A Path Forward
Fellow Delta pilots,
As members of the Delta MEC Negotiating Committee, our primary responsibility is to work for the MEC on behalf of all Delta pilots to negotiate improvements to our PWA. Since being elected to the committee, we have worked tirelessly on your behalf to attain an industry-leading contract that recognizes the contributions that the Delta pilots have made to Delta’s current success.
On June 10th, we were able to reach an agreement with the Company on a new contract that was in line with the direction given to us by the MEC. We acknowledge that this tentative agreement was not all that we, nor the MEC, wanted it to be, but we did believe that it provided significant value and was industry leading in many respects. Furthermore, we felt that we had extracted from the Company all that was available at that time. It was a difficult decision for both this committee and for many on the MEC but ultimately, based on all the information available to us, we believed it was appropriate to allow the membership the opportunity to consider and vote on the agreement. However, on July 10th, you, the Delta pilots, spoke very clearly that the tentative agreement did not meet your expectations. We respect that decision.
In order for the Negotiating Committee to be effective at the table, it must have the full confidence of both the pilot group and the MEC. In light of this, we believe it’s in the best interests of the Delta pilots to have a new team put in place in order to help unify our pilot group and regain that confidence. Therefore, while we have appreciated the opportunity to represent you at the negotiating table, we have decided to resign our positions as members of the Delta MEC Negotiating Committee, effective September 15, 2015. By announcing our resignation for a future date, we allow our process to be followed and an orderly election to be held. This will also allow the MEC the time necessary to seek qualified candidates, allow those candidates to bid time off to be at a meeting in the near future, and also provides an opportunity for the new members to get up to speed during a transition period. We will remain available to assist the new committee with this task as needed.
We believe that it is important for our pilot group and the MEC to focus on our contractual goals and not be distracted by internal politics. Our continued presence, without a clear transition path, only adds to that political distraction. As MEC Chairman, Captain Mike Donatelli, said in his July 22 letter to the pilot group, it is time for the Delta pilots to unify. It is also time for the Delta MEC to unify and develop a consensus that they can all support. This is key to our ability to achieve any success in the future.
Until the new team is in place, we commit to continue the hard work and preparation necessary to re-engage with Delta management in order to achieve a contract that reflects the voice of our pilot group. New polling must be done in order for the new committee and MEC to fully understand the current priorities of the Delta pilots. Additionally, analysis of how we reached this tentative agreement is crucial so that mistakes can be avoided in achieving any future agreement.
Once elected, we hope you will give the new committee the support needed to achieve a contract that meets the collective expectations of our pilot group.
Fraternally,
John Morgado, Matt Coons, and Kevin Powell
Fellow Delta pilots,
As members of the Delta MEC Negotiating Committee, our primary responsibility is to work for the MEC on behalf of all Delta pilots to negotiate improvements to our PWA. Since being elected to the committee, we have worked tirelessly on your behalf to attain an industry-leading contract that recognizes the contributions that the Delta pilots have made to Delta’s current success.
On June 10th, we were able to reach an agreement with the Company on a new contract that was in line with the direction given to us by the MEC. We acknowledge that this tentative agreement was not all that we, nor the MEC, wanted it to be, but we did believe that it provided significant value and was industry leading in many respects. Furthermore, we felt that we had extracted from the Company all that was available at that time. It was a difficult decision for both this committee and for many on the MEC but ultimately, based on all the information available to us, we believed it was appropriate to allow the membership the opportunity to consider and vote on the agreement. However, on July 10th, you, the Delta pilots, spoke very clearly that the tentative agreement did not meet your expectations. We respect that decision.
In order for the Negotiating Committee to be effective at the table, it must have the full confidence of both the pilot group and the MEC. In light of this, we believe it’s in the best interests of the Delta pilots to have a new team put in place in order to help unify our pilot group and regain that confidence. Therefore, while we have appreciated the opportunity to represent you at the negotiating table, we have decided to resign our positions as members of the Delta MEC Negotiating Committee, effective September 15, 2015. By announcing our resignation for a future date, we allow our process to be followed and an orderly election to be held. This will also allow the MEC the time necessary to seek qualified candidates, allow those candidates to bid time off to be at a meeting in the near future, and also provides an opportunity for the new members to get up to speed during a transition period. We will remain available to assist the new committee with this task as needed.
We believe that it is important for our pilot group and the MEC to focus on our contractual goals and not be distracted by internal politics. Our continued presence, without a clear transition path, only adds to that political distraction. As MEC Chairman, Captain Mike Donatelli, said in his July 22 letter to the pilot group, it is time for the Delta pilots to unify. It is also time for the Delta MEC to unify and develop a consensus that they can all support. This is key to our ability to achieve any success in the future.
Until the new team is in place, we commit to continue the hard work and preparation necessary to re-engage with Delta management in order to achieve a contract that reflects the voice of our pilot group. New polling must be done in order for the new committee and MEC to fully understand the current priorities of the Delta pilots. Additionally, analysis of how we reached this tentative agreement is crucial so that mistakes can be avoided in achieving any future agreement.
Once elected, we hope you will give the new committee the support needed to achieve a contract that meets the collective expectations of our pilot group.
Fraternally,
John Morgado, Matt Coons, and Kevin Powell
