Impact of No Contract for Delta Flight Attendants

Delta Flight Attendants receive less overall security, protection and guarantee than United and other union Flight Attendants.

Lack of representation has resulted in substandard pay, benefits and work rule provisions for Delta Flight Attendants.

• Unlike United management, Delta management has unilateral and complete control over Flight Attendant compensation, benefits, and work rules
• Certainty Matters: Delta Flight Attendants do not enjoy guaranteed pay rates like those in contracts negotiated by Flight Attendants
• Security Matters: Delta Flight Attendants have weaker work rules that expose Flight Attendants to operational risk and reassignment
• Protection Matters: Delta Flight Attendants do not enjoy sick leave and healthcare benefits like at United that ensure coverage for illness and health care is adequate to meet needs

PAY GUARANTEES

Delta pay lags behind new prevailing pay rates of unionized carriers.

Incentive pay guaranteed / monthly override pay not guaranteed.

Delta:If management approves/allows, 25% during summer (40% for other months) for hours flown between 90 hours-110 hours. -> Possible payout is 20 hours a month

United: Incentive pay guaranteed, paid out quarterly for all hours over 200/quarter and up to 110/month. -> Possible payout is 43 hours a month

Critical staffing: United White/Purple Flag Pay vs Delta IPY

BOARDING PAY / HOLDING PAY

The difference here is Holding Pay. Boarding at both airlines is paid at half the flight hourly rate for the scheduled boarding time and paid again if there is a second boarding or more.

BUT, the United contract pays half the hourly rate, including premium pays and language, after 30 minutes beyond the scheduled departure time, or after scheduled/actual arrival at the gate.

Delta, 30 minutes AFTER scheduled departure, or time passengers start boarding, or report time plus 60 minutes - whichever is greater. Then only paid at $15 per hour.

PREMIUM PAY

Delta Premium Pay trails United: United international Purser Pay is 50% higher than Delta transoceanic “A” Purser Pay.

RESERVE (A-DAY) OVERRIDE PAY

Unlike United, Delta has no Reserve (A-Day) Override Pay.

QUALIFIED PAY

United Language Qualified Pay is 36% higher than Delta.

RETIREMENT POLICY

Delta Flight Attendants need to contribute 50% more pay to get the same 401(k) retirement coverage as United Flight Attendants.

SICK LEAVE

Delta’s inadequate and restrictive sick leave:

• Delta’s 56 hours annual allotment is lowest for any mainline Flight Attendants
• Delta’s 168 hours maximum sick bank is lowest among all mainline Flight Attendants
• 540 minimum annual hours of flying required to secure annual accrual is the highest among mainline carriers
• Low sick bank saves Delta money by limiting access to paid sick leave but exposes Delta Flight Attendants to pay loss from longer term, repeated illnesses, or OJI

Delta Flight Attendants have 8% maximum sick bank hour accrual as United Flight Attendants.

Delta Flight Attendants pay a much higher share of medical premiums.

And Delta Flight Attendants have much fewer options than union Flight Attendants.

PAY PROTECTION

Delta tripholder reassignments: No pay premium or protection.

Reassignment: Delta tripholders are not protected from reassignment

• Once checked in Delta tripholders can be reassigned
• Delta Fight Attendants cannot refuse a reassignment
• Delta has no obligation to pay a premium or maintain original scheduled return time
• Reverse Seniority for involuntary reassignment is not guaranteed: “Reassignments will be done in reverse seniority of those assigned to the extent possible”*

United Flight Attendants have reassignment protections and pay guarantees

• United must avoid reassignment into scheduled days off or pay 150% of each hour into day off
• Although other reassignment protections make “drafting” much less likely, United Flight Attendants get 4:00 pay/credit per day minimum drafting pay

Day hotel rooms after 4 hours.

The United contract hotel day room provision has been in the United contract since 1980. But it’s worth noting because it is another deterrent to management scheduling Flight Attendants with long sits.

Delta work rules state that a Flight Attendant MAY ask for a hotel after sitting 6:15, but there must be 4 hours left in the day before departure and it’s ALL at management discretion.

This provision is not a change in the United contract, like many other provisions that are better defined and certain in the contract as opposed to Delta Work Rules that management can change.