Release #05.DAL8
December 28, 2005

Delta Pilots Ratify Tentative Agreement

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Union representatives of the Delta pilots, a unit of the Air Line Pilots Association, announced today that by a 58 to 42% margin, their membership voted to ratify an interim agreement that will defer proceedings on Delta’s effort to reject the pilot working agreement. 

In accordance with the timeline of the approved agreement, the Union and the Company will commit their resources and representatives to reach a comprehensive follow-on agreement. The deadline for the membership to ratify a comprehensive agreement is March 22, 2006.

The interim agreement ratified today puts a hold on Delta management’s motion to reject the pilot working agreement in bankruptcy. Should the union negotiating committee be unable to reach a tentative comprehensive agreement with management, or if either of two contractually specified deadlines pass without ratification, management’s Section 1113 motion will be heard before a third party neutral panel.

Chairman Lee Moak states in a letter to pilots, “While I am hopeful that a comprehensive agreement can be obtained, our position on a rejected contract has not changed. We will not work willingly without a contract.” 

The 86% voter turnout was high. The narrow 58-42 margin reflected the pilot group’s anger over the concession request, which came less than a year after the union granted a controversial, $5 billion concession package in an effort to help Delta avoid bankruptcy. Concerns were also expressed over management’s failure to outline a plan that demonstrated how further sacrifices would insure Delta’s financial future.

Founded in 1931, ALPA represents 63,000 pilots at 40 airlines in the U.S. and Canada. The Delta ALPA represents approximately 6,500 pilots. Visit the ALPA website at http://www.alpa.org.

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ALPA Contact: Kelly Collins or John Culp, (404) 763-4925