Let’s be very clear about what we are talking about – DL’s employment policies or the reduction of the hub.
Because DL’s cuts at MEM do not affect hundreds of employees unless DL has kept MEM overstaffed for years.
The reason why MEM has seen more volume that CVG for years is because DL started the process of reducing CVG years ago and yet CVG will likely still end up with more service than MEM.
After all, you have noted that NW didn't make the tough call to cut jobs like the money-losing freighter operation and left that job to DL. And Richard Anderson had nothing to do with that decision since he did not come directly to DL from NW.
DL runs a profit-making business, not a welfare agency that has an obligation to pass out checks to anyone that stands in line.
It is precisely because DL knows what they do and doesn't try to do what they are not that you will receive what will likely be the fattest profit-sharing checks in the US airline industry in a few months - while many of your peers get nothing or perhaps enough to pay one spring month's heating bill.
Lest you tell us how much MEM thinks of itself, let me remind you that DL had a large operation at MEM and throughout the south long before NW ever decided RC was a necessary fit for NW’s network… in fact, significant parts of RC and NW’s DC9 came from DL. DL knows and has known what MEM is capable of supporting in terms of air service.
Even under NW's hub operation at MEM, the airport carried half or more of its traffic on RJ to RJ connections. That might have worked at one time but RJs at best only work if they are used to deliver traffic to larger, lower cost aircraft.
MEM and CVG were both oversized for the realities of the current economic environment, including fuel and industry labor rates even at smaller carriers.
Add in that the new pilot training requirements will substantially cut the supply of regional carrier pilots and there were going to be cuts someplace.
IN true economic theory, the less efficient use of scarce resources gets cut first and that is exactly what has happened with CVG and MEM RJ flying.
CVG has been whining about wanting to have a low fare carrier to come in and yet none of them have stepped forward. Apparently the thought of trying to build a hub and compete for the local market against DL even in an abandoned hub is more than any low cost carrier is willing to take.
Spare us the drama about making tough family decisions and reduce the equation down to “at NW, we had the right to bump an existing employee out of their existing job and create a cascade of job cuts.”
At Delta, you don’t have that right and likely never will because largely companies that have restrictive labor contracts have such inhumane and costly policies.
DL gives you a list of cities where you could MOVE and you might also be able to move into another department of the company based on your own training. (psss, Kev – you probably would have to demonstrate that you have ALREADY done a customer facing customer contact position to be considered eligible for positions in that area of the company… if you really wanted to have more options in the event of ramp cutbacks, YESTERDAY would probably have been a good day to express interest in a 125 position when one becomes available).
You can carry on for days and pages about how unjust and inhumane DL is, but the simple fact is that your colleagues decided that it wasn’t worth bringing in a union to have a contract written on the equivalent of toilet paper which the company could use to wipe themselves with and then flush down to the toilet- just as has happened with every other CBA in the legacy carrier segment of the industry. If you want to write, work on your shopping list and include presents for your coworkers and neighbors. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard finding a church or agency that works in inner city America that could use your gifts to help those much less fortunate.
Or if you feel terribly compassionate for your fellow workers, you might want to fill out on an authorization for a payroll deduction to support United Way or one of the several Delta employee sponsored charities.
BTW, how much do you two give to IRS recognized charity causes (BTW union dues are not considered charity even if they are a gift for which you have nothing to show)?
But above all also please don’t tell us how focused you are on compassion for others while trotting out the Visine bottle again, esp. after acting so enraged at the thought that perhaps DL should have used a little in your cities.
It was offensive the first time you used it and it is still offensive. People’s jobs – even if they are largely if not entirely DCI and DGS employees are on the line. Making a joke about anyone’s job cuts is disgraceful.
But you surely should not be surprised if “an eye for an eye” or a little Karma becomes the operative use of the Visine bottle instead of “do unto (and think about) others as you would have them do until you”
