I just don't understand the mentality of the DAL FAs who are anti-union and can't see what the "new" management of DAL will do to a combined FA group once this merger is approved - and shame on unionized FAs (from any carrier) who are advocating a "NO" vote .... easy for you to recommend no union protection when you aren't employed at DAL or NWA and are sitting on the sidelines with union protection at YOUR carrier!
As a NWA FA who is now looking at a fourth merger (originally AFA through North Central/Republic), I can tell you that without a union we all are going to regret the outcome of this vote if it fails.
As late as December '07/January '08 - NWA management and our MEC held "quality of life improvement" discussions to our current contract. The company told our union they would basically give us our previously negotiated (Teamsters) contract if our union would agree to unlimited outsourcing .... needless to say, our union walked out the door. What would be the point of taking back our old contract (with $50 + / hour for top wage earners) if the majority of our jobs would be outsourced.
When the NWA FAs try and convince all of the DAL FAs to vote for a union we are not trying to get a "leg up" on any of you. What we are trying to get through your heads is that WE know how this management team works - we have already worked under Richard Anderson as our CEO - and we know what they will do to all of us once this merger is approved with no union in place to protect everyone. If outsourcing wasn't their number one priority under the current economic climate, NWA would not have offered to give us back our best contract. And you can bet with oil at $120+/barrel, the "new" DAL will do whatever they have to do to contend with that economic reality when there is no union in place to stop them.
FA jobs aren't just about how much we make per hour and where we are placed on a seniority list. FAs should also take into account work rules, health and pension benefits, negotiated procedures in place regarding disciplinary issues, FMLA provisions, sick leave provisions, SCOPE and LPPs to protect our work group regarding outsourcing and the selling of assets in the event of a merger, and most importantly, the ability to NEGOTIATE a contract (rather than having management TELL us what the rules for our jobs will be on any given day). Does it really make any sense to have management negotiate contracts for themselves, but advocate that their own employees not protect themselves by doing the same thing? Without a negotiated contract - our workrules, benefits, and wages can change at any given time. In other words, we are subject to the whims of management.
This last week, NWA announced another buy-out for our FA group and DAL is going to hire more FAs. This is being done to reduce the number of NWA FAs to prevent an automatic "second" union vote via the NMB once the merger is approved (if the current AFA election fails). While DAL's management is advocating for a "wait and see" and then vote in the second union election - they know that if their current plan works - there won't be a second vote. Why many of the DAL FAs refuse to see this rhetoric as nothing more than a way to prevent the unionization of DAL FAs is beyond me.
Many of you who are junior say that you won't vote for a union because you want the ability to continue to fly your trips out of NYC - once outsourcing starts on a large scale - you won't have a job. So, what was the point of refusing to vote in a union to prevent the outsourcing of your jobs in the first place?
Wake up people .... the entire "combined" FA group is going to be completely screwed once this merger is approved if we don't have a union. Are the majority of DAL FAs so self-destructive that they are willing to take that chance?
If the DAL FAs fail to vote in AFA in this current election, our collective futures are gone. And once you see first-hand what management does to all of us after this merger is approved - then what? Are you all going to say "sorry - we had no idea management would really do this" .... an apology will be too little, too late, don't you think?
With AFA - you will have the ability to negotiate the very things that you all say you like into a contract. And once the merger is approved, together we can negotiate the best of both. It is a win-win situation for both sides in this merger.
At this point, all I can say is PLEASE vote for AFA to protect all of our jobs. NWA FAs and AFA activists from other carriers aren't being alarmists, lying to protect only the NWA group, or trying to pit one group against the other (DAL management is doing a good job all on their own in that respect).
I believe the majority of DAL and NWA FAs are cautiously excited about this merger - it is a way to hopefully protect our careers for years to come. But, we all need to start looking at this merger in terms of "WE" and not "ME" .... selfishness won't protect the majority. In fact, selfishness will no doubt come back to bite all of us in the butt if the majority of the DAL FAs continue to view this merger in that respect. Having the ability to negotiate a contract across the table from management IS the only way to protect all of us not only at the "new" DAL, but within the airline industry, in general.
Again, please start seeing this merger and DAL management's rhetoric for what it really is - and vote FOR AFA. I can assure you - you won't regret it!!
Excellent post, Wings!! Spot-on. It's too bad that so many people only look out for themselves. They say Delta is a "family" but I see a lot of self-serving postings by people who are only looking out for THEIR trip in THEIR base, etc.. and not looking out for the group as a whole or for the long-term I actually heard of one DL FA saying they weren't voting because they were retiring next year and wouldn't be here anyway. This is what you get when you don't have a unified group and trust me, Delta FAs are good people (most of them) but UNIFIED they are NOT.
