Shared with permission from the author Marcel Viens
Dear F/A Colleagues:
It’s time to reiterate this posting as there are so many new members of this e-list and many more F/As are finally turning their attention to the impending vote and willing to take note, read and know the facts about what this union election issue means for all of us and how it will affect our lives forever.
We are no longer PMNW or PMDL or PM-anybody else. Today we emerge as extraordinary F/As onboard with the New DELTA AIR LINES. “Together” we stand to reap enormous benefits from our most recent marriage with another historic and proud airline, NWA, in many ways. The past benefits of our blending with Northeast in 1972, Western in 1987, and Pan American in 1991 have provided us with employees, experience, equipment, leadership and routes that are second to none. While origins of our airline careers are varied the focus for all of us should never deviate from the fact that today we are the premier airline around the globe and only together can we continue to dominate the industry as the very best there is. When complete, the UA/CO merger may challenge us in size but never in our loyal and unwavering commitment to excellence, to our customers, to each other and to our company.
I would encourage you to use this document, share it via email or in printed form as you see fit. There has never been a more critical moment in our collective history than we face with the election. Most importantly – know the facts, know all the facts and share what you know to be the truth. Challenge the authenticity of rumors and innuendo which are nothing more than distractions and an attempt to divert attention from the facts. Don’t be fooled.
AFA or NO AFA – WE DECIDE
It’s worth your time to ponder these challenging thoughts! I’ve been here for over 40 years and my interests have always been and still are genuinely for the best for us all and to be fully aware of all the facts so we can make wise choices that promote our collective well being now and into the future.
It is worth your time to read through the end. Feel free to share with your colleagues. Comments are always welcome.
MARCEL VIENS – LAX IFS
Know ALL Facts from all sides! Listen carefully to our PMNW colleagues, understand their difficult and contentious labor/management history, and know what they have endured through strikes, labor unrest, concessions and dissension among union factions. While their past may have mandated some form of “representation,” the NWA FAs have turned to three different unions. This speaks clearly to their dissatisfaction of and failure on the part of those organizations to live up to promises and guarantees that would seriously improve their conditions. A recent survey showed 93% of the pre merger NWA FAs felt they were no better off to much worse off since afa replaced their previous union.
Since our emergence from Chapter 11, DL has consistently made good on every promise to us with immediate stock (with a cash value, not options), incremental raises and monthly performance bonuses as we move toward industry standard pay and benefits in October 2010 even amid the downturn in the global economy… and not a single issue required negotiation or fighting… or worse yet, a work stoppage, union sanctioned CHAOS, disruption or strike (all union hallmarks). That is clear trust in our abilities from our leadership. We have risen from the brink of shutting down and disappearing to our status now as the largest airline in the world. Along with our significant JV with AirFrance/KLM and our SkyTeam partners we have a global reach that is unmatched. This didn’t happen overnight… it came about because of Skilled Leadership (Jerry Grinstein, Ed Bastian and Richard Anderson) and every one of us, a workforce willing to collaborate, make difficult sacrifices and trust that it will pay dividends down the road. Wall Street has repeatedly praised all of us for our willingness to work together… and look what we’ve accomplished! This has never happened at a union dominated carrier. We’ve staved off certain demise by standing up to the US Airways hostile takeover bid, we’ve saved our pensions (something our pilots’ union was unable to do nor was afa able to accomplish at United and US Airways), we’ve rallied to stop the auctioning off of our valuable slots at NY airports… we’re a tough crowd when we unify as one Delta voice. One by one, workgroups at the New Delta have turned down union representation and now there remain two left to decide. Do we want to sacrifice all we’ve worked so hard for, especially the verifiable uniqueness of our company and become like all the rest? Ask the folks who worked for Eastern… they watched themselves implode as their union infighting caused their demise. What happened at TWA, Braniff, Pan Am, Aloha, ATA, et al? Unions simply cannot save jobs and always cave in when financial pressures leave no option… it’s simply called concessions.
To the point of our workgroup… FAs at other carriers have historically praised us for our ability to remain union free and still be first or among the best in pay and benefits. afa has spent millions of F/A (dues) dollars off the backs of United, US Airways, NWA and their other members while trying to organize the greatest prize of all… Delta F/As! We’ve said no twice (see facts below). Have you taken the time to read our 187 page Work Rules? I’m not talking about the “lite” version given to us but the full length version available to each of us who takes the time to requests it from manual services… it was in company email a couple times and it fits perfectly in the red American Express binders available to us in our lounges. Well… how would you like sifting through 516 pages of a “negotiated contract” that goes to such lengths to clearly define that you are contractually entitled to the main cabin serving of butter in your crew meal (see NWA afa contract, section 4.6, page 36, line 24). If you don’t get your butter, you can always file a grievance… just ask the former Western F/As how quickly their grievances were addressed and how many were left untouched when they merged with DL in 1987… better yet, don’t bring up a sore subject.
What if afa does come onboard and negotiations produce a contract many months or even years down the road? Do you think for a minute that whatever they gather on our behalf is going to be any better than what they’ve been able to get for FAs at other afa carriers? Absolutely not! afa would face a mass rebellion… imagine yourself, as an afa represented FA at UA or US who has sacrificed for years, accepted “union negotiated” mass wage & benefit concessions, you see your hard earned dues going off to organize DL… and then the DL F/As walk off with something better than you? Think again… afa cannot afford the internal unrest that would follow and blood still cannot be squeezed from a turnip. afa is telling FAs at UA, US, DL and PMNW that an industry leading contract can be theirs… wait a minute, whose? All of us can’t have that so the truth is none of us will because afa cannot afford the unrest that would ensue. They’ve not been able to ‘negotiate’ anything like that in their 60 year existence so what makes anybody think they can do it in the most volatile financial circumstances airlines face today?
This is from a former head of in-flight at a carrier preparing to negotiate a first contract with their newly elected union… here was the company’s position: “The plan is you start from scratch. You come to the table with a clean slate. Everything… pass benefits, perks, vacation/personal/sick time is all off the table. And, then you watch the union reps try to negotiate BACK to where they were before the F/A group voted them in. The union has to do a lot of trade-offs to recoup benefits they even forgot they had. Often times, the junior F/As get sold down the river. Additionally, the biggest trade-off of all is that any type of special consideration is gone. Personal crisis? Need some help resolving a scheduling conflict? Don't bother to call. Just read your contract. You want to do a last minute swap and need special authorization from Scheduling? Don't bother to call. Read your contract. Your handbook says that if you violate X, you get Y. Don't bother to share the logic behind your misstep. Read your contract. No excuse is acceptable… read your contract. Keep in mind that contracts aren't just "enforceable" by the union. The company has the right to "enforce" them, too. Anyone who thinks that a union automatically guarantees "the best of both worlds" is delusional. Be careful what you vote for, you just might get it and be forced to live or, more appropriately, suffer with it for the rest of your career."
A distinct challenge to afa and its supporters would be to clearly and definitively state their priorities when they speak to an “industry-leading contract.” EXACTLY what are those priorities? What areas of our relationship need the greatest influx of enhancements if we can even get them? Is it hourly pay, retirement benefits, health coverage, duty-rigs… which ones? We all know that to “negotiate” a contract we start from scratch as both sides meet… both sides will need to “give in” on some issues and fight for others. It will be costly and part of that financial burden will be borne by the F/As. What items will the afa leaders place in the “give in” column and which are worth a potential strike action over? Can you afford to go weeks or months with no job, no pay in the event of a work stoppage otherwise known as a strike? afa declares we deserve an industry-leading contract… but exactly what does that look like? Is the afa comfortable with taking us behind their curtain and showing us their priorities? Sure… afa says “WE” will elect our own reps to bargain for us, to give us a voice, to have a seat at the table and will tell us their surveys clearly tell them what we want. How easy is it to get 5 of us to agree on a place to eat on a layover? Now factor that into 20,000, each with a list of personal priorities… afa will have to prioritize the “dream list” down to a few core items… what are they? What wishes or dreams will you never see when the reality of it all rears its ugly head? And who among us will feel sold down the river? There is no bed of roses; no paradise… the laundry still needs to be done.
SO… WHAT’S IN IT FOR US? The first thing to look at is that WE represent upwards of $11 million/year in dues to afa and so our $43/month (or higher) dues are the REAL GRAND PRIZE that afa just cannot let slip away from them a third time; their survival depends on the DL F/As as the Holy Grail. Organized labor is very big business and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. The PMNW F/As recognize that this is finally an opportunity to test different and calmer waters in frontline-leadership relations. Our environment is different here as proven by our history of teamwork and partnership. PMNW F/As will no longer need protection from a company that they struggled to get along with and existed in a consistent divisive atmosphere. Although Richard Anderson was a part of the NWA experience, he has supported us in our collaborative environment and we’ve thrived with him as our CEO and in collaboration with him. We offer him a unique difference here as we don’t exist in a contentious labor environment. It works best for all and has been frequently hailed as the one thing that makes Delta different… by experts on Wall Street, no less. PMNW F/As know this is the ONLY opportunity they will have to free themselves of union shackles as it is virtually a lock once a union gets on your property… they’re with you forever in some form, under some banner. You can change representative unions, like NWA has 3 times, but you cannot show them the door… except in the rare opportunity that our PMNW colleagues have today and as it would appear they are ready to take full advantage of.
CLEAR MESSAGE FOR US ALL: Wouldn’t it be in our best interest to “test the waters” of “joining together” as 20,000 strong, partnering with our leaders and moving forward “as one” while we preserve our uniqueness? Any labor-management specialist would say, unequivocally, yes… without any doubt. Let us offer Mr. Anderson and Mr. Bastian the opportunity to make good on their commitments to us before we fire away with no chance to turn back. This opportunity deserves a chance before we jump into and become mired in a union cesspool forever. If our combined union-free status doesn’t meet our needs we always hold the opportunity to invest in ourselves such as our friends at American have, a union by and for AA F/As only. Their money stays put, right at home with AA. Or we can always invite afa, who as we know, would love to have us and our dues. This fundamental choice is all ours. Most importantly, don’t let anybody hoodwink you via promises and guarantees that will disappear like dust in the post election wind. KNOW THE FACTS, CHALLENGE ALL SIDES… don’t rely on jump-seat chatter. Our future depends on our knowledge. Arm yourself with it. Knowledge is our truest source of power.
If you would like to be added to the emails I send out regarding facts on such issues just let me know. It is available only by request. I wish each of you the very best no matter the final outcome and I fully understand that some of us hold different philosophies… I will always honor those and we will all continue to work together the same as we do today. WE ARE THE VERY BEST in the SKY! If you’d like an amazing pdf version of our entire family tree back to the days of our company’s earliest days just send me an email request. It’s awesome to see how the NEW DELTA is a melting pot of so many airlines since the inception of air travel; some you won’t even know existed! I wish you the best always.
