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December 6, 2006 Paulette L. Corbin Dear Paulette: By way of introduction, my name is Danny Campbell. I am a NWA flight attendant and union activist for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. Over the years, I have led many successful union campaigns and contract struggles with my NWA peers - including our successful recent effort to join AFA-CWA. Many Delta flight attendants have asked me to comment on the ridiculous management rhetoric in your so-called "In-Flight Scoop" below. Specifically, I have been asked to comment on the empty protections you promise Delta flight attendants in the event of a merger or acquisition. As Delta management is surely aware, the only true legal protections that can be provided to flight attendants in a merger situation are those secured as part of a legally binding contract. These protections are often referred to as "Labor Protective Provisions." For example, the NWA flight attendants have long enjoyed protections in their contract that provide the following:
While it may serve your anti-union agenda, your comments regarding the TWA merger are irrelevant and misleading. The TWA flight attendants simply did not have the same contractual protections I mentioned above. So, as you well know, the outcome in that case had nothing to do with the fact that both groups had a union. Rather, the specific language in the TWA contract just did not support their seniority rights in a merger. As you also know, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA was not the Union representing either flight attendant group in the American/TWA merger and therefore these flight attendants were not afforded the protection of our Constitution and Bylaws that protects each flight attendants' date of hire seniority. Your own Delta flight attendants are even MORE vulnerable. If you wanted to be honest and forthright with your hard working flight attendants, you would explain this to them. Better yet, you would remain neutral in this organizing drive and allow flight attendants to freely exercise their legal right to choose AFA-CWA as their bargaining representative. Then you would quickly negotiate Contractual protections for them in the event of a merger. That's exactly what the Pacific Southwest flight attendants did in 1988 on the eve of their merger with US Air. That's called "putting your money where your mouth is." Unless Delta is willing to enter into a legally binding agreement to ensure that the Delta flight attendants have the protection you talk about, you're not offering them any real protection, are you? In summary, I found your communication reckless in terms of addressing the real issues of job protection. Too often, employees bear the brunt of disingenuous management, who are far too willing to place their own self-interests ahead of their workers real interests. Surely you know the truth, and it's time that Delta flight attendants know as well:
If you're serious about ensuring the rights of the Delta flight attendants in the event of a merger drop your anti-union rhetoric and let's talk about real protections at the bargaining table. Sincerely, In-Flight Scoop Hi everyone; this is Paulette with the In-Flight Scoop for November 17, including news and a few reflections on an extremely eventful week. Our plan, as you know, is to emerge from bankruptcy in the first half of 2007 as a strong, stand-alone carrier --not merged, acquired or otherwise consolidated. The progress you've helped bring about is making our company better and more valuable. You have every reason to be extremely proud of all the ways you've been part of that transformation. One question, however, has been raised by so many of you that I would like to say a couple of things about it. The concerns you've voiced are, what would a merger mean to my seniority, and don't I need a union to protect me ? One of the best indicators of how our company would respond in any such circumstance is to look at past actions. Delta never has agreed to any merger that did not include a process to protect the seniority rights of our employees. Our CFO Ed Bastian restated that commitment in an on-line chat yesterday. In the Western merger, with a previously unionized Western flight attendant group, we had Western flight attendants and Delta flight attendants work with us in the process of determining what was fair to both groups. Flight attendants had an important voice because of their direct relationship with Delta leaders. |
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# |