Originally Posted by
DAL 88 Driver
You had me at "billions of new jets"!
I seriously doubt that restoration of our pay would increase the overall costs at Delta to the point of effecting our credit ratings. I still think you are overstating the possible effect of our little piece of the pie getting restoration. Now financing "billions of new jets"... THAT would be expensive!!
So you think we need to be limited to "industry norms" in pilot compensation. That's very interesting considering you were one of the ones that up until recently was calling for significant steps toward restoration with C2012. I would remind you that the "industry norm" right now is at least 40% below what it has historically been. You don't have to be a math major to figure out that will take some VERY significant increases to overcome. Sounds to me like in reality you've given up on restoration. Well, you're certainly entitled to your opinion. Just don't expect me to be comfortable with that opinion and, especially, don't expect me to be comfortable with being represented by people who think like that.
You see, THAT is one of the real reasons why we are here even discussing DPA. ALPA has failed to make even the most basic efforts at restoration. I had a long sit in ATL yesterday and spent quite a bit of time visiting with a couple of the ATL LEC reps. I was actually impressed with what they had to say. They seem (at least they were saying the right things to me) to be coming around and on board with the idea of very significant increases for us with C2012. This is just my take on it, but I think maybe the old, LM way of thinking (apparently your way of thinking now) is on the way out.
I am glad you talked to my reps. I agree with their position 100%. I also will do anything to help them out. I have told you repeatedly that I am not going to sign on to any thing right now, not restoration, restoration plus, not restoration minus. We have 12 months to go before an opener. If they come at us early with a mid-term proposal, the quick answer is NO. We first need to poll the pilots to see if it is anywhere near what they would accept. If we have done that, and it meets all of our demands then I may be for it.
The point of all of the math et al, is to state that depending on where the airline and world economy go, it could be a easy walk to restoration, or we may experience the same thing APA has.
The C44 Reps want to get us the best contract they can get us. What that is, is anyone's guess. It is too early to tell. If we see another year anywhere near 2010's numbers, restoration of 90% of the C2K contract would more than likely be a end point.
The whole debate back and forth is to state that there are many ways to peel this banana. One step, two steps, or a mid term with a one year extension, all of these could be the correct answer. I know that my reps are open to all of them and will choose the option that is the best option for all of us.
In the next few weeks and months a lot will happen to set us up for 2012. Best thing you can do 88 is make sure every pilot in MEM fills that survey out. Whatever the majority position of that survey is will be the direction we take.