Delta pilots likely to OK pay deal
 

Delta pilots likely to OK pay deal -- reluctantly

Bank Rate Monitor
Russell Grantham and Kirsten Tagami
Cox News Service

ATLANTA -- The interim pay-cut deal between Delta Air Lines and its pilots union should gain reluctant ratification, a cross section of observers predicted Monday.

The airline and union leaders reached an agreement Sunday that will chop wage rates by 14 percent and end a bankruptcy-court battle over Delta's request to void its current pilot contract and impose terms.

It commits the two sides to more negotiations over a broader deal by March 1, however, and it calls for arbitration if talks don't succeed.

"I'm not absolutely certain the pilots will pass it, but I think the odds are probably very favorable. The wolf is at the throat, so to speak," said Les Hough, director of research at the Usery Center for the Workplace at Georgia State University. He thinks the pilots will prefer this agreement "over something even more draconian that the bankruptcy judge could mandate."

Ratification must be completed by Dec. 28, after which talks on a broader agreement will begin. Delta and the union will present the plan to Judge Prudence Beatty for her approval, which is expected.

Both the union and Delta gave ground in the interim deal. Delta had insisted on a 19 percent pay cut, while the union publicly offered 9 percent. Hough said Delta executives probably realized that a win in court would embitter pilots and risk operational problems.

Richard Henry, a Boeing 767 captain for Delta, predicted the airline's 6,000 pilots will ratify.

"It reflects the reality of our situation, of our current environment," said Henry, 48, who lives in suburban Atlanta with his wife and three children.

"This will make a total of 46 percent pay cut in the past 12 months," said Henry, an 18-year Delta veteran, but "this is just the beginning. They want work-rule changes and other things."

Pilots took a 32 percent pay cut about a year ago, in a deal that helped Delta avert a Chapter 11 filing then. But continuing losses and higher fuel prices sent it into bankruptcy proceedings in September and prompted requests for more pay cuts.

The Air Line Pilots Association is endorsing the deal and will hold pilot meetings to explain the terms. "There are a lot of positives," said ALPA spokesman John Culp.

Delta is the No. 3 U.S. carrier and one of the top carriers at Orlando International Airport.

And what did 'griswold'/co do w/ those 32% paycuts???

Barn burner fare sale which put the rest of the industry in a rush-to-comply (match) mode ... further delaying the recovery ... even as the overall economy was/is growing.

Of course, I wish our brothers at Delta the best, but this mess has to stop. I'm sick of seeing a 58 million profit quarter result in "atta boy" bonuses when 400+/quarter was confiscated from the employees who, as a group, have much more influence over the company's performance than that of the industry's ivory tower occupants.

I certainly won't think less of the Widget Wielders if they ratify, but they'd cut a new mark in the industry & would garner my utmost gratitude if they'd become the buck stoppers to this intense ratcheting.

Al

I think we'll approve the T/A. Don't take it as a sign of weakness, though. We need to buy a few months to allow for resolution of our pension issue, as well as to get better data on what our switch to preferential bidding will save.

I'd like to see it pass by a whisker. Any outcome less than the traditional 70/30 split will give our guys more negotiating capital. This one could go either way. We should have the answer by Thursday.

Well FWIW, my vote is no..... No more peice meal destruction of my contract. I'm more concerned about all the other issues that the company is asking for that I am about payrates. i.e. scope, sick leave, disability, retirement, etc so let's negotiate the entire package and get on with our lives. I started my job search in earnest three months ago and have over 30 applications and resumes out. I have my financial house in order so I personally can walk away if Delta throws out my contract. I'm sure there are quite a few out there ready to step into my seat...... good luck if it comes to that. This is my line in the sand.

Respectfully,

Tomcat

Tomcat- if it's any consolation, I was one of the 58% who voted yes, but it may be my last yes vote. I wanted to give the union a little more time to gain a strategic advantage. Hopefully, the smaller than normal yes vote will make mgmt realize that they've gotten as much from us as they can.

FWIW, I've working on a second career, too. I have limited faith in the ability of these yahoos to run an airline. I've found that a six figure income is not that difficult to attain outside of aviation, and in the real world you don't have to sweat bidding Christmas off. Between the cockpit and (I'm guessing) the Navy, you have a skill set which will enable you to thrive in many professions.

CVG767A,

Concur! I know that when the company comes back for the next round, it will be brutal. I fully expect furlough announcements any day. Fortunately, I'm well underway with my job search and making good progress. Spent 5 hours on my x day to fill out an application today. That makes 31! This job pays $30k/yr more than my current pay rate.

One of my friends mentioned to me today that last year he was making $12/hr more as an F/O than the current Captain rate on the same aircraft. He left the company 3 months ago and is making into the 6 figure range with a very solid corporate 35 year old flight department. 401k, pension, full medical, dental, vacation and typically no flying on the weekends or holidays. Good jobs are still out there, in aviation and out..... just have to do some major stone turning.

Frats,

Tomcat
SLC MD90B

you're going to get raped just like we did at CAL and ours wasn't that hot to begin with. this is the new paradigm; alpa caves to keep alpa in dues money, the pilots can go fish.

it's time to either drive it or park it in herndon. woerth-less needs to go for starters. perhaps his concessionary "partnership" mentality will die with him. on the other hand, alpa as an organization may be fatally contaminated with "concessionaires".

wow! does the alpa/airline cabal have our number! that was the exact same percentage as our vote at CAL.

whats the old say about doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results.

It's time to start pushing for one true union with one payscale and set of work rules. until something like this happens there will always someone willing to do your job for less. we haven't even come close to the bottom yet.

delta pilots are rediculously overpaid when you look at the rest of the majors.

dallas morning news had an article a few years ago. swa senior captain made 178k, american made 250 or so, continental comperable, then delta made 330 or so.