Carl Spackler

To avoid very large profit sharing payouts to pilots and other non-Union Delta employees. It's a 3-way win for them:

1. They get us to self fund our gains
2. They pay out far less to pilots given 2015's large profit forecast
3. They pay out far less to non-Union employees because they can do so at their whim and use the pilots' reductions as justification

That's the rush here.

Carl

Scooter432

Sure and I agree with this, but I think there is probably more in the background that will be a bad deal for the group.

scambo1

I think that is the concern of many. This is especially true for the folks who have been around long enough to see the playbook used before. As the letter said, the battle plan doesn't survive first contact...except for the post TA battle plan sales job cram down. Then it is never strayed from.

As a new guy, your threat view is different from mine and mine is different from Timbo's. I am really, really concerned about a top end scope cave. China Eastern is going to get written in somehow. Recall we recently and dramatically gave up significant NRT flying protections for a (IMO) lesser pacific flying floor. Seattle is capacity maxed for now. Everyone on the planet but us can figure out how to make money with 777s. Big airplanes vacume everyone up to a higher paying seat.

I am in the camp that believes a TA is shortly forthcoming. I expect it to be meh...just been at the dance long enough...I'm not a marine, the fat chick is not a win.

Carl Spackler

There is something huge...it's just false. I'm certain management is filling our guys' heads in closed session with new jets and massive growth...but it has to be done NOW, NOW, NOW!! And the only thing we're asking for is a reduction in your profit sharing.

The reality: Other promises never materialize and profit sharing reductions stay. Union responds by saying profit sharing was "at risk" anyway.

Carl

forgot to bid

I think the PS sharing checks are just that big of a concern and concentration and a desire to get relief on scope. I don't think anything else is necessary.

forgot to bid

The only way you can sell a loss in W2 pay is to say you transferred at risk pay to guaranteed pay.

Sure nobody knows the future but I think it's safe to assume if we're not in an economy where we are having profits we will inevitably be in an economy we're we are asked to provide concessions.

So the end result is trading at risk pay for guaranteed pay amounts to taking less W2 whether the economy is good or bad.

Carl Spackler

Exactamundo.

Carl

Gunfighter

Two thoughts immediately sprang to mind when reading the Council 16 letter.

1) A battle plan crafted by Generals who know what they are doing survives first contact with the enemy. It sets the direction for the battle and with minor adjustments, leads to overwhelming victory. I want a different group of generals crafting my battle plans.

2) WE are MIKE TYSON in this ring, grow a pair and act like it.

Scooter432

As much as I'd like to believe this I think we are getting setup for disappointment.

Scambo,
As a new guy I'm equally concerned and alarmed by all these JV deals. I came from another legacy with 3x the 777s alone. I would hope we could reverse the trend of selling out the wide body flying. What's the latest with the grievance anyhow? Silent so far..?

Timbo

But when you go into battle completely unprepared for war, any 'battle plan' you think you have isn't going to survive first contact. The MEC didn't train up the troops for war, hell, they didn't even hold an enlistment drive. This is the best 'battlefield' we have ever seen, and the MEC shows up armed with a white flag.

Why has the MEC NEVER added up all the Billions of dollars this pilot group's concessions has added to Delta's bottom line since LOA 46, 51 and DB plan elimination?

Why has the MEC never spun up the Family Awareness Network, to educate and motivate this pilot group to DEMAND Restoration?

This industry has finally pulled out of the downward spiral it entered back in 1978 with Deregulation, through consolidation and capacity discipline, what was 8 major airlines is now 4, and all of them have figured out that undercutting each other is just plain stupid.

The industry is now making record earnings, with more to come, some of those 'earnings' are a direct result of our bankruptcy concessions.

Yet not a peep out of our MEC about restoring us to pre-bankruptcy pay/benefit levels.

Why do we even waste time with those surveys if;

1. the MEC is going to ignore them and claim they were unrealistic

2. We will never see what it was the pilot group actually wanted

Once again, Richard is going to get us to fund any pay raises with profit sharing exchanges.

Another Cost Neutral contact on the way.

ME Black swans on the horizon.

Got's to get into China

Just give them some JV relief and they'll buy us more little airplanes to fly!

Woo Hoo!

Oh, and the Rush?

Richard wants to be able to announce a TA at the June BOD meeting.

SSDD. C2012 all over again.