"The basic goal of labor will not change. It is... to better the standards of life for all who work for wages and to seek decency and justice and dignity for all Americans."
- George Meany, AFL-CIO President from 1955-1979.
Americans enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world due to labor union’s pragmatism, which relies on achievements and progress rather than abstract economic or political theories.
In the airline industry, your Union has fought for and won the highest wages, best working conditions, and, most importantly, the best safety standards throughout our global industry. Yet, we remember the deep scars of the bankruptcy era and are not content to rest on our achievements.
Contract 2019 set a high bar for our profession, demonstrating the power of a unified workforce. Now that implementation is largely complete, with only a handful of remaining items to take effect no later than March 2025, we remain keenly focused on overall contract enforcement. We call on the Company to correctly implement those provisions of the contract not yet complete, provisions that were negotiated in good faith under the watch of the National Mediation Board.
To date, ALPA has filed 11 grievances pertaining to contract implementation. While we would rather that number be zero, we will aggressively pursue all legal remedies to ensure compliance. Whether the Company is facing automation hurdles or simply having buyer’s remorse, the reason is irrelevant. Management has an obligation to abide by our contract. Tangential to this is your union’s ongoing efforts to ensure pilot pay is accurate and modernized. The recent IT IROP was a painful reminder that Delta must continue to invest in employee-facing technology – including pay and crew scheduling systems, to ensure our mutual success in the future.
Looking ahead, we have begun preparations for the next round of Section 6 negotiations. This includes reviewing best practices from Contract 2019 and evaluating the resources needed to raise the bar once again. Your knowledge of the current contract and engagement are vitally important. Your participation is the bedrock needed for the success of our profession. I ask you to attend local council meetings, vote in your local council elections, understand the issues facing our industry, and provide constructive feedback to your elected union representatives.
Today and every day, be a proud union member and stand with over 17,000 of the most professional aviators in the world.
Happy Labor Day!
Fraternally,
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