Wednesday, May 23, 2001

Delta Airlines has always prided itself in saying that it take care of its employees and also that its work force will always be the highest paid in the industry.

I recently attended a personnel conference in which management reinstated that Delta's policy is that the salaries of all the employee work force are second to none in the industry. However, members of the management team proceeded to say that Delta's frontline customer service personnel are currently receiving $59 less than what American Airlines frontline customer service agents receive. It was never mentioned that American Airlines employees also received a profit-sharing bonus check in conjunction with the most recent salary increase.

The panel of directors was told and reminded that Delta's pilots received what they cried for and also that during the middle of the pilots' negotiation (at the worst time) our CEO gladly accepted a 6.6 percent salary increase. At that moment we asked the management team where was our share of the pie. Their reply was that this is a time of money restraint and that our current salary would be reviewed toward the end of this calendar year. I was personally advised that Delta no longer had any additional money left to share because all of it had been spent or invested.

It is a known fact that between 1997 and 2000 Delta Airlines earned $4 billion dollars of net income. In addition, for five consecutive years Delta has produced operating margins in excess of 10 percent, the best of the top six airlines. Delta ended current year 2000 with an 8 percent unit cost advantage to the industry, and last year Delta had the highest net income of any airline in the world. Who is Delta trying to fool? It seems to me that what is good for the goose should also be good for the gander.

We deserve a competitive and decent salary increase now, and please, do not play tricks, do not insult our intelligence. In the past we never had to beg the company for a fair compensation and this is now becoming a routine. After 10, 20 or 30 years with the company, it is insulting to hear management say, If you don't like it, the door is open for you to leave. Can't they see that many skilled and loyal employees are leaving, and many more contemplating to leave? Can't Delta realize that we are only trying to make a decent living?

Unions have been knocking at our doors. If they succeed in their effort, top management will be the only ones to be blamed; however, it wouldn't hurt them personally since all of them have already pocketed plenty. Sharing the pie with every employee is the least they can do to avoid future and permanent damage to our morale. It is getting to the point that the only effective voices that seem to get the job done are the unions.

It is our turn to act like crybabies just like our fellow pilots did. However, we cry because we are in the lower salary bracket. Our fellow pilots cried to add more money to their already fat pockets.

A silent majority member

[Name withheld at the writer's request.]

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