Originally Posted by Herkflyr

The same way a handful of people committing insurance fraud sway the numbers for the overall covered pool.

I think that is a good question. Here are the important questions I think need to be asked--both to mgmt and our reps, but especially of mgmt.

1. Our sick leave policy is significantly different than the rest of the industry. We get a whole lot more hours each year, but none of the unused portions carry over. That is both good and bad, depending on circumstance, but why has DAL always wanted that sort of system?

2. How do we compare to other airlines in sick leave usage and "abuse?" What is the data? How does mgmt get the numbers from other airlines in the first place (surely that must be proprietary) and how trustworthy are those numbers?

3. Will mgmt (and our reps) acknowledge that at least some of the increase in sick use is that guys are no longer flying questionably sick? I myself have been guilty of that in the past. "I'll tough it out." "I can't call in sick on short notice, I'm hosing a SC reserve at 0500." (I actually did that once when I woke at 0300 for an early show, coughed and knew I felt like crap. I should have sicked out that second, but did not. I ended up sicking out mid-trip and no doubt got the captain sick as well. I did no one--including Delta Air Lines--any favors. That doesn't happen any more).

4. How much of the mgmt push for a change to sick leave policy is due to actual harm, and how much just because our current SVP is philosophically consumed with the issue? (in one of his first weekly messages years ago he sang the praises of a couple of guys who had gone an entire career without ever calling in sick; he was as consumed with the "real men don't call in sick" philosophy then as he is now).

5. What is the actual reduced profit numbers associated with the spike in sick leave use? I've never heard any. Only "sick use in on the rise." Ok, if true, how much did that cost the company, and in what ways?

Have I rambled long enough?