KEEP DELTA MY NORTHWEST

HOW NORTHWEST BOUGHT DELTA WITH DELTA’S OWN MONEY!
ANDERSON DELIVERS DELTA INTO NORTHWEST HANDS


Many years ago someone once said that in order to keep Delta always non-union all you would have to do is never, never move the corporate offices from Atlanta. The south has always felt somewhat antithetic towards unions and is obviously fairly conservative.

When USAirways made its bold move to acquire Delta Air Lines, a shudder ran through the entire Atlanta community and forces were mobilized to defend the home ground of a great southern company. We all remember the efforts of many segments of Atlanta society; community leaders, politicians and Delta officials, all united to save Delta.

The Delta Board Council came up with the ‘Keep Delta My Delta’ campaign and eventually, through months of lobbying and backroom legal maneuvering, the battle was won; just barely.

Everyone seemed to celebrate when Delta announced its intention to acquire Northwest Airlines (except Northwest employees). We were a near perfect fit and obviously Delta was the one pushing the buttons and calling the shots; or so it seemed. We had a new CEO who was coincidentally, formerly from Northwest and he appeared adept at lining up the financial backing, being an accomplished attorney; he was a natural fit to consummate the merger.

Mr. Anderson once told this writer how much he disliked dealing with the unions because of their ‘confrontational’ nature. Apparently he left Northwest loving the airline life but hating to have to share the rewards with the workers.

This whole scenario seems so contrived, so convenient. Being able to run an airline without the bother of dealing fairly with the workers was solved for Mr. Anderson by joining Delta. It’s apparent that his real intention is to remake Northwest through duping Delta employees by influencing them to vote out Northwest’s unions.

Why would he do that?

Northwest employees enjoy much better benefits than Delta employees do; better medical, before and after retirement. More vacation time and much sounder OJI and sick time allotments. They have a growing, new IAM pension and a solid frozen old pension with no social security off-set. Northwest employees are represented in disciplinary actions by competent, legal backing from the IAM.

Northwest employees have the ability to be called back to work after layoffs resulting from harsh economic times and can also move to any city in their system if displaced out of their own city, providing their seniority allows it.

These benefits cost more and Richard Anderson doesn’t seem willing to have employees happy and cared for. As a matter of fact, we Delta employees have been told that the future is bleak for those who come after us; that all job openings in ACS will, from now on, be Ready Reserve positions that have no raises or benefits.

The promises that Richard Anderson is making to Delta people are hollow and false. He is voicing them because he wants us to give him back his beloved Northwest on the cheap. Once he wins (if he wins!) the union battles, our quality days will be numbered.

Look around us; our Delta upper management has already been replaced by Northwest and former Northwest people. They are manipulating us all with the oldest playbook trick in the world; Praise.

They make us feel better about ourselves by telling us how wonderful we are. How much is that worth, really? Frankly, We’d rather be given a fruit basket. At least We could eat that!

Let’s don’t give up our future to these ‘changelings.’ Not supporting the union effort will help ensure many more of us a place in the unemployment line.