A newspaper's summation of DAL/NWA
04-20-2008, 08:37 AM
#1
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Joined APC: Apr 2008
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A newspaper's summation of DAL/NWA
This is a post from the Majors thread on APC. I think the article is worth reading.
Carl
No horse for me in this issue, but as an ex-ALPA member I am saddened by this as I see some similarities with the USAir merger problems.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Union chief Lee Moak had key merger role
By TAMMY JOYNER, MATT KEMPNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/20/08
At an employees event that was more celebration than meeting last week, Delta's top officers heaped praise on an unlikely ally of management.
Pilots union boss Lee Moak, an ex-Marine fighter pilot, strode to the podium dressed in a crisp airline captain's uniform and unabashedly soaked up the applause.
Delta executives credit Moak and his lieutenants in the Delta pilots union with salvaging a foundering merger deal and driving forward creation of the world's biggest airline. They expect to rely on him to help sell politicians and regulators on the $17.7 billion deal.
Moak, who turns 51 today, charted what industry observers call an unprecedented strategy for airline labor. But detractors say it betrayed fellow union pilots at Northwest.
Rather than waiting for management to fashion a deal and then present it for union approval, Moak's team seized an influential role early on.
First, top executives of both airlines waited for Moak's team to work out an agreement with Northwest pilots on seniority matters that control pay, routes and other working conditions. When that approach failed, Moak cut a new labor deal directly with Delta. That allowed the merger to be announced last week but stranded Northwest pilots on the sidelines.
Ed Bastian, Delta's president who has worked closely with Moak, lauded the union chief's initiative.
It "takes courage and it's a lot of risk," Bastian said, noting that the turning point came in the past two weeks when the Delta pilot leadership "stepped up and said they were willing to do a deal" on their own. "Had they not expressed a willingness to do that, it would have caused us real pause as to whether we should proceed," Bastian said.
Moak's strategy came at a price. He enraged Northwest pilots, who felt he undercut them when Delta pilots made their own deal with management. Right now, Delta pilots will get a 3.5 percent equity stake in the new airline. Northwest pilots have no agreement and no equity.
Shortly after the merger announcement last week, the head of the Northwest pilots union called Moak's actions "very unfortunate." Both groups are part of the Air Line Pilots Association.
David Stevens, the chairman of Northwest's pilot group, declined to comment for this story. But in a recent letter to members, he wrote, "The Delta pilot leadership and Delta management have made an arrangement to try to disadvantage the Northwest pilots economically and with respect to our seniority."
He added that "no amount of money can sustain a carrier which creates this level of discord. This is a recipe for failure."
With such bad blood, Moak faces another challenge. Can his team fashion peace with its detractors and avoid protracted ill will among Northwest pilots that could torpedo the merger's promise?
"If he can do that, he's Superman," said Ted Reed, a veteran aviation reporter in Charlotte who covers the industry for TheStreet.com.
Moak predicted, "Northwest pilots will be on board shortly. It's a temporary problem and we'll work through it together."
Planning ahead
Moak assumed the pilot group's top job in a closely contested race just as Delta headed into bankruptcy in 2005. A tough-talking Moak defiantly pronounced to his fellow pilots: "We will not be victims."
Before long, though, Delta dumped its pilot pension plan — forcing a takeover by a federal agency. Moak accused Delta management of "bullying tactics" but eventually agreed to additional pay cuts, though less than what the company had asked for a judge to impose.
Moak searched for ways for the pilots to control their own future.
The union and other employees teamed up with management to help crush US Airways' attempted hostile takeover of the airline. But all along, Moak's team prepared for consolidation. His group raised $1 million to analyze the prospects for mergers. The union quietly hired merger and acquisition lawyers.
"What we decided to do is prepare and become a driver or partner" in the event of a merger they could back, Moak said last week. "Everyone would prefer standalone. But economics today do not allow that."
"We talked to everybody we could find who owned Delta stock and said that we would be involved in any process that involved Delta," he said.
In recent weeks, Moak grew more resolved as he watched oil top $110 a barrel and several smaller airlines fail or file for bankruptcy.
"Time was running out," he said. "That was the catalyst for moving things forward."
Moak's strategy is rare for a union leader, said Les Hough, a labor relations expert.
"It's unprecedented" for a union leader to cut a deal with management that leaves out members of the same union, said Hough, the former director of Georgia State University's Usery Center for the Workplace. And it's unusual for union leaders to have such an influential role in shaping a merger, he said. Generally, they oppose combinations because of the job losses that ensue.
The closest situation Hough said he could recall was in the 1970s, when United Auto Workers chief Doug Fraser worked in tandem with Chrysler executives to save the auto maker during a recession and soaring oil prices.
"Fraser was accused at the time of being in bed with management," Hough said. "As it turns out, it turned out very well for Chrysler. There's a case to be made for extraordinary actions such as Moak is taking."
Moak makes no apologies for his decisions.
"We didn't sit back on the sideline and whine, which is what I see in many businesses and industries," he said. "We're ahead of it. We were productive. We helped craft the final product."
That philosophy is the underpinning of the way he operates.
"He can't stand to let things go undone," said FedEx pilot Brady Muth, a hunting buddy who served in the U.S. Naval Reserves with Moak.
"He's the kind of guy who thinks if you want it done right, you do it yourself," Muth said.
What some see as decisive, others view as autocratic.
"There is an arrogance and condescending attitude toward the pilots group," said Mike Stark, a Delta captain in Marietta who helped lead a recent unsuccessful campaign to oust union leaders.
Stark said Moak's style is, " 'We know better. When we think you need to know something we will let you know what it is.' "
Moak has been criticized by some pilots for keeping them in the dark at key moments. At the same time, Stark said, Moak failed to get pilots enough pay and benefits from Delta executives. "A lot of us have observed what we feel is a too cozy relationship with Delta management."
Stark said Moak and his team have gone to social events with Delta bosses, including president Bastian's birthday party last year. Many labor leaders would eschew such events, viewing it as inappropriate for people in their position.
Moak dismisses such complaints.
The union group, which represents 6,000 Delta pilots, helped craft a merger that gives employees and the company "a substantially viable future," he said. "If that's what they want to call 'chummy,' that's what it is. Bottom line, look at the results and what we've achieved for everyone."
The role of union leader isn't particularly rewarding, said Reed of TheStreet.com. "It's a horrible time for airlines. He decided this was the best way to do what he can for his members."
The job follows Moak everywhere, whether at his home in New Orleans, on routes to Europe he still flies for Delta or during what's supposed to be his down time.
Muth remembered being in a duck hunting blind at
5:30 in the morning in Louisiana when Moak's union cell phone went off.
"He can never get away from it," Muth said.
Carl
No horse for me in this issue, but as an ex-ALPA member I am saddened by this as I see some similarities with the USAir merger problems.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Union chief Lee Moak had key merger role
By TAMMY JOYNER, MATT KEMPNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/20/08
At an employees event that was more celebration than meeting last week, Delta's top officers heaped praise on an unlikely ally of management.
Pilots union boss Lee Moak, an ex-Marine fighter pilot, strode to the podium dressed in a crisp airline captain's uniform and unabashedly soaked up the applause.
Delta executives credit Moak and his lieutenants in the Delta pilots union with salvaging a foundering merger deal and driving forward creation of the world's biggest airline. They expect to rely on him to help sell politicians and regulators on the $17.7 billion deal.
Moak, who turns 51 today, charted what industry observers call an unprecedented strategy for airline labor. But detractors say it betrayed fellow union pilots at Northwest.
Rather than waiting for management to fashion a deal and then present it for union approval, Moak's team seized an influential role early on.
First, top executives of both airlines waited for Moak's team to work out an agreement with Northwest pilots on seniority matters that control pay, routes and other working conditions. When that approach failed, Moak cut a new labor deal directly with Delta. That allowed the merger to be announced last week but stranded Northwest pilots on the sidelines.
Ed Bastian, Delta's president who has worked closely with Moak, lauded the union chief's initiative.
It "takes courage and it's a lot of risk," Bastian said, noting that the turning point came in the past two weeks when the Delta pilot leadership "stepped up and said they were willing to do a deal" on their own. "Had they not expressed a willingness to do that, it would have caused us real pause as to whether we should proceed," Bastian said.
Moak's strategy came at a price. He enraged Northwest pilots, who felt he undercut them when Delta pilots made their own deal with management. Right now, Delta pilots will get a 3.5 percent equity stake in the new airline. Northwest pilots have no agreement and no equity.
Shortly after the merger announcement last week, the head of the Northwest pilots union called Moak's actions "very unfortunate." Both groups are part of the Air Line Pilots Association.
David Stevens, the chairman of Northwest's pilot group, declined to comment for this story. But in a recent letter to members, he wrote, "The Delta pilot leadership and Delta management have made an arrangement to try to disadvantage the Northwest pilots economically and with respect to our seniority."
He added that "no amount of money can sustain a carrier which creates this level of discord. This is a recipe for failure."
With such bad blood, Moak faces another challenge. Can his team fashion peace with its detractors and avoid protracted ill will among Northwest pilots that could torpedo the merger's promise?
"If he can do that, he's Superman," said Ted Reed, a veteran aviation reporter in Charlotte who covers the industry for TheStreet.com.
Moak predicted, "Northwest pilots will be on board shortly. It's a temporary problem and we'll work through it together."
Planning ahead
Moak assumed the pilot group's top job in a closely contested race just as Delta headed into bankruptcy in 2005. A tough-talking Moak defiantly pronounced to his fellow pilots: "We will not be victims."
Before long, though, Delta dumped its pilot pension plan — forcing a takeover by a federal agency. Moak accused Delta management of "bullying tactics" but eventually agreed to additional pay cuts, though less than what the company had asked for a judge to impose.
Moak searched for ways for the pilots to control their own future.
The union and other employees teamed up with management to help crush US Airways' attempted hostile takeover of the airline. But all along, Moak's team prepared for consolidation. His group raised $1 million to analyze the prospects for mergers. The union quietly hired merger and acquisition lawyers.
"What we decided to do is prepare and become a driver or partner" in the event of a merger they could back, Moak said last week. "Everyone would prefer standalone. But economics today do not allow that."
"We talked to everybody we could find who owned Delta stock and said that we would be involved in any process that involved Delta," he said.
In recent weeks, Moak grew more resolved as he watched oil top $110 a barrel and several smaller airlines fail or file for bankruptcy.
"Time was running out," he said. "That was the catalyst for moving things forward."
Moak's strategy is rare for a union leader, said Les Hough, a labor relations expert.
"It's unprecedented" for a union leader to cut a deal with management that leaves out members of the same union, said Hough, the former director of Georgia State University's Usery Center for the Workplace. And it's unusual for union leaders to have such an influential role in shaping a merger, he said. Generally, they oppose combinations because of the job losses that ensue.
The closest situation Hough said he could recall was in the 1970s, when United Auto Workers chief Doug Fraser worked in tandem with Chrysler executives to save the auto maker during a recession and soaring oil prices.
"Fraser was accused at the time of being in bed with management," Hough said. "As it turns out, it turned out very well for Chrysler. There's a case to be made for extraordinary actions such as Moak is taking."
Moak makes no apologies for his decisions.
"We didn't sit back on the sideline and whine, which is what I see in many businesses and industries," he said. "We're ahead of it. We were productive. We helped craft the final product."
That philosophy is the underpinning of the way he operates.
"He can't stand to let things go undone," said FedEx pilot Brady Muth, a hunting buddy who served in the U.S. Naval Reserves with Moak.
"He's the kind of guy who thinks if you want it done right, you do it yourself," Muth said.
What some see as decisive, others view as autocratic.
"There is an arrogance and condescending attitude toward the pilots group," said Mike Stark, a Delta captain in Marietta who helped lead a recent unsuccessful campaign to oust union leaders.
Stark said Moak's style is, " 'We know better. When we think you need to know something we will let you know what it is.' "
Moak has been criticized by some pilots for keeping them in the dark at key moments. At the same time, Stark said, Moak failed to get pilots enough pay and benefits from Delta executives. "A lot of us have observed what we feel is a too cozy relationship with Delta management."
Stark said Moak and his team have gone to social events with Delta bosses, including president Bastian's birthday party last year. Many labor leaders would eschew such events, viewing it as inappropriate for people in their position.
Moak dismisses such complaints.
The union group, which represents 6,000 Delta pilots, helped craft a merger that gives employees and the company "a substantially viable future," he said. "If that's what they want to call 'chummy,' that's what it is. Bottom line, look at the results and what we've achieved for everyone."
The role of union leader isn't particularly rewarding, said Reed of TheStreet.com. "It's a horrible time for airlines. He decided this was the best way to do what he can for his members."
The job follows Moak everywhere, whether at his home in New Orleans, on routes to Europe he still flies for Delta or during what's supposed to be his down time.
Muth remembered being in a duck hunting blind at
5:30 in the morning in Louisiana when Moak's union cell phone went off.
"He can never get away from it," Muth said.
04-20-2008, 09:19 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: 757/767
Posts: 890
This is a post from the Majors thread on APC. I think the article is worth reading.
Carl
No horse for me in this issue, but as an ex-ALPA member I am saddened by this as I see some similarities with the USAir merger problems.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Union chief Lee Moak had key merger role
By TAMMY JOYNER, MATT KEMPNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/20/08
At an employees event that was more celebration than meeting last week, Delta's top officers heaped praise on an unlikely ally of management.
Pilots union boss Lee Moak, an ex-Marine fighter pilot, strode to the podium dressed in a crisp airline captain's uniform and unabashedly soaked up the applause.
Delta executives credit Moak and his lieutenants in the Delta pilots union with salvaging a foundering merger deal and driving forward creation of the world's biggest airline. They expect to rely on him to help sell politicians and regulators on the $17.7 billion deal.
Moak, who turns 51 today, charted what industry observers call an unprecedented strategy for airline labor. But detractors say it betrayed fellow union pilots at Northwest.
Rather than waiting for management to fashion a deal and then present it for union approval, Moak's team seized an influential role early on.
First, top executives of both airlines waited for Moak's team to work out an agreement with Northwest pilots on seniority matters that control pay, routes and other working conditions. When that approach failed, Moak cut a new labor deal directly with Delta. That allowed the merger to be announced last week but stranded Northwest pilots on the sidelines.
Ed Bastian, Delta's president who has worked closely with Moak, lauded the union chief's initiative.
It "takes courage and it's a lot of risk," Bastian said, noting that the turning point came in the past two weeks when the Delta pilot leadership "stepped up and said they were willing to do a deal" on their own. "Had they not expressed a willingness to do that, it would have caused us real pause as to whether we should proceed," Bastian said.
Moak's strategy came at a price. He enraged Northwest pilots, who felt he undercut them when Delta pilots made their own deal with management. Right now, Delta pilots will get a 3.5 percent equity stake in the new airline. Northwest pilots have no agreement and no equity.
Shortly after the merger announcement last week, the head of the Northwest pilots union called Moak's actions "very unfortunate." Both groups are part of the Air Line Pilots Association.
David Stevens, the chairman of Northwest's pilot group, declined to comment for this story. But in a recent letter to members, he wrote, "The Delta pilot leadership and Delta management have made an arrangement to try to disadvantage the Northwest pilots economically and with respect to our seniority."
He added that "no amount of money can sustain a carrier which creates this level of discord. This is a recipe for failure."
With such bad blood, Moak faces another challenge. Can his team fashion peace with its detractors and avoid protracted ill will among Northwest pilots that could torpedo the merger's promise?
"If he can do that, he's Superman," said Ted Reed, a veteran aviation reporter in Charlotte who covers the industry for TheStreet.com.
Moak predicted, "Northwest pilots will be on board shortly. It's a temporary problem and we'll work through it together."
Planning ahead
Moak assumed the pilot group's top job in a closely contested race just as Delta headed into bankruptcy in 2005. A tough-talking Moak defiantly pronounced to his fellow pilots: "We will not be victims."
Before long, though, Delta dumped its pilot pension plan — forcing a takeover by a federal agency. Moak accused Delta management of "bullying tactics" but eventually agreed to additional pay cuts, though less than what the company had asked for a judge to impose.
Moak searched for ways for the pilots to control their own future.
The union and other employees teamed up with management to help crush US Airways' attempted hostile takeover of the airline. But all along, Moak's team prepared for consolidation. His group raised $1 million to analyze the prospects for mergers. The union quietly hired merger and acquisition lawyers.
"What we decided to do is prepare and become a driver or partner" in the event of a merger they could back, Moak said last week. "Everyone would prefer standalone. But economics today do not allow that."
"We talked to everybody we could find who owned Delta stock and said that we would be involved in any process that involved Delta," he said.
In recent weeks, Moak grew more resolved as he watched oil top $110 a barrel and several smaller airlines fail or file for bankruptcy.
"Time was running out," he said. "That was the catalyst for moving things forward."
Moak's strategy is rare for a union leader, said Les Hough, a labor relations expert.
"It's unprecedented" for a union leader to cut a deal with management that leaves out members of the same union, said Hough, the former director of Georgia State University's Usery Center for the Workplace. And it's unusual for union leaders to have such an influential role in shaping a merger, he said. Generally, they oppose combinations because of the job losses that ensue.
The closest situation Hough said he could recall was in the 1970s, when United Auto Workers chief Doug Fraser worked in tandem with Chrysler executives to save the auto maker during a recession and soaring oil prices.
"Fraser was accused at the time of being in bed with management," Hough said. "As it turns out, it turned out very well for Chrysler. There's a case to be made for extraordinary actions such as Moak is taking."
Moak makes no apologies for his decisions.
"We didn't sit back on the sideline and whine, which is what I see in many businesses and industries," he said. "We're ahead of it. We were productive. We helped craft the final product."
That philosophy is the underpinning of the way he operates.
"He can't stand to let things go undone," said FedEx pilot Brady Muth, a hunting buddy who served in the U.S. Naval Reserves with Moak.
"He's the kind of guy who thinks if you want it done right, you do it yourself," Muth said.
What some see as decisive, others view as autocratic.
"There is an arrogance and condescending attitude toward the pilots group," said Mike Stark, a Delta captain in Marietta who helped lead a recent unsuccessful campaign to oust union leaders.
Stark said Moak's style is, " 'We know better. When we think you need to know something we will let you know what it is.' "
Moak has been criticized by some pilots for keeping them in the dark at key moments. At the same time, Stark said, Moak failed to get pilots enough pay and benefits from Delta executives. "A lot of us have observed what we feel is a too cozy relationship with Delta management."
Stark said Moak and his team have gone to social events with Delta bosses, including president Bastian's birthday party last year. Many labor leaders would eschew such events, viewing it as inappropriate for people in their position.
Moak dismisses such complaints.
The union group, which represents 6,000 Delta pilots, helped craft a merger that gives employees and the company "a substantially viable future," he said. "If that's what they want to call 'chummy,' that's what it is. Bottom line, look at the results and what we've achieved for everyone."
The role of union leader isn't particularly rewarding, said Reed of TheStreet.com. "It's a horrible time for airlines. He decided this was the best way to do what he can for his members."
The job follows Moak everywhere, whether at his home in New Orleans, on routes to Europe he still flies for Delta or during what's supposed to be his down time.
Muth remembered being in a duck hunting blind at
5:30 in the morning in Louisiana when Moak's union cell phone went off.
"He can never get away from it," Muth said.
Carl
No horse for me in this issue, but as an ex-ALPA member I am saddened by this as I see some similarities with the USAir merger problems.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Union chief Lee Moak had key merger role
By TAMMY JOYNER, MATT KEMPNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/20/08
At an employees event that was more celebration than meeting last week, Delta's top officers heaped praise on an unlikely ally of management.
Pilots union boss Lee Moak, an ex-Marine fighter pilot, strode to the podium dressed in a crisp airline captain's uniform and unabashedly soaked up the applause.
Delta executives credit Moak and his lieutenants in the Delta pilots union with salvaging a foundering merger deal and driving forward creation of the world's biggest airline. They expect to rely on him to help sell politicians and regulators on the $17.7 billion deal.
Moak, who turns 51 today, charted what industry observers call an unprecedented strategy for airline labor. But detractors say it betrayed fellow union pilots at Northwest.
Rather than waiting for management to fashion a deal and then present it for union approval, Moak's team seized an influential role early on.
First, top executives of both airlines waited for Moak's team to work out an agreement with Northwest pilots on seniority matters that control pay, routes and other working conditions. When that approach failed, Moak cut a new labor deal directly with Delta. That allowed the merger to be announced last week but stranded Northwest pilots on the sidelines.
Ed Bastian, Delta's president who has worked closely with Moak, lauded the union chief's initiative.
It "takes courage and it's a lot of risk," Bastian said, noting that the turning point came in the past two weeks when the Delta pilot leadership "stepped up and said they were willing to do a deal" on their own. "Had they not expressed a willingness to do that, it would have caused us real pause as to whether we should proceed," Bastian said.
Moak's strategy came at a price. He enraged Northwest pilots, who felt he undercut them when Delta pilots made their own deal with management. Right now, Delta pilots will get a 3.5 percent equity stake in the new airline. Northwest pilots have no agreement and no equity.
Shortly after the merger announcement last week, the head of the Northwest pilots union called Moak's actions "very unfortunate." Both groups are part of the Air Line Pilots Association.
David Stevens, the chairman of Northwest's pilot group, declined to comment for this story. But in a recent letter to members, he wrote, "The Delta pilot leadership and Delta management have made an arrangement to try to disadvantage the Northwest pilots economically and with respect to our seniority."
He added that "no amount of money can sustain a carrier which creates this level of discord. This is a recipe for failure."
With such bad blood, Moak faces another challenge. Can his team fashion peace with its detractors and avoid protracted ill will among Northwest pilots that could torpedo the merger's promise?
"If he can do that, he's Superman," said Ted Reed, a veteran aviation reporter in Charlotte who covers the industry for TheStreet.com.
Moak predicted, "Northwest pilots will be on board shortly. It's a temporary problem and we'll work through it together."
Planning ahead
Moak assumed the pilot group's top job in a closely contested race just as Delta headed into bankruptcy in 2005. A tough-talking Moak defiantly pronounced to his fellow pilots: "We will not be victims."
Before long, though, Delta dumped its pilot pension plan — forcing a takeover by a federal agency. Moak accused Delta management of "bullying tactics" but eventually agreed to additional pay cuts, though less than what the company had asked for a judge to impose.
Moak searched for ways for the pilots to control their own future.
The union and other employees teamed up with management to help crush US Airways' attempted hostile takeover of the airline. But all along, Moak's team prepared for consolidation. His group raised $1 million to analyze the prospects for mergers. The union quietly hired merger and acquisition lawyers.
"What we decided to do is prepare and become a driver or partner" in the event of a merger they could back, Moak said last week. "Everyone would prefer standalone. But economics today do not allow that."
"We talked to everybody we could find who owned Delta stock and said that we would be involved in any process that involved Delta," he said.
In recent weeks, Moak grew more resolved as he watched oil top $110 a barrel and several smaller airlines fail or file for bankruptcy.
"Time was running out," he said. "That was the catalyst for moving things forward."
Moak's strategy is rare for a union leader, said Les Hough, a labor relations expert.
"It's unprecedented" for a union leader to cut a deal with management that leaves out members of the same union, said Hough, the former director of Georgia State University's Usery Center for the Workplace. And it's unusual for union leaders to have such an influential role in shaping a merger, he said. Generally, they oppose combinations because of the job losses that ensue.
The closest situation Hough said he could recall was in the 1970s, when United Auto Workers chief Doug Fraser worked in tandem with Chrysler executives to save the auto maker during a recession and soaring oil prices.
"Fraser was accused at the time of being in bed with management," Hough said. "As it turns out, it turned out very well for Chrysler. There's a case to be made for extraordinary actions such as Moak is taking."
Moak makes no apologies for his decisions.
"We didn't sit back on the sideline and whine, which is what I see in many businesses and industries," he said. "We're ahead of it. We were productive. We helped craft the final product."
That philosophy is the underpinning of the way he operates.
"He can't stand to let things go undone," said FedEx pilot Brady Muth, a hunting buddy who served in the U.S. Naval Reserves with Moak.
"He's the kind of guy who thinks if you want it done right, you do it yourself," Muth said.
What some see as decisive, others view as autocratic.
"There is an arrogance and condescending attitude toward the pilots group," said Mike Stark, a Delta captain in Marietta who helped lead a recent unsuccessful campaign to oust union leaders.
Stark said Moak's style is, " 'We know better. When we think you need to know something we will let you know what it is.' "
Moak has been criticized by some pilots for keeping them in the dark at key moments. At the same time, Stark said, Moak failed to get pilots enough pay and benefits from Delta executives. "A lot of us have observed what we feel is a too cozy relationship with Delta management."
Stark said Moak and his team have gone to social events with Delta bosses, including president Bastian's birthday party last year. Many labor leaders would eschew such events, viewing it as inappropriate for people in their position.
Moak dismisses such complaints.
The union group, which represents 6,000 Delta pilots, helped craft a merger that gives employees and the company "a substantially viable future," he said. "If that's what they want to call 'chummy,' that's what it is. Bottom line, look at the results and what we've achieved for everyone."
The role of union leader isn't particularly rewarding, said Reed of TheStreet.com. "It's a horrible time for airlines. He decided this was the best way to do what he can for his members."
The job follows Moak everywhere, whether at his home in New Orleans, on routes to Europe he still flies for Delta or during what's supposed to be his down time.
Muth remembered being in a duck hunting blind at
5:30 in the morning in Louisiana when Moak's union cell phone went off.
"He can never get away from it," Muth said.
(the AJC worst of all) What makes you think they suddenly got it right and this article is 100% accurate and unbiased. Curious they knew where to find the pilot who led the recently failed recall effort. Methinks some sour grapes being fed to the press by a sore loser.Based solely on results, Moaks my man for now. Until I feel he's not best representing my interest, he can smoke Cubans with whomever he wants. Keep your enemies closer.
04-20-2008, 09:34 AM
#3
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Posts: 26
Based on results are we really ready to criticize someone who secured the first contract improvements of ANY legacy/network carrier since 9/11 2001 all while accusing him of suffering from acute starry eyed MBA envy. You are undoubtedly aware how well the media normally reports on aviation matters.(the AJC worst of all) What makes you think they suddenly got it right and this article is 100% accurate and unbiased. Curious they knew where to find the pilot who led the recently failed recall effort. Methinks some sour grapes being fed to the press by a sore loser.
Based solely on results, Moaks my man for now. Until I feel he's not best representing my interest, he can smoke Cubans with whomever he wants. Keep your enemies closer.
(the AJC worst of all) What makes you think they suddenly got it right and this article is 100% accurate and unbiased. Curious they knew where to find the pilot who led the recently failed recall effort. Methinks some sour grapes being fed to the press by a sore loser.Based solely on results, Moaks my man for now. Until I feel he's not best representing my interest, he can smoke Cubans with whomever he wants. Keep your enemies closer.
04-20-2008, 09:47 AM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,610
Delta and Northwest pilots should be so thankful of Lee Moak.
He set a major precedent in this industry. If you want to merge, consult the pilots FIRST. This will undoubtably be helpful for all future pilot groups when they are faced with a merger. With oil at $117/barrel, airline mergers are absolutely necessary to keep airlines aloft. Lots of airlines will need to merge in the next year in order to stay alive. So having this precedent set is a major step forward.
Next, he secured the first legacy carrier contract improvement since 9/11. 19% over 4 years. Not great, but better than nothing. Not to mention, the current Delta rates for Northwest aircraft that were negotiated are about 10% higher than the current Northwest rates (DC9/A320/747). And this is just a temporary contract as I understand it. Once Delta and Northwest formally merge, I believe they will both negotiate a joint contract. Since Delta has already set the precedent of these higher rates (20-30% higher than current rates), the joint contract rates can only be higher.
Mergers can have a lot of benefits for pilots. Compensation improvements and large equity stakes in a $17 billion dollar airline are huge sums of money. The extra job security provided by a much larger and much more competitive company cannot be put into words. The addition of new aircraft, new bases, new routes, and new layovers can help improve each pilots QOL.
Lee Moak did a lot of good for Delta and Northwest pilots. And he did a lot of good for all pilots with the precedents he set. Now APA has a lot better chance of getting their pre-9/11 wages (30.5% increase) now that Delta pilots got a 20% increase, and Northwest pilots got a 30% increase, not to mention the equity stake. I am very happy with Lee Moak. Keep up the great work.
He set a major precedent in this industry. If you want to merge, consult the pilots FIRST. This will undoubtably be helpful for all future pilot groups when they are faced with a merger. With oil at $117/barrel, airline mergers are absolutely necessary to keep airlines aloft. Lots of airlines will need to merge in the next year in order to stay alive. So having this precedent set is a major step forward.
Next, he secured the first legacy carrier contract improvement since 9/11. 19% over 4 years. Not great, but better than nothing. Not to mention, the current Delta rates for Northwest aircraft that were negotiated are about 10% higher than the current Northwest rates (DC9/A320/747). And this is just a temporary contract as I understand it. Once Delta and Northwest formally merge, I believe they will both negotiate a joint contract. Since Delta has already set the precedent of these higher rates (20-30% higher than current rates), the joint contract rates can only be higher.
Mergers can have a lot of benefits for pilots. Compensation improvements and large equity stakes in a $17 billion dollar airline are huge sums of money. The extra job security provided by a much larger and much more competitive company cannot be put into words. The addition of new aircraft, new bases, new routes, and new layovers can help improve each pilots QOL.
Lee Moak did a lot of good for Delta and Northwest pilots. And he did a lot of good for all pilots with the precedents he set. Now APA has a lot better chance of getting their pre-9/11 wages (30.5% increase) now that Delta pilots got a 20% increase, and Northwest pilots got a 30% increase, not to mention the equity stake. I am very happy with Lee Moak. Keep up the great work.
04-20-2008, 09:48 AM
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04-20-2008, 10:15 AM
#6
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Lee Moak did a lot of good for Delta and Northwest pilots. And he did a lot of good for all pilots with the precedents he set. Now APA has a lot better chance of getting their pre-9/11 wages (30.5% increase) now that Delta pilots got a 20% increase, and Northwest pilots got a 30% increase, not to mention the equity stake. I am very happy with Lee Moak. Keep up the great work.
Carl
04-23-2008, 11:06 AM
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The Delta LOA serves two purposes. First, it provides a guarantee of immediate returns for Delta's pilots only after the merger is complete in the event that NWALPA's negotiating committee stonewalls and drags out the SLI, which encourages them to be reasonable and not shoot for the moon out of the chute like they did last time, costing all of us a better and more immediate deal.
More importantly, however, it raises the bar from which our new joint contract will be negotiated, locking in the 30% pay raises for NWA's pilots and 20% raises for us as the floor from which we try to reach higher. If NWA and DAL's pilots can come to an agreement on SLI before DCC, which is DALPA's intent, there will be no unilateral pay raise for Delta's pilots, and NWA's group will see all of the same benefits and hopefully more.
Had Moak and the DALPA MEC not made this deal, the merger would've proceeded without our input, and the best we (and, by extension, you) could've hoped for as a launching point for joint contract negotiations would've been the current Delta rates--maybe even the current NWA rates for aircraft not presently on the Delta payscale. We'd still have the same seniority issues, without the admittedly modest improvements to our joint position.
I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Lee Moak has done more for the good of the NWA pilot group in the last 4 months than NWALPA, and as the facts of the first negotiations come to light and the rest of this scenario plays out, I am sure that will become increasingly clear. Delta's pilots want to treat everyone fairly for the benefit of us all, while positioning the company to weather the gathering storm created by peak oil, a credit crunch, and stagflation on the horizon, so we can all keep our jobs jobs and secure whatever gains that might be had in the future.
The 12,479 of us who won't be #1 on the combined list are all going to feel as if we gave up something in this transaction. I think, however, that as we watch what is about to be unleashed on this industry, we will, in hindsight, be extremely glad that the airline and this pilot group got out ahead of it. We'll be thankful for the gains that Moak and his lieutenants have secured for us and for the position that it's put us all in with respect to further contract negotiations and working together with the combined company to keep us all flying.
04-23-2008, 11:14 AM
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04-23-2008, 11:48 AM
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In all likelihood, Delta's pilots won't see a dime of that increase that isn't shared in kind with the former NWA pilots. It doesn't take affect until after the DCC, by which point the goal is to have negotiated a joint contract equal to or better than the deal worked out by DALPA.
The uncomfortable fact is that DALPA's LOA includes NWA in both scope changes and pay rates for NWA aircraft. Since they already bargained for us, they could have included both groups in the no furlough clause - but they didn't. They could have bargained for the new pay rates, but then escrowed any amounts received after the merger's closing for distribution to ALL pilots when the joint contract and SLI are complete - but they didn't. This in spite of the fact that after the merger closes, Captain Moak states that all 12000 plus of us will be DELTA pilots.
My suggestions are still possible with an amended LOA. It would be easy to do. Is anyone at DALPA listening?
Carl
04-23-2008, 11:55 AM
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Come on Carl, I guess you really believe this is a one sided, vacuum negotiated deal that is intended SOLELY for the benefit of the DAL pilots. Your posts have been thought provoking and even educational for those of us that don't know a whole lot about the NWA book thing, and I find it really hard to believe that you think this deal will exclude the NWA pilots when all is said and done. No offense intended in this, but I am looking forward to serving you a huge plate of crow
No offense taken, but I don't see why I would need to eat crow. I've not said that total exclusion and one-sided furloughs is definitely the strategy of DALPA. I've simply said that the LOA as currently structured ALLOWS for this to happen at the sole discretion of Delta Airlines management. It doesn't leave you with a very warm feeling to know what is POSSIBLE.
Carl
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