THE EVOLUTION OF CERTAINTY

SHIFTING GOALS-COMPETING VOICES IN MANAGEMENT
UNION PROVIDES SECURITY, STABILITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE


The media is in a feeding frenzy! It makes it difficult for us to do the work of providing our passengers with a quality experience flying on Delta. It’s easy to get caught up in the merger mania. Those of us working in the IAM union effort have attempted to avoid involving ourselves in the guessing and wondering. We have followed the lead of the IAM itself – be prepared.

We would prefer to concentrate on the things we can control and not be distracted by the endless questions and details that can’t be answered until a merger announcement is made. It is interesting, however, to watch the waffling statements made by our management leaders.

Just a few short months ago our CEO Richard Anderson made this statement: “As long as I am CEO, there are certain conditions that are not negotiable.” He added, “[The merged carrier] would be named Delta, the headquarters would remain in Atlanta, and the seniority rights of our people would be protected.”

Now, just a few days ago, our President and CFO, Ed Bastian said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that any merger must meet three major goals. Delta won’t agree to a deal unless the proposed merger creates a global network that “fills holes” in Delta’s operations; avoids burdening the combined airlines with excessive debt; and treats employees fairly and assures them of job and seniority protections.

This is evidence that management can and will change its priorities as they move through the merger ‘exploration’ process. We are at the mercy of their will and this process, as long as we don’t have a voice.

On the other hand, the IAM is solid on its positions, never wavering. Protect jobs, protect seniority, bargain the best from both sides of the equation and secure a future for its members.

Who knows what name will be on the side of the aircraft or which city will have the headquarters? Without a job and the seniority that goes with it, it really doesn’t matter.

While some of us care which city our checks are mailed from and what the logo is on the side of the envelope, being on property to receive the salary is priority one. There is only one way to have a voice in the process, to affect the outcome and to fight for a future…that is to be union.

If you want to show loyalty you need to look no farther than into the eyes of your family and concentrate on taking care of their needs. The IAM is here and ready to provide all of us something that Delta has not provided any of us; choices! We can choose to be part of the decision making processes in any future industry consolidation or we can opt out and have our future dictated to us. Decisions are going to be made that will affect all of us. Do you want to join the pilots and have a voice in the process, demanding equity that will surely come from the combining of two (or more) great airlines? Or, do you want to take the chance of simply becoming a statistic?

Signing a union authorization card gives us strength. It tells Delta that we are no longer willing to take whatever is left over. It says that we are not an ATM machine that provides management and the pilots value when no one else is left to be squeezed. There is strength in resolve, there is power in unity. We must join the IAM and be ready when the unknown becomes known. To get there we must keep signing those union cards. We must send a loud message that we are organized and ready to negotiate for a better and more permanent future for us and our families.