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Airlines news

Monday, January 14, 2013

Misc - HL 155 (9)


Good inspiration for any occasion:

 

From: Jake Boyd

Date: 1/13/2013 7:14:42 PM


Subject: Petition inspiration                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Hello Gents.

I know the petition is stalled. Try to apply as many of
these 13 rules (http://www.slideshare.net/nybp/general-colin-powells-13-rules-on-leadership) as possible to regain your confidence. Click through these.

Or for a longer version see
these rules Scroll through these.

Enjoy and keep up the good work.
Jake Boyd.

 

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Date: 01/13/13 12:23:35

To: Mark

Subject: Best comment for the supporting the petition

Dear Mark,

Of all the supporting material for the petition, the slightly understated
"Captain on last flight..." quoted below is one of the best. No argument about justice, just stating the irony... and the reality of the broken promise.

Captain on last flight……..but it’s not Delta!

Ironic? Sure is. Many of think back at our last flight and for most of us it was with Delta. However, some of us after we were retired with Delta fell into a real pension mess as Delta re-organized. That forced many of us back to work. This Captain was no different. His monthly annuity of what was supposed to be $5800 turned into $400 per month. Hard to budget with mama on that. Here it is 7+ years after his Delta retirement and he is now on his last flight again. No water cannons, no gate parties, no happy smiles all around. Its just another Delta retiree that had to scramble and fly for someone else a few more years to make his retirement work. Seems ironic doesn’t it? You go to work for what many consider the best airline in the free world and in retirement get hammered. Well, all that said, this captain guy is a tremendous pilot and person and now in his “second last flight” I wish him all the best in the future.

Earl N Wycoff

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From: C.G. Scott

Date: 1/11/2013 11:50:19 PM


Subject: Working on the 5000 signatures

Sir,

 

I have suggested this before and I don't know where else to go but back to you.

 

It is my opinion that if we could state our situation of having our pensions stolen by Delta in a way that would give us a sympathy vote from the public on some of the public forums listed in this article, that we might be able to put some pressure on the company. Probably a lot more pressure than our 3000 signatures will ever have.

 

Look at this article and see what public sentiment can do - - - even to Delta. We are not dealing with honorable people, or if they are, they have a clever way of concealing it.

 


 

Scotty

 

Editor: Scotty, the petition really isn’t designed to pressure anyone but to gain us access to a meeting where our case can be made.  Thanks for the link.

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Included as an example of contributions being made to help Rob out.

From: <LLRodammer@aol.com>
Date: Wed, Jan 9, 2013 at 9:16 PM
Subject: Re: DELTA PILOTS UNQUALIFIED RETIREMENT
To: rmoser47@gmail.com,

1-10-2013

Rob:

Back in May of 2009 I wrote a letter to each individual member of Delta's Board of Directors. I was very much to the point, while, being respectful to the members of the BOD. They turned their 12 letters over to Rob Kight, V.P. Compensation, Benefits & Services.

Mr. Kight sent me a letter assuring me that during the termination of the Delta Pilots Retirement Plan "The Delta Code of Ethics" was not violated.

Mr. Kight also sent me a copy of his letter to Captain Jim Gray dated July 22, 2008. Additionally, he sent me a copy of a letter dated October 31, 2008 from Richard H. Anderson to Senators Saxby Chamblis and Johnny Isakson.

I assume you already have copies of these letters; if not, I can fax them to you if you e-mail me your fax number. They are definitely worth reading!

Anderson's letter to Saxby and Chambliss appears to be written by $1,000 or more per hour Lawyer. He didn't miss a thing. Like this was the only thing that Delta could possibly do because it had no other choice; infering those over paid pilots got half their retirement anyway and that was a $1,000,000 or more, they don't deserve anymore. What's done is done and we can't fix it at this point. That's the gist of it.

Nobody has pointed out to Mr. Anderson that they could have negotiated a halt to the 50% lump sum payment until some future date or maybe not reinstating it. That may have saved the plan.

None of the Pilots working at the prestigious "Delta" ever anticipated Delta would discontinue the Delta Pilot's Retirement Plan. We were all in shock! We never considered what money was "qualified" and what was "unqualified." Or what it really meant. We just came to work and did our job as best we could. Who could have guessed things could have turned out so terribly wrong. Nobody!

As we all know, a good CEO would make this right and not look for excuses for not being able to do the right thing. The lawyer that wrote Mr. Anderson's letter could make just as compelling an argument as to why the Retired Delta Pilots should get their retirement pay; as well as how this can be accomplished. This is where leadership comes into play.

Nonetheless, I will try to add a couple of thoughts as to how this can be done fairly, with minimal paperwork, so the pilots can start getting some money so they can enjoy their retirement before they all die.

My proposal is very simple and easy to employ. Each Retired Delta Pilot would receive the same total of his Two Delta Paychecks that were issued on September 1, 2005; "qualified" + "unqualified."

DP-3 is working hard to get the most out of the "qualified" from the PBGC. It looks like that may still be awhile, so Delta should start paying the Retired Delta Pilots the "unqualified" check equal to our check on September 1, 2005. Once DP-3 and the PBGC come up with the correct "qualified" amount that will be paid, the Delta "unqualified" check will be adjusted.

This would not be an add on retirement plan or anything else that may be construed to be illegal. It would be a "GIFT" to the Dedicated Retired Delta Pilots who worked for these benefits and deserve to receive them before they die; which will not be that far off. When they die, Delta's payment is over.

Nothing will be retroactive, no complicated math so everyone gets every last cent that is due him. We have to make this process as simple as possible so it can be implemented ASAP and we can move on and live with a little dignity during the short time we have left.

There it is Rob; simple but doable and not that prohibitively expensive. It sure would be great if we got to spend some of these funds, if there are any, rather than leave them to our kids.

Best Regards,

Larry Rodammer

 

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Interesting effort by UAL retirees who also lost their pensions to the PBGC:

 

From: Jake Boyd

Date: 1/11/2013 5:28:24 PM


Subject: United petition

Hi Gents,

I suppose you have seen this petition.


Jake

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I never lost a dime. Mine is the same as it was since I stopped flying because of a heart problem. Using different computers seems unethical and just a way to inflate the number of complaints. Another thing that NEVER
seems to be mentioned is how much these pilots received in cash from the 50 percent lump sum. I heard it was over a million dollars for some people. Also it was never proven ,to me , that Ed Bastian was correct in saying the
company could not come out of bankruptcy if they did not cancel the pilots retirement. Northwest came out and they did not cancel. Maybe that's where we need to be looking. The bankruptcy court believed the company high paid
attorneys and there is no way to go back on that.I got a little over $200,000 for my lump sum and immediately invested it. I did the same with the money from the lost health benefits. Now I don't have a yacht or multiple houses or ex wives or airplanes boats etc to support. Now you are asking how the termination caused personal and family hardship ? For me it
didn't do either. I really hope those who were affected get some relief but I can't sign the petition. I would like to thank Delta Airlines for giving me any my family more than just adequate financial support since 1966.

rhink76@gmail.com   name added: Dick Hinkley

 

Editor: Wow, Dick, a lot here and don’t know where to begin.  Let’s start with the accusation about ethics.  The petition site doesn’t want double signatures from the same person.  So if more than one family member would like to sign (yet they use the same family computer), then they must use another computer.  No padding here, just telling people how the site restricts and to allow family members to chime in.  While we are all HAPPY the D&S Trust is there for you, and to provide you with a 100% pension, we are also taken back by your lack of compassion for your fellow pilots who (in a financial sense) are less fortunate.  

 

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Guys, I need your patience and help.

Mark, I signed the petition on Dec 6. I don't need any more

reminders.......but thanks for your efforts. Donald Palmer

 

Mark, enough is enough. The big mistake with this petition is a stated goal. When I was working and had a delay of any kind I would never give a number, not ten minutes, thirty minutes, two hours. Instead I would use vague references to shortly, in not too long, we'll know something soon. Once a number is presented each passenger would look at their watch and that's where the troubles began.

There never should have been a goal of 5,000 participants and the thing has gotten out of control both for the constant harping and for the inclusion of those not directly involved. Amazingly, a request recently appeared on Facebook for strangers to believe and sign. We are respectable, honest, deserving retired Delta pilots, not Moonies.

Put an end to the solicitations. Those who are going to sign have done so. To pad the list diminishes the value. Let's move on to the "Meet the CEO" phase.

Best regards and good luck to all of us.........Roger Arndt

 

Editor: Guys, I get a spike each time I send out a flash to the group.  Yes, I know, those who have signed are tired of seeing my reminders.  Those who have not signed (and probably won’t) I simply can’t understand.  From my perspective, why wouldn’t you support a fellow pilot’s efforts if all he asks for is a signature and any headway won would improve your situation? 

 

Still the truth remains that I get more supporters each time I flash the group.  So I would ask Don and Roger and all a little patience please, as it will soon be closed and the effort will move to the next phase. Thanks.

 

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Keep Your Powder Dry!!!!!!   I like both Willy’s and Rich’s ideas, and will forward to Rob.  We have a lot of ideas coming in that are equally helpful.  All I can say is stay at the ready.  If this meeting takes place we definitely want to have an impact. 

 


Date: 1/7/2013 5:52:30 PM


Subject: Pilot FlashMob

 

Mark,

Am reading with interest all the suggestions folks have to get the max effect of Rob's presentation if and when it should occur. This is probably far fetched, but could have an impact on the local (Atlanta) media if there was enough participation and cheaper than taking out ad's in major newsprint. I well remember the picketing we all did at our hubs whenever contract negotiations got heated. I did mine at DFW and we always managed to end up on the local news the night of the event. Here's my two cents:

When (If) a date is determined that Delta management will entertain an audience to hear Rob's petition, send out a request through the PCN to all retirees to assemble prior to the hearing at Hartsfield enmasse at the baggage claim area. The uniform of the day would be old uniform coats (horseblankets) for those who still have them (i.e. Didn't burn them). Can't remember how far it is to the HQ from the terminal but marching over in a group would certainly get some attention. Don't have a script for what to do once the group gets there but just standing on the steps would probably do the trick. Maybe some of the old Strike guru's could lead a rally!

I would encourage all retirees ( and families) to attempt to non-rev to Atlanta for this event (in horseblanket, uniform hat, wings or whatever else might identify them as former Delta employees) to support the effort and increase the crowd size. Even if many do not get on an airplane with their S4 passes, their presence at their local airport would elicit questions from passengers,might stir local media interest and will certainly cause some of the active Delta supervisors at these airports to alert Atlanta that something strange is going on in their gate areas with old guys in Delta uniform coats (and perhaps small signs that say "Ask me about my Delta retirement!").

As I said , a bit far-fetched and maybe undoable for a lot of folks but if you could motivate 1/3 of the folks that signed the petition to make an out and back to Hotlanta , you'd have about 800 folks standing on Mr Anderson's front porch when the petition is presented. I would think this would make Rob, or whoever presents, a lot more confident.

Who know's ,this Mob might even get on U-tube and go viral like we see everyday on the internet. Just a thought. Thanks for all you do.

Rich Glantz

DFW/CVG 737 (ret. 2005)

 

 


Date: 1/7/2013 12:54:07 PM


Subject: WSJ ad

Mark-re High Life 154 and Doug Riffey's idea of taking out a full page ad in the WSJ or USA Today about our loss of pension-count me in -I'll gladly contribute to this effort-as you probably know most non-airline people think we retired with a HUGE pension and when I tell them what happened they still dont believe it!-Willie Kattula-Ret. 2004

Wally K.
Editor: Willy keep your ammo dry but ready.  It is not outside of the game plan to do as you say.  Any public pressure campaign which may be ran is still a bit pre-mature.  On this idea, though, others have also voiced support.  Let’s see where the direct request for a meeting goes

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