My letter to the Council 44 reps.
Hermon, Dave, Armando and David
The irrefutable fact is that no TA on C2015 will see the light of day without your support.
With great power comes great responsibility.
For over 4 years I have been expressing concern that once the hiatus from no growth and little to no pilot retirements due to the increase in pilot retirement age to 65 ends, the volume of training required by 8 pilot bases and 9 fleets will be challenging, if not insurmountable.
As you are all well aware, Captain Dickson as well as the flight ops staff encouraged our executives to begin hiring long before it actually started.
Did they delay intentionally? Did they create a crisis just to wrest concessions from us yet again in C2015?
The answers do not matter. Here we are and what are we going to do? We all have the same desires, the same goals. Together with our EMT we want Delta to be wildly successful.
Given the fact that our executives were warned over and over to begin hiring sooner, should we consider permanent concessions to our PWA? Haven't we sacrificed enough?
The solution is to grant temporary relief. For example, increase the ALV 5 hours per month for 6 months. The additional 5 hours will be at premium pay and management must upgrade x number of captains per month.
Granting permanent concessions in this environment is unthinkable and irresponsible.
I urge you four to use the power entrusted to you by the Delta pilots to broker a deal that earns a 19-0 vote from the MEC. Anything less will be a large mistake.
Alaska and American are openly hostile to Delta. A C2015 that garners a unanimous vote from our MEC will ignite a fire that will ensure we stay on top while our competitors flounder in a labor nightmare.
A 10-9 vote followed by a roadshow like 2012 will be opposed with a force none of us can imagine and even if it passed MEMRAT is it worth disenfranchising half the pilot group?
You can win the battle, but..........
I had zero doubt the four of you can use your incredible leadership skill to attain a 19-0 yes vote on the TA.
That is the goal.
Richard Anderson is the best CEO in the air line industry and one of the best CEOs in the world because he SETS GOALS.
It is easy to vilify the NYC reps or the CVG VC and pass the TA with your power. But how hard is it with record profits to build consensus and get a deal that is unanimous? If you choose to embrace this goal, I am 100% sure you can accomplish it.
If not now, when?
Best
Jerry