Daniel's story - "Delta can stop anything Flight Attendants put forward"

I’m a Seattle-based Flight Attendant, and I’m about to celebrate my 8-year anniversary at Delta.

In college, I studied commercial aviation and air traffic control. Most of my professors and guest lecturers had been active in aviation, and many shared stories about how important it had been for them to have a union and a contract.

When I started at Delta, I wanted to be part of improving our jobs, so I signed up for the EIG. For four years, I served in the Seattle base. But when I saw how the EIG is run, I realized that Flight Attendants won’t ever have a real voice unless we have a union and a contract.

Let’s make real improvements at Delta. Sign a card today, then sign up to become a Delta AFA activist.

During my time on the EIG, I saw the inner workings and how ineffective it is at addressing our concerns. That’s by design. Because any vote requires 75% support, Delta can stop anything Flight Attendants put forward if the representatives from management all vote no. And that’s exactly what happened every time we brought forward solutions the company didn’t like.

That was a major eye-opener for me, but nothing compared to what happened when I started comparing pay, benefits and work rules with my husband, who has a strong contract as an AFA-represented Flight Attendant at Alaska.

He has the same eight years of seniority, so it’s easy to make direct comparisons between Alaska and Delta on pay structure, trip construction, you name it. Because of his contract, he can fly a very low line and qualify for benefits, because things like vacation time count toward benefits. If we flew the same trips he’d make much more than I do, because the duty and credit regulations he earns under his contract are much more generous that what Delta offers us.

I became a Delta AFA activist because I saw how the EIG just dismissed our concerns, and I see every day how different my husband’s job is thanks to his union contract. As an activist, I hold regular visibility in Seattle, and any time I’m on a sit in another airport.

Join me! Sign a card today, then sign up to become a DeltaAFA activist so we can secure a union and a contract that locks in our benefits and work rules.

In Solidarity,

Daniel
SEA Delta AFA Flight Attendant