Delta AFA Flight Attendant Hotline 4/2/2007

Today is Monday, April 2nd and this is an updated hotline message for all Delta Air Lines flight attendants. SLC based flight attendant and AFA supporter, Paul Tanner reporting...

Your D-I-V-O-R-C-E isn’t final today

Many flight attendants have told me that they are hesitant to sign a card and move toward an election because they feel guilty. They feel like they would be spitting in the face of the Delta family that they entered when they started their career. In fact they intimate that even though they know a contract is in their best interest, and most believe that a contract would be beneficial to the company they still have hesitation. One wise co-worker managed to put into words exactly what a lot of these flight attendants are feeling. She told me that it feels like one is asking the Delta family for a divorce.

Well, I can certainly understand why someone would be hesitant to take such a bold step in any relationship, but that really isn’t the case here. See, at Delta there are many who feel that the family is dead, put deep in the ground by Mr. Mullin and his group. I never really attended that funeral, but I can see that the relationship has changed. We now live in a business environment and any family we have left is a family business. It is in the best interest of everyone to set expectations in writing.

Asking for a contract is not asking for a divorce, it’s more like asking for marriage counseling. We are bringing ourselves up to a more equal position in this relationship. And unlike a marriage counselor, a union is run by our peers. Elected by us, part of us, representing us. It’s like having a good friend give you marriage counseling and having the decisions agreed upon by both parties and recognized as legally binding.

So if you feel hesitation when deciding upon the need for a contract, don’t see it as adversarial, see it as demanding a more equal voice in the relationship in which you have invested so much time. Only then will you be treated with the respect you deserve.

Workers' Rights are Tied to Quality of Life

Recently I was sent a chart that showed the percentage of workers covered by collective bargaining agreements and the quality of life that these countries enjoy. The chart has been uploaded to the following link: http://www.deltaafa.org/Docs/WorkerRights.pdf

I found it quite interesting. You should check it out. It shows the power that we can have over an entire scope of our life if we just stand together.

Operation Recruit is Going Gangbusters

We have had many cards come to our mailbox recently and a lot of them have the box checked wanting to help with the campaign. We will need and will use all of you that are willing to help, but it is taking time to contact all of you during our off periods between trips. We have already recruited over 100 of our co-workers as mobilizers. Please continue to expect a call to help and if you are really itching to get involved then please contact me personally at afa4dal@mac.com and I will see to it that you are moved to the front of the line. You will be contacted ASAP. Thanks again for all of your support and expect to hear from us soon.

You can still find information at www.ItsTimeDelta.net or www.DeltaAFA.org. Please feel free to become involved in the Discussion Forum and visit these sites often.

This concludes the hotline message. This message will be updated next week or sooner if necessary. In the meantime, take care of each other out there on the line.

-- To Listen To The Hotline, Call 1-800-424-2401, Press 1 Then 720 # --

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO
501 Third Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-434-1300

Delta AFA Hotline: 1-800 424-2401, press 1, then 720#