Delta MEC Authorizes Strike Vote

[Freebrd]

Delta pilots asked to authorize a strike ATLANTA (AP) — The executive committee of the pilots union at Delta Air Lines voted unanimously Thursday to ask rank-and-file members to authorize a strike.
The decision came after a daylong closed-door meeting in New York, said Lee Moak, chairman of the executive committee.
"It's my recommendation that the pilot group vote for the strike ballot," Moak said.
The vote comes as the nation's third-largest airline, which filed for bankruptcy protection in New York on Sept. 14, has asked the court to toss out the pilots contract so it can impose $325 million in concessions on its 6,000 pilots, which would include a 19% pay cut.
Delta lawyers have asserted in court that the company believes it could impose new contract terms on its pilots starting next Friday even if the judge doesn't rule on Delta's contract rejection request by then. It's not clear if the judge extends the hearings beyond that date what Delta's position would be.
The pilots, who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, initially offered $90.7 million in average annual concessions over four years. They have since reviewed their proposal and now value it at $150 million, which would include a 9% pay cut for seven months followed by lower cuts thereafter.
The cuts would be on top of $1 billion in annual concessions the pilots agreed to last year.
A Delta spokeswoman, Chris Kelly, said the company would continue to try to reach a pact with its pilots.
"This was an expected procedural vote by the pilots union leadership and in no way impacts our operations or our preference to reach a consensual agreement in time to save the company," Kelly said.
A successful strike authorization would allow the union to call a strike without having to come before the rank-and-file again. The process calls for balloting to occur over 15 days. Ballots will be sent out in the next several days, Moak said.
"We remain committed to a consensual agreement, but we just have seen no movement," Moak said. "At this moment, management has refused to negotiate. They are still at $325 million."
The airline has said a strike by its pilots would put the company out of business. It believes a strike would violate the Railway Labor Act. The union has argued that if its contract is thrown out by the court, it would be allowed to strike.
During a visit to Atlanta on Thursday to meet with executives from area companies, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said he is aware of the situation at Delta, but declined to say whether the Bush administration would step in if the pilots strike.
"We hope that ultimately they come to a conclusion that is good for everyone," Gutierrez said.
He said pension reform is a key part of helping Delta get back on its feet.
"If workers are made a promise regarding pensions, those pensions need to be respected and they need to be delivered," Gutierrez said. "That's been the administration's policy."

Source:USA Today Online

 

[9rj9]

could be a set up for a X-mas strike

That might get them to settle this out of court.

 

[buscap]

I would like to express my support to the DAL pilots. Keep the dream alive best you can.

If the bar is allowed to fall any lower, I'll be paying for the privelage of flying at the Regionals.

 

[TheSulaco]

I would not support them too much, especially if you are with a regional. If they strike and the company liquidates there will be another 6500 highly qualified pilots on the street to take jobs away from you. The airline industry is already way too over populated with qualified individuals!

 

[AA717driver]

If they go on strike, it would be the only thing that could possibly give me hope of rejuvinating ALPA. Good luck.TC

 

[i'mbatman]

I would not support them too much, especially if you are with a regional. If they strike and the company liquidates there will be another 6500 highly qualified pilots on the street to take jobs away from you. The airline industry is already way too over populated with qualified individuals!

Are you kidding?? Not one of these guys will vote for a strike to then come start at a regional again. If they vote to strike my guess is that the majority are getting out and getting into new fields.

 

[i'mbatman]

I would not support them too much, especially if you are with a regional. If they strike and the company liquidates there will be another 6500 highly qualified pilots on the street to take jobs away from you. The airline industry is already way too over populated with qualified individuals!

Are you kidding?? Not one of these guys will vote for a strike to then come start at a regional again. If they vote to strike my guess is that the majority are getting out and getting into new fields. They have my support.

 

[601Pilot]

Delta pilots asked to authorize a strike ATLANTA (AP) — The executive committee of the pilots union at Delta Air Lines voted unanimously Thursday to ask rank-and-file members to authorize a strike.
The decision came after a daylong closed-door meeting in New York, said Lee Moak, chairman of the executive committee.
"It's my recommendation that the pilot group vote for the strike ballot," Moak said.
The vote comes as the nation's third-largest airline, which filed for bankruptcy protection in New York on Sept. 14, has asked the court to toss out the pilots contract so it can impose $325 million in concessions on its 6,000 pilots, which would include a 19% pay cut.
Delta lawyers have asserted in court that the company believes it could impose new contract terms on its pilots starting next Friday even if the judge doesn't rule on Delta's contract rejection request by then. It's not clear if the judge extends the hearings beyond that date what Delta's position would be.
The pilots, who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, initially offered $90.7 million in average annual concessions over four years. They have since reviewed their proposal and now value it at $150 million, which would include a 9% pay cut for seven months followed by lower cuts thereafter.
The cuts would be on top of $1 billion in annual concessions the pilots agreed to last year.
A Delta spokeswoman, Chris Kelly, said the company would continue to try to reach a pact with its pilots.
"This was an expected procedural vote by the pilots union leadership and in no way impacts our operations or our preference to reach a consensual agreement in time to save the company," Kelly said.
A successful strike authorization would allow the union to call a strike without having to come before the rank-and-file again. The process calls for balloting to occur over 15 days. Ballots will be sent out in the next several days, Moak said.
"We remain committed to a consensual agreement, but we just have seen no movement," Moak said. "At this moment, management has refused to negotiate. They are still at $325 million."
The airline has said a strike by its pilots would put the company out of business. It believes a strike would violate the Railway Labor Act. The union has argued that if its contract is thrown out by the court, it would be allowed to strike.
During a visit to Atlanta on Thursday to meet with executives from area companies, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said he is aware of the situation at Delta, but declined to say whether the Bush administration would step in if the pilots strike.
"We hope that ultimately they come to a conclusion that is good for everyone," Gutierrez said.
He said pension reform is a key part of helping Delta get back on its feet.
"If workers are made a promise regarding pensions, those pensions need to be respected and they need to be delivered," Gutierrez said. "That's been the administration's policy."

Source:USA Today Online

At least someone has some balls around here! ASA has been negotiating
for over 3 years, and we are just TALKING about taking a strike vote.
What is the deal with having to do it over 15 days? Why not make it 3, 5, or 7 days?

 

[ferlo]

I would like to see Alpa grow a set and take a strike vote at every single Alpa carrier. Enough is enough. Time to take the gloves off and bloody some noses.

 

[Dizel8]

This was to be expected and is simply business as usual, with regards to these negotiations. A strike for anything but a day or two would be the end of DAL. I doubt many have the stomach for starting over at the regionals or worse yet, Homedepot.

 

[taradale]

From a casual observer/Flyer/ranter....thank you, thank you!!

You Go/Walk Tall/ - you have all my support!! Bring them to their knees. And for all you who have been wise with your money - I hope you consolidate & buy Delta back and run it proud. Someone should take the former management to court for running a good company into the ground.

I saw on another forum a - "How much should a pilot make?" Couldn't help thinking - what you negotiate!! Why don't you ask that of the upper echelon? They sure know how to negotiate their own personal compensation contracts.

We all should have unions. I'm not saying that we all need to make the big money (or outrageous money ie: CEOs, etc.) but unfortunately the American Worker and public is getting raked over coals for bad decisions made by managment and the puppet gov't.

We really don't have to be in this state of affairs.

 

[taradale]

This is the corporate greed mentality we're all up against:

Full Story: http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/delta/1205/06bizburns.html

Excerpt:

"Ex-Delta exec fights to keep free flights

By RUSSELL GRANTHAM , MATT KEMPNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/06/05

M. Michele Burns, the Atlanta executive who landed deals allowing her to parachute from Delta Air Lines and Mirant Corp. with millions of dollars, is fighting to keep her loftiest perk: free flights for life aboard Delta.
The airline, which is struggling to stay airborne while in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, wants to cut off first-class flight privileges for its former financial chief and her family.

TA Delta spokesman said M. Michele Burns was the only former executive challenging the decision to cut off flight perks.

In court papers filed last week, Burns argued that Delta can't cancel the flight privileges — awarded to her when she left the airline in April 2004 — under federal bankruptcy code. She also said the carrier would lose more than it gained from the move. Delta will "incur few or no actual costs or expenses ... because there generally are empty seats on the debtor's aircraft," Burns said in the filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.
Burns is no stranger to flaps over executive pay and perks.
In 2002, while at Delta, she helped the airline during its creation of controversial bankruptcy-proof pension trusts for about three dozen executives. That provided her with at least $1 million in a personal pension trust beyond the reach of creditors.

Around the same time, Burns also was among a long list of Delta executives who were paid hefty bonuses while the airline was losing money, cutting jobs and appealing for federal aid. That year, she was awarded a bonus of $846,000, on top of her $560,000 salary.

Despite those incentives, Burns and other Delta executives left the company in droves. Her next stop was Mirant, the bankrupt energy trader, where she became chief financial officer.

Now she's finishing a 20-month stint with Mirant, flush with at least $8.2 million in severance pay, bonuses and other payments from the company as it emerges from its own Chapter 11 case."

 

[800Dog]

Are you kidding?? Not one of these guys will vote for a strike to then come start at a regional again. If they vote to strike my guess is that the majority are getting out and getting into new fields.

You are correct.

 

[michael707767]

I doubt many have the stomach for starting over at the regionals or worse yet, Homedepot.

If we strike and Delta shuts down, so be it. No offense, but I won't start over at a regional. There is a list of maybe 10 airlines I would consider. Other than that I have already started lining up a career in non-flying fields.

Growing up I either wanted to be a pilot or a policeman. Since I am not too old yet, I just might pursue that option.

PS I will vote yes for a strike.

 

[CapnVegetto]

Will DL's pilot group finally be the one to grow a set and stick it to these greedy managers? I hope so.

 

[PHXFLYR]

Will DL's pilot group finally be the one to grow a set and stick it to these greedy managers? I hope so.

Don't know...Will you if and when it's your turn in the hopper?

PHXFLYR

 

[ExAF]

It takes time

What is the deal with having to do it over 15 days? Why not make it 3, 5, or 7 days?

If an international pilot leaves on a 12 day trip the day they decide to announce the vote, it may be that long before he finds out about the vote. Now he has 2 or 3 days to get to a phone or computer to cast a vote.

 

[FlyComAirJets]

You tell 'em, Mike.

If we strike and Delta shuts down, so be it. No offense, but I won't start over at a regional. There is a list of maybe 10 airlines I would consider. Other than that I have already started lining up a career in non-flying fields.

Growing up I either wanted to be a pilot or a policeman. Since I am not too old yet, I just might pursue that option.

PS I will vote yes for a strike.

DAL management needs to truly appreciate that the pilots have their fingers on the mutual self destruct button, too. If they keep poking you guys in the eye, they may be in for a rude awakening.

Sorry to say I wouldn't look to your ALPA brothers or your golden list of 10 airlines that you would consider working for to lift a finger. They are secretly hoping you'll take the plunge. If USAirways didn't tank, maybe DAL will, they hope.

I would recommend you vote for your best interest and your's alone. Best of luck.

 

[Chuck Yogourt]

Delta pilots will not strike. To many "I am worthy" pilots there. They will cave and screw the junior people. Sit and watch.

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

I think the Delta pilots have a beef with management. How much have the other groups given up? These pilots already conceded something like a billion dollars to avoid bankruptcy, and now that their leaders have taken them into bankruptcy, why shouldn't they be dissastisfied?

 

[michael707767]

Sorry to say I wouldn't look to your ALPA brothers or your golden list of 10 airlines that you would consider working for to lift a finger. They are secretly hoping you'll take the plunge. If USAirways didn't tank, maybe DAL will, they hope..

I don't want nor am I asking for any help from any ALPA brothers. Not many airlines on my list are even ALPA airlines.

I do ask their support of our ALPA bretheren and want them to understand the situation. I think everyone should realize that if our contract is totally tanked, every other ALPA contract is a potential target.

 

[Spooky 1]

Good Luck

This is going to be like watching a slow motion head-on train wreck. No survivors just maimed for life employees and huge collateral damage scattered all over Atlanta and the other major cities that Delta once served. Don’t have any answers for this debacle and can only hope cooler heads prevail on both sides, especially the management side.

Everyone is hanging by each word uttered by the BK judge. I cannot imagine that she would do anything to bolster the pilot’s position when it comes down to the nut cuttin. She will cave to the corporate side of the house simply because she is a Republican appointed judge. Not sure if it would make tinkers damn even if she were a Democrat as she is simply another tool of big business.

Good luck as you’ll really need it this time.

 

[michael707767]

She will cave to the corporate side of the house simply because she is a Republican appointed judge.

Justice Souter was appointed by a Republican. How has that worked out?

 

[TheSulaco]

Will DL's pilot group finally be the one to grow a set and stick it to these greedy managers? I hope so.

They will also be sticking it to the thousands of retired people from Delta who will surely loose their pensions to the PBGC.

 

[sf260pilot]

I would not support them too much, especially if you are with a regional. If they strike and the company liquidates there will be another 6500 highly qualified pilots on the street to take jobs away from you. The airline industry is already way too over populated with qualified individuals!

The airline industry is way too populated with capacity. We have too many airlines trying to do the same thing, and now Virgin America is filing for permits to operate, Un-F-ing believable!!!! That is all we need right now is another carrier. But that might just give hope to some of the Delta guys who wish to continue to fly, if they do strike, and if it does put the carrier out of business.

 

[whymeworry?]

They will also be sticking it to the thousands of retired people from Delta who will surely loose their pensions to the PBGC.

TheSulaco,

You're an idiot. You obviously have no idea what it means to be airline pilot and if you are indeed at the regionals you will survive at the majors with your attitude. What DAL pilots are doing is more than saving their profession and their jobs, they are fighting an evil undercurrent in this country where only CEOs, Politicians and Lawyers call the shots and the rest of us peasants have to take it. The pilots are offering $150 mil on top of the $1 bil they already gave last year and the company refuses to budge? How is that negotiating? The company's own logic says that DAL must have $150 mil in paycuts from the pilots (300 the company is asking for minus the 150 the pilots have offered) or it will liquidate. Come on, that's moronic. A company that large ain't gonna' fail because of $150 million. Labor (and I don't mean just organized labor) is being assulted in this country while the elite steal millions from corporations, customers and employees... all while the press and politicians look the other way. DAL and AQ are thus far the only two labor groups in the country to finally start the revolt against the robber baronso fht enew millenium (mgmt). And you say you won't support them? You're either misinformed, stupid or have lofty ambitions to become an airline executive. Regardless of your cowardly comments, the DAL pilots don't need your support! They don't even need my support. They merely need the support of each other. That, genius-boy, is called UNITY. Something you obviously know nothing about.

And guess what, DAL pilots already lost their pension payments. Which is why 2500 pilots took an early retirement, took their lump sum and hoped the company will continue to pay their pension. Well, that was lost last month but they still got their lump when they all bailed this past year. So while we all feel they should get their pension payments, at least they cashed out their lump... and since so many cashed out at once there wasn't enough money left to go on paying everyone, it's a vicious cycle which was precipitated by DAL mgmt not funding the pension over the years. Why was it not funded? Because mgmt thought it was more important to make themselves look good by increasing earnings. How did they increase earnings? Artificially. You see, they bought back $2.4 billion of stock thereby reducing the amount of ouotstanding shares. When earnings came out during the good times, those earning were then divided by less shares, hence the increase in earnings. That's called cheating. Earnings never actually went up, management used $2.4 billion to buy the earnings increase by reducing the dilluted shares of stock. Mgmt should have been paying down debt including funding the obligitory pension. Those guys ought to go to jail fo rsuch wercklessness. They have ruined lives. But you know what? It was all legal because SEC and the congress say so. And the press is too ignorant to figure this out. Meanwhile DAL pilots have to be told to take even more of a hit so mgmt can survive yet another day just so they can to the same thing again (cook the books).

Pathetic!!

NW pilots, take note of DAL's actions! Step up to the plate and fight for the profession.

 

[whymeworry?]

DAL management needs to truly appreciate that the pilots have their fingers on the mutual self destruct button, too. If they keep poking you guys in the eye, they may be in for a rude awakening.

Sorry to say I wouldn't look to your ALPA brothers or your golden list of 10 airlines that you would consider working for to lift a finger. They are secretly hoping you'll take the plunge. If USAirways didn't tank, maybe DAL will, they hope.

I would recommend you vote for your best interest and your's alone. Best of luck.

Why is it all the negative comments come from guys who never got hired with the majors? Guys, it's not the pilots fault you didn't get hired. Wake up!!! Pilots have never been in charge of hiring at any airline in this country. It's management that is in charge of hiring. Don't fault the pilots simply because they worked hard to get to where they are. If you tried to get on with a major and weren't hired, your beef should be with mgmt. I am saying this based on all the comments I am reading on here from "non-major" guys. Saying things like they won't support the DAL strike or our union bros won't help them. On the contrary. If mgmt ever allowed us to take over hiring, beleive me, every DAL pilot would get hired out of unity. But ALPA doesn't have any say in hiring at any airline.

Grow up

 

[Chronic Jetlag]

Funny how the Delta boys want the support of their fellow peers. I've got lots of buddies at Delta and I wish them the best; but with that being said, they really shouldn't be turning down their fellow ALPA members for the jumpseat. Some but not all of the old "Deltoids" need to get their a$$holes ripped a new one.

Yeah...fight for the profession and go on strike; see how many scabs will cross when the time comes. I hate to say it but we are only worth what the market will bear in a free market economy.

 

[General Lee]

If I have to, I will vote YES also. This is ridiculous. I don't mind another pay cut, but NO WAY to a contract gutting. Nah, I'll start up my own Chip-n-dales franchise, or I'll apply to jetblue/Air Tran/ or Comair----if they(Comair) are still around..........I know I have friends at each of those.....? Right?


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Tomct]

:uzi:Good Luck guys! I support you 100%!! It is time to stop this B S that mgmnt has been laying out! Hopefully we will do the same at ASA and really give it to them....right in the JUNK!!