politico: Labor deal clears runway for FAA bill

Senate and House leaders reached a deal Friday on controversial labor language that has been hindering progress on a bill to keep the Federal Aviation Administration running, POLITICO has learned.
Republicans had been pushing to scrap 2010 language from the National Mediation Board that made it easier for unions to organize — but that will not be part of a new, four-year FAA bill. Under the old policy, no-shows at union votes were counted as “no” votes

“The NMB rule stands,” a Senate aide told POLITICO. “The bill we are moving toward is a four-year authorization. We don’t have total agreement on all the issues. It’s likely we will still need a patch to get us over.”

From Tuesday’s post, Congress Is Back, Republicans Again Threaten Shutdowns For 1% Agenda,

Congress is back in session and Republicans are right back to shutdown threats. Once again Republicans are trying to use shutdown threats to bust unions (the 99%), once again doing it for pay, for a specific company (the 1%).

Funding for the Federal Aviation Administration runs out and the agency is threatened with being shut down again January 31. Republicans demand that Congress pass a union-busting provision for Delta Airlines in the FAA “reauthorization” (funding) bill or they will shut the agency down again. Delta wants a provision in the FAA funding bill that changes union election rules to say that any worker who doesn’t vote be counted as a ‘no’ vote, against joining the union. This is because flight attendants (the 99%) are trying to organize a union, and Delta management (the 1%) is trying to block them from doing so.

Past posts leading up to this:

Nov. 29, 2011: Will Republicans Shut Down The FAA Again To Help Delta’s Union Busting?

Nov. 15: 2011: Government Shutdowns Get The 1% What They Want

August 3, 2011: Delta’s Greed Helps Shut Down The FAA

July 26, 1022: Think Default Threat Is A Yawn? The FAA Is Still Shut Down

July 22, 2011: The Hostage-Taking Just Keeps Coming – This Time The FAA Shuts Down

There’s more, I’m sure, but you get the idea. Help spread the word that this FAA fight is about union (the 99%) organizing rights and the effort to preserve a middle class.