Six Hundred-Dollar Carpets???
Or a Golden Fleece(ing)

WHISTLE WHILE WE WORK!


It came to my attention recently that those new carpets outside of the jet way entry doors for our Medallion customers cost $600!

Could this be true? Can you believe an airline recently out of bankruptcy spending $600 on a 2x6 foot carpet? I checked into it and its true! Think about this during your next working day and see if you can find similar practices. The new livery or “red widget” comes to mind. What was gained by changing this lasting image of Delta? In my eyes nothing except to further confuse the flying public of who we are. It is obvious our management teams feel no fiscal constraints when it comes to their pet projects, whatever they may be.

You gotta wonder who came up with the new whistle procedures…probably someone in Safety trying to justify his or her job. Come on! The only people who made out in that deal are the good people of the whistle industry (smile) while we’re straddled with yet another ridiculous ramp procedure. Maybe the real reason is that our aircraft damages have increased due to the huge influx of new and inexperienced rampers with (at least in my station) gaps in their training. They figure the whistle is a quick fix to the endemic problem of lack of leadership and experience.

A U.S. Representative was questioned after having voted against a spending bill why he voted no, his answer? “It sure is easy to spend other people’s money.” Don’t kid yourself in thinking that Delta’s not spending “your money”. These monies could have been better spent on new ramp equipment or a thousand other better uses I’m sure you could think of. When it comes to ramp wages and compensation it’s always “tighten up your belts” but every hair-brained scheme from management is put on the fast track.

Did anyone else get the feeling before bankruptcy we were all bit actors in the film “Brewster’s Millions.” This was a film where a man inherits millions only to be told that if he could spend it all in a month he’ll receive billions. Months shy of bankruptcy and Delta hired a famous New York clothes designer to come up with a new line of uniforms for the ticket counter; his compensation — $2,000,000. Then Delta had to prove to the bankruptcy court they were broke.

At the same time with the same debt load American Airlines fought tooth and nail to stay out of bankruptcy and they succeeded. Delta’s reward was the unique ability bankruptcy law affords; the ability to cut to the bone with almost no recourse to the employees.

You will never be a “pet project” of Delta. Your fast track (without the uniting voice of a union) will consist of more “belt tightening.” With mergers looming large the only way we will get OUR “golden fleece” is to stand united under a binding contract or…we can get rolled up in a six hundred dollar carpet.

Stand Up Today, There May Be No Tomorrow!