Unbroken

Unbroken

If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.

Currently we have a direct voice to Delta leadership through the EIG. While I haven’t always agreed with the EIG, and I could think of improvements that would make it an even better vehicle for the flight attendant group, this organization has been far more effective the past several years than any union was during my 32 years at Northwest Airlines.

Don’t get me wrong – this isn’t an advertisement for the EIG, but because of the EIG’s ability to work directly with management, Delta flight attendants have moved ahead farther and faster than the NWA flight attendants ever did with a union.

Thanks to the EIG, in just a few weeks (April 1) minimum duty period credit will apply to all deadhead-only duty periods; domestic flight leader pay will increase from $2.70 per hour to $3.20 per hour; and Purser pay will increase from $5.40 per hour to $5.65 per hour.

Also because of the EIG, just a few months ago (January 1) CQ training pay increased from 3:45 hours to 4:45 hours; CQ travel pay began being paid at $50 on our actual CQ day; and CQ per diem increased from $25 to $35 per day.

These were easy and valuable wins for the flight attendant group. In fact, since its inception in 2012, the EIG has been able to prioritize a slate of improvements worth more than $60 million annually. The EIG didn’t have to negotiate, or give up something to win these enhancements – these victories came by sitting with Delta leaders and examining issues in a non-adversarial environment and then together finding solutions suitable for the flight attendant group.

For example, in 2013, the EIG worked with Delta leadership to review trip construction parameters. Following a thorough analysis of the issue, the EIG recommended a proposal to its voting body that called for trips to be constructed with 4:45 minimum duty period guarantee.

The EIG also was able to win a pure 4:45 per day A Day guarantee. No more averaging. As unique and industry leading as the A Day program is, the 4:45 per day guarantee blows the roof off the scheduling house. There is not a single other airline that comes CLOSE to either the A Day system OR the daily guarantee. All the IAM was able to get at Continental was a 4:00 per day average guarantee . . . and full month reserve.

In order for the EIG to pass a proposal, 75 percent of its voting body – which is democratically elected and not appointed – must agree that a proposal has merit and is worthy to prioritize for improvements on a yearly basis. That 75 percent threshold the EIG must meet guarantees that a proposal is widely agreed upon by the majority of the flight attendant group, unlike the simple majority (50 percent plus 1) for contract ratification that the Machinists organization follows. Additionally, every base and AFP has a seat and voice at the EIG table. The EIG passed the Credit Rigs proposal, an improvement we enjoy today.

On the other hand, with the Machinists, who knows what flight attendants or non flight attendants would be appointed to represent us in negotiations. There’s no way every base and AFP would have a voice at the table. The Machinists don’t even have the courage to tell us whom they would appoint as our leaders should they win a representation election.

Would they be some historically ineffective retreads from some past NWA union, some rejects that couldn’t get elected if their names were listed on a slate? Or perhaps a group of untested, inexperienced IAM activists, like the ones screeching daily on Facebook pages, comparing the company to terrorist organizations, and posting degrading photos of senior IFS leaders?
Ask yourself, is that the type of representation you want? Are those the people you want negotiating (giving up something for something) on your behalf? The behavior of IAM activists, as well as their lack of transparency and honesty, speaks volumes about the Machinists union, and should give every rational, clear headed flight attendant pause. After all, who’s ever heard of an election where voters are asked to vote for invisible candidates? Essentially, that’s what we would be doing if the NMB approves a representation vote.

Contracts take years to negotiate, and once approved by a simple 50 percent plus 1 majority vote, contract language is locked in place, and can’t readily be changed. And for the IAM International, who will really be running our negotiations, it becomes a simple numbers game to get the contract passed. They will throw whatever group (LODs, junior flight attendants, AFPs, etc.) under the bus to cater to enough flight attendants to get the contract to pass.

For example, in 1991-92 NWA management claimed the airline was teetering near bankruptcy. NWA demanded huge concessions and all the unions (including the Machinists) caved.

About a year into those concessionary agreements the company started to turn record profits, but because our union at the time (the International Brotherhood of Teamsters – who just this January were finally released from government oversight after years and years of being watched for fraud and corruption) had negotiated a three-year long legally binding contract, we were locked into those cutbacks until that contract became amendable and a new one could be negotiated. Contract negotiations began in 1995, and due to a formula of foot dragging and disagreement, bound together by horrid union leadership and gross incompetence, the Teamsters took until mid-2000 to negotiate and pass a new agreement.

In the end, it wasn’t even the three years of concessions we had agreed to (many of us didn’t agree in 1993 and voted No, but our voices didn’t matter – only those of the 50 percent plus 1 majority did); it turned out to be a full seven years before our next contract was ratified. And even then, it took several years to implement the full terms of that agreement, which was decent, but still lagged behind our counterparts at Delta, American and United.

NWA unions were also forced into concessions in 2006, following years of the industry collapsing post 9/11. Of course, all the airlines – union or no union – gave concessions. Our legally binding NWA contract was legally broken and shredded in bankruptcy court. The lesson here (as well as in the 90s) is that no union, no matter what it claims, can ever completely guarantee a contract.
So to conclude, why chance years of failure when we already have a direct voice with a strong track record?

Just say No to IAM – don’t give up your voice to an outside organization when there is so much at stake.

Please share this email and my blog with your friends and coworkers.

Sincerely,

Jose Arturo Ibarra

Please find out additional factual information here: http://bedeltabedifferent.com/ & http://www.wearedeltafa.com/