THOSE WHO KNOW AREN’T TALKING…THOSE WHO ARE TALKING…
REALLY DON’T KNOW…

PILOT SENIORITY ISSUES STALLING MERGER?
MONEY AND EQUITY HEADING THEIR WAY!


Some of us wonder about the sources that all the competing news outlets are using nowadays. Almost every credible (and some that are not!) news source has reported about the imminent merger between Delta and Northwest. One can’t help but think it will happen soon. So many details are pouring in from all over the country. From the AJC to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune to the Salt Lake Tribune, their sources must be tight and accurate; or, maybe not.

You see, the major players; the Boards’ of Director at the two carriers can’t talk about what is going on and they are the only ones who really know. Under penalty of law, they could be fined or even imprisoned for leaking fiduciary information about internal Company maneuvers. So why all the details? Beats the hell out of us.

You’ve heard all the reports. The pilots are going to get 30% pay increases over time and they will receive 5% equity in the new company. That adds up to 2 billion dollars in stock. There are about 12000 pilots working for both carriers; you can do the math on how much stock each will receive.

What’s the hang-up? Northwest pilots have more seniority than Delta pilots and Delta pilots don’t want to be near the bottom of the new seniority list. Everyone who flies the big planes wants to keep flying the big planes. It must suck to work a Mad-Dog when you used to be flying a 777. All of us on the ramp prefer bigger planes, so it makes sense.

Here’s our point; the pilots have all this power and say in the potential merger because they have a union representing them. While we are wondering about whether or not we will even have a job in a few weeks, the pilots’ only worry is which type of simulator they will be heading to for training and where to invest their new found wealth. Don’t get us wrong, we admire and even envy the pilots for being as organized and powerful as they are. Good for them. Now, let’s all of us join in and get our share through unionizing.

Or, we could do what Richard Anderson suggested a couple of days ago when he said this: “And, in keeping with the way we always do business at Delta, a team of frontline employees would always be involved in any sort of integration process.”

Richard is suggesting that we let the unelected, non-representative Delta Board Council sit in for us and negotiate any potential perks and pay adjustments and seniority disputes. How comforting! These people, however nice, were hand picked by Delta Management to stand up for us. Doesn’t everyone see the folly in that, the shear temerity of Delta management to think that we would be that gullible is beyond comprehension!

Let’s do what the pilots have done. Let’s become players in our own future; let’s make sure, first of all that we continue to have a future by signing our authorization cards and forcing a union vote. Let’s get IAM on board with us and firm up some new company equity and pay. It’s not that difficult to participate in our own success, all it takes is the will to act and the courage to see it through.