FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,118
I don't have a dog in this hunt, but I do remember the reputation Delta USED to have in the labor market. Back when I was in college it was a really sterling one, with satisfied employees and tons of local coverage when they bought that "Spirit of Delta" plane (which must be getting long in the tooth by now, if they're still flying it).
Given all that's happened since, starting with the Mullin regime, I think the FAs are crazy not to unionize. The union doesn't have to be confrontational necessarily (just look at Southwest), but it's just too clear that depending on management benevolence these days is a foolish gamble. Top management can and do change abruptly (Mullin showed that, someone from outside the culture), and without workers having leverage the shareholders and Wall Street may push theirs. Pilots have done a better job than other employee groups in "giving what they need, not what they want" because of the union, even though it got them a lot of petty resentment.
Without a union the best protection the FAs would have is what unions at other airlines negotiate, as that has been a major factor keeping Delta in check. If all airlines were like DL, even more of the cuts would be coming out of employees' hides than are already, and you'd have upper management and Wall Street openly declaring a race to the bottom.