Sit Pay, ADAY Pay: What we leave on the table without a contract

Having a contract provides for a lot more than the flight hour pay rates and other top line items. Here are four provisions where Delta Flight Attendants are missing out on compensation or quality of life improvements:

1. Sit Pay - The Alaska AFA Contract provides an additional 1 TFP of pay when scheduled or actual ground time exceeds two hours between flights in the same duty period.

• A “TFP” or Trip For Pay is a unit of pay based on point-to-point mileage as defined under the Alaska AFA Contract (and the Southwest Flight Attendant contract). A TFP is roughly equivalent to 1.15 hours of flight pay. Alaska and Southwest Flight Attendants are paid by TFP, not flight hour.
• Delta pilots negotiated sit pay in their tentative agreement: “Pay/no credit of 1 minute for every 2 minutes of “sit” in excess of 3 hours.”

2. Hotel Rooms for Sits or Delays - The United AFA Contract provides hotel rooms for sits over 4 hours and for delay of 4 hours or more.

• At Delta, we have to wait until the sit or delay exceeds 6 hours to request a room - it’s not even a requirement.
• This is a big deal in the operation because hotel rooms are scheduled in advance and there’s an infrastructure at the airline to get hotel rooms for the Flight Attendants. If management is not required to do this, they also likely don’t have the back end infrastructure in place to make it happen. This provision has been in the United AFA contract since the early 80’s.

3. Reserve (aka ADAY) Pay - The United AFA Contract provides an additional $2.00/hour of pay for Flight Attendants on reserve or working reserve days.

• At Delta, we receive no additional compensation for ADAYs.

4. Direct Retirement Contributions - The United AFA Contract provides a 5% direct 401k contribution. Flight Attendants get 5% in their 401k without having to contribute any ($0) of their own money.

• At Delta, we only receive a 3% direct contribution. That’s money left on the table and a significant difference for more junior Flight Attendants who can’t afford to contribute to their 401k during the first years of flying.

As Delta flight attendants, WE get to decide what to prioritize when it comes to negotiating our contract. That’s why we’re working to build our union - for a real voice in the workplace. No one understands our unique work conditions and needs like we do, and our union will empower us to advocate for the benefits and pay we deserve.

Ready for a say? Sign a card now and join the campaign.

In Solidarity,
Your Delta AFA Organizing Committee