What's Really At Stake

From the Delta Board Council:

What’s at stake for Delta employees us in this fight?

Let’s be clear, it is US Airways, not Delta, that needs this merger. Delta people will not be Doug Parker’s golden parachute or ticket to fame and fortune as Delta’s next CEO. So what’s at stake?
· USAirways has said it will pull down capacity by 10%. While they say they would try to avoid furloughs (it will be handled primarily through “attrition”), there clearly would be job reductions commensurate with the pull down of capacity.

· USAirways is not known for compensating its employees well. We are on the verge of emerging from bankruptcy with commitments of increased pay, profit sharing and a possible equity stake. We stand to lose these commitments in a takeover.

· USAirways dumped all of their pension plans. We were successful in passing legislation to keep ours. They have a different culture.

· USAirways does not have medical benefits for retirees. Delta and the 1114 committees just completed securing medical benefits for Delta retirees. These could be at risk.

· The turmoil of a significantly longer time in bankruptcy plus the integration of such disparate workforces and cultures is not a price we need to pay to help USAirways save itself.

What can I do?

Here are some things you can do between now and January 5, the end of the Congressional holiday recess.

Continue to wear Keep Delta My Delta items. By doing so, we are declaring to everyone, in a highly visible and unified way, that we are fighting this together. This is extremely important to our loyal customers who want to join the fight and who will be catalyzed by our unity and energy.
Your Congressional representatives will be home from December 7 through January 5. Attend any Town Hall meetings near you and let your representatives know how you feel about USAirways' take over attempt. Ask them for their position. Do the same at any meetings or events your state legislators or city officials may attend.
You can write a letter to your Congressional representatives. Simply draft your own letter based on how you feel a USAirways takeover of Delta will affect you, our customers and Delta.
Stay informed by reading the information we will continue to post on the KDMD website. The link is on the DeltaNet, your divisional and the Retiree Connection home pages.
Send us your ideas and feedback via the KDMD or DBC web sites.

Lastly, your role in all of this as a Delta employee dedicated to Keep Delta My Delta is to insure that every action you take on behalf of all Delta people is done with one goal in mind: to serve our customers to the best of your ability and insure that every flight, for every customer solidifies that Delta is their absolute airline of choice. The Keep Delta My Delta campaign is a call to provide the absolute best customer experience possible. Every customer lost because of me or a fellow employee is one fewer soldier to help us fight this fight.

Our unity is in stark contrast to the fractured, contentious work environment of US Airways and will be used as a factor in valuing our company. A clean, on-time airline with inviting employees dedicated to winning the tiebreakers clearly delivers more value than a dysfunctional airline that is fractured and misaligned.

Our Keep Delta My Delta campaign is not only about active Delta people. It is about our customers who have come to rely on Delta as their airline of choice, the communities we serve, the businesses to whom Delta is a lifeline, our steadfast commitment to our military as Delta is the absolute preferred CRAF carrier for our troops, and for the retirees on whose shoulders our great company was built. This fight is ours to win. This is but the first step in our plan of action; stay tuned there is more to come.

Until then, thank you for your unity of purpose and rekindling of the true Delta Spirit.