SALUTE TO RICH CORDELL

CORDELL PAYS PRICE FOR OTHERS’ FAILURES
‘YEAR OF THE BAG’ ENDS LONG CAREER

The one thing you can count on at Delta Air Lines is that when something goes wrong, somebody is going to pay the ultimate price, as with most businesses, that doesn’t always mean the one responsible gets axed, just the one most convenient, and visible.

It’s no secret that during this union campaign, Mr. Cordell has been, as head of ACS, a focal point of some of our sternest criticism. We have disagreed with his decisions on many occasions. This in no way diminishes his contribution to this airline and his long and loyal service to, not only his fellow employees but to the customer as well. We salute your 30 years of continuous, dedicated service and wish you well in your ‘retirement’.

This union campaign took root mainly because of the many cities and fellow employees that were lost to out-sourcing during much of Mr. Cordell’s tenure. We strenuously opposed his decisions in that regard and our view was and is that temporary financial gains garnered in the initial months of contracting out cities are lost over time as customer service and productivity suffers through the loss of professionalism.

Most casual observers and readers of the newspaper know that airlines all over America are having trouble connecting bags with passengers. Our numbers at Delta are at or near the bottom of the industry in this regard.

A few months back a campaign called the “Year of the Bag” (sounds like something on a Chinese calendar!) was launched to curtail the downward spiral of our connection numbers.

Never mind that the sage, old veterans of the ramp already knew the reason for the numbers collapse and the solution to the problem. Virtually none of us were included in the process to improve our dire situation. It is our contention that making most of us disappear through out-sourcing and benefit and pay cuts caused the numbers to decline.

Instead of listening to the professionals in the field, “experts” were brought in from outside of ACS to solve our baggage problems. Who were these people? Process engineers, cubicle jockeys, mechanics, and mechanic’s helpers. People who apparently had some success in other projects (getting planes cleaner) but no clue about the complex choreography of connecting bags in a busy hub.


Those who have hoisted this canard of a program onto our fellow ramp employees need to resign or retire with Rich. The “hot and cold” baggage connection approach is just a cover for our real problems. Our baggage numbers will improve when our working situation improves.

You can’t turn a 757 or 767 with just 3 agents working the aircraft and no connection personnel upon arrival. Offering $500 incentives to employees who talk someone into working for us or having jobs fairs to attract new ramp workers is a band-aid solution to an endemic problem.

Better numbers will come through treating our ramp assets with dignity and permanency. The “one day wonders” who have been anointed to fix our baggage system are a mere carnival side show whose days are surely numbered.

Offering a living wage with competitive benefits will solve all our staffing and ultimately, baggage connection problems. We who have decided to organize through IAM assure this airline that our goal is to compete and offer professional services to our customers.

Again, we salute you Rich and want you to know better days are coming for all of us.