CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME…

…AND EMBARRASSES US AT WORK.
REVENUE STREAMS DISCUSSED


Recently Delta established a new program called the ‘Employee and Retiree Care Fund’. The program is designed to help support employees retired and otherwise who might be experiencing financial hardships or other related calamities.

No one is against charity, civic duties and responsibilities. We all feel, at one time or other, the desire and need to give to and help those who are less fortunate. However, the irony of establishing a charitable program to help active employees who are receiving a payroll check from Delta is almost beyond the bounds of decency and propriety.

WE DON’T WANT YOUR DAMN CHARITY!

We would prefer to be paid a living wage. Giving it to us right now would be an appropriate time to help begin the healing and establish renewed trust and integrity between management and the workforce. You constantly call us, the employees, your “greatest asset”. We are no longer certain that you mean that as a compliment.

Could it be that our true value to Delta, monetarily, is that we come so cheap, we cost so little and we barely whimper when management slices our pay and benefits in half? Isn’t that our true value to this corporation? We are easily maneuvered and wholly malleable. Whatever they want they take.

Recently the DBC visited our city and were taking questions. When asked about industry standard pay; they replied that Delta was working on new streams of revenue to increase our profit margin. When Delta obtains these “streams of revenue”, money will be forth coming, or so says the Delta Board Council.

Unless we missed something in the translation, aren’t we Delta’s revenue stream? Whenever Delta needs money, instead of getting it from the passengers and other customers, they just treat us like an ATM and 'withdraw' what they need from non-contract employees. We're not sure we have much more to give.

Southwest Airlines recently announced a new check-in program that allows passengers who want to avoid the cattle car boarding process they utilize, pay a modest amount more and be pre-assigned a seat assignment and free drinks. When asked why they changed a long standing program, they replied that they needed new revenue streams to take care of their increased costs because of employee pay and increased fuel expenditures. They knew their edge in fuel hedging was finally coming to an end.

What a novel concept, creative thinking that doesn’t punish the worker. We talk a good game but do we really value our employees and are we really considered Delta’s “greatest asset?” Past experience and dismally bad behavior on our management’s part would seem to indicate not. We have always been treated more like a necessary cost and a financial burden and our numbers are now reflecting our growing reality of what they really think of us.

We will finish organizing, unionizing and in the process, regain the stature and status both professionally and monetarily that we deserve. In the process, with renewed pride and vigor, our numbers will turn around and the charity being offered to us will not be necessary or warranted. Delta, please stop embarrassing us, your actions are shameful.