IT’S A NUMBERS GAME

GOVERNMENT SANCTION OF MERGER INEVITABLE
MANAGEMENT BEGINS ‘BRIEFING’ EMPLOYEES ABOUT UNION ACTIVITY



Word has it that it is only a matter of time before Delta and Northwest clear all governmental hurdles and are allowed to consummate the merger between the two carriers. We believe this pro-business government won’t stand in the way of the two airlines completing all aspects of this merger and we involved in the union effort at both airlines are preparing for this inevitable eventuality.

Meanwhile, in some briefing rooms at Delta around the system, passenger service agents are being told that there will likely be an election on the ramp to determine whether or not the employees will get to choose union protection. They are also being told that there will be no such choice within the passenger service group. Why are they saying such a thing? It’s all in the numbers.

Under National Mediation Board rules, in order to gain a union election after the two carriers combine, of the ‘class and craft’ (i.e. ramp, passenger service & reservations, or mechanics), the total number of union covered employees plus non-union employees who signed Authorization Cards has to exceed 35% of the total combined class-and-craft group. The Delta ramp (because of the almost complete annihilation of our workforce and cities through out-sourcing to contract companies) when combined with Northwest’s ramp will have sufficient union numbers to have an election.

Northwest, because of its contract through IAM, knows exactly how many union numbers they have. They have a system-wide seniority roster and there are no mysteries about the number of staffing in each of their 40 cities; it is an exactly known number that rarely deviates.

At Delta we have a completely different culture. Our numbers are kind of a mystery. Each station manager or director is told what their numbers will be and have some say in it, but not the final decision. But, none of these low level managers know the whole picture. Numbers can change in an instant because there are no contracts or entity that oversees the process. The part-time/full-time ratio is an amount determined by God knows who and can change over night. There is no cap on how many of us can be forced to a part-time line in any of our 15 cities that still have Delta agents working the ramp, and we have no guarantee that from day to day we will even have a job.

These numbers are probably determined and finalized by the Executive Vice-President of Airport Customer Service with a hefty amount of input from the Executive Vice- President of Human Resources, Mike Campbell. Why would Human Resources be involved in the process, you might ask?

Well, we have told you about Mr. Campbell in the past. He came to us from Continental Airlines by way of a union busting law firm out of Atlanta; Ford & Harrison LLP. Mr. Campbell was a “nationally recognized expert in employment and labor matters,” according to his bio, as reported by Delta. Quite simply, Mr. Campbell was brought to Delta to deal with the ‘union problem.’ We can’t find a person who knows how much of his time is actually spent dealing with the Human Resources end of things, or whether he even looks after the well-being of employees who need answers to concerns or questions regarding healthcare and benefits.

However, we’re sure Mr. Campbell would have a pretty good idea how many employees work on the ramp throughout Delta and is aware of the content of the briefings that have been taking place. In wearing his ‘expert in employment and labor matters’ hat, his direction of the changing nature of these briefings is an indication that the recently hired, outsider upper management is steeling themselves for a tough union campaign with us in the very near future.

Let’s prepare ourselves for the onslaught of negative commentary and know that we are close to victory and must not shy away from the cold stare delivered by those who would deter us. Keep signing those IAM cards and know that this is America where choice and voting is an individual right not to be taken lightly. Involve yourselves in the process and make a better future for you, your families and our company. Union now!