“Give A Rip” will be a thing of the past
Over the next several months we
should all take pause and remember
the May 2008, AFA representation
election that affected over thirteen
thousand flight attendants (FAs) at
pre-merger Delta; not so much time on
the AFA’s failed attempt, but more on
Delta’s strategy in circumventing the
NMB’s “prescribed laboratory conditions”
as Delta CEO Richard Anderson quoted
in his May 13, 2008 Congressional
testimony.
Throughout the drive Delta skirted the line between doing what it testified to and what it actually did.
What they did lay somewhere in a place most of us know nothing about— somewhere between a lie and a white lie. The majority of us have trouble with this kind of corporate-speak mainly because we don’t live our lives with “its business,” half-truths and misdirection. It’s appropriate to say that most of us give straight forward, truthful answers and expect the same in return.
Instead, Delta subverted the voting process with an active, antiunion campaign that routinely spread misinformation in crew lounges around the system. During this time, Delta gave their employees, the public and our elected officials glowing reports about their so-called neutrality, reiterating how the Delta Culture didn’t deal in antiunion advocacy. But, in commonsense’s opinion, what really happened was a far cry from the truth and closer to carrier interference, though no prima facie case was found by the NMB.
“Give A Rip” was the name of the campaign and the goal was as anti-American as any communist manifesto— don’t take initiative with free thinking inquiry because this could lead to enlightenment and progress; no need to vote because elections don’t matter, your leaders know what is best for the you.
The Delta FAs were instructed to “Give A Rip” if they didn’t want a union, meaning don’t click and don’t dial (voters call in or log on to vote); that if they didn’t have time to make an informed vote then just “Give A Rip;” and that if they trust in the Delta Culture then say so by “Giving A Rip.”
Contrary to Richard Anderson’s testimony on Delta’s neutrality the FAs were besieged with “Give A Rip” material at every station they flew in to. Which is it Mr. Anderson? Participate in “a Democratic process” or “Give A Rip” instead? But not so fast, because the FAs voted under the current, supermajority NMB rules the process wasn’t truly Democratic in the sense that the American public is used to.
Rip is an interesting word. It can mean many different things in both slang and in the English language. When used in Delta’s anti-AFA campaign it seems to mean-to utter a series of oaths; swear. Source: dictionary.reference.com
Perhaps Delta wanted an oath of allegiance from its FAs, and because this oath could be taken in the simplest of ways (by doing nothing at all) Delta was successful. Most people are already too busy with their lives and to Delta’s credit they used this to their advantage.
What Delta prescribed for its FAs is one of the many reasons for the proposed NMB rules interpretation change that has yet to be decided— a change that will truly make representation elections Democratic by not being beholden to a 50%+1 voter turnout restriction.
Commonsense says that once the NMB has made its ruling the IAM will follow by filing for single-carrier certifications for representational purposes. If the NMB announces a favorable rules change, the aff ected class and crafts would vote under truly Democratic rules, the simple majority.
Fast forward to the vote when Delta will inundate us with mailings, bulletins and meetings all telling us the importance of participating in our representation elections. You will no longer hear “Give A Rip” and you will no longer be encouraged to sit this one out. You may, instead, be asked to “Get Out The Vote.”
How will Richard Anderson say with a straight face that Delta now believes in Democracy and is thereby asking each of its employees to express that belief by voting in the elections and forgetting about any mixed messages communicated in the past?
Delta policies will change because “Give A Rip” will no longer be advantageous under the new rules. Under the old rules the odds are better if you dissuade people from voting, but this kind of backward logic and race-tothe- bottom thinking goes away with a favorable decision.
The NMB may find the change just and necessary, because you truly can’t stop a Democratic process when the process is handled true to the definition.
WE ALL WILL BE TOLD TO “GET OUT THE VOTE”
Over the next several months we
should all take pause and remember
the May 2008, AFA representation
election that affected over thirteen
thousand flight attendants (FAs) at
pre-merger Delta; not so much time on
the AFA’s failed attempt, but more on
Delta’s strategy in circumventing the
NMB’s “prescribed laboratory conditions”
as Delta CEO Richard Anderson quoted
in his May 13, 2008 Congressional
testimony.
Throughout the drive Delta skirted the line between doing what it testified to and what it actually did.
What they did lay somewhere in a place most of us know nothing about— somewhere between a lie and a white lie. The majority of us have trouble with this kind of corporate-speak mainly because we don’t live our lives with “its business,” half-truths and misdirection. It’s appropriate to say that most of us give straight forward, truthful answers and expect the same in return.
Instead, Delta subverted the voting process with an active, antiunion campaign that routinely spread misinformation in crew lounges around the system. During this time, Delta gave their employees, the public and our elected officials glowing reports about their so-called neutrality, reiterating how the Delta Culture didn’t deal in antiunion advocacy. But, in commonsense’s opinion, what really happened was a far cry from the truth and closer to carrier interference, though no prima facie case was found by the NMB.
“Give A Rip” was the name of the campaign and the goal was as anti-American as any communist manifesto— don’t take initiative with free thinking inquiry because this could lead to enlightenment and progress; no need to vote because elections don’t matter, your leaders know what is best for the you.
The Delta FAs were instructed to “Give A Rip” if they didn’t want a union, meaning don’t click and don’t dial (voters call in or log on to vote); that if they didn’t have time to make an informed vote then just “Give A Rip;” and that if they trust in the Delta Culture then say so by “Giving A Rip.”
Contrary to Richard Anderson’s testimony on Delta’s neutrality the FAs were besieged with “Give A Rip” material at every station they flew in to. Which is it Mr. Anderson? Participate in “a Democratic process” or “Give A Rip” instead? But not so fast, because the FAs voted under the current, supermajority NMB rules the process wasn’t truly Democratic in the sense that the American public is used to.
Rip is an interesting word. It can mean many different things in both slang and in the English language. When used in Delta’s anti-AFA campaign it seems to mean-to utter a series of oaths; swear. Source: dictionary.reference.com
Perhaps Delta wanted an oath of allegiance from its FAs, and because this oath could be taken in the simplest of ways (by doing nothing at all) Delta was successful. Most people are already too busy with their lives and to Delta’s credit they used this to their advantage.
What Delta prescribed for its FAs is one of the many reasons for the proposed NMB rules interpretation change that has yet to be decided— a change that will truly make representation elections Democratic by not being beholden to a 50%+1 voter turnout restriction.
Commonsense says that once the NMB has made its ruling the IAM will follow by filing for single-carrier certifications for representational purposes. If the NMB announces a favorable rules change, the aff ected class and crafts would vote under truly Democratic rules, the simple majority.
Fast forward to the vote when Delta will inundate us with mailings, bulletins and meetings all telling us the importance of participating in our representation elections. You will no longer hear “Give A Rip” and you will no longer be encouraged to sit this one out. You may, instead, be asked to “Get Out The Vote.”
How will Richard Anderson say with a straight face that Delta now believes in Democracy and is thereby asking each of its employees to express that belief by voting in the elections and forgetting about any mixed messages communicated in the past?
Delta policies will change because “Give A Rip” will no longer be advantageous under the new rules. Under the old rules the odds are better if you dissuade people from voting, but this kind of backward logic and race-tothe- bottom thinking goes away with a favorable decision.
The NMB may find the change just and necessary, because you truly can’t stop a Democratic process when the process is handled true to the definition.