THE DEEP END OF THE POOL

BEING ‘SAVED’ IS A RELATIVE TERM
DELTA NEEDS COMPETENT PROFESSIONALS

Some of my most fond memories in life are those I spent with family going to public swimming pools. What fun it was to smell the chlorine and splash with strangers in the shallow end of the public pool knowing that all were safe because of the care demonstrated by the municipality and the vigorous lifeguards on duty.

We felt safe because we were safe! We had a city that wanted to provide fun and frolic for the citizenry and a publicly paid for facility that allowed all people no matter their situation to be equal and share in the fun of wetness.

What I also noticed was that the talented swimmers and divers knew their abilities and limitations. Most people didn’t venture into the deep end of the pool; they stayed in the shallow end and frolicked with strangers and new friends. It was an experiment in human contact and public exposure; it was a tremendously mutually rewarding experience in relating with one another. I loved it and miss those early moments of my life and the interaction of human beings.

Right now at Delta we are being asked to venture in to the deep end of the pool on an almost daily basis; we are told that professionals line the shore and are there to rescue us in case we get in over our heads. Don’t be fooled by this propaganda. The folks who ask you to swim into the deep end of Delta have no skills in rescuing others or even care about whether or not you can navigate the waters. They only care about themselves and the instructions they receive from their handlers.

They want you to trust them even though they can’t swim professionally themselves; they ask you to vote against the unions that have offered their assistance and they expect you to believe every word they say.

I have been in the deep end of the pool with these novices and I can tell you of their real intentions. They have no skills in saving drowning swimmers. They might not even paddle out to help you if you run into conflict with the Delta waters. Even if they do show interest in your problems and venture into the water, chances are that they will push you under just to save themselves.

What we will accomplish through unionizing this airline beyond our own monetary needs is that we will force competency on to those who have little or no skills. The ‘lifeguards’ that have been hired by Delta to watch over our rights and benefits have no real experience or even desire to help individual employees with their problems.

After a union victory our difficulties will change almost overnight. Have faith my friends and know this; swimming in the deep end of the pool at Delta will no longer be a hazard to you life with the competent over watch of the union. The union ‘lifeguards’ actually have skills and care about whether or not you can back stoke your way to safety.