Today, the Delta pilots voted by 78% to ratify the Contract 2019 Tentative Agreement; 96% of eligible pilots participated. The Global Scope Letter of Agreement was also ratified by a vote of 90%. Global Scope will now become part of our new Pilot Working Agreement (PWA), which is effective March 2, 2023. The PWA includes over $7.2B of cumulative value increases over the next four years with industry-leading pay rates, significant improvements to quality of life and benefits, and job protections to ensure Delta pilots share in international flying. 

The road to Contract 2019 was challenging, but our resolve never faltered – even when facing possible furloughs, a wave of early retirements and economic uncertainty followed by record overtime flying to help Delta return to profitability. When it was time to re-engage with management, we were ready. Our successful outcome is the direct result of your engagement, visible displays of unity, and overwhelming support of the strike authorization ballot. We stood together – 15,000 pilots strong – and achieved the richest contract ever negotiated by a mainline carrier in the industry. After years of working under bankruptcy era contracts, we have taken a significant step forward in restoring the profession. This is a paradigm shift from the way we traditionally negotiate contracts; we made substantive gains without any concessions. Now, it’s time to help our fellow pilots at other airlines build upon our momentum and continue to raise the bar. I want to personally thank the Negotiating Committee and support staff who put the last four years of their lives on hold to secure this agreement.  

There are many improvements to work rules and scheduling that will be phased in over the coming months. To ensure these changes take effect as stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 23-01, subject matter experts will work with the MEC officers, committees and Company counterparts to monitor and enforce implementation. Look for a series of educational communications about the new provisions prior to their effective date.  

With negotiations behind us, contract implementation and enforcement are now a priority. I ask that you stay engaged with your union and reach out to your elected representatives should you have questions about the many new provisions contained in our PWA. Your continued leadership will ensure safety always remains our primary focus. With an industry-leading contract now in effect, I hope you take a moment today to celebrate the success your unity helped us achieve.