North by Northwest
Veteran
It's too bad greed from NWA/Delta management ruined this, it could have been a great airline had it been done right:
A portion of NWA MEC message.
A letter from the NWA MEC Chairman to the pilots of NWA ALPA
TO: All Northwest Pilots
FROM: Dave Stevens
DATE: April 14, 2008
Now we reach the question your MEC considered at its meeting yesterday – Should the pilots, employees
and customers of Northwest support this merger as it is currently contemplated? The managements are
betting on the merger models of old: Pay the employees of one group less and focus on lowering costs
(instead of many of the revenue synergies that are far more likely to improve the bottom line); hope for
cost savings going forward from employee division with no concern for the dis-synergies caused by labor
dissatisfaction. The point has already been made to us by Delta management that they already have a
“B scale†at Northwest, and that they will need to maintain it by phasing in harmonized wages. Mergers
based on this model have never worked well, but trying to make this work at $110/bbl fuel, with a
looming recession and no access to credit markets, is putting everything at risk.
One can only conclude that the Delta pilot leadership and Delta management have made an arrangement
to try to disadvantage the Northwest pilots economically and with respect to our seniority. No pilot group
is going to put up with this. No amount of money can sustain a carrier which creates this level of discord.
This is a recipe for failure. Under these conditions, Northwest Airlines and all the stakeholders, including
the pilots, other employees and customers, are better served by a standalone airline. Under these
circumstances, it is Northwest’s best option, with its strong international and domestic route structure, a
flexible fleet, an order book with fuel-efficient aircraft and the best cash position of any legacy carrier, to
remain an independent carrier.
Your MEC reached this conclusion with reluctance. We were very close to concluding a truly cooperative
merger which would have served the interests of everyone. We regret that an agreement was not obtained.
However, the past is past. The Northwest pilot group now has to face a difficult future. As hard as a
standalone course may be in these economic times, it is our judgment that it carries less risk than the
merger path which now lies before us. For that reason, we will be turning our efforts to stopping this
merger. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be sending you more information on the MEC’s
plans. Look for a road show schedule to be posted soon.
Fraternally and in Unity,
Dave Stevens
MEC Chairman
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And for all NORTHWEST employees who think Delta management OR NW management cares anything about you...just look at what they have done to the "special" ones the NW pilots. You are simply an obstacle to their payoff. Hope you caught Richard Anderson's reference to "Industry AVERAGE" pay for all employees by 2012. They expect you to give up your company for the BILLIONS that you have sacrificed, for industry AVERAGE pay by 2012...Nothing has CHANGED with this slimy gang.
A portion of NWA MEC message.
A letter from the NWA MEC Chairman to the pilots of NWA ALPA
TO: All Northwest Pilots
FROM: Dave Stevens
DATE: April 14, 2008
Now we reach the question your MEC considered at its meeting yesterday – Should the pilots, employees
and customers of Northwest support this merger as it is currently contemplated? The managements are
betting on the merger models of old: Pay the employees of one group less and focus on lowering costs
(instead of many of the revenue synergies that are far more likely to improve the bottom line); hope for
cost savings going forward from employee division with no concern for the dis-synergies caused by labor
dissatisfaction. The point has already been made to us by Delta management that they already have a
“B scale†at Northwest, and that they will need to maintain it by phasing in harmonized wages. Mergers
based on this model have never worked well, but trying to make this work at $110/bbl fuel, with a
looming recession and no access to credit markets, is putting everything at risk.
One can only conclude that the Delta pilot leadership and Delta management have made an arrangement
to try to disadvantage the Northwest pilots economically and with respect to our seniority. No pilot group
is going to put up with this. No amount of money can sustain a carrier which creates this level of discord.
This is a recipe for failure. Under these conditions, Northwest Airlines and all the stakeholders, including
the pilots, other employees and customers, are better served by a standalone airline. Under these
circumstances, it is Northwest’s best option, with its strong international and domestic route structure, a
flexible fleet, an order book with fuel-efficient aircraft and the best cash position of any legacy carrier, to
remain an independent carrier.
Your MEC reached this conclusion with reluctance. We were very close to concluding a truly cooperative
merger which would have served the interests of everyone. We regret that an agreement was not obtained.
However, the past is past. The Northwest pilot group now has to face a difficult future. As hard as a
standalone course may be in these economic times, it is our judgment that it carries less risk than the
merger path which now lies before us. For that reason, we will be turning our efforts to stopping this
merger. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be sending you more information on the MEC’s
plans. Look for a road show schedule to be posted soon.
Fraternally and in Unity,
Dave Stevens
MEC Chairman
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And for all NORTHWEST employees who think Delta management OR NW management cares anything about you...just look at what they have done to the "special" ones the NW pilots. You are simply an obstacle to their payoff. Hope you caught Richard Anderson's reference to "Industry AVERAGE" pay for all employees by 2012. They expect you to give up your company for the BILLIONS that you have sacrificed, for industry AVERAGE pay by 2012...Nothing has CHANGED with this slimy gang.
