SkyWest Inflight Association (SIA), the organization representing flight attendants at St. George, Utah-based SkyWest Airlines
, is facing a federal lawsuit related to alleged flawed elections. The development comes as a former president of the association is speaking about systemic issues within the organization that ultimately led to him being forced out of his position “unwillingly.”
The lawsuit is not the only case under SIA’s wing. Last fall, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA)
sued the in-house organization after two former employees – who were prominent advocates for union representation – were fired from SkyWest. Despite the legal proceedings, SIA says it is “confident” in its position.
Can’t be trusted with union elections
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the US Department of Labor (DOL) filed the lawsuit
in July, alleging the organization cannot be trusted to manage its elections. US Secretary of Labor Julie Su claimed that SIA needs a supervisor to oversee its next elections because it had failed to comply with federal law.
Photo: SkyWest Airlines
Brent Coates, the current President of SIA, said that the complaints submitted to the DOL were “part of a yearslong, stalled attempt to replace SIA as the legal representative for SkyWest Flight Attendants,” according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Calling out the flaws
Romero Malone, a former SIA President, is one of the individuals behind the attempt. In an interview with Simple Flying, he said he was “unwillingly forced out” from his role by the SIA Board, which was “allegedly under duress from management led by” his then-Vice President, Erika Robertson. Malone advocated for flight attendants and would respectfully challenge the board and management on current policies. However, he explained that Robertson had a close relationship with management and frequently had meetings with them without him present.
As president, Malone said he noticed other issues between SIA and SkyWest management.
“In my position as President, I also saw flaws in our unsecured voter registration system, union busting, an absence of organizational structure, and a clear lack of transparency separation between the labor union and management.”
Malone claimed he was forced out in September 2021 after Robertson falsely accused him of committing company fraud per diem. He said the Executive Council President at the time gave him the option of either having all the flight attendants know about the allegations or resigning.
“‘I was like, so you’re forcing me to resign? And she was like, pretty much… I don’t consider it forced, but it’s giving you an option.’”
Malone said he did not want a false story created or cultivated about him because he had “built up a name” not only in his community but in the airline industry “for being very transparent and very pro flight attendant.”
He was elected as SIA’s first black president in 2020. Upon taking on the role, he said some board members would make racist comments toward him and claimed that he was a criminal sex offender because he had a name similar to another person.
“I faced unprecedented discrimination and racism. When the company was made aware of racial acts that contributed to me being forced out of my position they covered it up with an alleged $50,000 investigation that was non-conclusive.”
Malone also said a whistleblower leaked racist text messages among board members – one of which said, “we didn’t want a black SIA president to begin with so good riddens.” Another message obtained by Simple Flying said that Robertson initiated a vote to have Malone removed, and that “she may have done some things behind Romero’s back, but it was only because he was in way over his head.”
Additional messages show that the believed-to-be board members planned to “spin the story” if the flight attendants found out that Malone was forced to resign.
Photo: Romero Malone
After resigning, Malone said some flight attendants
started a “Justice for Romero” campaign, which brought tears to his eyes.
Coates told Simple Flying that SIA does not tolerate racism or discrimination.
“We value the time and effort of each of our leaders, past and present, and have absolutely no tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind.”
Former SIA president tampers with elections
Robertson ultimately became SIA President but was allegedly involved in tampering with the organization’s elections. SkyWest flight attendant Kelly Lawrence Frieders claimed that many flight attendants complained about voting issues during the August 2023 election. Frieders said some ballots had Robertson’s name pre-selected on them, but the SIA board brushed it off as a “technical glitch.”
Malone said he decided to speak up about his experience after noticing a striking connection. SIA had conducted an investigation into voter election tampering, which was reportedly attempted more than 830 times.
“And like 100 and something did not go through, because the person has already voted and the person’s name did I see? Erica Robertson, my vice president. The same person,” Malone said.
“An illegal company union”
In October 2023, Simple Flying reported on a separate lawsuit filed by the AFA after Shane Price and Teresa Grange were terminated from SkyWest
. The two, who were leaders in a campaign to unionize, exposed alleged blemishes in SIA’s voting system. SkyWest says they were not fired for union organizing but for “admitted hacking.”
Photo: SkyWest Airlines
Some flight attendants have accused SIA of being a fake union. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the organization is funded by SkyWest and not by membership dues, which is proof – alleged by flight attendants – that it is unable to be separated by management, violating the Railway Labor Act.
“We all understand that SIA and management is one and the same,” Grange told The Salt Lake Tribune.
In a statement to Simple Flying, the AFA slammed SkyWest management for attempting to control flight attendants.
“The DOL’s lawsuit again makes clear the SkyWest Inflight Association is an illegal company union operating at the behest of management and not for Flight Attendants it claims to represent. As we have seen, SkyWest management will do whatever they can —including firing long time workers — to intimidate and attempt to control Flight Attendants.”
SkyWest says the idea that SIA is an illegal or fake union is a “myth,” according to a union facts page on its website.
Photo: SkyWest Airlines
Malone said SkyWest flight attendants deserve to have a voice.
“I just want them to continue on in the good fight, because they really do deserve true, transparent representation that does go by and abide by federal laws, not evade them,” he said. “Having a legitimate union equals the playing field when it comes down to these corporations and companies.”
According to Coates, SIA provides the “best contract in the regional industry” and is the only organization to provide boarding pay to flight attendants. Regarding both lawsuits, Coates said SIA is already fighting back.
“With respect to both lawsuits, SIA is confident in our positions. In the AFA suit, we have already filed counterclaims alleging violations of the rights of SIA and the SkyWest Flight Attendants under several federal and state laws,” he explained. “We look forward to responding to both lawsuits in court.”
SkyWest is the largest regional airline in the US. It operates regional flights for Alaska Airlines
and has contracts supporting regional operations with 
American Airlines
, 
Delta Air Lines
, and 
United Airlines
under the American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express respective brands.