RESPONSE TO RICH CORDELL'S LETTER

I read with great interest Rich Cordell’s letter dated Nov. 2, 2006. He referred to the employees as “Delta’s number one asset…the essence of our business.” He later stated that we have to “invest in our business.”

I don’t think, however, that he was referring to employees when he talked about investing in the business. Perhaps we are the company’s “number one asset” in a purely figurative sense, by spending so little money on us; we actually have become cost effective (cheap) , thus becoming more valuable to them.

Mr. Cordell later states that he is concerned about “outside agents and members of IAM” soliciting employees to sign union authorization cards. It sounds almost sinister, doesn’t it? Who are these evil outside agents? What are they up to? Well, I can tell you that they are concerned Delta employees who want you to know of the benefits of joining the IAM.

Mr. Cordell says we are growing financially stronger everyday and looking forward to “sharing the rewards….unthinkable not to reward those ..Who have sacrificed so much.” I can remember a time not so long ago when we were making a billion dollars a year for over four years and who got to share in those “rewards?” It was the pilots, who had a union contract, and the ex-ceo, Leo Mullin (who had a contract) and his cronies. The rest of us were left out. Promises are easy to make and even easier to break. You can’t feed your family on them or pay your mortgage. Promises don’t put kids through college or fix the broken garage door. Most of us have heard enough of these insincere, empty, promises. Our past history is littered with these unfulfilled “rewards.”

Mr. Cordell talks about committing yourself to a “lifetime of dues” if we join a union. Let’s set the record straight. Union dues are approximately one of your hourly wages a pay period, the equivalent of a pizza, not too much to ask given all that this union has done for its members in the past. (Pensions, stable wages, lower medical premiums, fair sick leave time, etc.) Union dues don’t even begin until a contract is ratified and they are not retroactive.

Mr. Cordell, as you stated, we are part of the turn-around, but we want to be here when it happens and we want to share in the rewards. By joining IAM, we can help make this company more professional, viable and, yes, successful. For more information on the benefits of union membership, visit IAM at: www.goiamnow.org