Originally Posted by
sailingfun
Of course you will end up with a lot more retirement then the new hires you talk about because you received a large chunk of money to front load that account via the stock negotiated. A new hire will not get dime. Front loading 40k in a DC retirement plan is worth far more then the difference in DC ongoing funding. I would have preferred it was the same for everyone and it was in the first joint contract. Why the NWA negotiating team allowed the change I don't know. It all becomes equal in two years. The second joint contract had reductions in many areas including the first pay raise. I realize you will not be getting anything from the NWA pilot retirement plan but the funding requirement for that plan have been huge and have far exceeded what a former Delta pilot is getting in DC money since the merger.
Sailing, as usual you have valid points. *However, a newhire wasn't here during the merger when the stocks were issued. *The stocks were not issued to compensate for inequities in the existing DC rate between North and South or the 180 fNWA pilots would've received another $15-20k to compensate (that doesn't even take into account the gains on that difference over twenty or thirty years). *This would be similar to me stating that I didn't get circa 2000 pay from Delta while I worked elsewhere. *What is relevant is the fact that you have pilots hired on the same same day, flying the same equipment under the same retirement (415k and 401k) but at different DC rates. What is bothersome to me is the fact that under ALPA we signed (I didn't) a contract creating a c-scale.*
I admit that it was the fNWA MEC that allowed newhires to fall into a c-scale, but how will we prevent such maneuvering from ALPA and management going forward with contract 2012? *Management has proven time and time again that it can move metal with other pilots (scope, joint ventures and codeshares) and now they've sustained their theories they can cut costs further by economically dividing the existing pilot group.
I've always been very skeptical of ALPA, not because of the LEC and support infrastructure, but because of the motivations to make it into National. *Phrases like, "We dont rock the boat at Delta", coming from MEC staff concerns me when we have 50% of our domestic flying outsourced (160-seat 737s being the largest concern) and a multitude of retirements where many professional pilots will be working second careers post retirement.
Sorry Sailing, I agree with most of your statements but Delta South pilots shrugging this off like it's not and hasn't happened will keep this two separate airlines for quite some time.*
FYI to everyone else who is tired of hearing me bring this up every month, Moak won't even act on a resolution to fix this. *The man is worthless to his word and has placed his personal agendas/ego ahead of what's best for Delta pilots. *Furthermore, his attempts at breaking the LECs into North and South will ensure a divided group for many years