This one actually flew over our radar earlier in the week, but with so much happening in the industry I forgot. Until a reader reminded me.
Would someone please explain to me why it is that Delta Air Lines pilots have been granted permits to picket at Northwest Airlines hub airports from today through April 24? Are they going to be picketing the pilots at Northwest? The airline? What in the world is this all about?
“They won’t play with us. We’re mad.” I can see the signs now. “Make them merge!”
Then again, I thought it was the Delta pilots who were the fly in the ointment to begin with when both pilot groups couldn’t come to terms on a new seniority agreement.
This has to be one of the goofiest damn things I’ve ever heard.
I wondered yesterday was Delta Air Lines’ MEC Chairman Lee Moak had been up to lately. I guess I know.
Or, as one of our pilot friends wrote us when he reminded us of the news, “Ya gotta admit — your 50” Plasma TV with surround sound doesn’t get any more
entertaining then the airline business on your 19 inch monitor.”
He’s right. Especially this week.
Technorati Tags: airline mergers, airline unions, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines
The Delta pilots have made it clear from day one they do not want a merger under any circumstances other than one that lets them carry on their careers as if the merger never happens. As the youngest pilot group in the industry they will have a real hard problem doing that in any merger, but the Northwest deal would be best as Northwest has the oldest pilots in the industry who will retire soon. The newly elected Atlanta Captain rep was almost recalled from office for initially supporting the merger but now has changed his position to keep his job. The Northwest pilots offered to go to arbitration long before it ever got in the press, but the Delta pilots refused knowing any arbitrator would laugh at their seniority proposal. No doubt they had plans to leave ALPA like the USAir east pilots did if they didn’t get their way, but with the new law requiring seniority arbitration in the event of any airline merger regardless of union affiliation, which was originally targeted against American Airlines, that dog won’t hunt, even if they withold all their dues money. So the only way to continue to realize their career expections is to block any merger with anyone.
Ron Henning