Sept 15th Townhall
#11
Banned
Joined APC: Sep 2015
Position: 3+ hour sit in the ATL
Posts: 1,982
I don’t find it all that surprising, but not because of pilot greed or intransigence towards their lower seniority brethren and sisters, but because of the history of Delta asking for concessions from the pilot group, then pocketing the savings and staging the group in the back before the ink is dry on the agreements. With the prior history, why would any pilot agree in principle to any concession that they fully expect the company to use as ongoing leverage to erode pay, work rules, vacation, and future participation in profitable times?
Furthermore, for those that weren’t here prior to the era of perpetual profitability, one only need to look at the shifting goalposts, messaging mendacity, and say versus do gap to get a pretty strong feel that the company’s pursuit of pilot concessions has far less to do with company survival and far more to do with resetting relative bargaining and leverage positions vis-à-vis the pilot group. It is abundantly clear that reneging on the SIL for April rebid deal, along with stubborn refusal to even attempt other truly voluntary cost savings measures, while simultaneously taking as many pilot hostages as possible, 2558 at first, then 1941, the company isn’t serious about actual voluntary cost savings. I would add that the most striking example of the company’s drive to punish pilots in spite of data clearly denying the “need” for such steps was the use of FM to stiff the most senior furloughed pilots from a month of furlough pay, saving the company less than two tenths of a percent of the money they then raised off the frequent flyer program.
No, this crisis of job losses isn’t on the shoulders of greedy pilots, it is at the feet of a managerial group that doesn’t respect or understand the pilot group and its keystone position in the short and long-term health of the brand in the eyes of our customers.
Furthermore, for those that weren’t here prior to the era of perpetual profitability, one only need to look at the shifting goalposts, messaging mendacity, and say versus do gap to get a pretty strong feel that the company’s pursuit of pilot concessions has far less to do with company survival and far more to do with resetting relative bargaining and leverage positions vis-à-vis the pilot group. It is abundantly clear that reneging on the SIL for April rebid deal, along with stubborn refusal to even attempt other truly voluntary cost savings measures, while simultaneously taking as many pilot hostages as possible, 2558 at first, then 1941, the company isn’t serious about actual voluntary cost savings. I would add that the most striking example of the company’s drive to punish pilots in spite of data clearly denying the “need” for such steps was the use of FM to stiff the most senior furloughed pilots from a month of furlough pay, saving the company less than two tenths of a percent of the money they then raised off the frequent flyer program.
No, this crisis of job losses isn’t on the shoulders of greedy pilots, it is at the feet of a managerial group that doesn’t respect or understand the pilot group and its keystone position in the short and long-term health of the brand in the eyes of our customers.
#12
Rodeo clown
Joined APC: Feb 2017
Position: Tractor seat
Posts: 703
Most of the 90% were put off by the company's original proposal of targeted ALV cuts. If it were originally proposed across the board, it may have gotten traction. The survey results are a reflection of two decades of lies, not our interest in flying lower ALVs. The way this crisis has been handled so far is bringing up bad memories from bankruptcy. The pilot group is angry at management for all of their past failings and will say "No" to anything they propose, even if it was free Chick-fil-a on any trip that touches ATL.
I like the idea of working less hours as long as it doesn't involve working for less $ per hour. There is a big difference between a rate cut and an ALV cut.
I like the idea of working less hours as long as it doesn't involve working for less $ per hour. There is a big difference between a rate cut and an ALV cut.
I also think the real ongoing crisis is the abject lack of integrity the company leadership has with the pilot group, and its stubborn or naive (or both) refusal to own its mistakes, take legitimate action to atone for its failures, and then engage with the group as partners rather than act like carnival hustlers trying to separate us from our wallets. The litany of steps the company has taken with and since the April rebid, whether intended to be a dishonest bait and switch or a case of naive flip-flopping within the ambiguities within the agreement, it doesn’t matter, the result is the same, the company appears to be an untrustworthy and dishonest actor. Until there is a real acknowledgement of those problems, it will be unable to rehabilitate its standing with the pilots.
#13
Most of the 90% were put off by the company's original proposal of targeted ALV cuts. If it were originally proposed across the board, it may have gotten traction. The survey results are a reflection of two decades of lies, not our interest in flying lower ALVs. The way this crisis has been handled so far is bringing up bad memories from bankruptcy. The pilot group is angry at management for all of their past failings and will say "No" to anything they propose, even if it was free Chick-fil-a on any trip that touches ATL.
I like the idea of working less hours as long as it doesn't involve working for less $ per hour. There is a big difference between a rate cut and an ALV cut.
I like the idea of working less hours as long as it doesn't involve working for less $ per hour. There is a big difference between a rate cut and an ALV cut.
#14
Did anyone catch the line that Delta is taking long term steps in fleet planning? They are "making fleet decisions for the next 2-10 years". The same business genius minds that construct the fleet plan are also taking long term steps in eroding our PWA. Don't be fooled into thinking anything we do today will not be used against us for the remainder of our careers.
#15
#240
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2014
Posts: 165
Why should furloughs be stopped by getting concessions from the entire pilot group? I was furloughed in the past and that was not an option for me or others. I don't want any pilots furloughed, but I am not willing to give up concessions to stop it. Almost my entire career at Delta has been concessions. B scale at Express, furloughs, contract gutted during bankruptcy, pension gone, and continual contract benefit erosion since I was hired.
And here we go a prime example of someone who thinks it happened to me so its only fair it happens to you.... in case you haven't figured it out furloughs arent a right of passage, we all have been f'd by the industry more times then we can count. But IT HAS TO STOP SOMEWHERE WITH ONE GENERATION OF PILOTS
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,909
I'm part of the 90%... that might be willing to listen when the company makes good on their pledges to exhaust all voluntary means, and to be creative. So far, I've seen only the VEOP and zero creativity.
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2010
Posts: 123
And here we go a prime example of someone who thinks it happened to me so its only fair it happens to you.... in case you haven't figured it out furloughs arent a right of passage, we all have been f'd by the industry more times then we can count. But IT HAS TO STOP SOMEWHERE WITH ONE GENERATION OF PILOTS
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post