Delta Pilots Vote to Authorize Strike by ~95%

[wheelsup]

ATLANTA (AP) - Delta Air Lines Inc. pilots, angered by management's effort to throw out their contract to allow the bankrupt carrier to impose deep pay cuts, on Tuesday voted by a wide margin to authorize a strike.
The 94.7 percent vote in favor of authorizing a strike gives union leaders the ability to set a strike date, but they didn't do that immediately and gave no indication exactly when they might act.


The results were announced in a memo to pilots from the chairman of the union's executive committee.

An arbitration panel must decide by April 15 whether to void the pilots contract. The union has said it will strike if its contract is rejected.
The Atlanta-based company, which is operating under bankruptcy protection, has said a strike would put the nation's third-largest carrier out of business.

Delta sought approval to reject its contract with its 5,930 pilots so it can impose up to $325 million in long-term pay and benefit cuts, which would include a wage reduction of at least 18 percent.

Delta's pilots previously agreed to $1 billion in annual concessions, including a 32.5 percent wage cut, in a five-year deal in 2004. But Delta, which has imposed pay cuts on other employees, said it needs more from its pilots after filing for bankruptcy protection in September.

So far, there has been little movement toward a consensual long-term deal to replace an interim deal reached in December, though both sides have met at least twice since arbitration hearings in Washington ended March 23.

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=AP&Date=20060404&ID=5514692

 

[BCTAv8r]

Good to see them putting their foots down for themselves and for future pilots.

 

[Chris_Ford]

Good to see them putting their foots down for themselves and for future pilots.

They haven't put their foots down yet... If they actually strike, they will. Or if management gives in, then that would be the foot coming down. For some reason, I don't see them striking though. But hey, I've been wrong before.

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

I just saw that on our local cable access new feed. This channel plays music in the background as they scrow news. When the info on Delta was up, the song "Devil goes down to Georgia" was playing.

I thought it was funny! (the music that is).

I hope that this vote shows management that the pilots are behind the understanding that they might have to take the next step.

 

[mpenguin1]

Another link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060404/ap_on_bi_ge/delta_pilots


If both parties don't figure something out, they are both going to lose. There are no angels on either side, shame on them both......

 

[pilot602]

Another link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060404/ap_on_bi_ge/delta_pilots


If both parties don't figure something out, they are both going to lose. There are no angels on either side, shame on them both......

I think there are one billions reasons why the pilots should have to take no more. $1 billion dollars in concessions is MORE than enough. Shame on management.

 

[Kingairer]

Another link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060404/ap_on_bi_ge/delta_pilots


If both parties don't figure something out, they are both going to lose. There are no angels on either side, shame on them both......

What have the pilots done? Gone to work....and they are already doing it for far less then they bargained.

 

[MQAAord]

From another chat board: "Amber, what does this mean? My family has tickets on Delta, when's the strike going to happen?"

Ugh. I just don't want to respond to that. I'm so tired of people whining about airfares. I don't have the energy to care about their families tickets they bought for $99, I'm too busy trying to figure out how to pay the bills after having 1/2 our pay taken away. I know they're just asking an innocent question, I just get tired of it. This is the 3rd time someone has asked me about a Delta strike in regards to someone they know's ticket purchase.

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

From another chat board: "Amber, what does this mean? My family has tickets on Delta, when's the strike going to happen?"

Ugh. I just don't want to respond to that. I'm so tired of people whining about airfares. I don't have the energy to care about their families tickets they bought for $99, I'm too busy trying to figure out how to pay the bills after having 1/2 our pay taken away. I know they're just asking an innocent question, I just get tired of it. This is the 3rd time someone has asked me about a Delta strike in regards to someone they know's ticket purchase.

Amber, should I buy my summer tickets now? What about stock, do you think I should get some now.

 

[MQAAord]

What about stock, do you think I should get some now.

Hahahaha! Airline stock?

If you're thinking of buying stock in an airline, here's what you should do instead:

Take a 100$ bill, take it outside, light a match under it, and set it down. Watch it burn. Then, go back inside $100 poorer, just like you'd be if you bought airline stock, but at least having the delight of experiencing the lovely weather outside while your money burned.

 

[ComplexHiAv8r]

Hahahaha! Airline stock?

If you're thinking of buying stock in an airline, here's what you should do instead:

Take a 100$ bill, take it outside, light a match under it, and set it down. Watch it burn. Then, go back inside $100 poorer, just like you'd be if you bought airline stock, but at least having the delight of experiencing the lovely weather outside while your money burned.

I have been thinking about UAUA, more from loyalty (sorry, I still feel that way). They will recover!

 

[mrivc211]

"If both parties don't figure something out, they are both going to lose. There are no angels on either side, shame on them both......"


Shame on them both? Are you kidding Mike? Have you not been here for the past 5 years? Haven't pilots taken enough of the hit. It's bogus to begin with, but seriously. Do you really think $325 million is gonna make a dent or put a stop to an airline that brings in BILLIONS of dollars per year. Not getting mad at ya, but just seriously, you konw better than that.


To all those delta pilots, thank you for finally standing up in this profession. If Delta goes down, then more than half the SKYW pilots go down with them, and I"m happy to say I"m willing to make that sacrifice for this profession. I don't wanna be flying an RJ until the age of 60. Some of you youngens don't seem to understand the importance of the stance this pilot group is making. Every MEC out there has caved to mgmt thus far. United, Northwest, US Airways, with the exception of continental because their turning a profit.


Instead of poking fun of the French for this or that, maybe we should take pointers on how to do things in this country when we don't like what corporate america/gov't is doing. You strike, and if that doesn't work, you demonstrate, and if that doesn't work........PM me and we'll talk.

 

[Chris_Ford]

I have been thinking about UAUA, more from loyalty (sorry, I still feel that way). They will recover!

It's made some money since the reissuance...

I expect that the market will respond kindly to the 1Q 06 numbers too (operational ones)

 

[mrivc211]

"For some reason, I don't see them striking though"

Chris- what part of 94.7% don't you understand?

 

[Chris_Ford]

"For some reason, I don't see them striking though"

Chris- what part of 94.7% don't you understand?

I think if it was left up to the pilots they might, but I don't think the union brass will go after management as hard as they should

 

[mpenguin1]

What have the pilots done? Gone to work....and they are already doing it for far less then they bargained.

Well let's see, pilot point of view - "What did we do wrong, all we did was go to work.?"

Delta Management - "Greedy bunch of pilots."


What do I expect the pilot to do? Nothing, that is what their Union is for. What do I expect from the Union, find a way to work with Management, one of which will be as fair as possible to the pilots, & the company.

I am going to be a little critical of the union now, that pre-strike event was not exactly a nice way to entice customers to fly on your airline.

 

[mpenguin1]

"For some reason, I don't see them striking though"

Chris- what part of 94.7% don't you understand?

You never heard of a bluff before?

 

[Chris_Ford]

You never heard of a bluff before?

That's all they do anymore it seems... It'd just be nice for one group to set a precedent. Mgmt has had its Lorenzos, but the unions haven't, why not?

 

[mpenguin1]

Instead of poking fun of the French for this or that, maybe we should take pointers on how to do things in this country when we don't like what corporate america/gov't is doing. You strike, and if that doesn't work, you demonstrate, and if that doesn't work........PM me and we'll talk.

You want to go the way of what France is going through right now? That is quite frankly a radical way of going about it.... Let's see what France is going through right now:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,190458,00.html

A nationwide strike shut down the

Eiffel Tower and snarled air and rail travel for the second time in a week Tuesday while students barricaded themselves in schools to protest a jobs measure that has riven the country and put the government in crisis mode.

Protesters have mounted ever-larger demonstrations for two months against the law, which would make it easier to fire young workers. But President Jacques Chirac signed it anyway Sunday, saying it will help France keep pace with the global economy.

Way to go, do you realize how much money is going to be lost from tourism? Yeah, I know, screw them & the government, *sigh*

 

[Getburned]

What's wrong with what they are doing in France? They signed a law where you can get Fired for no reason the first two years of employment. When unemployment is already high for youths in that country, imagine if you could get fired for no reason. Sounds like an excellent way to compete in a global environment! The sad thing is, the pilots of Delta have done their jobs, When is management going to start doing theirs? How can you cut someones pay 48% and expect to get away with it, those pilots didn't work all those years for nothing, they worked hard for where they are at, and yet management continues to fail but blames all the groups involved in making that company run.