Delta Continues to Call Police to Intimidate Delta Workers, Organizers
On Friday, Oct. 6, an IAM organizer and former Delta cargo worker was peacefully distributing union literature outside the gate to the World Lot. At 1:33 p.m., Michael Howard called the College Park Police from the Delta SOC. He requested that the police go to the World Lot gate to check up on what the former Delta worker was doing. He admits that the individual is not trespassing, behaving erratically or illegally. He just wants them to go down there.
At 1:41 (information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act), the police arrived at the World Lot. Several minutes later they left, having found no problem and that the individual was peaceful and within the law. We already know that Delta managers have been instructed to call the police anytime they see a union organizer. This harkens back to the days of the civil rights movement when police were regularly used to harass civil rights activists, even when no laws were being broken. Shame on you, Delta. So much for your commitment to equal justice. The IAM will be following up with possible legal action as well as going to the College Park City Council to ask that taxpayer money not be wasted on Delta harassment.
Family?
Remember that when a company says “we are one big family,” it is a manipulation tactic they say that so it looks like we all took cuts together for the company knowing you would do anything for your family!!! But when the company is extremely profitable that saying has no meaning to them. You are not family and there is no need to show loyalty to you.
What we are getting after one of the most profitable quarters is micro managers who are cutting our overtime. They want to work us short to save money, forcing senior agents to go part time for premium weekend lines, showing favoritism, giving special assignments to the favorites! Having constant broken equipment or equipment shortages. They did say a raise will be coming, but I’m sure what they won’t tell you is higher medical premiums and deductibles are coming. And remember the unionized pilots got an 18% raise in the first year. I don’t know what it’s going to take for those who are on the fence to see what they are doing and want a union like the rest of us!!!
Lessons Learned
For many employees, this is the first union drive you’ve experienced. For others, we’ve been through a few including a union representation election at the Northwest/Delta merger. Leading up to the completion of the merger and representation vote, Delta threw carrots hoping to dissuade employees from voting for union representation. One of the carrots included a 9.4% pay raise just two short months before the election. Delta’s anti-union tactics turned out successful and union representation was voted down.
Then, no later than the balloons were put away, the food consumed, and the parties were over, Delta took the liberty of making some changes. These changes didn’t merit balloons and celebrations. These were payscale adjustments that were detrimental to newer employees. After the loss of the election, Delta implemented a new “B” payscale reducing pay by $1.70 an hour at the four year mark of the pay progression. At the fifth year of pay progression, the scale was reduced by $4.46 an hour! That was a $9,276 per year reduction for the newer employees. Times weren’t even tough for Delta. There was absolutely no justification for this new and lower scale. Just a desire to make money for Delta Corporate’s bosses at Wall Street hedge funds. So what were the lessons learned? We’ve learned the more cards we get signed (the closer we get to an election), the more Delta opens their wallet. We also found out once Delta throws money in our direction, we need to lock it in with a union contract. Please share this information with our co-workers in the break rooms. Politely ask them to sign a union authorization card and let’s push this drive to an election. If you need a stack of cards, fill out your information at iamdelta.net/acard and note that you would like to get more involved in the campaign. We will be happy to get you set up!
Bump Caps
I’m seasonal and am at PHX. Back to work this week and temps were still a bit roasty. I don’t understand how you all didn’t mutiny with these bump caps. Felt like my brain was melting. Or am I the only one with a melty brain?
Polar Opposites
Below are polar opposite approaches to employee relations. Read them, then decide which you prefer.
Delta Human Resources Manual:
“This section of Delta’s Human Resources Manual sets forth the terms and conditions of employment. Delta reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions of employment at any time for any reason. Just as all personnel have the right to resign their employment with Delta at any time and for any reason they choose, Delta may terminate the employment relationship with any employee at any time for any reason.”
— VS —
IAM Contractual Language Between Workers and their Airline:
“The purpose of this agreement is, in the mutual interest of the Company and of the employees, to provide for the operation of the services of the Company under methods which will further to the fullest extent possible the safety of air transportation, the efficiency of operation and the continuity of employment under conditions of reasonable hours, proper compensation and reasonable working conditions. For the advancement of this purpose, the Company and the Union agree to cooperate fully, both individually and collectively.”
Did You Know?
Every IAM union contract in the airline industry provides for OJI pay, or On The Job Injury Pay. At United, for example, workers accrue one day of pay for every month they work or 12 days per year if you work the entire year. This is full pay from the first day of your on the job injury. If you can’t work for four weeks because of an injury, you would get 20 days of pay if you worked at the airline for two years (24 days of accruals). You don’t have to use your PPT or sick time to get paid. Many of us at Delta work injured because we can’t afford to miss any pay. With OJI pay, you never have to worry about that.
LAX Donuts
Union supporters recently brought boxes of donuts into work and put them out on the break room table. Taped inside the top of the donut box were union cards. When an OSM came into the break room, he saw the donuts and the union cards. His reaction? Rip the top of the donut boxes off and bring them into his office. Workers in the break room actually got a good laugh out of his pettiness.