DeltaNorthWest Airlines is one step closer.
The pilots of both Delta and NorthWest Airlines have approved a new joint collective bargaining agreement according to CNN. This is likely the biggest obstacle, labor-wise, to this merger although I do think that there is potential trouble when it comes to the flight attendants of each airline.
You see, Delta’s flight attendants are not unionized but they do enjoy some of the best pay, schedules and working conditions of any of the legacy airlines. NorthWest flight attendants, however, are highly unionized and have not traditionally been very management friendly. No doubt, some of that enmity is earned. From time to time, there is a movement to unionize Delta FAs but it always results in a no vote with only about 1/3 of their FA’s ever voting for a union.
In this new matchup, it is quite likely that Northwest flight attendants will move to organize under the new company structure immediately and they themeslves have a physical majority over the total number of Delta flight attendants. See where this is going?
Delta, particularly the current leadership, needs to go to great lengths to try to head off that move for two reasons: First, they just gave a very handsome deal to the pilots and flight attendants are going to want to share in that wealth. Second, they currently enjoy unprecedented flexibility that allows them to work much more closely with the flight attendants on things like scheduling and other work rules. That flexibility rewards both parties presently but a pro-union/anti-management organization will cut deeply into Delta’s ability to maneuver in today’s business climate.
I don’t hold out much hope for Delta though.
Much as Delta’s FAs enjoy what they have now, the fact that they are *not* Organized means Delta’s management can unilaterally wipe it all away on a whim. “Sorry, FAs; you don’t have any sot of contract that says we have to continue any past practices, and well, we have to take from somewhere to afford what we gave to the Pilots’ Union…”
There’s nothing that says DeltaNorthwest’s FAs can’t attempt to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that encompasses all of the current Delta FA pay/scheduling/working conditions, and the flexibility you allude to. Then the Delta faction keeps current practice (with protections, BTW) and the NW faction gets an enforceable collective bargaining agreement with management.
Et voila!
-R
The problem that exists in the union / iarline model is that union leadership is elected and judged on the basis of the contract they negotiate with the airline. When times are bad, it is very difficult for the union leadership to process and respond to a very different set of conditions.
When an airline experiences a long period of prosperity, union leadership tends to negotiate contracts that share the wealth but tend to reject re-negotiations, givebacks or new work rules when times are bad.
Given that Delta’s record on furloughs and work rules is better than almost any other legacy airline, it clear that the lack of union influence has resulted in *better* conditions for both parties. Indeed, even seniority continues to rule at Delta.
You’re accurate in your assessment, but you don’t really contradict my point.
Will NorthWorst wise up and negotiate on the Delta model? If they’re smart, they will, although I willingly stipulate the chances of that happening are slim. But again, there’s no real reason (aside from NW’s attitude) that a genuine Collective Bargaining Agreement can’t be negotiated that enshrines all of the current Delta practices and conditions, yet affords collective protections to the FAs.
I say it’s time for the “traditional” Union/Airline management model to change, anyway. And that’s speaking as a proud 25-year Union member.
-R