It is interesting to note with the exception of Alaska (which had its first contact mirror SWA[TWU]), none of the flight attendant pay held out as superior to Delta's was from an AFA represented carrier.
If you look at current three largest afa carriers, UAL, NWA, and LCC, you will find a pay advantage for Delta.
The straight hour example above also did not include performance bonuses and profit sharing.
If you google "flight attendant" and "industry contract comparison" or "flight attendant compensation chart," you will find multiple sources that support argument that the afa is not delivering industry leading contracts. The IAM. APFA, an MIT group and Delta management have all published these comparisons.
IMHO, based on the available data and its track record,the afa will not be able to deliver all that it is promising us.
Do you really want to take a look at the whole picture?
Lets have a look...
Average flight attendant expense per Capita(2007) this is the latest information available.
Southwest - $79,100
American - $73,700
Continental -$73,100
Northwest - $63,500
United - $63,300
Delta - $60,200
JetBlue - $60,000
UsAirways - $53,300
This includes the total compensation package ingluding wages, benefits, retirement etc...
Sure, the base pay at Delta might be a little higher then at United or Northwest. But lets take a look at some of the benefits those carriers have.
Delta health insurance - $67 per month, $1000 deductible($500 credit from DL) and the RX coverage literally stinks!
Northwest health insurance - $91 per month, $350 deductible, much better RX coverage.
United health insurance - multiple plans including a free option, Kaiser Permanente HMO, no deductible only small co-pays, no monthly premium
Go down to duty rigs...
Delta domestic max duty day = 16
United/Northwest = 14-15
Minimum rest after a 16 hour duty day?
Delta = 8:15 from release to report
United/Northwest = At least 10.
Minimum credit per duty period?
Delta = 4:45 average
Duty period 1 = 6:30
Duty period 2 = 6:30
Duty period 3 = 2:00
Total = 15 hours
Northwest = 4:15 minimum per duty period
Duty period 1 = 6:30
Duty period 2 = 6:30
Duty period 3 = 2:00(4:15 because of credit)
Total = 17:15
Which would you rather make?
Delta = $43 per hour
Northwest = $40 per hour
Also, the above example isn't 1 in a million either...its actually quite common!
Back to your comment about AFa negotiated contracts...
United and UsAirways contracts are concessionary contracts. Agreed to by the membership when the company was hurting. United is in its initial stateg of contract negotiations, and UsAirways wont be able to get a new contract until 2011 or until the pilots get a new contract. Why? There are alot of me too clauses in the UsAir contract and the NMB has aligned itself with management instead of making UsAir management come to the table!
The Northwest contract was negotiated by AFA in 10 days! It was either that or thousands of flight attendant jobs being outsourced to lower paid foreign nationals. Oh btw...those same guys that wanted to do that then are now at Delta! Shhh....dont tell anyone abou it!
The Alaska contract is actually a good indication of what AFA can negotiate at a healthy airline, as that was the last contract negotiated at an airline not in Ch.11 or on the brink of it!
Most of the improvements that Delta F/A's enjoy today are from last year, put in place right before the last union vote. Just by AFA threatening to be on the premises gets you this much...imagin how much you can get by it actually being your bargaining agent!
All this crap about management will take care of you is really old. Perhaps those who still believe this should go in for an update!