CONSOLIDATION IS COMING

CEO PREDICTS INEVITABILITY OF MERGER
DON’T LET PHILOSOPHY TRUMP ECONOMIC WELL BEING

In a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution interview, Richard Anderson our newly named CEO was asked about the prospects of airlines merging. His response was telling; “In this business, there will be consolidation at some point in the future. The important thing for Delta is to be in control. You have to secure your own future.”

Jerry Grinstein went even deeper when he was quoted last year as saying; “..we are not opposed to all mergers, just the bad ones.” “There are complimentary mergers that can be beneficial and work and there are ill-conceived mergers.” He further stated that this airline was not going to “stubbornly (ignore) marketplace realities and the opportunities to create value for Delta stakeholders.”

It should be clear to all of us that some form of airline industry consolidation is coming whether we like it or not. Shareholders and financiers will eventually demand some return on the value of their long suffering investments. We, as employees, are the pawns in this giant game of chess and need to take action that ensures we are not the ones that the “stakeholders” squeeze all the value out of.

We Delta Ramp employees are vulnerable and weak because of our situation when it comes to unions. There are roughly 300,000 airline employees working for the 6 largest U.S. carriers. These are the airlines that will likely merge into 3 or 4 mega-carriers in the future. Of these 300,000 employees, approximately 70% of them belong to unions. That means that they have representation, support and power.

At Delta Air Lines, unless you are a pilot or a dispatcher, all you have are ‘earnest’ company assurances that you will be taken care of in the event we merge or are acquired. Heartfelt commitments, promises and policies despite management pronouncements, are not guarantees or contracts.

Do you really think that the 210,000 union employees at these 6 carriers are going to be dictated to by those of us without a contract? We must take the worry and wonder out of the coming process and unionize now.

Those of you who have philosophical or political aversions to joining a union need to let go of your arcane reasoning. Unions are becoming largely apolitical and members span the political spectrum. No one is asking anyone to change his or her political or philosophical beliefs, we view this as primarily an economic decision made for the benefit of us and our families. We have to ask ourselves; do we want to continue to be paid less than our union brothers? Is it o.k. to settle for no pension or a diminished frozen one when our union counter-parts have new, growing pensions?

When our company asks us to understand that the financial “well-being” of Delta should take precedence over our economics or the medical needs of our families, doesn’t it make you want to fight for your protection and organize?

Those of you who fear that union activity will only anger management and hasten our jobs being out-sourced need only look around at the reality of our situation. We have largely already been out-sourced to the point of near extinction.

Let’s let go of our “old thinking” and embrace those people who want to protect our jobs and our lifestyle. Let’s sign those union cards and greet this inevitable coming consolidation with excitement and the sure knowledge of our being here to enjoy in its rewards.