Seasonals in ATL
She was shocked when she got the notice from Delta. As a seasonal worker in ATL, she had not expected to have to return to work until the spring. But Delta had other ideas. They need more people over the Thanksgiving and Christmas rush because the turnover is so high and staffing so short.
They told her she could be terminated if she did not bid within 48 hours and return to work by Nov. 15 and work for two weeks through Thanksgiving. This meant trying to figure out how she would juggle her other job, her childcare and family responsibilities.
Union work rules can protect against this sort of disruption of your personal life. Union contracts have rules that prevent a sudden change of work schedules, days off, shifts and job assignments. Without a union, you have no voice in any of this. It’s also clear that Delta’s business model is based on high turnover of newer employees. With low starting wages and a very slow trip to top scale at Delta, it’s time for a union and a shift to something better.
House Calls in SEA
Delta workers and supportive workers from other airlines will be conducting house calls in Seattle from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4. We will be talking to coworkers about signing cards supporting an election for a union and asking you to join us in the union campaign. If you would like to opt out and prefer to not have anyone visit you at home, please use this link to let us know.
Delta Pilots Support Our Union Drive
Here’s Their Message of Solidarity.
“The management talks about the Delta family as part of our corporate culture, but it’s the employees who are the true long-term stakeholders at our airline,” said Delta MEC chair Capt. Darren Hartmann. “Frontline workers have a collective interest in supporting each other’s goals and helping address issues that we all face. There is truly strength in numbers. This is the first in a series of ongoing meetings and other opportunities to support our fellow employees. While the pilots and dispatchers have the benefit of contractual protections, we understand the uphill battle union organizers face when trying to connect with Delta’s frontline workers. Delta management has historically fought off unionization efforts with platitudes of a corporate culture that fosters a ‘direct relationship’ with its workers. However, it is union-negotiated contracts that protect employees’ pay, working conditions, and a sustainable work/life balance from a management team that may be more interested in the shareholders’ bottom line.”
This is a message of solidarity from Delta pilot and MEC Chairman, Capt. Darren Hartmann, delivered at a meeting of the MEC attended by representatives from the Teamsters, AFA and IAM. ALPA declared their intention to support our union drive on everything from support videos to attendance at our pro-union rallies and other activities. When you see a pilot, thank them for their support.
Can’t Have It Both Ways
Whether you’re for or against union representation, can we at least agree on the following…
Delta claims a “direct relationship” is their preferred method of employee relations, right? While making this claim verbally, they simultaneously hire representation through lawyers with the specific intent of coercing employees away from gaining representation for themselves. In the same way, you and I complete LMS courses on operational procedures, Delta goes to the extent of assigning LMS courses to our management filled with training on how to keep employees from gaining representation for ourselves.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, hiring a union-busting law firm to train management and influence employees IS NOT A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP. At the bare minimum, employees deserve truth and transparency from our corporate executives. We MUST demand Delta completely sever ties with the expensive union-busting lawyers they’ve been using against employees. It is either a direct relationship for all, or representation for all.
Employees do not deserve Delta playing it both ways. Can we at least agree on this?
Insurance Costs Rise
You may have noticed when Delta sent out open enrollment notices that premiums and deductibles for your health insurance are going up for 2024. To be exact, $200 more for your deductible on a Gold family plan and $144 per year for premiums. We know we will be getting a raise in February. Don’t know how much, but likely in the 5% range. Inflation over the last year has averaged 5.49%. Between the rate of inflation and increased health insurance costs, all of us are likely to see a pay decrease in real dollars
In the meantime, Delta’s gross profit for the 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2023, was $20.04 billion, an increase of 28.27% year over year. The pilots, because they have a union and a contract, were able to get an immediate 18% pay increase from the company, 34% over 4 years, and a wealth of other benefits. Isn’t it time ramp, cargo, and tower workers shared in the bounty we all have helped create? Sign a card! Get involved!
Delta Workers Unite Podcast
We will be launching a bi-weekly podcast soon that addresses the problems we are facing at work and how these problems might be addressed by a union, as well as important developments in the working-class movement. If you have ideas for things we should cover or guests we should invite, please contact us at ————–.