Wednesday, March 21, 2001

In response to the Delta employee's letter (The Citizen, March 14), I'd like to set the record straight.

There are too many issues and sections of an airline pilot's contract to intelligently debate in a newspaper or on a TV newscast. It's easy for Delta management to say they are offering the pilots the highest wages in the industry without being caught in a lie because they can "spin" their pay-rate formula to make it look like the Delta pilots are the highest paid in the industry.

It's also too easy for those of you who are ignorant of the Delta pilots' contract to say, "Oh, those greedy Delta pilots!", without taking the time to investigate the real issues.

Many of the issues pilots feel strongly enough about to strike have little to do with pay rates. Here are just a few:

1. Job out-sourcing through international code-share alliances and small regional airline alliances. Delta customers buy a Delta ticket but end up on another carrier's airplane many times without their knowledge, (bait-and-switch marketing?). Pilots are concerned that not only is this not good for the Delta customers from a quality standpoint but takes away from flying Delta pilots should be doing according to the first paragraph of every pilot contract since 1940 (Scope clause).

2. Two-tier pay scale. Delta Express pilots makes 44 percent less than the industry average for flying Boeing 737 aircraft. Delta Air Lines management has repeatedly stated to anyone that will listen that they are offering the entire pilot group a contract with the highest pay rates in the airline industry. This simply is not true.

Every management contract proposal to date has continued to mandate a two-tier pay scale. Delta management would have you believe this pay-rate at Delta Express is necessary to compete against Southwest Airlines. This is simply not true. Check the respective route structures, Delta competes head-to-head with Southwest Airlines on only a very small percentage of Delta Express's route structure.

3. If you consider the explosive growth of the regional jet flying (ASA and Comair Airlines) the third tier of the Delta pilot pay scale. Delta flying is being out-sourced to underpaid and overworked ASA and Comair pilots. Consider Delta has more regional jets on order than currently exist in the world! That makes the Delta pilot group suspicious, to say the least.

4. Retroactive pay to the amendable date of our last contract, which was May 1, 2000. Whatever pay increase we receive must be retroactively effective from May 1, 2000, otherwise we reward the company for "dragging its feet" during contract negotiations. Without retroactive pay the company has little incentive to negotiate in good faith.

5. Delta continues to be one of the only major airlines that does not supply crew meals to pilots. The majority of major airlines supply crew meals for pilots and flight attendants who are on the road for as much as six days at a stretch, many times without any time between multiple leg trips to eat a decent meal. This is unsafe and we've complained about it for years.

6. Finally, pay. Fact: Delta pilots have not received a raise in almost 10 years. During that time inflation has risen 23 percent (Wall Street Journal figures).

The pilot group consists of more than 10,000 pilots based all over the country. If you ask each pilot what issues he or she feels strongly about you'll get 10,000 different answers. We do agree on two things, though. Unity will secure the superior working agreement we deserve and each pilot has a vote on whether to accept or decline the company's offer.

Mark J. Holt

Peachtree City

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