meto,
I'm glad you are following the conversation and will ask you to add any comments regarding the financial hit that pilots - not just at DL but at UA and US - as a result of pension terminations and not just freezes as other DL employees fared.
Can you share as much information as you can to put a perspective on what you or others lost in ACCRUED pension benefits even after the equity distribution. Insight on how much has been gained back since emergence would be helpful. My position is that DL pilots have come nowhere close to replacing what they lost in ACCRUED pension benefits during BK but I honestly want you to tell us one way or the other.
Q,
not sure who your "he" is but I get the point about unions representing employees. Kevin has written repeatedly and eloquently (no I'm not blowing wind up your skirt) on that point and he is right.
My point is only that DL employees ARE NOT YET AND MAY NEVER BE represented by unions outside of the existing ones with ALPA, dispatchers, etc.
Kev,
your info on the two tier ACS scales is important to note and I want that info to be open... I don't think it is any news to any DL employees, however.
Tell me if I am right, but did the second scale come about the time DL took over ASA's ground handling in ATL? Perhaps I am off but if so those employees still got a raise.
I won't defend what DL has done on the basis of JUST. On the basis of JUSTICE, it isn't.
But JUSTICE is not the principle that determines wages or the value of other services in the free enterprise system. And DL and other US airlines are part of the free enterprise system, not socialism where everyone gets the same thing or the same level of increases.
The IAM can try to create pilot envy by arguing that ground employees should get the same pay and benefit increases but ground employees didn't have their pensions terminated and didn't give up scope (ACS employees work mainline and RJ equipment while pilots don't).
The biggest factor, though, is that wages are set by the market and pilots, like mechanics are much more highly skilled and can command higher salaries. Sorry if that is offensive to anyone but that is the truth. For the IAM to attempt to argue that they can overcome market realities which airlines aren't about to override is simply disingenuous.
Finally, there is a looming pilot shortage that will force up pilot salaries. DL pilots got ahead of the game because they nearly effortlessly integrated with their NW counterparts probably faster than any other pilot group has done in a major merger - and that has directly and positively influenced DL's ability to achieve revenue gains by right-sizing aircraft to routes.
The cost to DL or another airline if the pilots don't work with the company is far higher than it is for other work groups.
I'm not sucking up to any group but simply passing on some basic market realities that will govern compensation.
Companies can't give what they don't have to any employee and they will compensate their employees based on their overall compensation and value to the airline.
That is not personal, not meant to be offensive, and absolutely affirms the personal worth of people as people. As employees, the free market determines compensation.
While addressed to you, those comments incorporate ideas that others have thrown out.
