Seniority In Real Life
The following is reprinted from Red Tales, a weekly newsletter
of the MSP ESSC Shop Committee

In Tampa, Florida 22 Delta baggage handlers positions are being eliminated. If they worked under an IAM contract, as we do at NWA, they would be allowed to use their seniority to go to any station they could hold. The choice would not be up to the Company. It would be up to the individual. They could bump any baggage handler that was junior to them anywhere in the system. The Company would have to provide them with a list of junior employees. If they decided to stay in Tampa and be furloughed, they would have 5 years of recall rights based on seniority.

No Contract- No Recourse

But Delta baggage handlers don’t have a union contract. Delta has provided these baggage handlers with a list of 4 stations where the Company says they can go. Some of these employees would like to go to Atlanta, where they have family. Unfortunately, even though there are many junior employees in ATL, that station was not one of the choices given to them. They are simply out of luck. Delta decides how you can use your seniority. If they decide to take the lay off and stay in TPA, they have no ironclad recall rights. Delta decides if they come back on recall.

Ft. Lauderdale

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida Delta employees are also being laid off. According to Delta workers, permanent employees are being laid off, but Ready Reserve lines will be increased in that station. Delta can do this because there are no rules governing the percentages of Ready Reserve that can be used in a station. There are no rules that govern how many full time or part time employees must be used in a station. Even if there were, without a union contract they could be changed by Delta at any time. Once these FLL employees leave that station they have no right to recall to that station. The only way they can return is by applying for an open position there in the future.

Favoritism

At Northwest Airlines managers sometimes try to evade seniority rights by extending temporary bids for their friends, by putting their favorites on special projects, by rescinding bids when they don’t get the person they want. Occasionally managers try to avoid recalling laid off employees they don’t like. But they usually don’t get away with it because employees who have been harmed by favoritism have recourse. They have a contract with very specific bidding, layoff and recall procedures. They have an organization backing them up to enforce their rights. Delta workers have no recourse when they are harmed by favoritism. None.

Bidding Delta Style

In Memphis, Tennessee several Delta ticket agents, who had been full time, were recently forced to part time. During their summer job bid, the Company decided they did not need as many full timers. When the time came for these employees to bid, there were no full time lines left. Just like that they would no longer get full time hours. Delta does not have to keep a defined ratio of part time to full time. No contract, no guarantees, no recourse.